25 March 2013 Update!

Growing up as small-town Southern Baptists, the idea of 'Holy Week' never really became important until moving to Latin America.  Holy Week is a BIG deal among Catholics in Latin American and Mexico is no different.  Processionals and ritual ceremonies will be the norm here for the next few days.  These days are a blessing in that so many folks are talking about Jesus.  They are also very frustrating in that so many folks think their participation in rituals and offerings are gaining them favor with God.  This is not so much a criticism of any one church tradition as it is a reminder that religion traps so many people in our world.  We Baptists have our 'rituals' and 'easy-believism' that causes us, in our own syncretistic ways, to believe we can limit God to an image and can control Him and make Him more 'comfortable'.

Our prayer this week is that we would have opportunities to speak the truth of the Gospel to those we meet. We want to respect the culture we are blessed to be a part of.  The sweetest people on the face of the earth live in Oaxaca, Mexico.  Would you pray that those in Mexico and Mississippi who think ritualistic religious activities score points with Jesus (and His mama) would exchange that lie for a relationship with the Jesus of the Bible?  Pray that they would know a Jesus who is alive, active, accessible to all, sending His disciples on a mission to the ends of the earth.

16 March 2013 Update!

We are so grateful for your prayers!  These have been some really busy times for us over the past few weeks.  Your prayers have worked to allow us to see the Father do some great things.  You have been a part of:

1. Large numbers of people hearing about what the needs are in southern Mexico at the World Mission Conference at Second Baptist Springfield, Missouri.
2. Outreach to more and more folks through the English Classes that Sandi, Jennifer, Anna, Natasha, and Ellen are teaching this semester at a local church and on the Lacy Seminary campus.
3. Several life-changing decisions made at a local church when one of our USA churches sponsored a 'Family Day' activity for those in the neighborhood around the church campus.
4. Safe travel in the air, through city traffic, and on mountain roads over the past few weeks.

Your prayer commitment to us is such a necessary part of the work going on here.  Please continue to pray and know that your investment of time is making a difference.

Remember this quote: “If you think you’re too small to be effective, you have never been in bed with a mosquito.” -Betty Reese

And remember this scripture: Mark 9:29  And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”

Please join us in praying for these requests:

1. Jeff and Liesa have been asked to take on a new role within in our missions organization.  We will continue to live and minister in southern Mexico but will have to work a lot smarter.  Pray for us to have wisdom.
2. Pray for Sandi Bridges as she prepares to return to the USA in a couple of weeks.  Sandi has been here helping us to improve our ESL ministry and also to prepare for two weeks of Youth Camp for USA Youth Groups.  And, she has helped in a ton of other ways, too.  Pray for the Lord to guide her steps.
3. Pray for Jennifer, Anna, Ellen, and Natasha.  They are our semester missionaries working with us this.  Pray for them to establish relationships where they can be an influence in the lives of people.
4. Pray for Shindler Drive Baptist Church and Central Baptist Church who will be coming to Oaxaca in the next few weeks on Vision Trips.  These churches are seeking places to plant churches in southern Mexico.  Pray for them.

Thank you for holding the rope for us.

Jeff, Liesa, Haylee, and Jackson

Just one little thing we miss about Mississippi.

North Oxford and Ole Miss in Oaxaca! Spring Break 2013.

Here are some photos from today!

Keep praying!

8 March 2013 Update!

Many thanks for your prayers over the past few weeks.  These are busy days for us and your prayers are such a huge part of keeping things on track here in southern Mexico.

Please join us in praying for the following:

• Please continue to pray for our friend Sandi Bridges who is here helping with a wide range of ministry projects until the end of March.  Sandi joined our family during our time in Peru and is not tired of us yet.  Pray for her to finish strong during her remaining three weeks with us.
• We are very blessed to have another strong group of students serving with us this semester.  Anna, Natasha, Ellen, and Jennifer have had to deal with an erratic ministry schedule and some challenges in Liesa and Jeff's schedule but have handled all of this with grace and servant hearts.  Please continue to lift them up as they minister through English Classes, tutoring, and ministry to indigenous children.
• Pray for a ministry team coming from Oxford, MS on March 9. North Oxford Baptist Church is sending a team down to serve alongside a local church in Oaxaca and also to spend time helping at a local home for indigenous children.
• Pray for two churches that will be sending Vision Teams during the next few weeks.  Shindler Drive Baptist Church, Jacksonville, FL and Central Baptist Church, Wendell, NC will be coming seeking their place of service in southern Mexico.

Your prayers are VERY important to the work that is going on here.  Thank you for the way you support us.

Jeff, Liesa, Haylee, and Jackson