| Will Is Home!
After two wonderful years studying at a missionary training college in New Zealand, Will is back and looking forward to some time in Mexico. He’s our new home-school-master and tutors the missionary candidates in their English. He is seeking God’s will for the next step in his future in world missions. Thank you for your prayers for our missionary kids. Will says... “Final exams, massive last minute assigments, and a severe itch to get back to Mexico didn’t make it hard to say “adios” to New Zealand and hello to my family once again. What did make it hard was saying farewell to so many of my dear extended family members across the Pacific with whom I had spent two rich years.” I am deeply gratful to the Lord for the opportunity he allowed for me to learn from God’s faithful servants who have gone before, in preperation for my own personal service. For now, I am happy to be able to support my parents in simple things like helping Becky, Scott, Rachel, and Walter with their homeschool. What does my future hold? God knows. Please join me in prayer! The Devil’s last Hoorah? I remember the publicity for “Jaws 7”. Suspensuful music builds to a crescendo...duh-dum…duh-dum…duh-dum, duh-dum, duh-dum… “Just when you thought it was safe to get back in the water!” Last month, just when we thought our property paperwork was safely in order, three representatives from a neighboring town knocked on our door and informed us that the land belonged to their village. “Duh-dum” Then, the lawyers we consulted confirmed their claim. “Duh-dum” Then, these lawyers offered to fix the problem for $150,000 U.S. dollars in addition to the $250,000 dollars that the village was demanding. Duh-dum, duh-dum, duh-dum! Praise God, our movie has a better ending! God sent us a Christian lawyer who said he’d consider it a ministry to help us sort out this problem, and that he’d do it for next to nothing. Ta-dah! In his investigations, he discovered solid documentation to prove that the El Monte land is legally registered as private property. Ta-dah! Through this lawyer’s contacts, we are scheduling a meeting in the governor’s offices with the village representatives to confirm that there will be no further problems. Ta-dah…ta-dah…hallelu-jah! We’re not foolish enough to believe that this will be the Devil’s last hoorah, but we’re praising God once again for this wonderful victory! Thank you for your continued prayers. We’ve Got the Permits! Praise God! For three long years, many of you have diligently prayed for important government permits. In the past few months, we’ve witnessed miracles as God has untangled and solved the “paper jam.” His greatest gift to us is our Christian architect, Sister Paty, whose talent is cutting through red tape! She has guided us in obtaining a provisional “go ahead” for the project, registering as a non-profit cor-poration, closing the deed and changing our zoning status. As she works on three other registrations, she is also a key player on our team of technical con-sultants for this year’s construction. These Christian engineers and architects have graciously given hundreds of hours of their expertise to our “pilot project” plans to build student apartments, a staff house, recreation area and model camp cabin. We praise God for this extraordinary progress and trust Him for the resources and manpower to move ahead. 2006 ...What a year! Thanks to the Lord for:
Ready or Not, Let’s Start a School! The first of five “El Monte” ministries is off to an excellent start, even in rented facilities. Our missionary training center has seven students who have now finished five of their twelve months of study. This endeavor has become the focus of our family’s ministry with Ed as director, Sarah keeping the computers going, Debbie organizing the kitchen and everyone teaching English. The students will soon be leaving for a ten-week practicum on transcultural fields. We are shopping for tickets to Asia, Africa, and the Copper Canyon of Mexico. Thank you for your prayers for our school and students. Church Update After years of little or no growth, our small church took a step of faith and tried something different. Eight small groups were set up to study the book, “The Purpose Driven Life.” Leaders were trained, materials bought, people prayed (and fasted,) friends and neighbors were invited...and God blessed! Nine people went forward at the end of the six-week study to receive Christ! God is on the move in Ticuman! Thank you for your prayers for our village. God Sent Help Thank you for prayers for helpers and staff. This year’s answer is in the form of a strong and brave cousin, Elisha Somerville. After cooking breakfast for the missionary school where he lives, he dons his cowboy hat and machete, crosses the river with his boots on his head, and arrives at El Monte for a day of hard work ... and often adventure! He is proudly fashioning a belt from his first excitment...a three-foot rattlesnake! And we’re setting traps to catch a meal for his second... a 4-foot boa! He’s clearing building sites, keeping new trees watered and solving everyday problems like digging his aunt’s van out of ditches. We are thankful for co-laborers who don’t mind the heat and danger! Update on Mary She’s home! Mary had a prosperous 6-month furlough ministry in the states, but we are thrilled to have her back. She heads up our Short Term department and is a vital part of our team, local church and El Monte. She also coordinates our short term workers from around the world; this year from Singapore, Germany, Korea and the USA. She receives her support separately but from the same office: Wec, International PO Box 1707 Fort Washington, PA 19034-8707 Thank you for your gifts to all of us. |