Fall here looks an awful lot like Summer and late Spring, but it brings about a change of pace and direction that let you know the unofficial "New Year" has begun!
Homeschool
Shar started homeschool up a little more than a week after we returned to Mexico. Elijah is in Grade 7, Caleb in Grade 5 and Jacob in Grade 2. They are all doing well and enjoying school as much as the average kids!
This year for Spanish they are working on Rosetta Stone's homeschool Spanish program. In the 2 months that they have been at it- I would say it is the most effective program they've worked with yet. They work for 1/2 hour a day and the change in their ability and confidence in Spanish has been noticeable. The boys have 2 friends in our neighbourhood who speak only Spanish and their ability to communicate is improving as time goes on. We are thankful to see that!
Caleb's favourite homeschool class is science. He and Jacob are learning about Water Creatures this year and are enjoying learning about all God created that lives in water! It is pretty deep (pun intended :)) and we're looking forward to going to an aquarium in Long Beach, CA at the end of this month for a field trip and a low-tide tide pool excursion! Caleb loves to build things with his hands and tools. He has built a scratching post for the cats, and is currently working on a stool for outside. He can often be heard sawing, hammering or otherwise building stuff
Jacob's favourite homeschool class is Reading. He enjoys reading (especially Garfield books) and is getting better at it all the time. One of Jacobs favourite things to do is play with the dogs. He especially enjoys playing fetch with princess- our newest dog. He also still enjoys running and will run in circles, straight lines, on the ground, over top of things... even now as I write this he is walking on a table outside :).
Elijahs favourite class is reading as well. He will often be found reading one book or another and loves to go to the Library to get more books! Recently he has been working on making a wooden sword, whittling away little by little, sanding and soon to be lacquering it. He loves to research new things on the Internet and is a veritable fountain of knowledge.
Sharlene is a busy busy lady teaching these boys all they are willing to learn. Their school day starts at 8:30am with devotions and goes till about 3:00 with a half hour break in the morning and an hour for lunch. Much of her evening time is spent planning out the next day. We usually relax at night with a video. Recently we have been watching Star-Trek the Next Generation or some old spaghetti Western videos we picked up at Wal-mart (20 movies for $5.00!!). She has been missing her friend and fellow missionary Cheryl Hoople who is in Canada for medical reasons.
Leadership Training Ministry
This September I was teaching Cross-Cultural communication to some of YUGO's staff at Grace Children's Home. We had a very good time and they tell me that the information was very helpful in enabling them to serve the Mexican people in a culturally appropriate way, sharing Christ's love in a way that speaks to the hearts of our people here in Mexico!
I started up the teaching at Calvary Chapel Bible College Ensenada again. I have a class of 11 students and we are studying the Minor Prophets. There are 2 English students in the class, so I teach in English with a translator. I love teaching these guys and girls! They are interactive, dedicated to Jesus and His Word, they work hard and are a pleasure to teach! God has been teaching us all great things about His sovereignty, His grace and mercy, his heart for the World and his wrath against sin! I remember my own class on the minor prophets as a student about 11 or 12 years ago at Nipawin Bible College and hope that this class is as influential on them as mine was on me!
We continue to train pastors and leaders in Tijuana's Eastern Colonias 2 days a week. These students continue to be a blessing to me as I see them dedicate themselves first to the Lord and then to the work of the ministry and in growing in His Word. We are learning about teaching Principles and methods right now and they will be providing me with an outline of Ephesians and a lesson plan to be given in their church. I'm looking forward to seeing them at work in their setting over the next few weeks!
This first class of 10 will be graduating in April or May (depending on the weather-- how many days we get mud-stayed) and afterwards I would like to take them on a mission trip somewhere in Southern Mexico where there are no churches to give them an opportunity to use some of what they have learned in a needy area. Please pray with us about the needs associated with such a mission trip as well as the wisdom to know where to go- and how to make the connections necessary to have a meaningful ministry.
I would also appreciate prayer for the future of the pastoral training ministry. The idea is to train those folks who graduate to become teachers. I'm praying for one or two of them to have the desire to train others in their areas. I want to avoid making this a missionary-dependent ministry and so need wisdom and direction to do that. I have been asked by a couple people to consider doing a class here in Rosarito when we are done in the colonias. I've also been approached to do a class out in the colonias again-- but am hesitant to do so if we have some possible teachers out there already. We'd appreciate your prayers!
Church Assistance
We are praising God for His provision for His people here in Mexico. We have received money to sponsor 2 church's kids feeding programs in the colonias along the railroad track. For about $100.00/ week each they can feed about 30 kids / day 5 days a week. Most of these kids are lacking for food at a very basic level. Some only eat once a day- others not even that without these programs. We are praising God for those sponsors that allow us to do this much needed ministry. Each day these kids have a time of Bible teaching and then a breakfast before they go off to school!
We also have been receiving food donations every couple of weeks- about 2000lbs which is shared between 2 churches to hand out to their neighbourhoods. We hope it is an opportunity to soften hearts to the Gospel message in these poor communities!
Thank you so much for your prayers for us and your partnership in this ministry. You are truly laying up for yourselves treasures in heaven as you invest in eternity! It will be wonderful to see together the fruit that God brings about for Himself through the training of leaders and the care of the poor in Northern Baja Mexico! May God be praised and glorified in all that is done!!
Ministering together with you in Baja Mexico,
