National “Operation Christmas Child” Conferences

Another season finishes, a new season starts… the Operation Christmas Child (OCC) ministry gathers their state coordinators throughout the country for 3 days of conferences every summer to both celebrate the Lord’s work completed the previous season and renew the vision for the new year of ministry.

Paco joined the 4 others from our Tlaxcala team in Mexico City for the

event this year (I stayed home to care for our babies- but Paco updated me about the sessions I had to miss).  This past year, 250,000 children in Mexico graduated from the discipleship program! Imagine: thousands of children learned to live following Jesus through Bible teaching!

As we praise the Lord for this harvest, we also pray for even more this following year.  Still much less than half of all the children who receive a shoebox gift and hear the Gospel at a Christmas event actually return for discipleship classes.  This year, we want to better train the churches to present the Gospel, to teach the children, to pray for the children and to love the children, so that more would

follow Jesus for eternity. 

Every time we gather with the OCC team, we marvel at the privilege of being part of this amazing evangelism and discipleship ministry around the world.

Homeschool Preschool for Jemina

Our 3-year-old started school- at home!

We have had a fabulous start- the whole family is enjoying the experience so far. I love one-on-one “play” time with Jemina for reading and activities!  Jemina actually asks for “school” each day.  Even though our curriculum is in English, Paco is very involved and takes over some of the learning activities, like cooking with Jemi or teaching hammer use!

However, even with our great start, I completely recognize I depend on the guidance of the Holy Spirit each day- such a big responsibility to educate at home!  (And it requires so much patience and discipline! Ah!!)

I started to doubt my homeschool plan the week before starting: when her face fell to discover that her “school” would be here at the house.  Her dream of backpack-wearing, sandwich-eating, recess-playing school days was crushed.  But, after her Papá prepared a convincing “school space” in the living room, and she experienced special time with momma, she was sold. 

Just yesterday, the Lord confirmed in my heart our homeschooling decision, when we saw our 6-year-old nephew come home from public school without a front tooth, which a bully had punched out of his face (in second grade)!!. Talking to Paco’s sisters and brothers at the congregation, I am appalled anew at the state of public schools here in Mexico.  Very scary, very sad.  I have no end of praise to my Lord for blessing us with the time and means of educating our children at home- with His grace. 

Baptisms- in the Lopez Family!!

Our baptisms this month at Calvary were especially sweet: including our 9-year-old nephew, Asael, and our brother-in-law, Edgar (Paco’s sister’s husband).  We continue to see the Lord fulfill his promises to bring our whole family to salvation in Him (“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Acts 16:31).

I remember praying for Edgar’s salvation a few years ago, when he was an unbeliever dating Paco’s sister, Estela.  During their first years of marriage, he was not interested in the Gospel. However, a few months ago, when Estela realized she needed communion with the church,

Edgar finally agreed to join her, reluctantly. Then, as we prayed for him, and Estela read the Bible with him daily, and he listened the messages on Sunday, and talked with Paco, he was transformed. He admitted that he needed Jesus Christ. 

His big step of faith was sharing his decision with his family- parents, grandparents, siblings.  They exploded in anger at the news! They called him

a traitor to the family.  Even though their reaction caused him tears, still he was firm in his decision to follow Christ.  (Wow- is that a true test of faith or what?!)

His son, Asael, excitedly asked to be baptized alongside his father.  Asael had been praying for his father’s salvation, along with his mother, for a long time.  I know Asael’s faith was strengthened not only witnessing the

Lord’s answer to his prayer but also his father’s decisiveness to follow Christ against the will of his family. 

Paco had tears in his eyes as he brought Edgar out of the water- such a sweet gift to our family to have more confessing their faith in Jesus. 

 Some of our Lopez Family! (Paco with his father, brother, 2 sisters and family)

Youth from Pan de Vida Orphanage

We reconnected with your beloved family from Pan de Vida Orphanage! (where we had lived and served for over 6 years before church planting here in Puebla).

The Pan de Vida youth group travelled to our church here for their 3 day youth camp.  Their awesome youth leaders had planned a busy weekend: devotional time in the Word, a service project (painting areas of our church

building), and adventure (climbing the Malinche Mountain).  Paco enjoyed taking them up the mountain- a favorite (though exhausting) activity of his.  I loved catching up with friends from the orphanage!- some of the girls I barely recognized as they have turned into young women!

Though the 15 youth slept on the floor of our church building, bathed in public bath-houses, and were sore

from over 8 hours of mountain climbing, they had a great time.  Our church body was pleased to receive them, and the brothers provided a potluck lunch for the youth before they started their trip back home. 

We love to see the Lord blessing the beloved ministry at Pan de Vida, and maintaining ministry contact with our family there.

Prayer for New Pastor

Praise for more pastors being called, trained and sent! 

Paco had the joy of praying, along with other pastors, for Alfredo in our sister Calvary Chapel Church in Apizaco, about 45 minutes away from us.

Alfredo had accepted Jesus in Calvary Apizaco when the church was just forming, and after growing and serving for a few years, has now been sent as assistant pastor to the congregation there. 

We had the pleasure of serving alongside Alfredo when he was just

starting in his faith, so Paco rejoiced to witness the Holy Spirit now confirm him in a leadership role in ministry.

We also continue to enjoy our communion with the other Calvary Chapel churches in our area- who were all present for this special occasion.