It's hard to believe that a year has passed since I came to Mexico for the first time. At the end of 2005 I was anticipating a short-term missions trip to Cofradia, Mexico, and now I'm a full-time missionary there!
This has truly been one of the longest and one of the shortest years of my life. Yet, as I reflect on how my life has been turned completely upside down and inside out, I'm overwhelmed with joy kmnowing that this has also been one of the most blessed years of my life! Our God is certainly a God of surprises, but His goodness and love absolutely endure forever!!
FULL STEAM AHEAD!
2006 started with the decision to return to Cofradia for a three-month internship (March 4-June 2), during which the Lord made it clear that I was to return full-time. After a whirlwind summer of roadtrips, weddings, and lots of time with friends and family, August found me in Guadalajara where I attended 2 months of language school at Harvest Language Center. I lived with the Garza family who has become good friends in company with many others who continue to be a source of great encouragement.
In mid-October I returned to Cofradia and jumped right in. I began mentoring one of the youth girls I met during my internship, Sandy, who is 19 and desperately wants to know and please her Lord. I also continue with the Arrayanes girls' prayer group that began during my internship, and plans are in the making to include the girls from Cofradia and Santa Fe in the new year!
Our weekly youth group meetings, called "Vida Abundante!" (meaning "Abundant Life") continue to be effective and fruitful; we see new faces almost every week! I even had the opportunity to give the lesson twice in November while Steve and his family were in the States! We've also been extremely busy with various other youth events, including a youth retreat to La Cruz, Sinaloa, where we heard teaching on living under authority and guarding our lives for the plan and inheritance that the Lord has in store for us! I've also begun learning the ins and outs of being the Short-Term Missions Coordinator and picking up more administrative duties, now that our director and his family have returned from furlough!
LOOKING BEYOND THE HORIZON!
Our staff recently spent several days brainstorming, dreaming, and setting goals for the next five years. We're very excited about starting a weekly radio program in which our local pastor, Goyo, will preach because it will expand the reach of the gospel in this area, especially into the indigenous villages that still remain fairly isolated in the mountains.
We are also seeking ways to encourage the local church members in their dreams for their church, especially as we anticipate the completion of our new central church facility in 2008. We want to see them become much more active in taking their church into the future that God has for them. This will hopefully include more organized fellowship activities, yearly conferences, and even developing more outreach activities for them, perhaps even short-term missions opportunities as we seek to network with other organizations in the area!
The future is very bright for the ministry and churches in this area because the Lord is leading us in His plans for His people to achieve His goals for His kingdom! Praise the Lord that we are guaranteed success when we are following HIM!
"LOVE AND JOY COME TO YOU..."
My days are busy, but they are blessed. Of course there have been bumps in the road, but at the end of the day, despite frustrations, I have the peace and contentment that come wiht knowing that I'm exactly where God intends me to be, and that is EXCITING!!
Though I am far from home and all that is familiar, the true meaning of Christmas remains clower than ever in my heart. Jesus tells us in John 10:10 that He came so that we may have abundant life. Linus said it best in A Charlie Brown Christmas:
"Sure Charlie Brown; I can tell you the true meaning of Christmas...'unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.' "
I pray that truth will settle deeply in each of your hearts and that this Christmas you too will know the abundant life that our Savior promises. As our youth will illustrate in their Christmas sketch, Jesus is for everyone; His presence and the life He offers were teh Father's Christmas present to us. the shepherds brought their worship, the three kings their treasures. What will we bring this Christmas and throughout the next year?
HOW CAN YOU BE INVOLVED?
As we anticipate a new year, please continue to keep me, the other staff members, the ministry, the churches, and the Mexican people in your prayers.
If you are interested in being involved in any way, whether it is financial or prayer support or perhaps by visiting or bringing a team for a short-term trip, please feel free to contact me; tax-deductible donations can be made through Alternative Missions, but please email me and let me know your intent. I pray that your Christmas is full of joy and life as we celebrat the birth of our Savior!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!
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Praise the Lord!!
- I completed language school!
- For His financial provision. I'm currently at 80%!
- For new youth who continue to attend regularly!
- For re-awakening Sandy's hunger for God's presence and Word!
- For renewed passion in the Cofradia church!
- The 20% of my monthly budget that's lacking. That comes to about $300/month.
- Continued improvement with the language, especially in prayer.
- Deeper committment in the hearts of our youth.
- Support for the weekly radio program we are starting.
- Wisdom in planning and executing new activities with the local teen girls.
- Continued provision for our central church construction project.
Here's an idea of what our central church will look like when it is completed!
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