Retro: Sunflowers
Here’s another Hannah & Nathanael classic for you, a video taken 10 years ago this very day in Cuernavaca.
Here’s another Hannah & Nathanael classic for you, a video taken 10 years ago this very day in Cuernavaca.
This is going to be a month of travel for me (Jim), starting today. Lord willing I’ll be heading to Texas for an evangelism summit in Frisco, and then a series of Camino Global leadership meetings in Van (both near Dallas). Then I’ll pop back to Ixtapaluca for a day to lead worship music at our church, before heading to Tecolutla Veracruz for a retreat with our Camino Global team here in Mexico. This will be a time to update everyone on what I learn at the other meetings, as well as – I hope – a much needed time of refreshment for all!
I would appreciate your prayers for all of us for wisdom as we spend time in prayer, deal with various issues and look to the future of our ministry here in Mexico. Also for my health, which naturally tends to suffer with all the changes in altitude, diet, and schedule.
Pray also for Shari, Hannah and Nathanael as they carry on with ministry here, as well as an especially busy time for home school.
This week, for the first time after the recent quakes, many students finally returned to school. It took a long time before many schools were either repaired or declared safe. (Our church was finally able to meet at our normal location on the 8th, after scrambling for two Sundays to find other options.)
As you might guess, the kids are being slammed with make-up homework now, so everyone will be very busy for a while!
Meanwhile, many people are having their homes demolished, because the buildings are structurally unsafe. Aftershocks continue in Oaxaca. And some buildings still haven’t been inspected.
As a part of the ministry of our community centre and church, Rod will be going to Oaxaca today (along with another man from our Camino Global team – Chalo Sandoval). They will be making the 11 hour each-way trip to deliver tarps, hearing aids, tracts, and other items. They will be returning tomorrow, Lord willing. I know they would appreciate your prayers.
I heard that some from the church in Jesús MarÃa may also be planning a trip to Oaxaca, but I’m waiting for details.
Another friend is going with a group from his church on the 21st, Lord willing, to Ecatzingo, where I’ve been a couple of times. I would like to get back there maybe later in the month, but we’ll see how things progress.
On Sunday, we challenged our church to continue to reach out using the new tracts that have been printed. Please pray that God would use us as a church to bring hope to people around us in this difficult time.
Mexico continues with recovery efforts after the three earthquakes in September (or two and a major aftershock, depending on how you count them. But of course there have been many aftershocks – which continue even today). It’s about time for another quick update.
We personally have not been able to go out to do specific earthquake relief again. We hope to go again, but for the time being will be focusing more on support and administration for those who are going.
Since I last wrote, we’ve been able to get earthquake related tracts out to several churches, to help with their local ministry and relief efforts further afield. I was also able to meet with Camino Global missionaries last week to discuss next steps, and longer term help.
Many of the immediate needs have been met, at least in Mexico City and other parts of central Mexico. I’m not sure what people are going to do with the mountains of clothes they’ve received! But in harder to reach areas, and in southern Mexico, there seem to be many urgent needs.
One of our coworkers was able to get to Oaxaca to help there. A typical story he told was of a woman and her four children. She lost her husband to cancer a few years ago, and makes memelas (a kind of baked tortilla) for a living. The family house was seriously damaged, and the oven destroyed.
As you might imagine, it is very difficult for a family like that to recover.
Another trip is being planned from the 9th-15th of this month.
Many churches in Mexico City are hoping to go out again in the weeks ahead.
So, Lord willing, various types of ministry will be going on over the next couple of months:
Please continue to pray that people would find their hope in the Lord, and that needs would be met in His Name. Many, many people have a long road to travel before they can have a normal home and normal work day again.
Thanks so much for your interest and encouragement over the past month! It’s very much appreciated.
Here are the five most popular posts from the past 3 months, in chronological order. The two most popular are in bold.