One of the big projects this year at Casa de Esperanza is the completion of a new dorm building. The building is two stories tall. The first floor consists of four bedrooms, each with it's own bathroom. The second floor will be a complete staff living quarters. Right now most of the staff are staying in campers. Once the new dorm is complete, not only will it allow Casa de Esperanza to host larger teams, it will also provide more comfortable living quarters for the staff. 

               We hosted our first team of the year this weekend. We divided the team into two groups. The first group painted all four rooms on the ground level. The second group helped us wire all the outlets, light switches and light fixtures as well as run the plumbing and main electrical lines to the building. After the team left I spend the rest of the week laying tile in one of the rooms that they painted.

                Prayer requests for this week:

-          Please pray for me as I am working on my Spanish. I am taking online classes as well as receiving tutoring form my roommate, Omar. Pray that as I learn new words and phrases I retain what I learn so that I can be more effective as I work in the Mexican communities.

-          Please pray that as we reach out to people that their hearts would be open to receiving the Gospel.  

-          I am currently searching for ministry opportunities to get involved with in my spare time. Pleas pray that the Lord would direct me in that search. 

My roommate plastering the outside of the new dorm building. 

Me laying tile in one of the new dorm rooms. 

Messengers in the Mountains.

                Wow! The last two weeks have flown by. When we finally arrived at the mission center in San Carlos on November 7th, we stayed only one night before taking off on a trip into the Sonoran mountains, along the Sonora/Chiwawa state border.  We spent a week partnering with several other missionaries, pastors and evangelists, showing the Jesus Film in five different communities.  After we showed the film we fitted the older people with reading glasses and handed out New Testaments to everyone. 

We were able to pray with and encourage a number of people during the trip. One in particular family who we were able to encouraged stood out to me more than the others. In the third village where we showed the film, the pastor’s wife had left him and his 18 month old son. On top of that, the men of the village threatened to beat him and drive him out of their village if he didn't leave on his own. They also threatened to tear down the walls of the church which he was building. Still, he was faithful in ministering, preaching the Gospel and constructing the church building. We went to the construction site of the church and prayed over him and the community. Later that day His wife returned home after being gone for two months. Our team was able to pray with them both and encourage them.     

We planted the seed of the Gospel in the hearts of many people throughout the week. Now it is up to the local pastors and ultimately God to cause those seeds to grow and produce fruit. Please pray for the local pastors as they go about this task. Pray that they would be faithful in their work and see God move mightily in their communities. 

Several times I had the opportunity to play soccer with the kids. This helped to calm them down and pay better attention during the film.

We handed out Bibles to a group of cow boys who were taking a midday rest from cattle branding. 

Fitting people with eyeglasses and handing out Bibles. 

Jesus Film

              Hey everyone! We are in the Mountains of Sonora right now showing the Jesus Film. It was quite the drive out here on back mountain roads. We had a little mechanical trouble with  the RV, but thankfully it wasn’t anything too serious.  Please pray that we will be able to make it out again with out any more trouble.

               We have shown the Jesus Film  in two different villages already. Last night I was able to play soccer with the kids for about an hour before we showed the film. We had a lot of fun. After we played they all sat attentively and watched the film.

                Every time that we show the film the pastors share the gospel and then we pray with people and hand out Bibles to everyone. We also give out eye glasses to the older people who can’t read otherwise. Please pray for open minds and hearts as we continue to share the Gospel. 

Ready Set Go!!!

                After three days on the road we finally got into San Carlos late last night! We unpacked and are getting ready to leave within the hour to go on a bike trip near Hermisillo Sonora. I didn’t find out about the trip last night. I was reminded of something my ABI instructor, Matt Nobel, would say over and over in regards to being on the missions field.  “you must bend and not brake!” got to go, bye! 

Final Perpetration's

               I have enjoyed my short stay in Michigan and am now preparing to fly to Bozeman Montana tomorrow morning. While I was here I was able to get in touch with family and old friends. I was also able to get out and ride horses and go hunting for white tail deer, both are activities which in enjoy doing but have been unable to do for quite some time. I was even able to be  an extra in the upcoming independent/Christian film: “Beyond the Mask.” My stay has been very enjoyable, relaxing and encouraging.

                Lord willing, I will meet up with Art and Brenda Koenes in Bozeman. Art and Brenda run a farm in Montana during the summer and Casa de Ezperanza during the winter. From Montana, we will drive to Mexico.

                As I begin to make last minute preparations I am excited and looking forward with anticipation to the upcoming months. At the same time however, I am beginning to get nervous. 6 months in a foreign country can be a long time! Please pray that I will not give way to any fears or doubts that might arise. Pray that I will have boldness and confidence to do what God has called me to do during this season and that I will do it with all my heart.

Thank you and may God bless you!