Pray for Selena

One of my favorite little girls, Selena, suddenly got very sick about a week ago. She apparently went into a coma and had no pulse. The health care providers at the government hospital could not determine the cause and sent her home once she appeared okay. She is still extremely pale, and the family has no answers. They are extremely poor but want to try to save money to take Selena to a private practice doctor to get the diagnosis and treatment that she needs. Please pray for this beautiful, precious 4 (or maybe 5 now) year old girl!

Christmas Celebrations

Throughout last week, we celebrated Christmas with each of our Bible study groups. Then on Saturday night we had a dinner for our Wednesday group, giving them an opportunity to invite their husbands/dads to join us. As we crowded 35 people into a tiny space, we sang Christmas songs . . . . . . ate dinner . . .

. . . then distributed our Christmas gift bags and watched the kids receive them with such excitement!
Then I took pictures of most of the families in front of the litte tree.

Then the women started saying that it was my turn to pose for a picture. Since I had no interest in standing alone for a "family" photo, I politely declined. That's when they told me that they thought it should be a picture of me with all of my "students." I loved that idea, and I love this picture!

Feliz Navidad!

Girls Groups

When you have to miss a week with a group, there is always the risk that the group will fall apart. After only having met with my new pre-teen girls groups two Mondays, I prayed that my one Monday away in Puerto Vallarta would not cause the groups to fail. Monday morning I headed out to see if my 2 girls would be there. I was still pretty tired after my long day of riding buses back to town and my short night of sleep, but I was hopeful. Myrna was already there and had brought her 12 year old sister as well. Daniela soon joined us, and we had a good morning. They even asked if we could have a Christmas celebration this month.

In the afternoon I had my 3 girls from before plus 2 new ones! What a blessing to see these groups not only continue to exist but to grow! Please pray for these 8 young girls to understand more of God's love and His plan. Also pray for God to protect them from the dangers they face growing up in such a rough neighborhood. I am praying that He will continue to show me ways that I can bond more with these girls and pour His love into their lives.

Birthday

On Thursday during my time in Puerto Vallarta, I celebrated my birthday. I was overwhelmed by all of the phone calls, emails, and facebook posts from friends and family. What an amazing reminder of how very blessed I am!!! Plus, my dear friends Preston and Courtney went far above and beyond what I could have imagined to ensure that it was a great day for me.
Preston brought home these beautiful flowers while Courtney cooked a great breakfast.

In the afternoon we went for a walk on the malecon, looking out over the ocean and drinking Starbucks (mine, of course, was chai tea!) Then that evening we went out for a seafood dinner where we could watch the sunset over the ocean. (Can you tell I love the ocean?)

In many restaurants, when the servers are informed of a birthday, they gather and sing and bring a dessert to the guest of honor. Bubba Gump was no exception. As they circled the table and sang and clapped, our primary server held a cup of ice cream and seemed to have intentions of feeding it to me during the song. In reality, his intentions were to smear the ice cream on my face. I have to say, I laughed quite a bit in the process of trying to avoid it!

Thanks to all of my wonderful friends and family, including Preston and Courtney as well as all who sent a message or called, for helping make my day far more special than I dreamed it would be. What a blessing you are in my life!

Vallarta Ministry

While a few things I had planned to do in terms of ministry while in Puerto Vallarta did not go according to plan, I am excited about some things that did happen and have learned not to be surprised or overly upset when things don't go according to plan in Mexico.

• I was able to share informally with Preston and Courtney and a few key people in their church a bit about my role in Aguascalientes and an idea of how they could come here on a mission trip to support this ministry.
• I was blessed with the opportunity to spend some time with some people who have become dear friends over the years of my trips to Vallarta, attend a party in honor of one friend who is getting married soon, and meet a couple more people.
• The church there has just acquired a new building where they can meet. Preston has done a lot of work to get it ready for them to use, and then Friday night and Saturday we worked hard to paint over the crazy green walls. It was an honor to be a part of this momentous occasion in the history of the church, including attending the first service in the building. In spite of the associated aches and pains and paint on my clothes and shoes, it was also pretty fun to bond a bit more with these friends by working shoulder to shoulder on this project.
• Saturday night Courtney and I invited some women over to make Christmas cards. Things like this are a great way for the women of the church to have a little time in fellowship together as well as a great opportunity to reach out and invite people who don't come to church.

While I didn't get nearly all the pictures I wish I had taken, the past week added some precious memories that I don't think I will need pictures to remember. Such a blessing to be a small part of the work there and to have such special friends there. Please join me in praying for the church, La Esperanza de Vallarta, as they reach out to the people in the neighborhood where they now meet. Pray for each member of the church to continue to grow deeper in their personal walk with Christ and to reach out to those around them. Pray for Preston and Courtney and their daughter Callie as they continue to serve there and to seek God's direction for their ministry.

Puerto Vallarta

Thank you for praying for my trip to Puerto Vallarta and for everything in the week leading up to my trip. I had a good time celebrating Thanksgiving with part of my IMB family, and I arrived here safely yesterday morning. Tonight I will get to spend a little time with some women who have been my friends since the first time I came to Vallarta on a mission trip.
Please pray for me as I speak to the church here tomorrow morning. I am excited for the opportunity but a bit nervous about the combination of public speaking and Spanish. Praying that God will have me say what He wants me to share about my work in Aguas.

Happy Thanksgiving

Just wanted to say how thankful I am for each of you! Hope that you are enjoying some time with family and/or friends and that you are taking time to express sincere gratitude to God for all that He has done!

Two Out of Three Ain't Bad

No, that title is not a reflection of my grammar skills. If I remember correctly, it is a line from a song. It came to mind as I was thinking about my morning. Last Monday afternoon 3 girls had asked me to come teach them English and the Bible on Monday mornings because they have school in the afternoon and can't join that group. I wasn't sure if they would remember or would come out this morning.
I sat in the beautiful sunlight a few minutes before the appointed time of 10 am, and a curious woman from one of the apartments came and sat near me and asked about why I was there. After a few minutes, she said, "Oh. Here comes a girl who seems to know you. It looks like they did remember." Her words were music to my ears! Myrna approached, carrying the little notebook that I had given them to write their English vocab. Soon Daniela joined us, and we found a spot in the shade and began.
It was such a blessing to have this time with these girls. I pray that God will pour Himself into their lives through me and that they will begin to read the Bibles I gave them. Also praying that the fact that I will be out of town next week won't cause the group to end but that they will come the following week, as they agreed to do this morning.
Not only is 2 out of 3 not bad, I'd say it is fabulous! I am continuing to pray that the other girl, Yuritzi, will join us next time and that they will invite a few other friends as well.

