Christmas Convivio Pictures

The crowd at the convivio getting ready for the kids to play




Salvador and Stacey gearing up to eat their apple on a string.






A full house! This is how we pray it will look every Sunday.


Our attempt at a theatrical work of art. Amy did a great job sticking with it and getting something done when few people wanted to participate.









Santa Clause ready to hand out goodies with Abraham and his wife Vanessa. Abraham has been visiting Aldo and Sandy's cell group and brought several family members to the convivio.







Santa (Larisa) a little overwhelmed with all the kids!

Christmas Convivio

This past Sunday we had our traditional Christmas Convivio and, it was an enormous blessing!!!! Praise God! There are a couple of things that we did differently for this occasion, but that proved to be good. First, we had the convivio on Sunday and included in it our worship time. We weren't sure how people would respond to this, but everyone seemed to expect something along these lines, and so it was well received. We had the party at the same place that we meet on Sundays. Not only did our friend give us a good deal on the location, but it allowed us to invite people back to the same place next week for our celebration and worship time. We also had all the food prepared by the people at the facility, so we paid a price per person rather than a general cost for everything. This made us really pay attention to who we had invited and have a better grasp on how many we were expecting. As we asked the church members who all they had invited, and who all had confirmed they would come (two very different numbers), it was amazing and a little scary all at the same time. Our neighbors alone, Jose Luis and Adriana, invited 90 people!! And most of those were family members. So, we geared up for a lot of people.
The event started at 2:00, and by 2:30, we already had 70 people there. Now that is a true Mexican miracle to have so many there so early! By the end of the day, we had over 150 people, which included some 30 kids. We started out with fun and games orchestrated by Jose Luis and Adriana, followed by a yummy lunch (yes, we at lunch at 4:00 pm). We then had a "drama" that had undergone many changes before the final product, worship time and a time in the word. Sam shared with us about the true meaning of Christmas and the hope that we have in Jesus Christ. We concluded this time by taking the Lord Supper. Even those that were new to our group received this time well, which was a sigh of relief for us. We topped off the evening with dessert and coffee, while prizes and candy were delivered by the one and only Santa Clause. Larisa was our Santa Clause this year and did a great job!

It's hard to say what the highlight of the day was, but here are a few things were are especially grateful for. First, our church family rose to the challenge, as usual, and was ready to help, serve and welcome new comers. Second, we had a whole new crowd of people at this party. It was not the usual family members and friends that have come in times past. Some of these people included many of Jose Luis' family that we have had contact with in recent months, Miguel (Morelia's husband) and several of his extended family members, Salvador and Stacey who traveled two hours to be with us, and several visitors that we have had in our cell groups.
We came home tired and overwhelmingly joyful! It is always amazing to see what God is doing here, and this has been no exception. Pray with us that the fruit from this event will be plentiful and long lasting. Thank you to so many of you that are praying for us and that make these kinds of things possible for us here in Mexico. Blessings to each of you.

'Tis the season...

While the Mexican congressmen fought about the new president; the new president made his way to assuming his post, and the kids got to stay home from school, we got our Christmas tree up. Mind you, we are at least a couple of weeks behind all our neighbors, but alas we are in the Christmas spirit! Victoria and Sofia were eager to help get the tree up, but weren't particularly excited about getting the lights just right before putting all the ornaments on. I had to keep remembering that this was supposed to be a fun thing for everyone, not an exercise in putting up a perfect tree...We look forward to Christmas break coming soon; although, we have to get through a Christmas convivio at church next week, a Christmas pageant at school and various other activities. We also look forward to having some of Sam's family here for the holidays.


Phyllis and Olivia




Trimming the tree





She's just too cute!

