Grief
I am behind getting this newsletter out. To be honest, the last month
has been difficult. For those who might not know, my dad passed away
unexpectedly on November 20. I made a trip to the States for his
funeral and since returning I have been trying to get caught up on work
and finishing our homeschool semester.
Staying busy has kept my mind occupied, but it cannot hide the waves of
grief that sneak up on you. Please continue to keep me in your prayers
as I mourn his passing. It is never easy to lose a loved one but having
it happen during the holidays is just not fun.
In spite of that, here is an update from November and December.
Regional Pastor's Meeting
In early November David attended a regional
pastor's meeting near Tecpan. It was for the pastors who serve in our
area. They had a great time of worship and electing of leaders for the
upcoming year.
Pray for all of the pastors and churches throughout Guatemala as they
make plans for the new year. Pray that the churches would be
strengthened and united. Pray for growth among the believers. Pray
that God would give them a heart for evangelism, and we would see new
believers and baptisms in 2024. Pray for the pastors to stay encouraged
and that they would preach and serve with a renewed passion and zeal.
Indigenous Conference 2023
In early December David and our teammates
helped lead the annual Indigenous Conference. This is a yearly time for
Indigenous pastors and leaders to get together for fellowship, worship,
and training. This year we had several Guatemalan groups represented
as well as a group from Honduras.
It is always a special time for those who attend. They really bond with
each other during this time. They not only leave refreshed and
encouraged but also with some new friendships and names of people they
can call on in time of need. It is a yearly reminder that they are not
alone and others are having similar struggles as they are. Sometimes
just knowing that can keep people going.
David with Reyes and Rafael from our church plant in Nearar.
David, Mark, and Gary with some of the pastors.
Thanksgiving
While I was in the States for my dad's
funeral, David and the boys spent Thanksgiving in Quetzaltenango with
our IMB mission family and a few other families who live in that area.
IMB Guatemala Christmas Party
We all gathered again in mid-December for
our annual mission Christmas party. We enjoyed a meal and a white
elephant gift exchange.
Pray for Courtney, pictured on the far right. She is due any day now
with her fourth child. Pray for an easy delivery and smooth adjustment
for their sweet little family.
We are excited that our mission family will continue to grow in 2024 as
we add the English family to Guatemala. They are currently doing
language school in Puebla, Mexico with plans to land in Guatemala around
October. Continue to pray for them as they do language and cultural
learning.
Hello Christmas Break
The boys and I finished up our homeschool
semester just this week. We worked hard this semester and were able to
finish twenty of our thirty-six weeks of school. We are all ready for a
break!
They are doing great in their studies and finished the semester with
excellent grades. I cannot believe that Cruz is one semester away from
high school!!
Upcoming...
We just closed out our year end reviews with
our sub-cluster families and in January we will be helping them set
good attainable ministry goals for the upcoming year. Pray for us as we
lead these families. Pray for much wisdom to be able to serve them
well. It is a big job, and it has caused us to grow in many ways this
past year. We love this opportunity that we have been given! Pray that
we would do it well.
Pray for these families and singles that we are supervising. Pray that
each of us would seek God's best for our ministries in the new year.
Pray that we could all stay focused on the missionary task and see much
fruit in the days ahead.
We will be making a trip to Mexico in January to visit several of
our families. Pray for safety of travel and that we would be a great
encouragement to each one we visit.
We will also be making a visit to Quetzaltenango in January to meet with
our local team to set goals for the upcoming year. While there we will
celebrate the new Robertson baby girl and have a shower for them.
At the end of January we will be hosting a mission team from Easthaven
Baptist in Brookhaven, MS. Pray for us as we finalize plans to host
them and for a great week of serving on mission together.
Lottie Moon season is upon us. This is an
annual opportunity to give to support your IMB missionaries who serve
all around the world. Our being here would not be possible without your
generous gifts.
On behalf of the 3,515 personnel around the globe, we say THANK YOU to
each of our Baptist churches for the offering goals you have set. Thank
you to each individual who has given and will give during this season.
If you are not able to give in person, you can give online. Click on the
button below. 100% percent of gifts given goes to support IMB
missionaries on the field.
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