Prayer for the Week

The week ahead is very full and also very exciting! Would love to know that you are praying for these specific requests throughout the week.

Monday:

• 10 am meeting with group of pre-teen girls for Bible study, English lesson, and just to be a part of their lives. Please pray that these girls will remember and be able to show up as this will be our first morning meeting. Also pray that God will speak through me.
• 5 pm meeting with the other group of pre-teen girls. Please pray that the girls will participate and will feel God's love for them specifically.

Tuesday:

• 4 pm Bible study with our group that normally meets on Wednesdays. Please pray for these women and kids to grow in understanding of God and for their husbands/dads to come to know Christ. Some have brought a sister or sister-in-law with them recently. Please pray that these women will return and will come to know Christ as well.
• During the day, please also pray for me as I finish preparing my house for company and prepare a couple of dishes for Thanksgiving dinner.

Wednesday:

• Please pray for safety for other missionaries who are driving here from 3 other cities to celebrate Thanksgiving with us at Robin and Charlie's house. Also pray that we will have a good time of fellowship and giving thanks to God. (The company I mentioned above is a family of 5 who are staying overnight with me. I LOVE VISITS, and I love this family!)

Thursday:

• Pray for continued good fellowship and safety as my visiting friends see a bit of the city and then drive back home.
• 4:30 pm Bible study: Pray that the women will be able to come study with Robin, and that the little boy who was hospitalized last Thursday is doing well. Pray for Angel and I to be the embodiment of God's love to these sweet kids.
• 10:20 pm bus departure: Pray for a safe trip as I ride an overnight bus to Puerto Vallarta, arriving at 7 am.

Prayer Need

Today when we arrived at our study, we quickly learned that one of our boys was in the hospital. Diego has a significant hearing impairment and has had a seizure in the past. Today he had another one and was rushed to the hospital. The grandma and youngest brother came to the study but were both clearly traumatized from what they had witnessed. They wanted to be with the sick boy and his mom at the hospital but needed to be around to pick up the older 2 boys from school. Please pray for Diego's health, and for the emotional and financial struggles that the entire family is experiencing. Pray that they will feel God's presence in this difficult time.
*Note: We stopped by the hospital on our way home from the hospital, and we were told that only one person could go in. Angel and I waited at the entrance while Robin was escorted in. She was told that she could only stay 2 minutes (which of course she stretched a bit). The mom was very surprised to have a visitor and clearly appreciated that Robin would take the time to stop by and pray for them.

It Went Well!!

Today was the day for my new group to start. As the kids gathered around Charlie, I went over and invited the older girls to come over to a table I had set up. I started with 3 girls aged 9-10. and 2 more girls that age joined us a little later. We introduced ourselves, had a little English lesson, had a brief Bible study, and then we made personalized ponytail holders and talked. It went really well!

An interesting thing happened, though. Schools here offer 2 different sessions, so some kids attend school in the morning and others in the afternoon. The afternoon session doesn't end until 6 pm, but we meet at 5 pm. However, today was a holiday and school was not in session. Of the 5 girls who came to my group, 3 are usually in school in the afternoons. They were upset that they wouldn't be able to keep meeting with me and immediately started conspiring to leave school early every Monday to be home in time for our group!

I was touched by this, and I didn't want to lose them from my group either. I asked them if they wanted to meet in the mornings before they go to school. I told them that I could come twice every Monday so that they would all be able to participate. We agreed to try 10 am next week for the girls who have school in the afternoon. It will be interesting to see if they come out that early. I told them several times that if I drive there I don't want to just sit outside by myself, and they assured me that it would not happen. I think it meant a lot to them to receive such undivided attention. They need to know how special they are as daughters of the king.

I feel like it was a good start, and my excitment about this group continues to grow. Praise God for this amazing blessing! Please continue to pray for these sweet girls.

Girls Group

On Mondays Robin and Charlie have a study at an apartment complex. Robin and 2 of our Mexican women have been teaching the women while Charlie and one of our Mexican teenagers have been working with the kids. While Robin and Charlie were gone, the 2 Mexican women agreed to teach the women, but they still wanted me to do a craft with the women. The teenage boy who had been helping with the kids joined a soccer team and could no longer come. This left me alone leading a big group of rough kids (rough neighborhood = rough kids). Then, each week one of the Mexican women would come relieve me of my duties with the kids long enough for me to go over and teach the women's craft. It was quite a circus!
This past Monday was the first time that Robin and Charlie would resume leadership of this group. I volunteered to go help Charlie with the kids because I understood very well that they are a lot for one person. The kids range in age from around 2 to around 13. This time we had a few more of the older "pre-teen" girls than usual. They were laying on their stomachs on the tarp working on a word search, and they asked me to help them. So, I got down on my stomach between them and began searching for words with them. They started talking to me VERY RAPIDLY, using a lot of slang that I don't know, and I was completely lost. I jokingly asked them to repeat what they had said in English. Their response? You speak English? Tell me how to say this word . . . and what about this word . . . . We had a great time, and I bonded with them very quickly. as we loaded up the van, one 11 year old girl in particular just kept giving me hugs, each one lasting longer than the one before. I was touched but a bit surprised at how quickly she had gotten so attached to me. She, as many of the kids in this neighborhood, clearly craves attention that is lacking in the home.

As I finally extracted myself from her to get in the van before Charlie drove off, my heart just couldn't let go. I felt like God was calling me to work specifically with this group of girls, separate from the rest. As I prayed about it over the next couple of days, I became more convinced that this is exactly what He is leading me to do. Please pray for me this coming Monday (Nov. 15) at around 5 pm as I attempt to begin this group. Pray that the girls will come, will be receptive, and that their lives will be changed as a result of what God desires to do. I am extremely excited about this and am praying that God will guide and direct me in every aspect of it.