Old Testament Survey Class

This past week, we have been so blessed with Dan Coker's presence here in Morelia. He gave a three day seminar on the Old Testament. We had a great turnout with an average of 20 or so people each night. We even had a few visitors also. Everyone was very enlightened and, I think, mostly impressed that someone could have so much Bible knowledge. With very few notes, Dan cruised through the Old Testament sharing one story after another with the people. For some they were familiar stories that were now put into a greater context, and for some they were new stories. If nothing else, this seminar opened many people's appetites to knowing more of the Word and to wanting to know what the Bible says, and that is a GREAT accomplishment, I would say! On Sunday morning, those who had attended all of the seminar were presented with a certificate of completion and a book. Those kinds of recognitions are a big deal here, so people were excited about that also. Everyone is looking forward to the New Testament Survey class sometime in the future. They are ready for Dan to comeback soon! Sam and I were personally blessed to have Dan here -- for his encouraging words and his insightful wisdom. Okay, and the fact that he treated us to lunch at the Brazilian steak house was icing on the cake!

Never a dull moment

After the retreat, we picked Phyllis up at the airport, and headed straight for the airport in Morelia to pick Dan Coker up. He is spending the week here in Morelia, preaching and teaching. It has already been an encouragement and blessing to have him here. The minute we walked in the door, literally, the phone rang...One of our church family, Sandy was in the hospital after complications from a test she had done earlier in the week. Basically, she had a spinal headache that needed some serious attention. Just as Sam had lined up people to take care of her while Aldo was at work, the phone rang again...This time, one of our church family, Reina, called to say that her son, Juan, had just been in a car accident and was in the emergency room. So, Sam and Jose Luis headed to the emergency room to see him and Sandy.
The next morning during church, Jose Luis received a phone call... He was told that his oldest brother had just had a heart attack. They left immediately to be with his family and to find out that his brother had passed away. Very sadly, it was not a heart attack. His brother, Raul, had been drinking all night with his brothers and that morning choked, aspirated as he was throwing up and died. It was so tragic, especially, since Jose Luis just lost his father suddenly two months ago. As we had lunch with our neighbors, Arturo and Elsa, before heading over to the wake with them, Arturo got a phone call...One of his co-workers who had been sick for some time passed away. At Raul's burial, we found out that one of Jose Luis' sister-in-laws had just gotten word that her brother, traveling in the States, had passed away and they were awaiting for his body to be sent here. Wow! About this time we were wishing for more retreat time and for no phones!
And yet, in the midst of all this, God is faithful, oh so faithful. Sandy is home and feeling much better. The women in her cell group rose quickly and generously to the challenge and help to stay with her and take care of her. Juan ended up with a totaled car and a broken toe! He may have to have surgery, but that injury is so minor compared to what it could have been. Sam had the opportunity to say a few words of hope to Jose Luis' family at the burial, in a time of utter hopelessness and defeat for most of them. Jose Luis' sister-in-law has asked that Sam say a few words at her brother's funeral when the time comes. God has been glorified in each of these people's lives and we praise Him for that.
We do ask that you pray with us for the following:
1. Sandy's quick and complete recovery and healing
2. That Juan will use this opportunity to draw close to God and know a personal, loving, forgiving father in heaven.
3. For Jose Luis and Adriana as they tread the waters of grief, that they will lean more fully and completely in God, and that we, their Christian family, will be Christ to them in this time.
4. For Jose Luis' extended family as we have an opportunity to minister and share with them.
5. Specifically, for his brother's son, as his lost his mother also several years ago. That he will find comfort in God and that he will seek God.
Thank you for praying with us and for us. It is only this that sustains us and reminds us of the eternal hope that we have.

Pictures from the Retreat

Sara McClue and Victoria at the bonfire






Thanksgiving meal with everyone






An attempt at a family picture...








All of the little ones in a brief moment of sitting still








Here is a group picture of all those that attended the retreat, minus a couple of AIMers that did the picture taking honors.

