Puebla, Mexico

Mexico Ministry Musings

January 2010

Happy Three Kings’ Day!  January 6 was the final holiday and closing of the Christmas season here in Mexico.  Although regional in its celebration, here in Puebla children receive their Christmas toys on January 6 rather than December 25.  And with or without toys, throughout Mexico families are celebrating with a traditional bread called the Rosca de Reyes (The Kings’ Ring), a yeast bread in the form of a ring with candied fruit on top.  (Think light fruit cake in a big oval)  It’s baked with several hard plastic inch-long dolls throughout the dough so that you might get a surprise when you bite into your piece.  Tradition holds that if you’re stuck with a doll in your piece, then you have to make the tamales for another religious celebration on February 2.  So nobody wants that doll!  If you’re cutting your piece and the knife stops in the middle, some people discreetly scooch it over a bit to avoid the legs sticking out and let the next person get stuck with it.  Some people fight over this!  (If you’ve ever gone to the trouble to make tamales, you know why.  Delicious, but more work than a Thanksgiving turkey dinner.)

I really like getting the chance to end the Christmas teaching focusing on the Wise Men – how wise, indeed, to bring gifts to the King, how right.  And it sets the tone for reflection on what would Jesus like from me this year?  As we lit the advent candles this year and remembered the gifts that Jesus brought to us, Hope, Joy, Peace and Love, I reflected on the many ways that He took care of us and provided for us throughout this past year.  In reflection 2009 was a difficult year for me, full of stress, anxiety and trials.  Yet, it is under such circumstances that God makes His presence known to us in such rich ways.  Remembering His amazing care in every detail fills me with gratitude and strengthens the desire to please Him. 

I know that one of the gifts He appreciates from us is our continued faithfulness and I rejoice that you also have been faithful to Him.  We are deeply appreciative of your constancy in prayer and giving and it has made all the difference.  I am sure all of you have your own memory of difficulties over this past year, yet you have made yourselves available to Him for blessing others and I am sure many have been blessed by this.  Thank you for holding us up in this way so faithfully.

We are excited at seeing God’s hand move among the people to call many to serve Him and prepare for this.  Over the course of the semester of condensed classes, for most of the courses there were more students than the course before.  There are 14 people studying for the pastorate at the school right now, not counting the people at the extensions.  I have heard some marvelous testimonies of how God made His call on their lives apparent to them and they are growing into this.  Many of them have obstacles that I ask you to pray for.  All of the students are receiving scholarships for their tuition, room and board right now.  Even with that, several struggle to come up with the money to come and go for the courses.  Pray to strengthen their faith by seeing God’s provision in unexpected ways. 

I really enjoyed teaching the evangelism and missions course last month, and as the students went out in the neighborhood to practice their skills, there were several positive responses.  Pray that fruit would come of this through follow-up in the succeeding months.  That is my last class at the school until I teach church history the semester which starts in February, although I will still be doing discipleship, Bible study and Sunday school while I can still manage, and as soon as I can after the birth.  Another of the classes I teach comes up this semester, Pastoral Ethics, but we are waiting on seeing if I’m up to that when it comes up.

If you have been praying for the pregnancy, THANK YOU!   In spite of some uncomfortable stretches, it has gone remarkably well, all things considered.  Keep praying!  We are in the final stretch, and the doc had been talking about programming a c-section for the final week in February, but taking into consideration some anomalies with my thyroid control, cord around baby’s neck at last ultrasound, and keeping an eye on my blood pressure, heart rate, and amniotic fluid levels, last week she talked about bringing us up closer to mid-Feb, somewhere between 12 and 21.  So please pray for all these details, and that my and her health would enable us to go later than sooner. 

Not to mention there is a Wesleyan Women’s International Latin American Conference HERE in PUEBLA the 18th thru the 21st of February.  I’m pretty much unable to help with any of the logistics of this, but I was at least hoping to be able to attend with my big belly!  Would hate to be in the hospital and miss our conference speakers, Dr. Joann Lyon and Martha Blackburn!  Pray also for the logistics of this event and that it would bless many women, and inspire them to grow in their walk with the Lord. 

We’ll get a note out as soon as we can as after the baby is born and let you know how it all went!  Arnulfo teaching theology next week, last class of semester, and this week he’s in one of his master’s classes – urban ministry. Says it’s really good.   Many, many thanks for being a part of this ministry to the Mexican people!  We couldn’t do it without you!  May He multiply His blessings this year and His kingdom extended.

Serving with you in Christ,

Nicky, Arnulfo, Amanda and little-as-yet-unnamed person

Bob Gray has put together a website in Spanish for the Association of Wesleyan schools if you would like to see it -- www.teamwesley.org You can also see more about Bob and Susie and their family at their website at http://grays.teamwesley.org . And of course, the website for pics and stuff for us here is at my mom's site, lorasunset.com.

Global Partners also has a great site that describes missionary projects all over the world, including Mexico: http://www.gp-latinamerica.org

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