February Newsletter 2013

Dear Friend,

The Lord has been mighty in our lives during this month. We dedicated much of this month to Evangelism, really trying to reach those who don’t know the Lord Jesus and explaining it in depth for those who have heard but with no fundamental relationship with the Saviour. We received warm welcomes from those who were genuinely interested hearing what God has done for them. This last weekend, 4 people were baptized!! Glory to God.

Last week Donald was invited to preach in Durango, a different state about 3 hours away from here, and hold a special church service. Through the prayers of this little church one of the members, Don Paco, who is 89 years old and had been recently very ill, the Lord gave strength to to attend the meeting, a miracle to many. Right after the service he was met with a surprise, a funeral!! The 47 year old lady who had gone to be with the Lord accepted Jesus about a year ago. Having been asked to share at the funeral service with not much notice, the Lord led him to comfort the husband and the two sons left behind. With these experiences, it digs deep in our hearts over again that the Gospel has to be preached at all times. Having gone through the book of Romans this month together, we were reminded again of the verse “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” Romans 1:16

Ministry News

The village ministry has continued to go from strength to strength thanks to Becky being here who has been helping a whole lot with the children’s work in the villages. In one of the villages, Nueva Candelaria, there is a new family that has just started attending our cell group and is being encouraged in the Lord. At this present time Myrna, our co-worker, is in Guatemala, where she went on a mission’s trip to minister to others. Tadeo a 20 year old youth whose love for the Lord and others is very evident, has been with us and serving the ministry in Delicias. We also welcomed a young friend from Nashville, Tennessee who is down here in Mexico for three Months. Jesse is an aviation student who decided to come down for a short-term mission’s trip. He is a blessing wherever we have been going.

Mission House construction

We are now finalizing some parts of the house before moving all our belongings from the property, which has been home to Donald for the last 5 years ever since he moved to Mexico in 2007. Thank God the builders finished their part of the job, and we are just left with the final parts like painting and cleaning before moving everything.

Passing on Responsibilities

At times one may not know how much responsibility they have until time comes to pass the load to others. At this moment this is what we are doing. As we prepare to leave Mexico for England next week for a time of preparation for our wedding, please pray the people taking on our ministry responsibilities will diligently minister to the people as the Lord works through them for his glory.

Wedding Bells

As most of you already know we will be getting married on April 13^Th. Well, it seems now just around the corner. Please pray for us as we prepare for this great adventure called marriage. May we continue to focus on the Lord in all ways as we trust Him with every step we take. May he continue to be glorified in our lives as He has been as single people and now as a couple. We so much appreciate your prayers for this part of our lives.

Praise Report

1-Thank God that he has been faithful in bringing about those people who are so willing to take on our ministry duties in our absence.

2-That for these first two months of this year we have been receiving encouraging emails from those who are committed to be praying for us on a regular basis. Thank you for your genuine interest in both our ministry and lives.

3-We thank God who has supplied all our needs according to His riches in Glory as we have come to the end of constructing the Mission House at a level where we can live in it.

4-Thank God that Becky has now settled into Mexican life much more and is continuing to pick up Spanish. We thank God that even through challenges and weaknesses, he has always proved faithful in sufficiency of grace as we continue to grow in Him each day!

Please continue to pray

1-    For the good use of time as we prepare for our wedding and catching up with friends and supporters back in England. May we always keep the gospel as the central reason in our lives.

2-    Pray we will in all ways lean on Him and Him alone as we maintain our focus in loving and serving Him. May resources or time never limit our lives of service to the Lord wherever we are.

3-    Pray that Becky and I will continue to grow in the Lord together. That we will also spend some quality time with our families before we say I do and then return to Mexico.

4-    For Tadeo and Myrna as they continue the work in Delicias and for Montse and Aberlado as they oversee the cell group in Nueva Candelaria.

Thank you so much for being such a vital member of our friends. Daring to know what we are doing and how you can join us together in support and prayer. We love you and really appreciate you joining us as we declare “JESUS IS LORD!”

