I can hardly believe that another month has gone by! Casey (my co-intern) and I marvel daily at the fact that we are actually living in Mexico and doing all that we are doing. Time is moving along so quickly here!
In this past month, we have continued to visit the churches and get to know the pastors and the congregations. Our schedule involves going to a different church service every night of the week at a different church, and two services each Sunday. Because we are working with the six different churches, we put a lot of thought into where we go to ensure that we are visiting them all equally.
We're past the "new kid" stage here. We know the churches, and they know us. We are greeted warmly in each church, but the greetings are different now because the relationships are different, more developed. It is funny to think back to just two months ago, and think about the "deer in headlights" look we must have given everyone then, and rejoice now at how far God has brought us in our relationships.
In addition to visiting churches, we also have been inviting the pastors over for dinner and time to fellowship. This has been a great way to invest in these relationships because it is a time to get to know them better, share our stories, and share our hearts. Because we are not leading any ministries in any churches at this time, it has been a great way for the pastors to get to know us as well!
We also have been acting as liaisons between the pastors and our missionary hosts (Rick and Tammie Romano) as they are touring the US to raise support for the ministry and further build relationships with the churches that come down to Ensenada to work with us. It has been a great opportunity and blessing to be able to be this involved with the ins and outs of the ministry. Because the pastors must go through us to talk to Rick and Tammie at this time, we are gaining good experience in the nitty-gritty of the ministry.
A major portion of our time at this point has been dedicated to our studies. A dynamic of this Praxis year involves Biblical and Mission studies. We meet with our teacher, Chuck, twice a week to discuss the studies and study independently each morning using the materials he has given us.
This month, we have focused on the book of Colossians and different techniques of Bible Study. Each unit focuses on a different study method, each one moving from observation and questioning to application.
As we send all our work to Chuck, who is in California, via e-mail, we essentially have a personal biblical tutor. He sends back feedback and questions to push our thinking and processing. It has been a very cool process and I have been amazed at how much I have been pulling out of each study.
These studies were slightly intimidating for me at first because I have no training in theologies or formal Bible studies. However, it has been a blessing to be able to discuss all these things that are so new to me and so relevant to our lives, both at home and in Mexico.
Above is a picture that was taken on October 4th outside the Alex Campos concert. They had a parade to escort us all into the concert.
Talking sincerely…
A few nights ago, we went to Roca Fuerte (Strong Rock) church. Casey and I have been trying to get a feel for all the ministries at the churches, so when the children left for "Kiddie Church", I left with them. Roxsy, the pastor's wife, normally leads children's worship, but due to unforeseen circumstances, she was unable to prepare the lesson. She asked me if I could do something, and we wound up teaching the story of Joseph, together. It was nice to be able to help out in a pinch, but the best part was the time we had to talk afterward. Roxsy shared with me a lot of things that had been on her heart about their church and the things she was struggling with. It was a great time to talk about the issues the churches here are having, get to understand her better, and pray for her and Roca Fuerte. Encouraging the pastors in their ministries is one of the big goals Casey and I have here; and to be able to start doing that because our relationships have a strong base now, was so exciting!
Let's get personal…
This month has really been full of a lot of ups and downs for me. Homesickness finally set in, providing some downs, but God has also shown up in powerful ways, with some awesome ups! One such up is that I was baptized on Oct. 5 in the Pacific! After much prayer, I made the decision to be baptized in obedience to God's command for all believers. We had been studying baptism in our Bible Institute with Pancho, and I decided to respond to God's call.
Casey and I have also been praying that God would give us His eyes to see where He wants us to work and what He wants us to do, and it has been awesome how He has been opening doors through conversations and the relationships we've built.
Above is a picture of Jesus and Leo (left and middle), two of the people with whom I was baptized. They are a really awesome couple. Please be praying for them because they might have to move from the area if they don't find work soon.
PRAYER IS FUEL!
Please join us as we pray for the ministry down here in Ensenada, Mexico. Specifically we ask that you would pray for these things:
o Unity among the pastors as they work together within the Alliance
o Guidance for Casey and me as we seek God's will for us within this ministry
o Safety for the children, as October is a month in which many children are kidnapped and sacrificed by the Satanists (a practice that is much more common here than in the US)
o Flexibility as life is going to change drastically when Rick and Tammie get back to Mexico and we start different work with them
Thank you for all your prayers. It is an encouragement to know that so many of you are interceding on our behalf!
love.love.love
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