AUGUST 2010!
A WO R L D W I T N E S S
P R AY E R
L E T T E R!
VOL 4 ISSUE 2
LOCK AM Y LINK A Very Busy Summer This was our first full summer in Rioverde, and it was packed with non-stop action: short-term mission groups, vacation bible school, and summer camp at Camp Maranatha are just a few of the activities that kept us on our toes. June started with a bang as our first short-term group of the summer arrived from Ambassador ARP in Apex, NC. The group of 24 youth and adults worked tirelessly, painting at the camp, “landscaping” and fixing plumbing at the Big House, remodeling a closet in our homeschool room, and hosting kid’s clubs. Next came the group from Covenant ARP in Statesville, NC. This group of 10 put up a fence at the camp, helped finish the plumbing work at the Big House and put on three kids clubs, one at a school for local street kids. In July the third group came from French Camp, Mississippi. A small group, these workers were eager to do whatever tasks were asked of them. They helped out with vacation bible school at the Iglesia de Cristo, assisted in the kitchen at the camp, and scouted Rioverde for future groups from French Camp. The last group came from New Albany, Mississippi, ready to put their muscles to good use. They swung sledgehammers all week to demolish a dilapidated building on the Casa Maranatha property. They also took a break one day to help out at a vacation bible school in Ciudad Fernandez. All of these short-term groups were a great encouragement to us. They bring a little bit of home with them, and they provide lots of laughs and sweet memories. And...they do work we wouldn’t be able to do otherwise.
COVENANT ARP
FRENCH CAMP
NEW ALBANY ARP
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” ~Matthew 5:4 Yesterday our pastor began a series of sermons on the Beatitudes. He started with Mattew 5:3, but after a while, I found myself drifting to the next verse. (Sometimes during church my head gets filled with all of the Spanish it can handle, and I drift.) My bible bible, so I translation of translation of literally says, cry...”.
is a Spanish-English parallel started looking at the these verses. The Spanish the first part of this verse “Blessed are those who
So I began thinking about this verse. As missionaries (and even Christians), I think we often believe that we are not supposed to grieve or be sad. That it reveals some lack of faith or disbelief that God knows what is best for us. That if we reveal our sadness, people will think less of us. However, this verse gave me great comfort. Jesus did not condemn those who mourn; rather, he expressed an understanding of grief as a natural process. As missionaries, we do grieve. We grieve the loss of friends, the loss of the way of life we have come to know, the loss of comforts like air conditioning and pressurized water, the loss of time with our families, the loss of a feeling of safety and security, the loss of worshipping in our home church in our heart language. Granted, in missionary life there is also much to be gained. We have received blessings beyond measure, but for me, this week, the greatest blessing is knowing that it’s okay to mourn and that in doing so, I will be comforted. (Ginger)
Prayer Requests WORK TRUCK - In March we had to say goodbye to the “Brown Cow”, our 1981 Chevy work truck. The truck was donated to us by good friends to be used in our work at the camp and with short-term mission groups. The truck was a huge help in getting our dogs and other things to Rioverde from South Carolina, and it was a blessing However, due to some “interesting” around the camp as well. restrictions on vehicles here in Mexico, we were unable to legalize the truck as a permanent Mexican “resident”. So, we donated the truck to RGBI, the missionary language school we attended in Texas, where it continues to do the Lord’s work. Its loss was deeply felt this summer, as we struggled to transport short-term groups and materials for construction projects. Please pray that the Lord will provide a vehicle that we can keep permanently in Mexico. SAFETY - As you have probably heard, violence seems to be increasing all over Mexico. Gangs are fighting over territories and drug trade routes, and corruption in the military and police force is a formidable problem. As those who can’t find work in the US come home, many fall into crime, and theft is a rising problem. In July the girls bikes were stolen from our yard, which is surrounded by an 8-foot fence/wall. Some construction materials were also stolen from the camp while one of the short-term groups was here. While we feel safe here in Rioverde, please pray for our safety as we travel to different cities for meetings and ARP functions. Also, pray that we would forgive those who steal from us and that we would not be hardened to the need to love those to whom we have been sent to minister. PERSONAL - We are getting ready to begin our second year of homeschooling, and I’m so thankful for the ability to be able to be involved in such an important area of my girls’ lives. It’s not always easy, but these moments with my children are precious and sweet. Please pray that we would honor the Lord in our studies, and that we would be thankful for this amazing opportunity.
Contact Us Package Address: 3201 S. Jackson Rd. #105 Pharr, TX 78577 eric@lockamys4him.com ginger@lockamys4him.com grace@lockamys4him.com lydia@lockamys4him.com
Mexico Mailing Address: Quezada #105 Col. Centro Rioverde, SLP Mexico C.P. 79610
(803)810-0696 - Phone (US number that rings here in Mexico) www.lockamys4him.com/blog2