November 2020

Can you believe we’re already in November of this crazy year? It’s been the longest/shortest year ever. Ministry is really picking up here in Oaxaca, along with the “normal” day to day life. Every week seems a little more like life before the pandemic. 

Right after our last update, we celebrated Mexican Independence Day with some of our church family and friends. It was SO nice to take a drive up to the mountains, to a small Christian-run camp, and have some fun and fellowship. We hiked, did a little mini zip line, played basketball, ate, and just had a much needed day of rest and time together. It had been 6 months since we had a day like that with the church body. 

We had to re-close the church for 2 weeks because we had some COVID cases in the church body and we felt it was better to just go back to online for 2 Sundays. Praise the Lord that those who were sick had mild cases and are now healthy and we’re back open. This past Sunday was such an encouragement because we had the most people returned to the church since March. There is still quite a bit of fear here so it may take some time before everyone returns. 

Jon has been continuing to go to the men’s rehab each week and it’s been such a huge blessing to hear him talk about his time with them when he gets home. He’s got such a heart for the lost and just wants to see them fall in love with Jesus. Before he started going, this ministry was fully secular, and now they’re all reading their Bibles and doing their Navigators homework every day. God is so amazing. And the men in the church are still going strong with their Navigators groups each week. People really love having this time.

This past Sunday was also the very first baby dedication at Calvary Oaxaca, and for Jon. Witnessing this sweet moment where her parents wanted to publicly dedicate their baby to the Lord and have her prayed over was amazing. We have experienced so many cultural firsts with this couple. We were the “godparents of the rings” for their wedding, Jon was a part of their wedding ceremony, the baby dedication, and many other things. God put this family in our lives not just to love, but for them to also patiently teach us the amazing cultural things we knew nothing about. 

I’ve restarted English class but I’m praying about starting a beginners class after the holidays. I absolutely love these classes, and they’ve really helped with my Spanish since I teach it in Spanish (besides the English part…haha). Jonny got all of his braces and he’s doing great with them. Noah recently went to the dentist and had a couple of tiny cavities. Both of the boys continue in their music classes each week. Noah with guitar and Jonny with drums. 

PRAYER REQUESTS:

  • That the people would start returning to church when they feel it’s the right time for them. And that those who haven’t returned to be spending time in the Word, in prayer, and getting some sort of fellowship with other believers.
  • That we would be purposeful in reaching out to the church body and checking in on them.
  • SPANISH!!! That we would continue to learn and use Spanish, and the boys would have a desire to learn more. They understand but are so timid about speaking it. 
  • Continued growth in the Navigators groups at church, and at the men’s rehab.

PRAISE REPORTS:

  • We are so grateful for the men who translate for Jon. We have some great guys to help him with this.
  • The growth in the guys at the rehab, who went from knowing basically nothing about the Bible and Jesus, to having personal relationships with Him.
  • That people are starting to return to church to have the fellowship we all so desperately need.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and catch up on our lives. We praise the Lord for those of you who pray for, support, and encourage us. You are all a part of the work that God is doing here in Oaxaca! 

Jon, Allison, Jonny, Noah