Thanksgiving in Mexico

I am just now getting a chance to sit at the computer long enough to do a little blogging! It has been a busy last few days. We really enjoyed our time with fellow missionaries from Central Mexico, as we gathered together for a retreat and for Thanksgiving. Several of the families have time off from school, but our girls just took the time off and we headed to the mountains near Guadalajara for a few days of R&R. We had a great time! There were over 60 people at the reatreat, which included a plethora of children (of course, we made our dutiful contribution to the number of kids), many of whom were under the age of 5. Our girls play well with just about anyone, but there is something about being with other missionary kids that they really enjoy. Victoria picked up where she left off with her friend Sarah McClue, and they were soon joined at the hip. Sofia and her brother Phillip were also fast friends. In fact, we were cabin mates with the McClue family, who work in the south part of Mexico City.
Kent and Karen Smith from Abilene, Tx were the speakers at the retreat, and shared with us about spiritual formation and spiritual care. It was really important reminders for us as missionaries to make sure that we are receiving from the true source in order to give to others. This was also a good time to put that in practice.
Thanksgiving felt a little more like a "traditional" Thanksgiving, since it was a little on the cold side, and also because we had all the trimmings for an abundant Thanksgiving meal. The team in Guadalajara, which planned the retreat (and did an amazing job at it, I might add) brought the turkey, and the rest of us brought side dishes and desserts. We had food in abundance and fellowship in abudance. To top off the meal, we heard from each mission point on what God is doing in each place, so we had plenty to be grateful for.
This year, my birthday was the day after Thanksgiving, so instead of hitting all the major Thanksgiving sales (oh yeah...there aren't any of those around here...), I had a lovely day with my family. We had lunch in the nearby town and then cake. I had mananged not to make any public announcements about my birthday, but that night around the bonfire, Sam let everyone know, which was followed by at least 5 birthday songs! They would have kept coming up with more, but the kids were dying for smores! I'm grateful for smores! As if that wasn't enough, I got to finish off my birthday with icing on the cake -- a great game of nurts! The other ladies were even kind enough to let me win.
We took a detour on the way home and went along the Chapala lake, where many retired Americans live, and picked Phyllis up. So, we are enjoying her company this week. I am having picture posting issues,so I will try again later.

Church Sign

I forgot another important event of the weekend. On Saturday afternoon, some of the men installed a new sign for our church. This sign is at the "salon de fiestas" or place that we rent on Sundays. The owner has been very generous in letting us put the sign there on a permanent basis. As you pray, lift him and his wife up in prayer. Rene is a very kind man, and has made good friends with Sam. He listens to most of the sermons because he records them for us, which provides some lively discussion for he and Sam. In the last few days, several people that have businesses near his place, have been giving him a hard time and asking if he is "switching religions." God is working in Rene's heart in His timing, and our prayer is that He will come to know him fully one day. Enjoy the pictures.

Domingo de Cosecha/ Harvest Sunday

What a blessed day we had yesterday! It was special for a couple of very important reasons. First, as some of you already know, this past weekend we participated in an outreach event sponsored by the Billy Graham Association. Six homes from our church invited people on Thursday, Friday and Saturday to watch an evangelistic message and then a movie on Saturday. It was neat to watch a collective sense of excitement and even anxiety as the time approached, and, as always, God proved himself faithful. We had 60 new people from these groups that made a decision to walk closer to God. Wow! This is the beginning step for many of these people, but our prayer is that the fruit of this will be 60 new, forgiven, passionate, followers of Christ that will become a part of the community of believers here. There are many testimonies of God's greatness this weekend, among others, it seems that we may have a brand new cell group that spontaneously emerged...Sunday had been designated as Domingo de Cosecha (Harvest Sunday), where we invited these people to join us for our celebration service. Although, many of these people could not come, several did, and we enjoyed a great time of worship, prayer and fellowship. There were about 10 visitors there that we prayed for and rejoiced with them in their decision to follow Christ. Sorry, no pictures, since I haven't quite figured out how to nurse a baby without flashing the world, wrestle two other kids, sing, pay attention and take pictures all at the same time! The national goal for this event is to have 1 million people added to God's kingdom or reconciled to him. We will know in the next several days how it went.
As many of you know, yesterday was Harvest Sunday at Richland Hills. Summer and Sara participated in that as representatives of the work here. For those that may not know, this is the Sunday when RHCC takes a contribution specifically for missions and for spreading God's word. The goal was about $1.3 million dollars, and as of last night, almost all of it had been donated. Praise God! This is what allows us and so many other missionaries live and work for His kingdom glory. So, we rejoice greatly in that.
We topped off the day thanking God for his protection. We had "lunch" (at 5:00 pm) with a couple of neighbors. As we were eating, Sofia decide to walk behind a swing in motion and got hit on the forehead with a metal swing (not the first time she has done it, but I guess when we talked about the dangers of swings, we only mentioned walking in front of, not behind). As Sam ran out to get her and make sure she was okay, he ran right into a metal clothes line. He has a nice cut on his nose that should heal without stitches. Just to not feel left out, I whopped a guy with my purse on the way out of the restaurant. Oops...So, we came home tired, bruised and battered, but thankful for all that God has done in these past few days!

