27 September 2014 Update!

Hello from Thailand!

Yep, we're in Thailand attending a meeting of a group of mission strategists from all over the world.  We're here to get better equipped to share the Gospel, train leaders, and plant new churches.  These have been great days of listening to the Lord, spending time with other workers like us, and learning some of the creative ways the Father is working in our world.  We now have to take what we have learned and share that with our team, our national partners, and USA partners.  There is so much to do and God is BIG enough to lead us in doing it.

Thank you for your prayer support! We are constantly reminded about the importance of the 'prayers of the saints' and your involvement in what the Father is doing in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.  Your prayer support is the KEY part of our work!

October is coming quickly and we have some prayer requests that you can help us with...

1. Our new teammates arrive on October 5th!  Rebecca and Christy will be joining us for two years in Oaxaca.  Please pray for them as they adjust to life in southern Mexico and as they begin their ministry among the unreached people groups in our part of the world.
2. A very important training event begins in mid-October for a group of our personnel serving in our part of the world.  This training will be held in a village near Oaxaca.  Pray for those of us who are a part of leading this training and pray for the families who will be relocating to Oaxaca for three weeks.
3. We're recruiting our Summer Missions Team for 2015!  If you know a college student (or you are one!) please consider joining our team during June and July of 2015.  Just click the links below for more info!  Here are the links to positions that we have available:
• Teaching English Team
• Sports Ministry Team
• Z Village Team
• M Village Team
• C Village Team
4. Please join us in praying for more Mexican and USA partners who are willing to do whatever it takes to reach the unreached of southern Mexico.  The work is difficult and requires a commitment to training and resources.  Pray that we'll have the right people in the right places doing the right things.

You all are a blessing!   Thank you for 'holding the rope!'

Jeff, Liesa, Haylee, and Jackson

5 September 2014 Update!

Greetings from southern Mexico!

We are always blessed by the prayers of so many folks who are praying for us.  We continue to see so many open doors among the people groups of southern Mexico.  The Father is definitely up to some big things and we're just trying to hang on for the ride.  Your prayer support is such an important part of the work.  Thank you for praying!

Driving through the Mixteco region of southern Mexico.  Beautiful!

Updates:

• Our Fall Hands On students arrived and have been busy getting to know Oaxaca and finding their place of ministry.  They have jumped right in to help with some gaps at the school where Haylee and Jackson attend.  Pray for Katherine and Sara to have great opportunities to share the Gospel in the coming weeks.
• Our pastor, Eric Hankins, is here this week to kick-off the work of First Baptist Oxford among a Zapotec community.  One important project they have is a training program for English teachers.  This is a tremendous need among the public schools here and FBC Oxford is helping us launch this training program in southern Mexico.
• A group from southern Georgia was here last week on a Vision Trip.  Pray for them as they have returned home and must pray and discern the Father's leading for their churches.  Pray that they will be among the many workers that are needed in southern Mexico.
• A Vision Team from Virginia is here this week.  They have been on an adventure on the mountain roads of the Mixteco area of Oaxaca.  This is an area of great need for the Gospel.  Pray for them as they return to Virginia to determine the next steps in their journey.
• We're getting so excited about the arrival of Rebecca and Christy.  We have been short-handed for several months and we desperately need new teammates.  Rebecca and Christy will arrive on October 5 and will be with us until mid-2016!  Pray for them as they begin their work in southern Mexico.
• Jeff's mom arrives on Saturday, September 6.  She'll be with us for six weeks and will be filling in at Haylee and Jackson's school as well as having some fun with us.  Pray for her as she comes to visit.
• We have a new boss: David Platt!  Many of you will know that David came as a part of a DiscipleNow at First Baptist Oxford in 2006.  Our paths crossed several times as we worked in East Asia with college students at FBC Oxford.  Now, he is El Presidente!  We are very excited and look forward to serving with him.