Plumbing Saga

After this paragraph, I don't really want to talk about this plumbing saga any more. It has dragged on and on to the point of exhaustion. I've had days with plumbers here, with men repairing concrete, with tilers, and also days of waiting on a plumber who said he'd come and didn't. Even as I write this, the plumber is finally here for what should be his final visit. (He was just 35 minutes late today.) When he leaves today, the ordeal should finally be over. For that, I am grateful! While I know the situation could have been far worse, it has an interruption that I really don't care to deal with any longer. I am definitely grateful that my landlord has been the one contacting the workers and making sure the work happened eventually!

They're Back!

Robin and Charlie are both now back in town. After taking a few days to re-acclimate themselves, yesterday they started leading their own groups again. So, now I am able to start focusing on the groups I usually work with and on starting new ministries.

Robin's dad's health problems are still very serious. Please continue to pray for him, for Robin's mom as she cares for him in the home, and for Robin as it was hard to leave them to come back to Mexico.

I believe God is opening some very exciting doors for me right now, and I look forward to sharing more about them very soon. Please pray that His guidance will be clear and that He will work in the hearts of those to whom He is calling me to serve.

Plumbing . . . Fixed?

So this is how the bathroom looks AFTER the plumber is completely finished . . . ? From halfway down the stairs you can see directly into that bathroom. Apparently the landlord is now working on scheduling someone to come repair the hole in the wall/floor. This is progress, Mexcan style (aka slowly).

In spite of the headache inducing drilling sounds and the layer of conrete dust coating my lungs and my house, I am grateful that my landlord is taking care of the problem.

Adventures in Plumbing

Maybe my expectations were wrong, but this is not how I expected my house to look after the plumber left this afternoon. For reasons I could not understand, he has to wait until Monday to finish the job. Sadly, Monday was supposed to be my first day to completely relax in a VERY long time. Babysitting a plumber, listening to the loud work, and then cleaning up afterward is NOT what I had in mind.

It was kind of funny to hear him say he would come "first thing early Monday morning" and then in the next sentence say "10 or 10:30 Monday morning." That's first thing?

Ohhh, Mexico

Last Thursday the concrete floor under my guest bathroom began leaking water down to the first floor. Friday I called my landlord and told him there was a leak and asked if he could bring a plumber. He said that he was in Mexico City and would come Monday morning at 9. Monday came and went with no word. Finally he called me this morning (Thursday) and asked if I wanted him to come around 9:30 or 10. Now, I had been looking forward to finally being able to return to my Thursday morning study with friends that starts at 9:30, but I reluctantly agreed to stay home so he could come. He arrived and looked surprised when I showed him the leak. He decided that he should call a plumber. Seriously? Now the plumber is scheduled to come Saturday morning. I hope the saturated section of concrete doesn't decide to cave in before then. Oh, the details of life.

Growing

The group of women and kids in our Wednesday study has become very precious to me. I've had months to bond with most of the kids, love seeing new ones join, and now I've had a few weeks to get to know the women better as I lead their study. These women are new Christians who sincerely desire to learn and grow. They come with Bibles and highlighters in hand, ready to explore God's word. They are patient with me and encourage me as I strive to find the words in Spanish to express what God has laid on my heart. They love to sing praise to God (and forgave me the week that I forgot to bring the music!)

The kids, especially the youngest ones, have warmed up tremendously and behave so well during their lessons and proejcts. Each week brings memories to treasure, and this week was no exception. While we were singing, an adorable 3 year old boy and 2 year old girl climbed under the table and keep peeking out at me and calling, "On-hay-la!" to make sure I would look at them and smile. Each week all of the kids are eager to help unload the van when we arrive and load before we leave. This particular week as we were beginning to pack things up, the moms were going through a couple of bags of clothes and toys that had been donated for them to divide. I was standing at the back of the van loading what the kids proudly carried to me when I started to see kids coming bringing toys. Instead of realizing that the toys their moms handed them were theirs to keep, they were carrying them to be loaded into my van.

I am so glad to know that many of these kids now have Christian moms, and I am praying that their dads will come to know Christ as well and that they will be raised to know God's word and His love. I am also praying for Nancy, one of the women who had been coming for months but now has stopped because her husband forbids her to come. It is heartbreaking to know that she is being mistreated.

En Quien Confias?

I was supposed to meet Celia at Robin and Charlie's hosue so that she could ride with me to the Friday night Bible study where she would teach the women and I would teach the kids, just like last week. I was already at the designated meeting place before I recieved a text from her that she wasn't coming. Not only had I not prepared to teach the women, I didn't have any materials with me . . . not even my own Bible that I'm most comfortable using. To make the situation even more intimidating, this is the group where several women are still very Catholic. It doesn't take much to ignite an argument from them. I felt a strong instinct to give up and just go home. How could I possibly succeed in these circumstances?
Even as these thoughts crossed my mind, I knew that I had to go. Right now my goal is to keep these groups going until Robin comes back. Running away from a challenge would not accomplish that, nor would it honor God. I began to drive toward the neighborhood. As I drove, I prayed for guidance and for God to do what I knew I was not capable of doing. He reminded me of the study I had done with some women last week about trusting God. Not only was it a timely reminder that I need to remember to trust Him completely in every moment, in every situation, it was also the topic He wanted me to share today. But could I do it without any of my notes? That would be hard enough for me in English, but in Spanish??? Oh yeah. It wasn't about my ability. It was about trusting Him to speak through me and being obedient to go.
When I arrived, I saw that only one of the kids had come today. I set him up to work on some craft projects and coloring sheets, and then I sat down with the women to study. While it certainly wasn't a presentation to be recorded and shared with the world, it did go well and seemed to resonate with the group. God brought to mind some key points. The woman most likely to cause problems interrupted a few times and then suddenly stopped doing so. (Sometiems she likes to "reteach" what is being shared with a spin that fits what she wants to believe instead of what the Bible says.) One of the women asked me what I thought when I was "sent" to them alone this time. I think God spoke to them through my obedience to go as well as through His Word, and I am grateful that He chose to use this broken vessel.
Most of the women in this group are not yet believers, so I am praying that they will realize their need and make that crucial decision.

