Rivera Mission Newsletter – July 2026 | Miguel & Zuri Rivera Blog

05Aug

Mission Newsletter – July 2026

Dear Friends and Ministry Partners,

July was one of the busiest months we have experienced this year. Throughout the month, our home was filled with volunteers, students, and mission teams who came with willing hearts to serve the Lord and love the children. It was incredible to watch people from different churches and backgrounds unite with one purpose: sharing the love of Christ through acts of service.

One of the greatest blessings this month was welcoming the School of Discipleship, a group of eight students who arrived on July 3rd and will be living and serving alongside us through August 30. During these two months, they have truly become part of our mission family, participating in the daily rhythm of life at the children's home. Their day begins at 6:30 a.m. with our morning devotional, followed by breakfast and helping wash the breakfast dishes before attending their classes. They return in time to share lunch with everyone at the mission and afterwards, they faithfully serve wherever help is needed. Whether it’s washing dishes, assisting in the kitchen, caring for the children, helping with laundry, working on maintenance projects, or supporting the staff in countless other ways, they have embraced every opportunity to serve with joyful and willing hearts.

The first week is always the most challenging, as our staff invests a great deal of time training, mentoring, and teaching them the routines and responsibilities of the children's home. While that initial investment requires extra work from everyone, it quickly becomes worthwhile. Once they become familiar with the daily rhythm of the mission, they become an incredible blessing, helping carry the workload and allowing our staff and house parents to better focus on caring for the children. Their servant hearts, flexibility, and willingness to learn have made a tremendous impact on our entire mission family. Beyond the practical help they provide, they have built meaningful relationships with the children, encouraging them through their friendship, Christ-like example, and genuine love for the Lord.

Groups

Midway through the month, we were blessed to welcome the Edgewater Team, led by Maxwell Boothby, a group of 29 volunteers who joined us for several days of ministry. Their enthusiasm, generosity, and genuine love for the children and our mission family made a lasting impact on everyone. They participated in children's activities, worship services, fellowship, and many meaningful conversations, while also taking on one of the largest projects our campus had been waiting for. The team worked tirelessly to clear and clean the areas surrounding all of the mission buildings, a physically demanding task that our staff simply does not have time to accomplish because of the daily responsibilities of caring for the children. Their hard work transformed our campus, creating a cleaner, safer, and more welcoming environment for everyone who lives here. During their visit, our mission family grew from our usual 35 residents to more than 60 people, requiring additional planning for meals, housing, transportation, and daily schedules. Although hosting such a large group required many extra hours behind the scenes, it was a joy to serve together and a beautiful reminder that God continues to send His people from around the world to strengthen this ministry. The Maxwell Team not only lightened our physical workload but also encouraged our hearts through their servant attitude and willingness to serve wherever there was a need.

God's Faithfulness in the Little Things

One of the greatest reminders of God's faithfulness this month came through what might seem like a simple blessing, but for all of us it was an answer to months of prayer.

For several months, we had been without an ice machine at the mission. Living in Ejido Carmen Serdán, where summer temperatures are extremely hot, having enough ice for everyone in the home is much more than a convenience— it is a daily necessity. With more than 35 people living at the mission, and over 64 during the weeks we hosted mission teams, the need became even greater.

Everyday, we pray together for the needs of the children, our staff, our families, and the ministry. One of those daily prayers was for God to provide an ice machine large enough to meet the needs of everyone living at the mission.

This month, the Lord answered that prayer.

Through His faithful provision and the generosity of those who support this ministry, we were able to purchase a new commercial ice machine. It has already become an incredible blessing for everyone in the home, especially during these hot summer days.

Moments like these remind us that our Heavenly Father truly cares about every detail of our lives. He not only provides for the big needs, but also for the everyday necessities that help us care well for the children and everyone serving here.

Our hearts are full of gratitude as we continue to witness His loving care and perfect provision. Once again, God has reminded us that He is faithful, and we are thankful to each of you who allow Him to work through your generosity. Every gift, whether large or small, becomes a tangible expression of His love and care for our mission family.

A Time of Rest and Refreshment (June 2026)

One of the greatest blessings we experienced last month was something very special for our staff. Thanks to the generosity of friends who donated specifically for this purpose, every member of our mission family was given the opportunity to enjoy a day of rest away from the mission.

First, all of our single staff members spent a day together enjoying fellowship, and much-needed refreshment. Later in the month, each of our mission families (the Ahumada Family, Bastidas Family, Cruz Family, and our Rivera Family) were also blessed with a separate day away to rest, reconnect, and simply enjoy time together.

