Greetings from southern Mexico!
We have just lived through one of the most popular weekends of the year in Mexico: The Day of the Dead. This is a tradition in Mexico dating back several hundred years where families gather in the cemeteries around Mexico to pay respects to their deceased relatives. They bring 'gifts' to the grave sites, spend time cleaning the tombstones, and gather as a family to remember their loved ones. Some of the folks carry things a step further and try to communicate with their dead relatives through religious rituals. Most of the folks we encountered were following a family tradition with few outward signs of spiritual significance. And, that is basically the story of many Mexican families. Their trust is in their religious tradition and not in a Saving Faith. If you take away their idols, chants, cathedrals, and rituals there is nothing left. Please pray for these precious people to encounter the Jesus that is enough: A simple faith with a hunger for Gods Word, equipped by the Holy Spirit to live a life of obedience.
These past few months have flown by. There have been so many things that the Father has been doing:
- We continue to have contact from our Southern Baptist churches in the USA who tell us of their desire to work in southern Mexico.
- The Father continues to lead us to new people and new places for ministry. We have prayed for a clearer understanding of the needs of southern Mexico and we learn new things every day.
- The Benito Juarez Children's Home is a local ministry that Liesa has fallen in love with. We are grateful for the opportunity to work with them.
- Anna, Davinity, Kelley, and Kimberly have been a huge blessing to us. They are our four Hands On semester workers who are doing a great job teaching English, tutoring kids, working at the Children's Home, and helping out wherever we need help.
- Haylee and Jackson are having a great experience at Oaxaca Christian School. We are blessed that our kids are enjoying life here.
Your prayers are such an important part of the work here. You may never know the impact of your prayers but please know that we see the evidence of your prayers EVERY day.
Your giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering is very important. Please give through your local Southern Baptist church so that the Light can be taken to the dark places around the world.
Thank you for being a blessing!
Jeff, Liesa, Haylee, and Jackson