Pictures

Here a some pictures from our baby dedication yesterday. The first is several of the parents and children hearing Sam's words of encouragement and admonition for them as parents. The second is Adriana holding baby Daniel (Erandi's baby) for whom she is now a mentor. For those of you that would like to know, the kids that participated yesterday were the following: Mariana, daughter to Lupe and Enrique; Christian Steven, son to Esmerandi and Christian, both grandchildren to Rosita. Jovani, son of Cindy and nephew to Christian. Ricardito and Daniel, both sons of Erandi and Ricardo, and Hugo, son of Hugo and Yeslin. These are all grandchildren to Reina and Pepe who have been part of this body since last April. Olivia, our daughter, and maybe the cutest baby there! (yes I'm a lot biased.) Arturito, son of Elsa and Arturo, our neighbors who have been in our cell group for some time and just recently started attending on Sunday mornings, and Polito, son of Blanca and Polo. Are you sensing a theme here with boys and their names?
The following pictures are Polo and Polito. Blanca was unable to make it. Arturo and family, and our Olivia with Aldo and Sandy, her mentors.

Baby dedication Sunday

Summer and Sara have been gone for almost a month on furlough sharing with many of you at RHCC. We miss them very much, but are staying busy enough that time is flying by. Actually, Sam gets the award for the week, since he held down the fort all by himself at home and in ministry for 10 days while Olivia and I took a little trip north to visit cousins and grandparents. He really did an amazing job on all fronts and gets a big pat on the back for a job well done! He even had half the church over for lunch while I was gone. You go, Sam!
Today we had a special Sunday at church for our new babies. We took the opportunity dedicate these babies to God and to commit as a spiritual family to raise them up in the ways of the Lord. Well, it certainly surpassed our expectations! We had counted in 3 babies, but there were several families that wanted the opportunity to have their young ones included in the occasion. So, we ended up with eight young ones that we blessed and prayed for. Several families chose "mentors" for their children. These are couples in our church that commit to helping, praying and supporting the parents in their job of raising their kids. This is much like the godfathers or "padrinos" that people choose when they baptize their babies in the catholic church.
This special time ended with a potluck lunch with yummy food and plenty of fellowship. There were many visitors today that came with their families for this occasion. Also, some of those that participated are people that don't otherwise form an active role in this church body. Our prayer is that these people will have been blessed but also convicted of their spiritual responsibility as parents. Please pray with us for these families that they are one step closer to Him.
Looking ahead, we are preparing this week for "Mi Esperanza." This is a proyect in connection with Billy Graham and some prime time television programs they will be offering November 9 - 11. Many are participating and we look forward to see what God will do with this.
I am having picture posting issues, so I will try to post some tomorrow. Thank you for your patience!

We're here!

Hey, all! I just wanted to let you know that Summer and I made it to Texas safe and sound. We got in a few hours late, but all the luggage arrived and we were even able to enjoy a yummy meal at Pappadeaux in the airport in Houston. Can't beat that, can you? : ) Once again, if you'd like to spend some time with us while we're in Ft. Worth, please feel free to leave a comment and we'll get in touch with you. Also, Ann plans on keeping the blog updated, so be sure to check back often! Thanks for all the prayers for the work in Morelia.
Sara