Ministry is a wonderful privilege, but it is also demanding. These days of rest were an incredible gift that allowed each of us to step away from our daily responsibilities, recharge physically and spiritually, and return encouraged to continue serving the children with renewed joy and energy.

We are deeply grateful to the individuals whose generosity made these two outings possible. Your thoughtfulness was a tangible expression of God's love and a reminder that caring for those who serve is also an important part of ministry. Thank you for investing not only in the children, but also in the families and staff who faithfully care for them every day.

Medical Updates

Although July was a quieter month medically, we continued caring for the ongoing health needs of our children.

This month, we were blessed to have Dr. David Arias Howard, a strabismus specialist, visit the Mission to evaluate all of our children. Rather than requiring multiple trips to the Tijuana clinic, he graciously examined each child on-site, providing comprehensive eye evaluations and updating their diagnoses and treatment plans as needed. He also reviewed and updated the prescriptions for those who wear corrective lenses, ensuring they have the proper glasses to support their daily activities, and overall quality of life. We are incredibly grateful for Dr. Arias' generosity, expertise, and compassionate care. His visit was a blessing to our children, allowing us to continue meeting their individual vision needs and helping them see the world more clearly.

This month, our Selita was taken to the emergency room after experiencing unexpected bleeding from her tracheostomy. After careful evaluation, she underwent a bronchoscopy, and we are incredibly grateful that the doctors found her lungs, bronchi, and trachea to be much cleaner and healthier than expected. The bleeding has completely stopped, and she is recovering well. Samples collected during the procedure have been sent to the laboratory, and we would appreciate your continued prayers as we wait for the results, asking the Lord to continue protecting her and giving wisdom to her medical team.

A Personal Blessing from Our Family: We also wanted to share a little piece of personal news. This month, we adopted a kitten named Onigiri! For those who know me well, this may come as quite a surprise because I have lived with a lifelong phobia of cats. I never imagined that one day I would not only touch a cat but actually welcome one into our family! Yet God has a beautiful way of bringing healing in the areas where we least expect it. Through this little kitten, He has reminded me that there is freedom in Jesus. Onigiri has already brought so much joy and laughter to our home, and every time I see him, I am reminded that God is still transforming hearts and breaking chains. Sometimes His miracles come in extraordinary ways, and sometimes they arrive wrapped in the tiny paws of a kitten named Onigiri. We are so thankful for His faithfulness in every area of our lives.

A New Season for Our Family

As July comes to an end, our family is preparing for a significant new chapter. At the beginning of August, our sons, Azaff and Abdiel, will begin high school in a traditional classroom setting after being homeschooled from kindergarten through middle school. We are incredibly thankful for the years we were able to invest in their education at home, and while we are excited about this new opportunity, we also recognize that it brings many changes for our family.

This transition means we will now divide our time between our home in San Antonio de las Minas and the mission. Some days will be spent at home so the boys can attend school, while the rest of the week we will continue serving at the children's home. It will certainly be an adjustment, but we trust that God will faithfully guide us as we seek to care well for both our family and the ministry He has entrusted to us.

One of my greatest desires has always been to spend every possible moment serving at the mission. I often tell the Lord that I hope to be at the mission when Christ returns for His Church. Yet we also recognize that God has first entrusted us with the responsibility of shepherding our own family. We believe that caring for our children well is also part of our calling, and we are praying for wisdom as we seek to balance these two precious responsibilities.

Prayer Requests

As we enter August, we invite you to pray with us for:

God's protection over Azaff and Abdiel as they begin high school.

Wisdom for our family as we adjust to a new rhythm between our home and the mission.

Financial provision for transportation, school expenses, and the additional costs this new season will bring.

Continued strength, healing, and endurance for Miguel and me as we care for our family and continue serving the Lord.

That, through every transition, our family would remain faithful to God's calling and continue pointing others to Christ.

The children’s emotional and spiritual wellbeing

Wisdom as we follow up on the recommendations from the eye specialists.

Strength, unity, and encouragement for our staff after a very busy summer of hosting mission teams.

God's continued provision for the ministry's daily needs and upcoming medical expenses.

More hearts to answer God's call to serve through future mission teams.

That every child in our home would continue growing in their relationship with Jesus and experience His unfailing love each day.

Thank You

Looking back on July, we are once again reminded that ministry is never accomplished alone. Every volunteer, every mission team, every prayer, and every financial gift allows us to continue serving these precious children with excellence and love.

Whether someone serves for a few days or an entire month, every person leaves fingerprints on the hearts of our children. We are deeply grateful for everyone who answered God's call to come and serve alongside us this summer.

Thank you for faithfully partnering with our family and this ministry. Your prayers, encouragement, and generosity make it possible for us to continue sharing the hope of Christ with every child God brings to our home.