Please join us in praying for these updated prayer requests!:

• Our Stateside Assignment will begin in July/August 2015.  We will be living in Oxford, MS for several months.  Please pray with us to find a place to live and for some type of ministry to plug into while we are home in Oxford.  We're looking forward to spending some quality time with our Oxford family.
• Pray for Haylee as she makes her decision about college.  Pray that she will be in the best place to prepare her for the great days ahead that the Father has planned.
• Pray for the people groups of southern Mexico.  Pray that the effort to plant churches would advance and that strong disciples would be made.

Thank you so much for your prayer support and your financial support through the Cooperative Program and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.

Jeff, Liesa, Haylee, and Jackson

14 August 2014 Update!

Greetings from Oaxaca!

We are thankful for all of you who are praying!  We are back in Oaxaca after some busy travel days.  We were blessed with a visit from a team from Second Baptist Springfield, MO and First Baptist Branson, MO.  Then, we made a quick trip down to the coast (with our awesome teammates Frank and Phoebe) last weekend for a wedding of some of our colleagues' kids.  It was a beautiful wedding on one of Oaxaca's prettiest beaches.  Then we joined up with Sandi Bridges and the Crosspoint Church crew for part of their time with the Chontal people group.  We're now back in Oaxaca and have been busy running errands and getting ready for a busy fall!

Would you join us in praying for these things?:

1. Our Fall 2014 Hands On students arrive on Saturday (Aug 16).  Katherine and Sara will be here until December and we are looking forward to serving with them!  Pray that they adjust well to Oaxaca and that they have some great opportunities to build some meaningful relationships.
2. First Baptist Oxford, MS is getting started with a project that we know will be a great tool for helping so many of our indigenous communities.  Please pray for the team from FBC Oxford that arrives on August 30th.
3. We have a group of mission leaders from Georgia arriving next week on a Vision Trip.  These folks are looking for opportunities for their churches to impact lostness among Unengaged Unreached People Groups.  Pray for safe travel and that we will go to the right places!
4. A Vision Team from a church in Virginia arrives in a couple of weeks.  This church has been praying about their place in Mexico for quite some time.  Will you pray that we will find open doors among some unreached communities among the Mixtecos?
5. New Teammates are Coming!  Rebecca and Christy will arrive in early October and will be in southern Mexico for at least two years!  We desperately need their help and we are beyond thrilled to be able to serve with them.  Pray for them as they finish up training in the USA.  They will arrive in Oaxaca on October 5!
6. More New Teammates are Coming!  We asked you to pray for more laborers and it looks like at least two more IMB missionary families will be joining the work in southern Mexico in the next year or so.  We are thankful that the Lord is calling new workers to southern Mexico because there is so much work to be done!  Please pray for these families as they leave the USA.
7. More New Teammates are Coming!  Several of our USA church partners are in the process of sending folks from their fellowship down to southern Mexico to serve among their communities where they are working.  Please pray that these new workers will prepare well for their assignments!
8. Jeff's Mom is coming to visit.  We're excited that Jeff's mom will be coming to visit for about 5 weeks.  Please pray for her as she adjusts to life in southern Mexico.
9. Our Stateside Assignment will begin in August 2015!  We will be living in Oxford, MS!  Please pray that details will work out so that Jackson can have a great school year.  We will need to find a place to live, car to drive, etc.  Pray for all of that!

Some really great things are happening and you are a part because you pray!  Here's an update:

1. Haylee got a really great report regarding her rheumatoid arthritis.  We continue to pray for complete healing but we're also so thankful for our great doctor in Oxford, MS:  Dr. Kirk Eddleman.
2. One of our USA partners was able to spend almost 6 weeks among their people group this summer.  They have seen amazing progress in building relationships!
3. One of our USA partners recently held a Sports Camp in their village and they were able to build some relationships and make some plans for the future among their people.
4. We have had some great training opportunities with pastors/church leaders recently.  Pray for us as we try to expand ways to meet the need for training among indigenous church leaders.
5. Our Summer 2014 Student Team was simply A W E S O M E.  These students really worked hard to invest and pour into people here.  They made a big difference in many lives and were even able to build on some work they had done in the past.
6. We are thankful for Fairview Baptist Church, Lebanon, TN for donating their VBS offering to help indigenous kids in Oaxaca!  This church is buying school supplies and backpacks for some kids in some really tough circumstances!  
7. First Baptist Oxford, MS always is generous and their help with school uniforms for some indigenous kids is a huge blessing to many and it is a great way to help build relationships through meeting important needs.
8. The Father continues to bring us some great Mexican partners.  We know that to truly reach the hardest places in southern Mexico that we must pour into Mexican believers even more.