Sweet Fellowship

Last night as Celia and I returned from leading a Bible study around 8 pm, she invited me to follow her back to her house to have dinner with her and Tina. Between getting up at 3 am to take a friend to the airport, haveing lots of craft and lesson prep work awaiting me at home, and simply having the inclination to retreat to the solitude of my home at the end of the day, I was tempted to beg off. However, it was a situation where I knew I really needed to say yes to make sure I didn't offend. So, off we went. As we drove, I prayed that God would make it a time of sweet fellowship and not of cultural stress. I even prayed for my stomach as I had no idea what would be served, and that I would manage to gracefully swallow coffee when served (which I've always managed to avoid in the past but saw looming overhead this time).
Is it any surprise that God came through in a big way? Dinner included lettuce salad, black beans and tortillas, and (ironically) a hamburger. Tina asked me if I wanted water or coffee to drink, so I had my "out" on the coffee! We had good conversation throughout dinner, and I felt at ease with them more than I ever have since we met 6 months ago. Would you believe that after dinner we sang karaoke? I've actually never particiapted in karaoke before because I always feel self-conscious. The fact that I was able to participate and even have a lot of fun with it was a testament to the work that God has done in me over the past year.
So, today I am thanking God for continuing to bless me in all things, both big and small.

Teaching Women

I have become pretty comfortable working with the kids while someone else teaches women, but the thought of trying to teach women in Spanish still makes me nervous. This Wednesday and Thursday were only my 3rd and 4th times to actually do so. Monday and Tuesday I prayed that God would give me a topic that would be relevant to all of us and that He would communicate through me (and not allow langauge to be a barrier). The topic He gave me was "In Whom (or in what) Do You Trust?" We read the story of Peter walking on water and discussed how we never need to doubt or fear but can always trust completely in Him. It went extremely well with the Wednesday group and fairly well with the Thursday group. It is so exciting to realize that God is using you to speak to others! Please pray for these precious women and for me as I strive to minister to them until Robin returns. Also pray for the teenage boys who give of them time to teach my kids groups while I am with these women: Julio on Wednesdays and Angel on Thursdays. (On Mondays and Fridays I am teaching kids while Elizabeth and Celia teach women, and then I trade places with them when it is time for me to lead the women's craft time. Please pray for them as well.)

Celebrations

In my 6 months here, I really hadn't been invited to any parties, etc. until this week. Then suddenly I had 2 invitations to 2 different events on the same day. Fortunately, one was Sunday afternoon and the other was Sunday night, so I was able to participate in both. The most interesting part is how very different they were.
Sunday afternoon I went to a baby's baptism party. It is a family I've known since I arrived, and a couple of them are Christians but the rest are not. They follow the Catholic tradition of christening a baby and then throwing a big party after the mass. I was invited to this party, and I went. It was very Mexican with live music, a meal, etc. Attending gave me an opportunity to show the family that I care about them, and I was also able to give the new parents a children's picture/story Bible for their son. Please pray for Charlie and Marisol to accept Christ and then to raise their son to know Him.
Sunday night I went to a Thanksgiving dinner party. Did you know that Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving in October? I have a Canadian friend here, and she invited me to the Thanksgiving celebration that she was hosting in her home. Not only was I able to spend a little time with Erin, but I also got to meet many of the people she works with at the orphanage, a mixture of Canadian and Mexican people.
Not only was it fun to participate in 2 different cultures that day, but I think it is pretty cool to add another Thanksgiving to the year!

Trust vs. Worry

Monday was my first day to be completely responsible for the Bible studies in Charlie and Robin's absence. Normally Charlie and a teenage boy named Angel teach the kids while Robin and two Mexican believers (Celia and Elizabeth) teach the women. I had already talked to Celia on Sunday, and we had agreed that she and Elizabeth could teach the women and Angel and I would teach the kids. Celia and Angel would meet me to ride there, which meant I would also be able to rely on them to help me find the neighborhood. I thought everything was in place and that all I needed to do was prepare the kid's lesson and crafts. As I was running around Monday doing just that, I heard from Elizabeth. She said Celia was going to be late and would meet us there, and she also asked me if I was bringing a craft for the women. I must confess, I panicked a bit, worrying about whether or not I could find the place without Celia and realizing I had a couple of hours to come up with a craft for the women (and that I would have to leave the kids to go teach it). After realizing that I was stressing about something I shouldn't, I put it back in God's hands. Angel and I got there just fine (and "coincidentally" he has been learning how to give directions in English class lately). As we were driving, I told him that I would need to leave him alone with the kids for a bit as I was supposed to teach the women's craft. He immediately started studying the lesson I had prepared and volunteered to completely lead the kids, which he did FABULOUSLY. The women's study also went quite well with those who came.

So, today when I was beginning to think that I wasn't going to find anyone to help me, I finally remembered to trust God instead of worrying. As I prayed about it, I came up with a contingency plan for leading the kids and adults together. About 3 hours before time to go to the study, I finally got a yes from a teenage boy Julio who could go help me with the kids. Then as I picked up a woman who attends the study, I learned that the group had talked and didn't think we were meeting because Robin is gone. Another situation that ignited the instinct to worry, but instead I told her that I was going to go ahead and go and pray that at least some of them could still come. I walked Julio through the kid's lesson and crafts I had prepared and again thanked God for sending him to lead the kids so that I could teach the lesson I felt He had given me for the women. Eventually a few of the women came, plus two who had never come before. Although I've taught kids in Spanish countless times now, this was only my second time to teach women in Spanish, so I was a bit nervous. They were so kind, though, and they understood everything I said in spite of my blunders. So, everything came together in God's timing, and I am so grateful that He chooses to work through such a messy clay pot as me!

Tomorrow I am teaching the same lesson to a different group of women, and Angel is going with me to lead the kids. Then Friday Celia is teaching a women's group and I am teaching the kids. What a blessing it is to have co-laborers, especially teenage boys who are willing to give their time to come teach kids. Especially Angel, who did so on his birthday Monday!

