Field Trip

A week ago we were able to accompany the girls on their first school field trip to Parque Loro (Parrot Park). If this sounds familiar it is because we visited this park with friends about 3 months ago. However this time was with teachers, parents and kiddos from the girl's classes. We had beautiful weather and a wonderful time getting to know some of the other parents in their classes. From this outing Gabrielle was invited to attend breakfast with about 6 of the other mothers on a different day. We are thankful for the many opportunities that God has given us for language acquisition. Thank you for the many prayers that are prayed on a regular basis for the city of Puebla.

Field Trip

New Work

The last couple of months we have been meeting regularly as a team. The Bennetts, some Mexicans and us have been talking about and implementing various projects to reach the city of Puebla. Prayer walking is the base that we have decided to work from in our team ministry. We have been prayer walking in Los Heroes, a neighborhood of 15,000 homes that look all the same! If you took the average number of 4 in each home and multiplied it by 15,000 homes it would equal 60,000 people living in this area; most of whom are lost! As we prayer walk up and down the streets we see many idols of Mary in front of some of the houses. This has broken our hearts, realizing that Jesus is the only mediator between us and God (1 Tim 2:5). We hope that God spurs up a passion in you as well for the great amount of lostness in our city. For that reason we have a few pictures of the area in the link following this post. As you look at these pictures please take a moment to pick out a house and pray for that family. We can call this a "virtual" prayer walk!

We have also been prayer walking in our neighborhood (colonia), which is called La Colonia Vicente Guerrero. Please pray for a "person of peace" that we will encounter. This is a person whom Jesus in Luke 10 commands his disciples to find who will open their home up as a place for the disciple to stay, while having the intention of sharing God's Word in that community. In regard to that, this week Gabrielle decided to open our garage door and sit outside with an empty chair hoping to develop relationships with people of our colonia. She held small conversations with 4-5 different women who were on their way to the market, and was able to witness to a couple ladies as well. Gabrielle is hoping to do this a couple times a week so that God will open doors to minister to women in our neighborhood.

Another team effort that is very exciting for us is the work that God is doing in the church that we have been involved with since we have lived in Puebla. The church is called Iglesia Bautista Vida Nueva (New Life Baptist Church). The pastor of this church is moving to another State in Mexico, and the Bennetts and us have been talking with a local church to help us in transitioning Vida Nueva to a cell church. Pastor Eustorgio, from Iglesia Bautista Hananeel, will be helping in this transition by providing leaders and allowing Vida Nueva to attend his church for celebration and fellowship. Please pray that God would bless our efforts of establishing a cell church model for Puebla and our future team ministry.

Much of our vision for cell church occurred when Aaron and the Bennetts went to Tijuana to observe a cell church that the Larner family planted. During his time in Tijuana he ended up in the hospital. He was diagnosed with an obstructed intestine, which caused him extreme pain. We now see that God used this time to bring him closer in his dependence on the Lord. Staying in the hospital gave him time to reflect on what God is doing through cell groups in Tijuana and to talk with Tommy Larner, cell church founder in Tijuana. We also saw God's amazing provision in that when Aaron returned to Puebla we were able to find an excellent doctor who prescribed meds to treat his parasites and infection. He was healed in 2 days. We found out that the obstruction had been caused by the infection. God is definitely our Provider, and we believe that He will minister to our every need; in health and ministry.

Finally, we have also been keeping up with our language and cultural training through the Kaleidoscope program. One of the assignments was to attend a theater performance. We went as a family to see Dora La Exploradora, and the girls loved it! We were even able to find and enjoy some Cotton Candy! Find these pictures and many more in the link below. Have a great day in the Lord!

Prayer Walking

A New School

Well the summer was finished up with one more VBS that we attended. I say "we" because while the girls were in their VBS class I attended a woman's cooking class that they had for the mothers. I was able to taste all different kinds of Mexican foods. Some looked pretty normal like one day we had a Mediterranean Salad with lettuce, raisins, different fruit and a sweet vinaigrette dressing. Another day we had seasoned chicken tortillas which was very good. Then we had a Cactus tamale which was a little harder to eat but the winner of the week of the strangest new food that I ate was the boiled chicken feet. Not chicken legs but the actual chicken foot. I am so sad that I didn't get a picture for you. But it was pretty funny to the Mexicans when I was trying to eat them. They had a great time teaching me how. The way you eat them is pretty much just pop the little toe in your mouth then eat off all the skin and meat then spit the bone back out. It actually didn't taste bad but it was the thought of what you were eating that made it "different". It reminds me of when Jesus sent out seventy of His followers, in Luke 10:8, when He said to them "whatever city you enter and they receive you, eat what is set before you." However when asked if I would like more I very nicely replied that it was sufficient.

A week later the girls started their first day of school. They are attending Alfred Binet, a bilingual school. They have Spanish 3 hours a day and then English 2 hours of day for a total of a 5 hour school day. They both really like their teachers and look forward to going everyday. The biggest difference we have seen was their definition of "lunch". They told us to pack them a lunch. So we did: sandwich, chips, fruit, dessert and drink; only to be told that it is too much. But they were eating it all so we were very confused. So when we went to the Open house we learned that their "lunch" is a snack. The Mexican custom is that the biggest meal of the day is eaten at 2-3pm in the afternoon. So the teachers are expecting the children to eat when they get home with their families. Little by little we learn all these cultural differences that when we embrace them we begin to fit in a little better each day. Below is the link to the pictures of the VBS and their new school.

New School

Our First Prayer Retreat

A few weeks ago we attended our first prayer retreat for the missionaries of Mexico's urban centers. It was held at La Muralla in Queretero, Mexico, which is about 5 hours from Puebla. It started with dinner on Thursday and ended Monday after lunch. This was a wonderful time of praisin', prayin', and preachin'! It was also a very valuable trip for us because we were able to sit and talk with missionaries who have been on the field for 15-20 years with a lot more field experience than we have. We gained many valuable ministry tools. Another thing that we were able to experience was the compassion, love, and support from the other missionaries here in Mexico. They have all experienced a first term on the field and know what it is like to miss friends and family in the States. They know what it is like to worship in a different language and not be spiritually fed in a church service, and what it's like to learn to live in a whole new country. Why are we telling you all of this? Not because we are complaining or saying we don't like it here, but because this gives you a glimpse at how difficult it can be and helps you know better how to pray for us. It truly is your prayers and encouraging emails that help lift us up while here in Puebla. Would it be much easier to throw in the towel and head home? Yes it would, but there would still be people out there searching for hope and love that only Jesus can give them. If we are not here who will tell them? In Luke 10 Jesus commands His disciples to beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers. Since being here we have recognized tremendous lostness. Please be praying with us that national believers (new and old) would join us in bringing in the harvest, and that Satan would have no hold on us or this city of Puebla. His lies are so appealing...we know and have been refuting them. With daily prayer we know who will always win!!! Thank you so much for joining us in the battle.

Click on the link below to see some fun pics and videos from the retreat! See you next time.

Prayer Retreat