God Can Do What We Cannot

Hello friends and family!

Our apologies for not writing a post sooner. One of our friends who is a missionary in Chile recently stated that it is super hard to take time out of ministry to take pictures. We agree that it not only seems intrusive at times to take pictures, but it is not an easy task, and sometimes we find it challenging to make the time to write a post. That is no excuse though for not keeping in touch with you all!

We have moments when we are frustrated in ministry, when we wonder why we are here, and when we still struggle to communicate fully in Spanish, but then there are moments like we had this week when we know that we are supposed to be here, we know we are here for a reason. One friend who has been coming to our group on and off, is struggling with his addiction to alcohol and is vacilating between going to rehab or not. This past week we almost had him convinced that he needed to go and that we were going to take him to a Christian rehab center in another city. However, after much prayer and several long conversations, he decided he wanted to give it another chance here at home, that he was going to concentrate on his work and going back to school. We remain very concerned for this friend, but know God can bring him to his knees and help him realize that he cannot get clean on his own.

Jennifer held inscriptions for her ballet classes last week and is slightly disappointed with how many students she will have to start with this week, but is not worried. We also attended the inauguration of the theological educational program by extension for WGM in Mexico. It was an exciting as we dedicated the program and look to the future of theological education in Mexico.

This weekend God answered our prayers in a big way. And we learned that he can do what we cannot! For months we've been praying for one of our friends in our small group who has helped us immensely with our Spanish and whom we've become very close to and that she would really know God, choose to accept him as savior of her life, that she would understand his love, and want to share that with others. Sadly, this weekend this friend passed through an extremely difficult situation. She called us to tell us what was happening and we prayed that God would give her strength, peace, and wisdom. And he did! The power of God moved in her life, and she told us yesterday after our small group that she met God, she wants to live for him, and never be the same. How prayer works is a mystery, but we are convinced it does! We have seen the hand of God move in this friend's life as he has revealed himself to her because she sought him with her whole heart. After spending lots of time with us, seeing the difference God makes in our lives, studying the Bible and feeling the love of God, she is a new person. And we are sure we have a purpose here in Leon, but that also we are merely empty vessels used by a loving and powerful God.


For those who pray for our ministry here:

*Would you continue to pray for our dear friends in our group and those whom we are discipling? That others too would understand who God is and want to change their lives completely, that they would sense the presence of God like our other friend did

*Jennifer's ballet classes, that they get off to a good start and would be a point of outreach

*Our Spanish, that we would find time to study and we would continually improve

*For our future as we plan for this year and the year that follows, for wisdom and guidance

PICTURES:
-With our Mexican parents celebrating Manuel's birthday
-Cutting the ribbon at the inauguration of the theological education program
-Josh and the kids of a friend in our group. We spent a day and night with them to try and help teach them and their mom some new discipline ideas. (They are standing by the miniature arc in the mini Leon playtown at a the main park in Leon.)