WMU Missions Mosaic magazine

The October issue of the WMU Missions Mosaic magazine has an article about my IMB teammates here in Aguascalientes. If you have access to it, please take a few minutes to read it.

Robin's Dad

Robin's dad is in serious condition in a hospital in Alabama. Robin left last Thursday to go be there, and Charlie left Sunday to join her. Please keep their family in your prayers through this time.
We all assume that they will be gone for at least a few weeks, so during their absence I am trying to keep their group Bible studies going (and ideally growing). Thankfully, some Mexican believers are helping me work with the groups. Please keep the groups, those who are helping, and me in your prayers. I KNOW that I cannot do this on my own, so I am definitely relying on God to work through us to make it happen. Please pray that I won't lose sight of this fact and try to take control (that would be the fastest way to ruin what He wants to accomplish!).
On a related note, I've recently been reviewing my notes from some training I received from a very gifted teacher named Carla MacLachlan. Something that is resonating deep within me this week from those studies is this question: Am I task-oriented or Truth-oriented? At least for me, it is VERY easy to become focused on the tasks that need to be accomplished. They provide something concrete to do and can be checked off a list when completed. But, if I allow myself to become too focused on the tasks, I am not focusing on sharing Truth. What if I used every opportunity of every day to share Truth in some way? What if I looked at my day and the world around me through the lens of revealing Truth?

North Carolina Team

Last Thursday morning I said goodbye to Courtney and Callie at the bus station. That night after our Bible study we went to the airport where we said hello to a team of 6 people from North Carolina. Saturday we took several youth to a park where the team led them in some training sessions and spent quality recreation time with them between sessions. The rest of the week they helped us with all of our studies, etc. The men also had a night with several pastors and lay leaders from Aguas.

Not only was it a blessing that they came and reached out to the people here, it was also a tremendous blessing to fellowship with this team. We had some good conversations and quite a few good laughs. They brought a positive energy that was infectious.

Here's the 6 team members with a few of the kids. In back is a couple named JR and Deb, then there is Hugo who is originally from Aguas but now lives in NC, then teenager Ashton who did a great job teaching the kids, and Hal who is their Director of Missions. Kneeling in front is Ashton's dad, Pastor Brian.

One of the most exciting things about this team is that they seem to have caught a more long-term vision for partnering with us to reach Aguas for Christ. They are taking their stories and their vision home to their church family, and it sounds like we will have more teams in the future.

JR, I am still smiling per your request. Ashton, I wish I could be there to hear you share your stories with everyone at home. Hal, thank you for being such a pure example of a servant leader.

First VIsitors

I haven't had any American friends come visit me . . . until now! This week my amazing friend Courtney, who lives in Puerto Vallarta, made a spontaneous decision to come visit. Monday afternoon she and her precious baby girl Callie boarded a bus and rode a full NINE, yes NINE hours to get to my city. The first few hours of the trip were on roads so curvy that Courtney was miserably sick to her stomach. Thankfully, though, the sickness eventually subsided and allowed her to recover quite a bit by the end of the journey.
We had a couple of wonderful days to just spend time together and talk. They were even able to go with me to one of our Bible studies. Thursday morning I had to take them back to the bus station and watch them begin the journey back to Vallarta. It was a little sad to say goodbye because I cherish her friendship and our time together, but I am SO grateful that we were able to spend this time together. I am grateful to Preston for supporting/encouraging this trip even though he had to stay home alone. I am grateful to Courtney for always finding ways to be there for me when I need a friend. The fact that she put herself through such a miserable bus ride to come says so much about the kind of person she is. Most of all, I am grateful to God for bringing such precious friends into my life AND placing them in the same country as me!

Challenging Adventures

One of the bigger challenges in my life abroad is keeping up with all of the hoops that one must go through to continue to keep a vehicle street legal. To further complicate the situation, my van has plates from a neighboring state; therefore, everything must be done in that state. Since things are a little different, people in my state can't tell me where to go or what to do. I just have to figure it out.

First was the trip to Guadalajara to get something I needed in July. Fortunately, a Mexican friend was able to go with me, and we bumbled around the city until we found the right office. Then this month I had to take the van in for what they call verification. Only certain mechanics are authorized to do this. So, I needed to drive to a town in the other state and locate one of these shops. Last week I drove an hour to a town across the state line, spent over an hour driving around and asking people if they could direct me (receiving responses like "What's a verification center?" or "I think you have to go to Aguascalientes for that.") One man directed me to a place where there wasn't even a shop. Finally, I drove the hour back home without accomplishing the goal.

Yesterday I set out for a different town, over an hour and a half away. I had done my research in advance this time. I had gone online and managed to find the address of an alleged center. Once I finally reached the town, oriented myself, and found the address, I was a bit discouraged to discover that there was no longer a center at that address. More time driving, looking, and asking led me to someone who directed me to the driver's license office. The second person I talked to there managed to tell me that there was a center across from the bus station. Of course, I had to ask for better directions. At this point my stress and frustration levels had risen to the point that I decided that if I didn't find the place he was talking about, I would head home.

Finally, I found success! There was a very nice woman in the shop's office who not only helped me but sat and chatted with me while the guys checked the van. As is typical, she asked questions about where I was from and why I came to Mexico. That led to a conversation about our Bible studies, giving me the opportunity to ask if she read the Bible. She explained how busy she was (although I couldn't help but think that if she had time to sit and visit with me today, surely she could find time to read the Bible some days). As I was about to leave, I grabbed the Spanish Bible that I keep in my van and gave it to her. I also asked for her name and promised to pray for her.

The drive home gave me time to reflect on how God had worked through a very tough situation to bring a blessing. Although she lives too far away for me to do much follow-up, I am actually looking forward to the next time my van needs verified! I know exactly where to go, and it will give me an opportunity to check in with her. Please join me in praying for Grisela and for her family.

Granny Mac

My grandma passed away yesterday. Although it was not unexpected, I was not as prepared as I thought I was. Losing a loved one is never easy, but it is even harder when you are thousands of miles away from the rest of the family. God has blessed me a with a wonderful family, and I am grateful for the technology that allows us to stay in touch, but sometimes you just really want to hug your Daddy. So, as I face another rough part of this journey, I am so grateful that God has reminded me of His love in so many ways, including through the friendship of some very thoughtful people.

