22 YEARS!

On December 22, 1990 Liesa must have been a little out of her mind and said 'I do!'  22 years later we're blessed with two amazing children and we've survived Calhoun City, Gulfport, Kosciusko, Oxford, the Farm in Virginia, Costa Rica, Peru, Brandon, and Mexico!  An amazing ride and a wonderful testimony of God's faithfulness!

13 December 2012 Update!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

We are so grateful for the prayer support

and your financial support through the

Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.

Blessings from southern Mexico!

Jeff, Liesa, Haylee, and Jackson

Not a 'Good-Bye'....Just a 'See Ya Later!'

The Hands On 2012 Crew with our family.

Dear Kimberly, Kelley, Davinity, and Anna,

Tomorrow we take you to the airport and this journey with us in Oaxaca will come to an end.  We have learned that the missionary life is a never-ending series of trips to the airport to say good-bye to folks we really care about.  WE have loved EVERY day that you have spent living 'La Vida Loca Mexicana' with us.  It really does seem like you have been here forever even though it has only been four months.  You are a part of our family and we will miss you terribly when you leave.

Just think about what God has done through you in such a short time:

1. You have invested in the lives of dozens of Mexicans with your English classes.  You have encouraged them and given them help in learning another language that might just open doors for them in the future.
2. You have loved on the missionary kids at Oaxaca Christian School and have been an encouragement to the teachers there.
3. You have learned the importance of knowing and studying language.
4. You have invested time with our MK girls through Bible studies and spending time with them.
5. You have loved on the kids at the children's home and spent time helping them understand God's love for them.
6. You have embraced the culture here and jumped smack dab in the middle of it with a smile on your face so many times.
7. You have learned to sleep through fireworks, mariachi bands, dogs barking, and that a small earthquake is just not that important.
8. You have spent time with so many people in Oaxaca and sought to encourage as many people as you could even when you might have really wanted to do something else.
9. You've been on research trips where a drunk crowd of clowns surrounded the truck and another trip lost in vast fields of sugar cane.  You did this so that the Gospel could go to those places in the future.
10. And there is so much more...Huatulco, the Zocalo, Monte Alban, riding the bus, Dancing with the Stars, Chedraui, Soriana, Sam's, Wal-mart, Italian coffee, the neighborhood tamale guy....

Thank you for taking the time to come to Oaxaca.  As a missionary, you never know the result of your work.  All we can do is be obedient to the task the Father lays out for us.  You have been obedient to His request to 'Go serve in Oaxaca.'

Our family has grown to love each one of you deeply.  But, we aren't saying 'Good-bye.'  Just a 'See ya later!'  We'll see you again one day...

Because of Him,

Jeff, Liesa, Haylee, and Jackson (and Amazon, too!)

6 December 2012 Update!

Liesa and Haylee performed in the Oaxaca Christian School Christmas Program tonight.  Here's some photos:

4 December 2012 Update!

From a hotel room in Tuxtepec, Oaxaca, Mexico.

There is really never a normal day in mission work.  The only 'normal' is that we expect God to do 'something special' each day.  This day was no exception.

We (Jeff and the Fantastic Four) are on a research trip on the east side of the state of Oaxaca.  This area is mainly vast fields of sugar cane with small indigenous settlements scattered throughout the area.  We were headed down a dusty road this morning when we see two ladies and a little girl walking and Jeff decided we were going to give these folks a ride.  They climbed in the back of the truck (provided by the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering) and were able to sit in the shade of the camper (provided by the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering).  They told Jeff where their village was and we headed down the road (using fuel provided by the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering).

When we arrived at their village Jeff got out of the truck and began to talk with the ladies (The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering paid for me (Jeff) to learn Spanish and I was expecting something good to happen because you all who read this blog are praying and holding the rope).  Their names are Norma, Perfecta, and the little girl is Esmerelda.  It turns out that Norma is a follower of Jesus and has been talking to Perfecta about the Lord for some time.  So, Jeff shares the Bible story of Jesus changing the life of the Demon-Possessed Man (from Mark 5).  Perfecta and Esmerelda are listening to the story and Norma is pulling her Bible out of her purse to find the passage in the Bible.  We share the story and we talk for a while about the need for Jesus in our lives.  Norma preaches a little sermon right there on the dirt road and Perfecta agrees to think about all that we have shared with her today.  (This all happened because so many of you are praying for us and the Father is answering your prayers).

The Fantastic Four and Jeff hop in the truck and continue on our way to find more communities out among the sugar cane. Your giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and your prayers are so important to the work going on here.  Thank you for your support.  Please continue to pray for Norma as she continues to share the sweet message of Hope in the middle of the fields of sugar cane in Mexico.