Thanks for your ongoing prayers for us here in Hermosillo. I thought I would write a quick update so you would know the latest.
Our work here continues on three fronts: in the far south of Hermosillo we are in the early stages of a project we have named Rancho Grande. We have a great team of nationals in place and expect to see some new believers very soon. We are looking forward to the arrival of a volunteer team from Eastwood Baptist Church, Haughton, Louisiana very soon. We’ll be doing our first gospel saturation in the area. This past Monday, our national team accomplished a prayerwalk in Rancho Grande. For most of them, it was their first time to prayerwalk and for us it was a pleasure to see them doing it.
In the southeast, we are working on a project called Las Lomas. We got some good news this week that there are some other families interested in joining in with us on this work. We hope to see a new church start in this area very soon. Thank you for your prayers for the G. family. They are an integral part of this work and seem to be bouncing back after a difficult time in their lives.
One thing we have learned here in Mexico is that ministry is not always neat and tidy and predictable. We are faced with real life situations that challenge us and our partners to remain true to the Word and to each other. More that once I have had to say, “They didn’t teach me that in seminary!” But God is good and with every new situation that we face, we grow.
Our third front is on the north side. The Casa de Dios church project is now at 2 1/2 years. We have faced some setbacks along the way, but the group is growing numerically and spiritually. Our big challenge has been to train and empower leadership so that we can step aside and move on to another project. Many of the challenges here are the same as in the states. There is very much an atmosphere of consumerism among believers. Many want to come to church to be fed, rather than to participate. It’s a constant struggle to get people to understand that they must step up and serve. I think it’s particularly difficult in a culture where the predominate religion (catholicism) teaches the people relate to God through the clergy. But we are optimistic that leaders are growing, albeit slowly, and that one day we will see them bearing much fruit.
On the Lighter Side
We have been healthy this month. My gastritis is much better and I am finished with my prescriptions. I am supposed to see the doctor again in November, but it should be a routine visit. Donna is well, too. She is on the perpetual diet and this week is eating a lot of cabbage soup. Yuck! We are exercising most days at the gym and yearning for a break in the hot weather so that we can spend more time outside.
In regard to that, it’s still really hot here. Today’s forecast calls for sunny skies and 103 degrees. The 10 day forecast shows it cooling off slightly by the 31st, but we will have had 16 or 17 days of 100+ weather in October. How’s that for autumn?
Please read the next post for our current prayer requests.
