July 28, 2011
Thank you all for continuing to pray for our family and ministry!
Thank you for praying for the students in our Discipleship Training School. All of our students returned to their homes after graduation on June 25th. Each student gave a short testimony during the graduation ceremony, and we trust that the seeds that have been planted in each heart will continue to grow and bear much fruit. Our next DTS will begin in January 2012; please pray for Henk & Edith Kaemingk, our base leaders, as they seek God’s will for our base’s ministry and for the DTS. Pray for our base staff (the Kaemingks’, Marco & Monika who have been on staff since January, and ourselves) – pray for unity, strength, and peace.
The monthly Tarahumara Bible courses have taken June and July off so that each person can work in his or her fields. The next course will be held at our base the week of August 8th. Pray that the Lord will continue to draw the Tarahumara people to Himself. Pray that the courses will continue to prepare and equip Tarahumara Christian leaders to share what they learn with their families, neighbors, and villages. Please pray not only for the Tarahumara Christians as they work on their farms, pray also for their crops. Our rainy season began 2 weeks later than normal and the corn and bean crops in our part of the mountains need God’s merciful hand so that they will bear fruit. Please pray that the Tarahumara people will turn to the Lord and open their hearts to His saving grace.
July was a busy month for the translation committee. The committee met 2 weeks to continue their work translating the gospel of John. In addition to their work weeks, the committee is meeting this week at our base for a workshop, Principles of Translation. Attending the workshop are 3 members of the committee (including Jose Luis); however, 6 other Tarahumaras and 3 Mexicans are also attending. The committee will not be meeting again until the end of August. Please continue to lift up each member of the committee to the Lord – pray for Giltro, Fernando, Martha, Marcos, and Jose Luis.
We thank you for praying for our family. We praise God for using you to bless and encourage us. Thank you for praying for our family’s trip to the USA last month. We spent a total of 3 weeks in the States. We were able to visit with old friends and family as well as to make new friends along the way. We were privileged to be able to share with Susan’s home church about our ministry with the Tarahumara people. In addition, we bought an Isuzu Rodeo (1999), and we were able to import it before returning to Creel on June 22nd. We are humbled and amazed by God’s mercy, grace, and provision. Thank you for praying for Jaynie’s homeschool. She finished 6th grade in the middle of July. We are planning to begin 7th grade on August 8th. Also, we were able to go to Chihuahua last week so that Susan could undergo tests and consult with her doctor about her heart, blood pressure, and circulation . We praise God that all of the test results were good; however, the doctor felt it necessary to change Susan’s medicines and her diet.
Thank you! We are able to continue to serve the Lord among the Tarahumara in part because of you. We value your partnership and appreciate your prayers. Thank you for participating in our ministry to extend the Kingdom of God among the Tarahumara people.
In Christ and for His glory,
José Luis, Susan, & Jaynie