We are so grateful for your prayers.  Thank you also for your giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and the Cooperative Program!

Love to all,

Jeff, Liesa, Haylee, and Jackson

Students from Second Baptist Springfield loving on some kids!

Second Baptist Springfield working hard!

Second Baptist Springfield visiting one of our friends!

Second Baptist Springfield Taco Night! (We had several!)

The church we attend in Oaxaca is planting this church in another
part of town.  Great crowd at VBS!

The one and only Neil Franks (Pastor at FBC, Branson)
teaching the word in a nearby village.

The Coke name craze is in Mexico, too!

Coke craziness continues...

In a village with the Crosspoint team.

The Crosspoint team loving on their community.

Sandi is our oldest child.  We're smiling when she is here!

Fairview Baptist Lebanon, TN bought a truck load of school
supply stuff for some great kids in Oaxaca!

1 August 2014 Update!

Greetings from Mississippi!

We are enjoying some time of vacation with family and friends in Mississippi!  We are so thankful for the opportunity to come home to Mississippi and reconnect.  We have had a busy couple of weeks.  Here's a little update!

American Peoples Affinity Summit in the Dominican Republic

All of the missionaries from the Americas gathered in the Dominican Republic for a week of fun, training, and teaching from David Platt.  We had an awesome time even though Jeff came down with a serious case of the flu while we were there.   Haylee and Jackson has an awesome time and are still talking about the D.R.   While all of us missionaries (250 families) were gathered in the D.R. we collected an offering for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.  The total amount given is over $150,000.00... AND, anonymous donors added $125,000.00 to what we gave so we now have over $270,000.00.  God is good and does so much more than we expect him to do!

Haylee's College Tour

We were able to take some time and take Haylee to visit her 'Top 4' College choices.  We visited Mississippi College, Union University, Ole Miss, and Samford University.  We were impressed with all four of the schools and they showed great interest in Haylee.  Now, we have to continue to pray and see where the best fit is for Haylee.  You can join us in praying!

Tyler and Julie's Wedding

We made a little stop in Oxford, MS so that Jeff could officiate the wedding of Julie Goss and Tyler Little.  Tyler and his family are so very special to us and it was a great honor to be a part of Julie and Tyler's great day!  The wedding was beautiful and getting to see so many of our friends was awesome!

Destin, Florida

We were able to take a few days and chill out on the beach in Destin, FL with Pete, Carrie, Madilyn, Eden, and Jeff's mom.  The weather was perfect and we had a great time on the beach and all together in the condo.  A great time!

We'll be heading back to Oaxaca in just a few days!  Thank you for your prayers!  If we don't see you on this visit maybe we can get together in January 2015 when we come back!

Blessings!

Jeff, Liesa, Haylee, and Jackson

Early morning in the D.R.

Jeff and some guy.

The Peru crew re-united!

Haylee and friends!

One of Jackson's spiritual gifts is
chillin' in airports.

Haylee and Liesa in Newark!

They are so cute.

Mississippi College!

Haylee and Sydney rockin' it.

Union University!

Ole Miss!

Oaxaca Reunion in Oxford!

Samford University!

Destin, Florida!

Haylee.  Madilyn.  Jackson.

Destin, FL

Peru Reunion!

Peru Reunion!

Dominican Republic!

Liesa and Heather Platt.

The Cooks!

8 July 2014 Update!

Greetings from Oaxaca!