LORETA MCCULLY - Macon, MO - Macon Chronicle Herald

I've thought a lot today about the great memories I have of Granny. From her fabulous cooking to her strong faith, from waking up to the sound of her happily whistling hymns in the kitchen to the times when my brother Jerrod and I stayed at her house and she was always willing to play another game with us (and even invented a few memorable ones!). The memories are a blessing that I will always be able to cherish. Most of all, I am thankful for the heritage of faith that she and Grandpa passed down to my Dad, and thereby to me as well.

Second Baptist

So, this morning I drove across the city to visit a church called Second Baptist. When I first arrived there were 3 adults and 4 kids, even though it was time to start. I quickly befriended a couple of the kids sitting near me and staring at me like I was the first white person to ever enter the neighborhood. Before long, there were around thirty people there, half kids/teens and half adults. The pastor, whose wife I've known for months, introduced himself to me and then introduced me to the congregation several times throughout the service. We sang some hymns, accompanied by a piano recording. The teaching style in their morning service is one that encourages dialogue, questions, and interaction. (Apparently the evening service is more the traditional preaching style.) The pastor did an EXCELLENT job; he is clearly a very gifted pastor/teacher. However, he did not exactly let me off the hook in spite of all of the possible reasons to do so (first time visitor, not a native Spanish speaker, etc.). He paused a few minutes into the lesson to have one of the women drag me into a seat closer to the front with her. He called on me to read scripture (as he did with everyone else as well). Now, remember that all of this is taking place in Spanish, and the pastor is speaking rather rapidly. I worked so hard to focus and try to understand everything without falling behind. However, in reality I was always a few beats behind because I had to think through translations, etc. About an hour and a half in, I was exhausted from the work it took to focus and slipped. My mind wandered for just a few seconds. That was all the time it took for him to call on me with a question. I had to ask him to repeat the question, in front of everyone, and the woman next to me repeated it as well for me. He was asking me to share what I thought about the scripture that had just been read. Between needing to think fast and needing to answer in Spanish, I was doomed to give a response that lacked depth.

In spite of a few notable similarities such as the name, the church was quite different than the Second to which I am accustomed!

Reflecting on My Day

This morning was my first morning to return to my Thursday morning Bible study with women from one of the local Baptist churches after a 2 month break. This past Sunday, I finally had an opportunity to visit their church again, and I was so blessed by the love and friendship with which I was received. Several women from the study came to me with warm embraces and expressions of how much they had missed me. These are the same women who once told me that I am not alone here because they are here for me. This is the one study where I am not "on." I am merely participating, not leading or anything. It is a place where I can go and be filled and share life with sisters in Christ. What a blessing to be with them once again!

This morning, though, the leader was conspicuously absent as her little daughter has been in Mexico City fighting leukemia for about 6 weeks. While there, we received a text from her to make sure we remembered to pray for her little girl. Then there was a second text to pray for her marriage. This entire struggle has taken a toll on the whole family, as it often does. We wept as we prayed together on our knees for this precious family.

As we were walking toward our cars, Angelica shared with me that she wants me to help her start a Bible study in her house by offering English lessons in conjunction with the study. We are both praying about this possibility and talking to our respective leadership (in her church, it is absolutely crucial that any involvement from me have the pastor's approval).

This afternoon we headed out to the neighborhood where we have a study. As we parked, some of our kids ran to us. I received three greeting kisses before I ever stepped out of the van. We set up and still had a little time, so some of the girls brought some paper and started folding it into hearts. They taught me through step by step instructions, my favorite of which was the last step where you sit on the heart to make it super-flat.

This week's lesson was about Jesus walking on water, so I started with a demonstration. I had a bowl of water and several objects, and I had the kids guess whether or not each object would float before putting the object in the water to see what would happen. We had our story time, did a craft, played a concentration game, did word searches, and jumped rope.

As we were loading up the van, one of the girls commented that it wasn't the van we usually bring. (We usually go in Robin's but had mine today.) When I told her that it was mine, she responded with surprise, "You drive???" Funny!

Yes, a good day indeed.

Women Taking Action

Several Christian women here, some from each of the Baptist churches, have started their own Bible studies (most in their homes) to reach out to neighbors, etc. It is so encouraging to see them take this big step. Without this type of boldness and action, it is very unlikely that this city of 1 million will ever be reached for Christ. Tuesday I had the privilege of visiting Elizabeth's brand new study. She said she was nervous, but I never would have guessed as God spoke powerfully through her. My dear friend Elsa told me that she now has 4 new people coming to her study on Mondays, 2 who are believers and 2 who are not. These are only a couple of examples of what God is doing here. Please join me in praying for each of these sisters in Christ who are leading studies and for God to draw more women to join them.

The Rest of the Week

Friday while our team from Alabama was here, we went out to Robin's Friday group. This is a very new and rather tough group. There are a couple of Christians, but there are also some very staunch Catholics. One in particular always tries to reteach what Robin has taught by putting a spin on it that isn't Truth. As Cammie was leading the study, one of the women asked how you can recognize a false prophet. A good question born out of a desire to learn. However, this quickly disintegrated into an argument about praying to Mary, to Guadalupe, and to saints. When Robin asked the women to tell her where her point of view could be proven in the Bible, she said she couldn't remember offhand where it was but it was in there. With a lot of prayer, the session got pulled back together. Some of the ones seeking truth are getting angry with the one who keeps causing problems, but it is tricky since she is also the hostess. After the study and Cammie's painting we also had a potluck dinner with the group. This was their idea because they new Robin's birthday was a few days away.
Sunday morning we joined Robin and Charlie on the basketball court where they hold services every week. One family is very faithful to come, as well as a ton of kids from the neighborhood.

The 3 women from Alabama couldn't leave town without checking out the unique style of slides that are characteristic of our city.
Sunday night was house church, and we had a larger crowd than usual because we were having a cookout afterward in honor of 2 birthdays.
Tina and Robin's birthdays are just a day or two apart, so we celebrated both with everyone gathered at the house Sunday night. It turned out to be a wonderful fellowship time! I spent a large portion of the evening helping 12 year old Valeria practice her English and also practicing my Spanish with her mom Adriana.Monday morning I got up before 4 am so that I could drive my house guests to the airport for their flight home.