Retreat Report

Hey, all!
Well, we had a great weekend, thanks to all your prayers. There ended up being about 50 in attendence, but we had a great time! Jon did a fantastic job. You can read more about his testimony and ministry at Bridgestones Int'l. We also had fun playing games and swimming and enjoying and participating in the talent night on Saturday. But the best part of the entire weekend was Morelia's baptism on Sunday. That's right!! For all of you who have been praying for her for so long now, Morelia put the Lord on in baptism on Sunday, a day after her earthly birthday. For those of you who are very confused right now as to how we were able to baptize our entire city with just one person, let me clear things up by saying that Morelia is a lady who was born in this city and named after it. Sam likes to say that we all began praying for the city of Morelia 5-6 years ago, but we had no idea that we were also praying blessings for this very special person. She and all of her family are very near and dear to our hearts and we are delighted that she has taken the step to put her past behind her and move forward with Christ as her guide. Please continue to pray for her entire family: husband Miguel, children Chema, Coco, and Montse, and granddaughter, Fernanda (Coco's daughter). And while you're praying, thank the Lord for this amazing church that He is raising up here in the city of Morelia. It is an amazing thing to see and be a part of!
I'll leave you with some pictures of the weekend. Enjoy!

Sam, Morelia, and Fernanda right before Morelia's baptism

Sam baptizing Morelia

The whole group during one of the praise times

Jon using Sandy as an object lesson

3 of our 4 amazing childrens teachers! Allie, Stephanie, Ivan and Ingrid (not pictured) came up from Lázaro Cárdenas to help us out and teach the kids for the weekend. They were such a blessing to us and the kids loved them!! Thanks again, guys!

Gloria during the sack race

Adorable Olivia! I know this picture is a little blurry but it was too cute to pass up. She's 5 months old now and growing like a weed.

Talent Night

Here are some pictures from the talent night on Saturday.

Michelle (R) interviewing José on the poem he just recited

José Luís (L) was the host for the evening and even brought his own wig and sunglasses to help him feel the part. Here he is helping Gerardo see what he is supposed to be reading.

The wig looked like so much fun that everyone got in the mood by putting it on. Gerardo looks like a politician from the 80s with that thing on, doesn't he?

Jon even got into the action. : )

José Luís announcing the winners of the talent show: 3rd place - José and Gloria, 2nd place with an original poem - Sandy, and 1st place with an original song - Reina

Retreat

Hey, all! Just a quick note to let you know that Jon is feeling worlds better. He told me yesterday he feels like a new man! Praise the Lord for that, right? Summer and I are about to head out the door. At last check, there were between 70-75 people signed up for the retreat. Please keep praying!! It's going to be great! I'll post pictures on Monday, most likely.
Thanks again for the prayers!

Another prayer request

Along the lines of my post yesterday, Jon starting getting sick to his stomach this morning and also has a fever! PLEASE PRAY that he gets better, not just for this weekend, but he has several speaking engagements throughout the week as well. Pray that the Lord gives him rest right now and that this afternoon he wakes up with no pain and a renewed strength for the rest of his time here. I'm so thankful that I know there will be people praying for this within the hour. Thanks again, as always!!

Prayer Request - Retreat

This is just a short note to ask for prayer cover for this weekend. We are having our annual church retreat Friday, Sept. 29 through Sunday, October 1. Please be in prayer for this time. The theme this year is 'Caminando en La Fe' (Walking in Faith), based out of Ephesians. We've had to change speakers three times already because of scheduling conflicts and I must admit that I'm a little scared to mention who we currently have for fear that it will change again before Friday! Actually, the way we met our current speaker is totally a God thing. His name is Jon Syrbe and he is only here in Morelia for two weeks teaching seminars in public schools on the value of life. He has an amazing testimony of what God has done and is doing in his life and we are excited about the entire church getting to hear him. I would explain to you how we met him, but I'm not even sure how the story goes. I'll get the full explanation this weekend, I promise.
Also, there are a couple of people who have expressed interest in getting baptized this weekend at the retreat. Please pray that the Lord takes away whatever obstacle the enemy may put in the way and that we will be able to rejoice together in the new births the Lord is bringing about. As you're praying, also ask for no rain and good weather the entire time. And pray for all of the participants. Pray that the Lord will use this time to touch their hearts and draw them closer to Him. We are so thankful to have the opportunity to spend this weekend together and are excited about what God has in store.
Thanks again for your prayers!!

