It’s primavera (spring) here in Mexico. The trees are filling with fruit or flowers, the sun is shining, and our noses are running… but it is a beautiful time of year.
In February Chris and Stephanie came to help start a pavilion project. Late last year we decided a good way to help the community, and to help further our presence in Ojitlan would be to build a structure to provide shade. This pavilion is located on the property of the community sport complex which is open to the public. We are praying that the pavilion gives us a gathering place to do ministry and shelter from the weather, rain or blazing hot. We are thankful for Chris and Stephanie’s willingness to come and help with this project. It is not an easy task, and Garrett is a work horse!
In the beginning of March we had a nice visit in Oaxaca with Jim and Mandy. We were there to finish up some paperwork, and we stayed a few extra days to spend sometime together. Micah and Hope love playing together, and Ellie and Gideon are following right into big brother and big sisters footsteps.
The second and third weeks of March we had a team of three from SonRise Baptist and our team from Shindler the biggest group ever come to prayer walk with us. Garrett was able to help the SonRise team with transporting materials with the truck and worked with them one day. They are renovating a house in the village they are working in. The Shindler team was 3 moms and their sons. There was a lot of walking involved, but when I think about all that we walked I smile because all that walking meant there was a lot of praying as well. We walked 9 villages, some of the people we encountered and the streets we prayed over have probably never been prayed for. Although praying for someone doesn’t seem very hands on or interactive, it is the best and most important thing you can do. The cool thing about this team was that they understood that.
The ladies by the river are doing well. We have started teaching them bible stories. One of the girls Marisol can tell the creation story and the fall of man. It is very encouraging to see her eagerness to learn and grow in Christ. Continue to pray for the men of the family, Jorge and Ramiro, they have not been participating in the story telling.
Side story about the Ladies:
About a month ago we had a pretty bad storm roll through. The ladies live on the side of a mountain, a very steep mountain that doesn’t flatten until it reaches the river at the bottom. During the storm a giant rock about the size of a small car came barrelling down the side of the mountain straight towards their house. The rock hit a tree derailed into the road, right next to their house, and stopped. From their mouths to this blog there is no reason the tree should have derailed that giant rock, and there is definitely no reason it should have stopped in the steepest part of the road. They gave all the glory to God, and told everyone around them that God protected their family and there house.
Quick update on the Knights. We are doing well. Hope loves school, and is either at school, playing with her apartment friends, or sleeping. And although that seems normal it is a huge answered prayer for this momma. Gideon is doing great. He is finally walking which makes mom and him a lot happier! Garrett is still working for CSI, but is now off on Fridays which has allowed him to prayer walk villages, and get things ready for teams. And I’m great too! I have made a few friends, and enjoy spending time with them, and practicing my spanish.