Three Amigas de Alabama

This past week we had a team of 3 women from Alabama who joined us to work with several groups throughout the week. They did crafts and shared testimony and Truth with the women. Here's our Wednesday group working on one of the craft projects.And here are some of my kids from Wednesday reciting the verse they learned (John 14:6) to receive a prize.
God has gifted Cammie with artistic abilities, and she used them to paint a picture while "Revelation Song" was playing.

Remember my rejoicing at the little girl who finally started to warm up to me last week after several weeks of throwing things and screaming? This week she walked in and immediately held up her arms for me to hold her. Apparently we are best friends now as she laughed and played with me the entire time we were there.

Some of our MUA women came over to Robin's house Thursday morning to be encouraged by our visitors from Alabama. It turned out to be a good time of sharing and fellowhipping.Then we repeated the same activities with our Wednesday group.As we played a game of "Noah Says," the kids had fun following animal commands such as "walk like a duck."

More to come soon about the rest of our week with this great team!

Prayers for This Week

• This week we have a team of 3 women coming from a church in Alabama to work with us. Please pray for all aspects of their trip. They arrive Tuesday night and leave the following Monday.
• We are tentatively planning a baptism for this coming Sunday, but the new believers are hesitant to take that step. Please pray for them to have peace that this is God's desire for them.
• Please pray for new ministry opportunities.

Then Came Thursday

It all started like a normal Thursday. This group typically ran 15-22 kids, but the past couple of weeks we've had 8-10 as many are on a quick vacation before school starts (next week). I started with a dozen kids today, and before I knew it I was running out of craft supples and losing count of how many kids were there. (Note that they range in age from 1 to 10 or 12 years old.) Fortunately, my fabulous 16 year old assistant Julio was prepared to do a tae kwon do demonstration with the kids, so as they finished the first craft project I sent them out to work with him. He quickly had them lined up and began teaching them a few basic stances, etc.

The kids love Julio, and they really enjoyed this activity and listened well.

At the end of their little session, Julio was diligent to teach them that tae kwon do is a sport and is not to be used to fight in the streets. When we went back in to do the last stage of our craft project, I had Julio start coloring with the ones who didn't have a craft. By the time I helped the kids finish their craft and was trying to figure out how to dispel the chaos in order to do the lesson/story for the day, Julio was calling me over to his corner. Some girls were asking him some questions that he wanted me to answer for them.

First, they asked why I don't teach about the other stuff. When I asked what they meant, they talked about how their relatives pray to the virgin (which in some cases refers to virgin Mary but also often refers to one of a couple of other virgins like Guadelupe) and to the saints. I explained that I only teach things that are in the Bible and that we should be careful to only follow God and to read His word and not add anything to it. They continued to talk about relatives who ask for things from various saints, etc, (including Santa Muerte which I believe is evil and very dangerous to mess with!) and how their requests are often fulfilled. As I continued, in my less-than-stellar Spanish and amidst all sorts of distractions and interruptions from other kids, to try to explain what I believe, I prayed for guidance. I knew I had to be careful not to say anything that would offend their families and cost us our opportunities to share, but at the same time I didn't want to compromise on Truth. So, I made a point of telling them that I respect their relatives but that I was telling them what I believe and what the Bible says. Then I gave them an example to think about. I asked them to imagine that I wanted it to rain, so I prayed to the tree in front of the house, pleading for rain to fall. If it then later began to rain, should I assume that the tree caused the rain? I pray that in this way they can begin to see the danger in attributing things to the saints or virgins instead of recognizing that everything they receive comes from God.

Please pray for these precious kids to grow up knowing and accepting Truth, and please pray that their relatives will be delivered from the deception of these false gods.

Wednesday's Kids

On Wednesday afternoons I work with this group of kids. While the adults have Bible study and craft time inside this small house, the kids and I have our crafts, story, and game time out in the small dirt "yard" in front. The kids really enjoy the time together.

This is my little buddy Eder. He is just too cute, and we have fun together. Unlike the other 2 year olds, he actually works with us on most of the activities and is just a lot more tranquil than they tend to be, which I certainly appreciate!

This little girl is precious but definitely a challenge. So, I felt like I'd made a breakthrough when she actually interacted with me positively today!
At the end of each day kids of all ages enjoy coloring and working word search puzzles, which they call "sopa de letras" which translates to "letter soup." The lack of table doesn't phase them. They'll use the rough ground, their leg, or even stand and put their paper against the brick wall.

Today the two girls in headbands were standing on the sidewalk outside the fence watching us. After several invitations to come inside, they finally joined us.

Please continue to pray that these kids will learn more about God's love and his plan each time we meet and that their parents will grow in Christ and raise them accordingly.

"It Was Good"

Tonight in our house church the text was the creation story. As I thought about God ending each day by saying that what He had created that day was good, I realized that this is how I should strive to live. How great would it be to live in such a way that at the end of each day, I could look back at how I'd invested the day and be able to call it "good." I want to end each day without any regrets about what I said or didn't say, about what I did or failed to do.

The Little Things

Never underestimate the value of the little things . . .
. . . a bottle of Diet Dr. Pepper
. . . an email or wall post from a friend that serves as a reminder that he/she is thinking about and praying for you
. . . a van that runs
. . . a coffee bar inside the copy shop where one can purchase chai tea to drink while waiting for copies to be made
. . . a smile from a child
. . . a good night's sleep and energy that lasts throughout the day
and so much more!

Extra Time

If the kids in my Thursday group finish their activities before the moms are done, we can pull out jump ropes and a soccer ball and play in the street in front of the house. That isn't really an option with the Wednesday group, so when we finish first it becomes a bit of a challenge to fill the time for the older kids and absolutely impossible to appease the 2 year olds. Lately the older kids have gotten good at helping me invent games to play during that time. For instance, Samaria wanted to play hot potato with an interesting twist. We used my Bible for the object to pass as they said a little rhyme, and whoever was holding the Bible at the end of the rhyme would open it and read a verse. This past week as we thought up games to play they were all calling me "Maestra" (teacher) and backing me into a corner with their enthusiasm. Such great kids!

