December, and the first week of 2012

It's not all preaching and ministering. 

This is the way December started.

Transmission trouble!

Please pray for this problem; it's still not solved.

Chrismas service in Victoria.

We also had a special service in Dios es Amor,

And participated in the one in Berea as well.

Jaky, one of our young ladies studying in a Bible institute, serving tamales after the service.

After all of our activites here in Victoria and Luis Moya were finished 

we headed out to see the Shields for Christmas.

Christmas with the cousins!

We enjoyed the time we got to spend with the family during Christmas.

Since we were going to be in the area Matt's brother Andrew invited him to preach for the 

15th Anniversary in Harmony Baptist Church in Castillo.  

This is one of the churches Matt helped his family start as a youth.

Caleb, Tirsa, and Selah participating in the services through song.

Some of Matt's former Bible Institute students who are still faithful and serving in the church in Castillo.

The ladies of Harmony: They make some wonderful tortillas!

(Caleb says he wants to go work with his Uncle Andrew, the pastor of the church, just for the tortillas.)

Visting Abel and Becky's (Matt's brother-in-law and sister) new mission.

Not far from the mission, hidden away in the desert, is a beautiful part of God's creation!

Although getting there was quite...

interesting - to say the least!

(Glad we didn't meet any on-coming cars!)

This is the family we ate lunch with.  

They have four neighbor families.  Church is a refreshment for them!

Would you trade most of your neighbors and all of your conveniences for this?

After being home for a few days to celebrate the New Year with our churches here, 

we left for Poza Rica, Vera Cruz.

Matt preached the 25th Anniversary services for Urim and Thummim Baptist Church.

The man on the right is the Pastor of the church - Hno. Fernando

The man in the middle is a Pastor friend of ours - Hno. Carlos.  

He was there with the rondalla (singing group) from his church.

Our family with Pastor Fernando Hernandez and his family.

Poza Rica at night.  The church was not far from the crosses.

"El Redentor" in Tihuatlan near Poza Rica.

If you can see the posts on the next hill, one of them looks thick at the bottom.  

That's actully a statue of "The Virgin" almost the same size as this statue.

We are so grateful the kids love to travel.

Before we left they also took us to "Tajin" some very well preserved ruins.

Once again, privileged to see more of God's beautiful creation!  

Hope you enjoy it too!

Edgar (right) with Alan; the newest addition to the house-hold.

Please pray for him as he strives to grow.

October Blessings

The Fox family with Jennifer Hempen

They came to see us this month and were with us for a little over a week.

We were able to go to the park and spend some family time with them.  We were 18 all total, including Alan, Claudia (taking the picture), Ryan, and Abraham (who we watched for a few days while his mother was out of town taking care of her dad).  It was an enjoyable day, even including having to fight the ducks off the pizza

. 

We were grateful for all the special music they brought throughout the week.  It meant alot to the people that they worked to sing in Spanish. 




Even the kids sang a song in Spanish.

Daniel preached a total of 9 times while he was here, and Heidi taught a devotional at our ladies meeting.

The Sunday we took the Foxes to the States we had a combined service and brought Luis Moya, and those from Ojo Caliente came as well.  We had a preaching service and then baptisms with a meal afterwards then we headed out.  Hna. Mari, her daughter Gloria, and her son Juan got baptized.  Her husband Javier came ready but at the last minute didn't follow through. 

Gloria

Juan

When we got to the border, we spent Monday with the Foxes and in the afternoon when we saw them off we went to the Shields.  There waiting was Mom Deatrick!  It was quite a surpise for Naomi.  It was only two days, and we drug her all over the place taking care of all of our business, but it was good to have her around for a couple of days.  Thanks Mom for taking the time to come see us!

We spent a few days in Texas and then headed back.  On the way we stopped at a church that had invited Matt to preach an anniversary service. 

We got up early the next morning, and got home an hour before a special dedication service and party for Natalia. 

Nati' piñata

After biting her cake

This is Nati's family; they need prayer.  Her mother wants to be faithful, and her step-dad comes when he can, but isn't really that interested.