We are so grateful for your prayer support.  Let us share with you some stories of great things happening in southern Mexico:

• There is another new believer among the SBY people.  We now know of 3 believers in this community of 600 people.
• Over 50 student volunteers came to Oaxaca during the month of June and were a huge blessing to many people.  These students were able to learn about missions and be a part of 'hands-on' work.
• The ChoC people and their small struggling church has a strong USA partner coming to serve alongside them as they seek to reach their people.
• A church from Mississippi was able to strengthen a new church plant with a Parent Conference and three new believers came to know Jesus because of their obedience.
• The SGM people live in Mexico and in the USA.  We are so thankful for USA partners who are beginning work among these people in Virginia.
• The ChoS people live in the mountains of southern Mexico.  A church from the USA has committed to being the 'missionary' to this Unreached People Group.  The USA church has had great 'God Moments' as they have lived among their people for several weeks.
• The ChiO people are very resistant to the Gospel and their community is known as a place of witchcraft.  But, God has called out a USA church from Florida to pray for and love these people.  These people may have an opportunity to hear about Jesus very soon!
• The Father is working in several communities among the TVZ people.  We are thankful for the national believers who are taking on the task of reaching their people.
• A church in Georgia has taken on the missionary task among the ChiC people.  These people may finally be able to respond to the Gospel in the near future.
• The CTM people live in Mexico and in the USA.  A church in California is taking seriously the task of reaching the nations in their community.

While we see the Father at work all around us, there are still overwhelming needs here in southern Mexico that only God can meet.  We're thankful to be a small part in what God is doing and we are thankful that so many of you are a part through your prayer support.  Please keep praying for the people groups listed above and please pray that more workers will make a commitment to training and learning language and that they will come to southern Mexico.

Blessings!
Jeff, Liesa, Haylee, and Jackson Holeman

Summer 2014 Oaxaca Student Team!  AWESOME MISSIONARIES!

30 June 2014 Update!

A GREAT month of June 2014 is in the books.  We have been blessed this month to see new believers, new leaders trained, and some really good beginnings to new churches being started.  Your prayers are so important!  Thank you for your partnership!

Here are some photos of some of the great things happening these past few weeks:

The Ole Miss Rebels returned to the College World Series!

Davinity and Bailey rockin' it as they teach a health lesson
in a local village.

Ronnie demonstrating how to enjoy the beach.

Team meeting at the beach!

Did I mention the Ole Miss Rebel baseball team returned to the
College World Series?

We are blessed to serve with great people!

These two!  What a blessing!

Jacob came to see us!

This is how you do summer in Oaxaca.

Springdale Baptist from Attala County, MS.

Summer 2014 Student Team.

Washing clothes at a local children's home.

Springdale Baptist Church on mission.

Haylee and Misty sharing a story from God's Word.

Emily Morgan came to see us!

Here was Jeff's lunch date one day!  Sassy Betsy!

Sports Camp in a Zapotec village.
Central Baptist from Wendell, NC knows how to get it done!

Addie from Ole Miss Law School and Edu sharing a story.

We love Anna!  We sent her off with prayer to work at a
camp in the USA for a few weeks.

Wyatt helping Rich with an activity.

Brandon Lewis.  My kids' USA youth pastor.
He's the best and we're glad he brought a team to Oaxaca this month.

A W E S O M E   People.  A HUGE Blessing!

July is going to be a busy month and we are on the road quite a bit.  We will be attending our FIRST General Meeting of missionaries.  We're so excited to be able to learn some new things, to grow in our walk with Jesus, and to spend some great time with wonderful friends.  We will be in Mississippi from July 22 to August 4.  We'll be in Oxford to see Tyler and Julie get married.  We'll visit some colleges with Haylee.  And, get to see some of our family and friends that we miss so much!

Thank you to all who pray!  Thanks also to those who give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and to the Cooperative Program.  When you give, people hear about Jesus.

Blessings!
Jeff, Liesa, Haylee, and Jackson