Website

Kudos to Ann on her first ever blog post! I know you all look forward to hearing more from her in the future.
This is just a short update to let you know that the church here has a new website which you can check out here or click on the link on the sidebar. It's all in spanish, so it may test your español a bit, but it will be good practice for you. : ) Or, like my mom, you can just look at the pictures.
Also, I think most of you know this by now, but Summer and I are heading to Texas on furlough on October 10th and we'll be there until the end of the year. We would love to touch base with as many of you as possible while we are there, so if you want us to schedule a meal with you, just post a comment here with a way for us to contact you and we will find a place to fit you in.
Thanks, as always, for your prayers on behalf of the work here. I will post more on the church front in a few days, so keep checking!
Sara

First Day of School

Monday was the first day of school for Victoria and Sofia! It was an exciting day for both of them and a good bit of driving for Mom. Victoria started school at 7:30 am and was glad to be with her classmates. Most of her friends were back this year, which was reassuring to her. She also has the same English teacher as she had last year, whom she likes very much. We are sad that a couple of her classmates whose parents we had also befriended are not back this year. We hope to be able to continue these friendships in spite of this.
Sofia started her first day of kindergarten at 9:00 am. Kids here must start school at the age of 4, and most start at the tender age of 3. She was very excited about this day, since she has been waiting for a long time for it to come! She had to wait for her baby sister to be born, and then for her birthday to come and go. So, the day finally came, and she had a great time. She made friends almost instantly and her teachers are all very kind. Sofia can't wait until she has homework. Wow! We'll see how long this excitement lasts...
This is my first day of school in that I am learning about the blogging world. This is why it doesn't sound like Sara writing for all of you faithful readers. I am learning about this so I can keep up with the blog while Sara is on furlough this fall. So, let me know how I did. I'd write more, but I have to pick the girls up -- good thing they get out at the same time this week. Next week their regular schedule starts with Sofia getting out at 1:30 and Victoria at 2:20. More driving for mom...

I warned you, didn't I?

To all of you out there who have had the thought, 'Why hasn't Sara updated the blog lately? She was doing so well with her updates a few weeks ago!', all I have to say is I warned you and told you not expect me to keep that up! So you have no right to be annoyed. : )
With that said, let me fill you in on the goings on around here for the past three weeks. The big thing for me was the visit from my family for my birthday. What a blessing!! My sister, brother-in-law, two adorable nephews, and my mom made the drive from College Station to spend a few days with me. We had a great time! My family is such a blessing to me. I can't imagine being here without the amazing support they give me every day. You can read more about their visit here.
The two other main church activities that we've had in the past couple of weeks were a day at the park with the young people and a leaders retreat for our national cell group leaders. First off, Summer and my cell group decided to plan an activity that we could include some of the younger adolescents in our church. So, on Friday, August 4th, we all met up to go to one of the parks downtown. As you can see, we enjoyed playing on the playground and we also played a game of futbase, which is rather interesting combination of soccer (futbol) and baseball. It's kind of like kickball. We ended by enjoying some yummy fruit gaspachos, which are basically big cups of fruit with cheese, chili powder, salt and orange juice. (For those who know me, no, I do not actually put chili powder on my fruit. My gaspacho is usually just mangos and orange juice. But it sure is yummy!) Everyone seemed to have a good time and it was a neat bonding experience for us.
On Sunday, the 6th, we had our first ever leaders retreat. We were looking for a way to bless our national cell leaders and let them know how much we appreciate the work they are doing, so we decided to take them to a hotel about an hour outside of Morelia for a couple days of spiritual nourishment. We all had a really great time and the Lord was able to minister to their hearts and to ours as well. There were lots of laughs and jokes and tears and hugs as well. Enjoy the photos!

