Feast or Famine!
Hi Folks,
Hope you all are starting out with a blessed 2012!
After Christmas, we had a period of time with not much going on. It always takes time to get back in the rhythm of ministry after 1 month of vacation (I didn’t take a month , but that is what most people do here in December). Then, all of a sudden, we got busy–PTL!
Pam deLeon and I went to 2 places in another city–Puebla (about 2 hours from Mexico City) to talk with people there about CHE. Chere, a woman who used to work at Niños de Mexico, and her husband, Luis, live in a little town outside Puebla called Nazarín (not sure of the spelling because I couldn’t find it on the map). It is a rural area with farming as the main activity. We met with about 9 people, whom Luis and Chere meet with for Bible study. We read the Bible together to discover that Jesus ministered to both physical and spiritual needs, then we showed a video of CHE working in rural areas in Mexico and Africa. They seemed to receive the information very well, though it would be unusual for them not to receive information from North Americans well. After our presentation, they fed us tamales and olla (absolutely delicious Mexican coffee). They will contact us if they want to pursue the program with a community wide vision seminar. please pray for God to show them His vision for that area.
people in the study
Pam de Leon, Chere and Luis
We stayed the night with Chere and Luis. Then Luis drove us about an hour to their church in Puebla. We talked with the pastor there about CHE and starting a program there. About 30-35 people attend their church. CHE would be a way to help the people in that area of Puebla and increase their membeship. He will also contact us if he wants to start a TIC (CHE) program there. (Sorry, I didn’t get any pictures of that church). please pray for this pastor to discern God’s will for his church.
Then Pam and I came back to Pachuca on the bus so we could meet with our TIC trainers to encourage them to pursue their projects that need to be completed before we can start the next phase of the training. Not much has been done since our first phase (we finished in October and one of the trainers has had major family problems and then there was — December!) They have to do a school screening, a base survey, a detained map of the area, and what we call a “seed project”, which is a small project to call the community’s attention to TIC. They are planning a praise concert, involving all the churches in LaRaza in April. After that, we will start phase 2 of the training, which will prepare them to have a vision seminar for the community, train a committee and TIC volunteers. They have complied the survey and some of the youth will help them conduct it and also help them make the maps. Please pray for the 4 trainers, that they will not lose the vision they had and will be committed to implementing TIC and continuing their training.
Saturday we had a women’s breakfast. We hadn’t had one in quite a while. There were a number of women who do not attend our church there, so it was a great outreach. Vicki gave the program on “Who are you in God’s eyes”? It was very good. The breakfast was good too!
women at the breakfast
Vicki teaching
Monday, Pam d and I went to an area in the north of Mexico City called Huehuetoca (waywaytoka) where Casey and Teri, 2 of our teammates, have planted a church called Rey de Reyes (King of Kings). We spoke to 5 women at their Bible study. They seemed very enthusiastic about TIC. They will pray about it and let us know also. One woman wants to plant a church in a poor area nearby and is interested in using TIC for that purpose. (Sorry, didn’t get pictures there) As you can see, God is blessing our ministry and giving us opportunities to reach more and more people in Mexico. Please pray for us, our strength, wisdom, and guidance in staying in His will.
Yesterday, Vicki called to ask me if I wanted to go with Greg and 3 other church members, Claudia and Lazaro, and Aurelia who brought her granddaughter, Jessica (Aurelia is the mother of Serenia, who died of cancer last year and Jessica is her daughter) who were going to visit Marina, one of our members, who is staying with her daughter in El Chico, a national forest area near Pachuca (about 45 minutes drive). It is an amazingly beautiful area. If you come visit me, we will go there! Marina has had many health problems, especially recently, and was staying with her daughter, Brenda, so Brenda could take care of her. I have visited Marina in her home in LaRaza and talked with her frequently at church. She has had major surgery on her pancreas, so therefore has blood sugar problems. Of course I wanted to go. Evidently Marina had an urinary tract infection and was very ill. She is on medication now and is physically better, but has lost a lot of weight and is very depressed. We prayed for her and tried to encourage her. Brenda and her husband are not Christians, so I pray that they will see the love of God working in her mother and through us. Please pray for Marina, that God will comfort and lift her spirits and for Brenda and her husband and 3 children to find the love of Jesus for themselves.
path from Brenda's house
Greg and Lazaro walking to the house
Beautiful view from El Chico
beautiful area of El Chico
Aurelia, Jessica, and Claudia
Yesterday afternoon, I went to buy propane gas for my heater. I stopped at the supermarket and just as I was leaving, we had a huge hail storm. I had to wait until most of the storm was finished. It does not snow here, but it sure looked like snow on the ground. It was the longest hail storm I have ever experienced. I passed 3 major accidents as I was going home. PTL that I was in the store and not on the road when the storm hit! Thank you all for your prayers for me. I can see how God is answering them every day! Without your back up in prayer and support, I could not be here. You all all such blessings to me! God bless you all real good. More to come next week after our team meeting in Puebla.
outside the supermarket, the sky very dark
hail on the parking lot
hail on the streets