What are we doing?

So, what have we been up to the past few months here in Guzman? Quite a few things:

Hanging out in Chapala

• Learning: We still have so much to learn here!  There's been more things here, culturally and language-wise, that we've had to learn, and it's quite the time-consuming process.  Things like:
• Where do I get new tires when I hit a broken curb too hard and blow one out?
• How do we enroll our daughter in a school in Mexico, especially when we just don't seem to have all the documents that they think we should have? (More on this in the next few blog-posts)
• Spanish: in addition to normal language learning, Sara is meeting every week with Laura, a lady from our church, for hours at a time to practice talking.  This has been a blessing, not only because of the language study, but because we've been blessed to start to get to know Laura and her husband, Gonzalo, better in the past months.

Gabe helping daddy play the guitar

First day of school!  She's doing great with it!

• Preaching and teaching: I've had lots of chances to preach here lately, which is a huge blessing.  I've filled the pulpit here in Ciudad Guzman a few times when pastor Julian had to be away (twice on a Sunday night, ones on a Friday evening during a special service, and ones recently on a Sunday morning), I helped fill the pulpit once in Tamazula (about 45 minutes south of us) when their pastor was sick, and our friend pastor Ariel has let me preach a few times in their churches Rey de Reyes and La Nueva Aurora in Guadalajara.  It's still a challenge sometimes to preach, but it's getting easier to preach in Spanish, and with so many opportunities to preach, I feel like I'm getting into more of my rhythm lately.  I've also started teaching the college Sunday School class at the church, which is a huge blessing.  They have a lot of questions, and have a lot of things they need to learn, so starting this Sunday, we'll be going through a mix of lessons about the basics of our faith, plus some Sundays focusing on their questions that they have.  Many of the students here seem to know a lot of answers, but not why... meaning they have heard things we believe, or ought to believe, but don't know what the Bible actually says.  So, we're praying for deeper, more grounded study of the Word, with lots of focus on Bible reading and Bible memorization on their own.

Leading the worship at PIB Guzman with Daniel Delgado

Getting the opportunity to preach this past Sunday morning at PIB Guzmán

Some of the students at the camp praying.

• Helping:  Nick also had a chance to go help at a youth camp for a week in July.  The camp was at the La Laguna La María (Mary Lake), in Colima, about an hour and a half south of Guzmán.  Working with pastors and missionaries from Guadalajara, Puerta Vallarta, Queretero, Colima, and Puebla, I got to help with the recreation and activities of the camp, making runs to the store (an hour away) when we needed more supplies, and help in any other way that was needed.  The camp was a great success, with 150 people total at the camp (youth and adults), and at least 5 students accepting Christ during the week.

This was actually the kitchen all week at camp... 3 times a day, they fed 150 people out of here! (we did get walls up on 2 sides, and a fridge, but you get the idea!)

Activities!

Mega-Mexican-Relay!

More Mega-Mexican-Relay... in the rain!

I didn't do much to help us win, but I didn't help us lose!  Soccer champs!

There are other things going on here as well, but this is a good overview of what we've been up to lately.  It's been a busy few months, and we're excited to see how the opportunities for ministry will continue to grow here.  Be in prayer for more chances in the future, and pray specifically for an opportunity in the next few weeks to work with Pastor Julian to start a weekly Bible study in nearby Usmajac.  We'll post more in the upcoming weeks about what we've been doing, what our plans are for the end of the year, and how you can be a part of the ministry here next year!