Playing Catchup

Okay, so I haven't gone back and posted more about the team from Texas because I am still waiting for copies of the pictures that were taken. Then last week we had an IMB prayer retreat for all Mexico Cluster missionaries, and I suddenly feel like I have been offline for a long time.

I had quite an adventure the Friday before the prayer retreat. I found out the day before that I needed to go to Guadalajara to renew some paperwork related to the van, but nobody could tell me what office I needed to find. Since I don't know that city at all, overwhelmed would be an understatement for how I felt about that endeavor. Thankfully, one of our Mexican friends Celia was willing to go with me and try to help me figure things out. We took a bus from Aguascalientes to Guadalajara, then took a taxi. We discovered the taxi had let us off in a different area than where we thought we needed to go, so we took a city bus and then walked until we found the office that was first on our list of places to try. The first person we talked to there was very unhelpful, but finally the third person there made a phone call and then told us where we needed to go. As it turns out, we had to take a bus back to the same general area where the taxi had let us out. A little more walking and waiting, and the mission was finally accomplished! We found a quick place to eat tacos, then caught a taxi back to the bus station. Remarkably, the next bus for Aguas left two minutes after we arrived, and we were on it! Then we had to take a taxi back to the north side of the city where we live. After more than 11 hours of adventure and several investments in transportation, we made it!

The prayer retreat was actually more meetings than I expected from the name, but it was a good time of fellowship and worship. I saw some people I hadn't seen since we left Viriginia last September! Now I am struggling with sinus/allergy problems that are zapping all of my energy as I try to get back into the swing of things.

Are We there Yet (Music Video)

Urgent Prayer Need

One of my first friends here was Vero, who is the director of women's ministry at the church Dios Todopoderoso. She and her family went to Mexico City to visit relatives while the kids are out of school, and now her daughter Tamara is in the hospital in serious condition with leukemia that was not detected as early as it should have been. I don't know any more details but am fervently praying for this precious family during this time. Please join me and pray for healing and comfort and peace.

Texas Team

When I got back to town, Robin and Charlie had already had a couple of days with a fabulous team of 5 people from a church in Austin, Texas. I really enjoyed working with them for the rest of the week! Although I hated to see them leave when we took them to the airport before sunrise Saturday, I was more tired than I realized and enjoyed a little down time that day. Soon I will post a couple of stories and pictures from the week with that team. I will share now, though, that in our Thursday afternoon Bible study this week all 4 women present prayed to receive Christ! SO EXCITING!!! Please pray for them as they begin this new walk. (For my LaPlata friends: this is the group that live on LaPlata Boulevard.)

Patient Patient

I was out of town for a week as I traveled to visit an eye doctor in another place. He was able to diagnose the problem. The bad news is that he cannot do the aggressive treatment that he would normally do because I live too far away for him to monitor it. The good news is that he believes that, given time, my immune system will naturally heal the problem. So, I have to wait 6 months without touching contacts. At that point I can try contacts and watch for symptoms. If there are symptoms, I have a plan of action for treatment at that point.

Thankful for the opportunity to go see him and for the good diagnosis and plan of action. Praying now that my white blood cells will work hard and successfully heal my eye. I just have to be patient!

Women's Conference

Saturday our new Christian women's association held our first women's conference. It rained a lot the day and night before and some that morning. In spite of the rain and some badly flooded roads, around 50 or 60 women came and brought their kids. We started the morning with worship through singing. Then a few women from the association put on a funny skit in the form of a fashion show that represented different types of women in today's world.

There was a lazy person, a busy mother, a fashion diva, and a career woman. Most women in the audience could identify in some way with one of these roles and recognize what was taking priority in their life.

Then one of our dear friends from Guadalajara led a powerful session about being a woman in today's world. She talked about where we put our trust and what we allow to become our god(s).

After the session we broke into small groups, each led by one of the association women, to reflect on what was discussed in the session. Some women shared some very painful realities about their past and had some very meaningful, deep discussions.

Later the small groups made bracelets using black, red, white, blue, green, and yellow beads to represent the plan of salvation. As they put them together, the discussed and read verses about each color. They also added a charm in the shape of a crown, representing our value as children of God and our royalty status as daughters of the King.

The women's association delivered tortillas, agua de jamaica, and plates of chicken, rice, and mole to each woman and child at their tables.

Another friend from Guadalajara led our next session about being a woman of God. As she talked about taking off different things that hinder us from serving God, she illustrated this point by removing labeled papers from Adela.

Then Ale (our other guest speaker from Guadalajara) had each woman write one sin or hindrance on a post it note and stick it to a cross, talking about how Christ took all of our sins to the cross, and how we need to leave them there with Him. To reinforce the point that we should not go back and try to retreive them and carry them a bit longer, the post-it notes were then removed from the cross and burned in a bucket.

Finally, each small group held a coronation service, where each woman sat on a chair that represented a throne. While seated there, each woman shared, "When I am gone I want it to be said of me and to be true that . . . ," thus acknowledging how they want to strive to live their life. The group leader knelt before them and "crowned" them by putting the bracelet with the crown charm on their wrist. I found it significant that the sun finally came out during the coronations.

In our closing session, 5 women prayed to receive Christ and many women shared what the conference had meant to them and how it had impacted their life. Before leaving, we got most of the women to pose for a group picture. We also took a picture of the women in the association who worked to put this event together.

We had a wonderful group of people, including a couple women from the association, Charlie, and the youth evangelism team, who worked really hard all day with the kids to enable the moms to focus on the conference. The kids made team banners, sang, did crafts, played on the playground, played games, and even rode ponies! They also learned from the paint talks shared by a couple of the youth and a taekwondo lesson shared by our firend who has his own taekwondo school.

It was SO much fun for me to occassionally walk through the kid's area and hear those who know me from our weekly studies call out for me to push them on a swing or just come talk to them for a minute. One girl I didn't know started calling me "English" for some reason.

We are SO grateful for all God did that day. We know that the weather probably prevented some from coming, but we had prayed that God would bring those He wanted to be there, so now we have to trust that He did just that. Please continue to pray for this new women's association and for each of the women who participated in this conference.