The next day, Sunday the 23rd, we had missionaries Ubaldo and Abigail Lopez visit us.  They are heading to Oaxaca to work with the indigenous people groups there.  In the four days they were here they presented their work in Victoria, Dios es Amor, Berea, and also another church here in the city, Betel.  As with most people that visit, the kids loved them.

On Saturday the 29th, we went to a rancho for our monthly village out-reach.  This month we went to Mesquitillo, which is the home of Hno. Ernesto one of our faithful men.  He got saved while in the States several years ago, and about 3 years ago his wife, who was one of the catholic leaders in town accepted Christ as well.  He has a great burden for his family and rancho.  We were able to spend all day with his family, pass out packets to everyone in town, and have a service in the evening.  Here we are with Hno. Ernesto and his parents. 

There is a brother at another church that studied to be a priest for a few years.  He went with us to give his testimony in the service since it is a very strong catholic town.  He had the opportunity to sit with Blas, Ernesto's dad, and witness to him for about two hours.  Blas reads the Bible, but he and his wife have not yet come to a decision for Christ.  They don't want to give up they're traditions.  Pray that they would see the Truth.

Above the couch you can see a little cabinet.  It's a little alter to Mary and other idols that you can see here.

While we were there the ladies took advantage of the day and helped them make 'gordas'.  They had a huge bowl of 'masa' kind of like corn meal, but finer.  Some of them are filled with cheese, others with beans, and some are just plain.

Even Tirsa made a tray.

After forming them they put them in the outdoor oven, heated by firewood, with a long spatula.

The finished product.  Take them out of the oven, brush off the ones that may have gotten a little ash on them, and enjoy!  Very delicious.

We thought you might enjoy some pictures of the city.  These are taken from the 'Bufa', the outlook over the city.  They are zoomed in quite a bit to focus on some of the main historical markers of Zacatecas.

This is the main Cathedral of the city.  It was built in the mid 1700's.

The old aquaduct that brought water to the city.

Another of the old cathedrals.  This one is made out of red stone.

On the family side:

Judah's walking fairly well now.  Here he is walking with Tia Claudia.

September

 Missions  Conference in Durango

The city of Durango where we went to preach a missions conference.

Matt preaching at Iglesia Bautista Emanuel in Durango.

This is one of the kids class rooms: a bunch of block stacked with a tarp over it.  It wasn't too bad until it started raining.  The kids didn't seem to mind though.

The younger kids class.  Some of these kids were so neglected, (the little boy without shoes has some; he just took them off :-) but thank the Lord for a church that cared about them.  All of them are precious to Him.

 

The pastor's wife and another lady with some of the church kids.

They were all so hospitable and generous.

They took us to a mining museum while in Durango.

The kids seemed to enjoy it...at least using the hats and the vests. 

The Pastor's meeting

 The Pastor's Azteca meeting

The pastors enjoying lunch

Activities for the church men

 The men have a monthly men's meeting.

Here they are painting a lighthouse scene as a project.

The church men have started a soccer team.  Even though they have not won many games, it has been a good learning tool for them in unity.  They have also enjoyed the exercise and fellowship, and it has been a way to get into the community a little bit more.  (The ladies that come to root them on like to tease them about "Brighten the Corner Where You Are")

Rincon de Romos

Preaching the 5th Ann. services for the Iglesia Bautista del Camino.

Family odds and ends

We were making a visit a couple of weeks ago and as we were standing outside talking Enoch was running up and down the street.  He fell and this is what happened.  Of course he's fine by now.  All in the day of a kid!

Judah loves to eat...and it usually shows!

Patiently waiting for the museum tour

We had to make him get down because he kept trying to climb higher.  The balcony was about three to four stories high.  He sure was happy while it lasted though.

All of them like to help with Judah.  This time it worked out to be "A bite for me, a bite for you..."

Ryan

Ryan has been able to add some activities for the church in Luis Moya.  Apart from the normal mid-week and Sunday services we have, he's started prayer meetings, and regular visitation.  Here he is holding Judah during a service.