The whole group: Top row (L to R) José Luís, Adriana, Summer (with Olivia in her arms), Sandy, Aldo, and Sara (me) Bottom row: Sam, Ann, Sofía, Victoria, José and Gloria

Our leaders during one of the teaching times

Ann and Adriana

The kids posing

The guys posing : )

As far as upcoming events and prayer requests are concerned, here's a list for you:
- Aldo had surgery this past Friday (Aug. 11th). Pray for his quick recovery and that this will allow he and Sandy to have the family that they have prayed and dreamed about. Also pray for his job situation, that he will be a good example and influence to his boss and that he is able to get a better schedule soon or a new job, if that's what God desires
- Rosa's niece is in a very delicate state right now. She has lupus and is also seven months pregnant. They are worried that she won't be able to survive the delivery but they can't do all that they want to do to help because of the lupus. Pray for the Lord's protection for her and the baby. Also pray for Rosa as she continues to have health problems related to an inflamed vessel in her neck.
- Through a very Godly orchestrated series of events that I'll tell you all about some time, we've met a new family that live about an hour and a half outside of Morelia. They are thinking and praying about moving to Morelia and really want the Lord's direction on what they need to do. Pray that the Lord will make it very obvious where they should be and that that place will truly be home to them all.
- We are gearing up for our annual church retreat the last weekend in September (Sept. 29 - Oct. 1). Please start praying now for this time as a church family. Pray that the Lord will clear up schedules and any other obstacles that may stand in the way of people going and that he will prepare hearts for the things that he wants to teach us in those few days.
- Please lift up each of our cell groups and our cell group leaders. They meet on Sundays (Summer and I lead that group), Tuesdays (José Luís and Adriana), Wednesdays (Sam and Ann), and Fridays (Aldo and Sandy). Pray that the Lord uses each of us to show his love to those who have never truly known it and that his words come out of our mouths and his thoughts fill our minds.

Thank you, as always for your prayers on behalf of the work down here. We appreciate you all SO MUCH!!

Convivio

First off, I don't want you all to get spoiled and think that I'm going to be updating two or three times a week from here on out. It's just so happened that June and July have been busy months, which calls for letting you know what's going on. In short, enjoy these updates because they may become less frequent in the future. : )
That said, I want to tell you about the church convivio (basically a church cookout) that we had this past Saturday. For those of you who have been following the happenings down here for some time, you know that we like to throw a big party every now and again to provide opportunities for our members to get to know each other better and all to invite their friends and family. One thing we've learned through the years is that Mexicans love a good party and many will come, even though they wouldn't normally come to one of our cell groups or meet with us on Sunday mornings. So, it was that time of year again. We rented a cabaña at one of the local parks and have been pushing this in our cells and Sunday celebration for about a month now. We were praying for between 80-100 people (and NO RAIN!!). The Lord was good, as he always is, and answered both of those requests! It sprinkled for maybe five minutes (something almost unheard of in rainy season) and the rest of the afternoon was sunny, cool and perfect. We believe the total attendance was somewhere close to 95 or 100, but it's kind of hard to know when you're at a park and the kids are running all over the place playing, being chased by their parents. Makes it hard to get an exact figure. Anyway, we had a great time. Sam, along with all his helpers, cooked fajita meat and the ladies of the congregation made the biggest bowl of guacamole that I've ever seen. All of our cell groups pitched in by bringing something to go along with the food and everyone had a great time talking and playing and getting to know one another. We had quite a few new faces and even a few old ones that we hadn't seen in a while (Steven, Juan Manuel was there, believe it or not!). Overall, the afternoon was a huge success and we are praying we will see growth in all of our cell groups this week as a result of the time we spent together. Please join us in those prayers. Enjoy the pictures!

Getting ready to play some games

Herlinda and Mari try to lower the ball to their knees and then back up again without using their hands. Norberto and Elsa look on.

Aldo, Larisa, Ruth, Martín, and Juan Manuel enjoying coffee after lunch

We also took the time to celebrate all the birthdays in July. From L to R, it's Lorena, Gerardo, Sam, José Luís, and me (Sara).

Sofía took the traditional mordita (bite) out of the cake for all of us. She didn't even have to smile for this picture because the icing was smiling for her. : )