Friday, January 23, 2015

23 January 2015 Update!

¡Saludos de Oaxaca!

After a whirlwind month of travel to the USA we are so glad to be home in Oaxaca.  We had a great visit to the USA spending time with our family and friends and also getting some great work accomplished.  Here's a brief update:
  1. We were able to get some effective treatment on Haylee's knee and she is almost back to full-speed.  The Lord has provided an awesome doctor who knows everything about rheumatoid arthritis.  We are thankful for your prayer support as we have worked through this challenge.
  2. We had great visits with some wonderful churches.  Center Grove Baptist Church (Maben, MS), First Baptist Yazoo City, MS, and First Baptist Oxford, MS are such strong supporters of missions and missionaries.  All of these churches are faithful supporters of the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.
  3. Missions College 2015 was a huge success.  Over 100 of our USA church partners came together in Virginia for 4 days of intensive training.  More and more of our USA partners are realizing the value of training in having an eternal impact in another culture.  
  4. The 2015 Mixtec Summit was phenomenal.  The Montgomery Baptist Association (Alabama) hosted this training/fellowship meeting for churches who are working with the various Mixtec people groups around the USA.  It was an encouraging time for all of us.
These next few months are going to be busy ones for our Southern Mexico UPG Catalyst Team.  Our Mexican and USA partner churches are committed to being with their people groups and bringing the Gospel to this dark corner of our world.  Please pray for:
  • Shindler Drive Baptist Church (January, March, May visits)
  • First Baptist Oxford, MS (February and March visits)
  • Urbancrest Baptist Church, Lebanon, OH (February visit)
  • Crosspoint Church, Melrose, FL (February visit)
  • Village Church, Midlothian, VA (April visit)
  • Piedmont Okefenokee Baptist Association (April visit)
  • Second Baptist Church, Springfield, MO (April visit)
We have an exciting opportunity to join with our Mexican partners for a StoryTogether training in April.  This training equips us to get the Gospel to the heart language of various people groups.  As you know, there are at least 15 different languages in southern Mexico.  If these people do not have God's Word then we have no way to move forward in Discipleship.  Please, please pray for the StoryTogether project.

God continues to bring us students for our 2015 Summer Missions Team.  We are excited about the quality of the students that the Father is sending our way.  We need several more students to join us.  Will you pray that the Lord of the Harvest will send more laborers?  If you know a college student who speaks Spanish and is looking to be involved in missions please refer them to this website (Click Here.) and search for positions in Mexico.  You will find our needs listed there.

We will be heading to Mississippi for Stateside Assignment on July 31, 2015.  We'll be living in Oxford, MS and enjoying some time with our home church, First Baptist Oxford, MS.  Haylee will be heading to Mississippi College this fall and Jackson will be an Oxford High School Charger.  We are very much looking forward to some time in Mississippi.  Will you pray that housing can be located in Oxford that meets our needs?

Thank you so much to all of you who are praying.  We want you to know that your prayer support is THE KEY to the Father's work here in southern Mexico.  You are all a blessing!

Jeff, Liesa, Haylee, and Jackson

Here are some photos from our visit to the USA...

Haylee went to visit the same doctor that takes care of Eli Manning
and the USA Olympic Ski Team.
We'll be serving alongside Brooke during Summer 2015!
Pray for more like her!
Family Time in Mississippi.
Oaxaca Reunion before the Peach Bowl.
We have served with all of these folks and are blessed
to call them friends.
When you see a giant Christmas ornament you probably
should get a photo with it.
Peach Bowl Fun!  (This was before the game started.)
Jackson is now driving.  Don't you feel safe?
A batch of cousins.
A visit with one of the greatest missionaries.  The Gold Shoes go
to the loser of the Egg Bowl each year.  Tommy is the loser again.
Brandon Burns (in the middle) took a bullet in the head in Iraq
so that I can be free.  And, HE INSISTED THAT HE BUY MY LUNCH!
Yes...I'm a loser.  
Missions College 2015!
Mixtec Summit 2015!