Now that school is over, we have been busier in the last 3 weeks!!?? How is that possible?? So sorry that we haven't written. So much has happened.
- The three men that are the leaders have all been undergoing personal struggles. These three will be taking over while we are in the States for the month of July. Each of them has been struggling with exactly the theme with which they will be preaching. For example, one who has been in danger of losing his job, has the theme of --faith. Please pray for these three men: Gabriel, Memo, and Nico. Pray for Mike as he has been working with each of them as they develop their messages.
- Even though Marcos and Ruth and Jorge and Ceci have left because of moving, the Lord is bringing us new people! (Jorge and Ceci will be returing from Peru on August 30th.) Sergio and Clara---now understand that they need to use the Gospel in their marriage relatationship. In such a short time, the Lord has done miracles in their lives. They are growing in this area, and are actually a happy addition to the church. (Remember this is the couple that were verbally attacking each other right in our marriage class.) Lilliana--Nico's wife really is showing that God has changed her! She is so different. This is the lady that nearly lost her leg to an infection. She is showing the love of Christ to her family and working together with her husband. Her son, Miguel, who is 16, has returned home. The condition of his return was that he work with Nico, obey him, and go to church. The Lord is working here. He is wanting to read the Christian doctrine book that we are studying in Sunday School! Nico's sister, Guille, has come for spiritual counselling. We were able to give her the gospel for about 2 hours. Please pray for her salvation. Carmen is a new comer that went to church far away. She already has volunteered to help the ladies with VBS. We are so pleased to have Jose and America back with us. They are working with their little ones to have them in the services and really being a vital part of the church now---when before they were kind of in the background and expected much without giving anything.
- Special Praise: We had 73 people for a Youth Ralley. Over 30 were actually teens. Lots of their families came. First ,we went to a tree maze to play freeze tag, then climbed the mountain behind our home, and finally ate and played games. It was particularly entertaining to see 2 teams trying to throw round cheese balls on the heads of two of the oldest guys. How did they stick? Well, we had prepared their heads with whipped cream on top of shower caps! We want to praise the Lord for all 73 who heard Mike's devotional about "Remembering our Creator in the days of our youth." Tere's unsaved grandson brought two friends, and Mikey brought his 15 year old atheist friend, Eukenni, from basketball. I'm sure that there were many more unsaved people there as we had teens from 4 different churches. When it was time from the devotional, Eukenni said, What is an atheist supposed to do now? Mikey said, "Well, you don't have to convert, you just have to listen." Eukenni agreed and later thanked us two different times for inviting him. Please pray for the Lord to work in his heart as well as in his mom's heart (Claudia.) Faith gets to talk to her frequently. We were particularly praising the Lord for Mikey's answer as we might have ASKED Eukenni to listen. Mikey, however, TOLD him to listen. We thank the Lord for placing the boldness there.
The Lord has enabled us to supply the church people AND the family of 5 Bible Club children (who lost their father and grandfather) with good used clothes that we do not need anymore. Because of this, Faith was able to meet the children's mother for the first time. It is hard to be in contact with her as she is always working. Our kids' health: Since the rains have come, most are better. Cristi and Carissa are not-- and have sinus infections. Cristi has been sick almost continually since October. Please pray for us to figure out with the allerologist how to help her.
Upcoming events:
- BJU team---June 20--27.
- Victor and Shelley Labelle are leaving with their family the 27th to go back to the States to accept another position with his job.
- We leave July 2nd. Cristi will be staying in Mexico for an extra 10 days to compete in the end of the school year gymnastics competition. She will be staying with Reme and they will be working on the HUGE job of doing all of the art to transform the church for VBS. Please pray for her to continue to be a good testimony to her unsaved friends at gymnastics and as she flys to Cleveland on July 13th.
- Third week in July---VBS headed up by Lourdes with tons of help from Juana and Karina. We do need you to pray for our church while we are gone. There has been good attendance, and expect some visitors during the BJU team visit and several special activities-----and then all of the gringos leave! Victor will be especially missed because he plays the piano. Please bathe our people in prayer while we are gone that they would not become discouraged and that they would continue in the work of the Lord while we are gone. Our kids won't be there to help with piano playing. Please pray for Yoltic, Yolat, and Yolotzin Olivares as they will be in charge of the music for the month that we are gone.
In Christ, Faith for the Family-----Mike, Mikey, Cristi, Cari (short for Carissa), Matt, Cheri, and Cara
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