April Prayer letter

So here is our April Prayer Email-- I'm adding a little bit extra to those of you on the blogosphere...











This is Ivan and Sergio- two of our translators/ assistants when we had some families down from Alberta last week-- and a team of Youth down from Langley BC in March















This is a quincenera cake- to celebrate the 15th birthday of a girl in Mexico-- This one was for one of my students (Dolores) kids- Joana.















Here is Joana in her Quincenera dress. Here in Mexico, at least among some folks of modest income, they will share the costs of fiestas-- some pay for the dress, others for the cake, others for the hall, others for the plates etc.















Here is the Taco cart that we bought for Daniel and Dolores.















This is us on a brief vacation in Phoenix!



We had 2 families here last week working with our pastors and churches we serve in the Colonias (poor neighbourhoods). We were at one mission church on the side of the railroad tracks painting some walls. It almost seemed like a exercises in futility- painting the rotten old, used wood that had made up this shanty-shack of a church. But Daniel and Dolores (churches leaders) were tremendously blessed by our service to them. Daniel gave us a bit on the churches history and his testimony. The Canadian families were blessed by the story of Gods work in the former addicts life! Daniel had mentioned that they had an additional $150 to pay off the church property- and were praying to God that He would provide. And God spoke to one of the families... After taking a night to pray about and discuss how they could help- we decided to help them in a different way. Daniel works as a security guard and makes about $200/ month- barely enough to buy food to eat for his family of four. His dream was to buy a taco stand and cook tacos for a living- which has a much greater possibility of succeeding! I remembered another church leadership family (Severa) that had a taco cart (that needed a bit of work) that they wanted to sell- so we hooked the families up- and for $150 we bought a taco cart for Daniel and his family. With some more donations we were able to purchase all of the things needed to get started too ( pots, pans etc...)!! Dolores and Daniel were overwhelmed. They shared testimony that life had been incredibly difficult these past few months (probably more like years- but particularly hard recently). But just that morning God had impressed on Dolores' heart that they had been faithful during these difficult times and that He was going to bless them in a way that would amaze them! This was that blessing! They called it a "fountain of work"- they would never run out of work now and it could grow itself as they invest back into the work! It was an emotional moment for sure! But the blessings weren't done yet!! Severa- the lady who sold us the cart- is 65+ years old and is in my Bible Institute class with her husband. They serve a church in Tijuana well- Teaching the Teens and in the church generally. She has had a burden for an area in southern Mexico- Nayarit- that is very needy for the Gospel. She was down there last year to encourage a believer she knew that had turned back to the world. What she found when she got down there were 5 villages in close proximity with very few believers spread amongst the villages. Some had come to know Jesus through her ministry- and when she left- there were 8 believers in these 5 villages! She had been praying for $150.00 so she could take another mission trip down to Nayarit! She is hoping to take some time to disciple a leader in the area so they can start a church! The Canadian families were amazed that their small donations of $150 and $70 could be a fountain of work (and therefore- freedom to minister well too!) for one family and a mission trip to some unreached areas for another! Praise God for bringing this all together!!

Prayer Requests:
1. For Dolores and Daniel- that they would be diligent and God would double their efforts to provide for them and their mission church.
2. For Severa as she goes to southern Mexico- that God would open hearts and convince them of their need for a saviour. And that God would use Seve to strengthen the believers!
3. For us as we train leaders and pastors- that I would speak only truth from the Scriptures- that the students would be challenged to devote themselves fully to Jesus and His service.
4. For Shar as she homeschools. It has gotten a bit better lately with Elijahs attitude towards school- pray that that will continue- and that Caleb would succeed well in his studies- he is having particular difficulty with mathematics.
5. For all of our health- that we would continue to be healthy enough to serve well! Thanks for your partnership with us!!

God bless!!

Mike