In His Service

With Lots of Love and Blessings,

Donald and Becky

January Newsletter 2013

Dear Friend,

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us...” Ephesians 3v20. At the start of a new year, as we have been looking at the aspirations for the year ahead both in our own lives and those around us, we have been reminded of this verse. God is able to do far more than you could ever dream of this year in your life, but the key is that it is through His power. Our prayer for you this year is that you may know God’s power to a greater degree in your life.

The year 2012 ended in a flash of its own. Donald and his missionary friend Vicente had been invited to Chiapas a Southern Mexico State very close to Guatamala. Having travelled for 37 hours by bus, we arrived very tired but with an energized spirit as God also used us on the way to minister to the people on the long bus rides. In Chiapas we preached in a local church in a small town called ”Tapachula” and went on to make new connections and ties with various villages in order to minister to the people. We are keeping these contacts to be able to send out missionaries to them later this year. The people in Chiapas were very humble and received us with open hands as we visited three villages where we preached the gospel.

Becky arrives in Mexico
The big news is that Becky has arrived safely in Mexico and has started serving here as a missionary. There have been various challenges in the first month as she has had to deal with changes in language, climate and culture but she is gradually settling down and picking up more Spanish. Already she has been involved in the work in the villages, has been teaching some English in the ministry’s English school and is quickly becoming the football team’s resident Physiotherapist. She has started building up relationships with the local women including through cookery lessons.

Village Ministries
This month saw Donald’s five year anniversary of working in Delicias. The work there is stronger than ever with a weekly discipling course for young mothers in the village and for the girls. This month a team of people took 100 shoeboxes, from Samaritans Purse, filled with presents to the children there. The church was packed full of children ready to receive their presents, but as they eagerly waited, they were told of an even greater present sent for them-Jesus, the greatest gift of all.

Another ministry, in Nueva Candelaria, has also really been growing as God has been using the group members to minister to other people too. Eunice is a daughter to the lady whose house we meet in. Eunice recently started helping out in a nearby Orphanage offering her care for the several children who are there because of various reasons. She tells a story of a 2 year old little girl who she has been offering care to, who was abused and had her entire back burnt by her step farther. She says “I am glad I have found God, He is now using me to bless others who are helpless who can’t help themselves like this little one!” Only to God be the Glory!

Missions House Construction
The building of the Mission’s house here in San Pedro has been underway for the last 11 weeks. The basic structure of the house is completed and work is currently underway on the inside. A great guy Donald calls “Dad” has been currently here with us too, having travelled down from Ohio, doing an amazing job tiling the whole house. Donald plans to move in today, getting things ready for when we return after our wedding. Some sad news, a few nights ago the house was broken into and all the equipment/materials were stolen along with many tiles and the door itself! This feels like a bit of a set-back but we are trusting that God will work it out for good. Donald was able to share the Gospel with all the workers when this happened, encouraging them that no matter what happens in our lives, God knows and if He knows, then He is the only hope and only sure thing we can have and no one can ever steal. With this, he prayed for them as they had also lost their materials. Please keep us in your prayers for protections and safety here in Mexico.

Thank God:
• That Becky has arrived here safely and is picking up the language
• For the work on the Mission’s House so far and that God has provided skilled people to help with the construction
• That there are more people whose hearts are being stirred up to help with the village ministries. May we continue to disciple those who are more than willing to leave their families behind for the serving of the Lord.

Please pray:
• For God’s continued grace for Becky as she continues to adapt to life in San Pedro and for both of us as we adapt to life and ministry together
• For the children who attended the recent present distribution event, that they would remember the greatest gift of all-“Jesus!”
• For guidance, protection and safety as we encounter new challenges along the way. May we continue to trust the Lord each and every single day.

Thank you so much
We are very grateful for all your prayers and support. We are always very encouraged to hear from you and to know how we can also be praying for you. Looking at every way we are a blessing to the people around us and the lives that are touched and changed by the powerful loving grace of Jesus, we know you play a great part in it all and you are a partaker of the grace that the Lord has bestowed on our lives. We are so thankful to have a friend like you and we could not be where we are now without you.

Much love and blessings
In His service
Donald and Becky