Lots to pray for

Please pray for:

Jose Manuel, a 9 year old who is at the house a lot, he’s neglected and sometimes abused. Carmen feeds him when she can and helps him with his school work as much as she can without getting in trouble for it from his mom.

Our fellow workers the Lumppios, left Minneapolis this morning and will take about three days to get to Laredo TX where they will cross, then on to Aguascalientes to see Lidia’s parents and then back up to us in Mazatlan by February 1. And praise the Lord, Lidia got the trailer she was praying for! Now she can bring the extra things she’d hoped for!

Carmen and Genaro’s Jimmy, it has some sort of undetermined problem with the brakes, so they aren’t driving it right now. Please pray that it gets figured out soon and that the cost will be small. Thankfully Genaro has a scooter to get to work!

Pray also for the celebration this Sunday as Carmen and Genaro renew their vows. They were married in a civil ceremony more than 20 years ago, and they are now marrying in the church and are very happy. We were with them the other night when they picked up their wedding rings, they were very excited.

Carmen and Genaro are trying to start a cell meeting in their home, so last night we went around the neighborhood and invited everyone to a Bible study tonight. Please pray that many will accept the invitations.

And thanks be to God, after a 36 hour respite from driving, Ralph tackled it again and did much better last night. We took Pastor Lupe and his wife back home and they live downtown, about 20 minutes away in the land of the tiny, narrow streets…with our big truck it can be challenging but it was successful. We are going back out today!

Besides learning a new language and culture, we are also learning new money and new weights a measures! So when I talked of the liter coke the other day I should have actually said medio litro, half liter! Sooner or later we’ll get all this straight and appreciate your prayers until we do.

Next Wednesday we begin our first team meetings with Darwin and also make our first trip to La Cruz to get familiar with the town and to house hunt. Keep that in prayer as well please.

And praise! Our hot water at home has been fixed so our showers are warm now no matter what time of day!

We continue to be amazed at things here, milk superpasturized and on the shelf at the store. You only chill it when you want to drink it. Jicama from a pickup vendor that came to the house, huge, only 5 pesos and a big enough snack for the four of us during Bible study in the garden yesterday afternoon after Genaro got home from work. And in season, Carmen and Genaro have mangos, lemons and guavas in the yard!!!

This is also a cash society, and for a debit card girl like me that has been a big adjustment. I’m just not used to carrying cash. But here, its cash on the barrel head as my grandmother used to say. And they carefully inspect each bill too. The insurance guy in Nogales gave us a heads up about this and it was because of his information that we were able to get enough cash before we crossed to pay cash for fuel and tolls and food on our way down. We would have run out of cash the first day without him!

There’s also a big police and military presence here…and all fully armed with automatic weapons slung across their bodies. Yesterday a truck full of army guys came through the neighborhood, followed closely by two carload of cops. Never did figure out what they were doing.

Gotta get home, nearly time to finish preparing lunch, the main meal, for Carmen, Genaro (son), Fanny, Ralph and me!

Blessings, and thanks for your prayers.