18 February 2012 Update!

Sorry for the delay in getting an update to you all. We are thankful for your prayers over the past couple of weeks.

We've been B-U-S-Y!

A Vision Team from Second Baptist Church, Springfield, Missouri and First Baptist Branson, Missouri was here for several days and the Father surprised us with some great opportunities for the future.  These churches are committed to ministering to an unreached people group here in southern Mexico.  We encountered many open doors for ministry in the coming  months and years.

Another team from College Street Baptist, Walhalla, SC was here for a week also.  This team of mission leaders were here to learn about Oaxaca and pray about their involvement in southern Mexico in the future.  This church worked with us in Peru so it was so good to see familiar faces here.  We wanted to let them experience several different aspects of southern Mexico culture along with meeting their Southern Baptist missionaries who are working here.  We had a wonderful time with them and were so sad to say good-bye.

This area of southern Mexico is a wide open mission field but we are also finding that there are so many here who are working to spread the Message of Hope.  God is bringing a small army to this dark part of the world to reach these folks.  Not only Southern Baptist missionaries, but missionaries from all parts of the USA and other countries as well.  We are thankful to be working with so many great people.

But, not only missionaries from other countries are here.  The Mexican churches are making an impact here as well.  There are many examples of national churches reaching out to the indigenous peoples.  This is so important because if southern Mexico is to be reached, the people of Mexico will be the most effective disciple-makers.

Haylee and Jackson are doing well.  School is definitely a challenge.  The homework load is a bit much (in Jeff's opinion) but we are working through it.  Jackson and Haylee are making friends and continue to adjust well to the culture.  They are incredible kids.  Your prayers for them are definitely making a difference.

You can join us in praying for these specific requests:

• Pray for us as we continue to build relationships with different ministries here in the city of Oaxaca.  We are limited in being able to work with communities near the city of Oaxaca so we are looking for other ministry opportunities.
• Pray for Liesa, Haylee, and Jackson as Jeff travels to Missouri next week for meetings and a mission conference at Second Baptist Church Springfield, Missouri.  They'll be holding down the fort here in southern Mexico.
• Pray for upcoming visits from teams from Mississippi and Virginia.  Pray specifically for a team of students coming from Mississippi College during Spring Break.

Many thanks for your support through prayer and your giving to the Cooperative Program and Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.

And, to explain the photo at the top of the page:  The movie "Nacho Libre" was filmed here in Oaxaca.  If you want to have an amazing two hours then watch the movie.