panixtlahuaca

This weekend we drove a group to a village called Panixtlahuaca. They held a conference to educate children’s ministry leaders. This was awesome because of the great need for outreach to children in this area. They also preached at church about the importance of disciplining children and showing Christ’s love.

It was a good trip. Rough, but good. It was a 6 hour drive on curvy, dirt roads. But the scenery was beautiful. Men with guns were running up and down the streets when we got there Friday night. We didn’t shower all weekend and they weren’t prepared for gringos so they didn’t prepare any of the food with purified water. Matt and I sat around and entertained the kids most of the time. We walked to the local market where I bought supplies for my exciting new hobby – embroidery. We left for Roca at 5:30am on Sunday and got stuck several times in the mud and pushed our way up the hill until the sun finally came up. It was great fun.

Once again it was an amazing experience of witnessing God’s presence among an indigenous people group and knowing that this area is changed because of the work of the base. Panix was a hard village to reach, not only because of its curvy washed-away roads, but also because of the resistance of the Catholic Church. I’m never trying to offend Catholics when I talk about the Catholicism here. It’s just that here it has been twisted into this idolatry and witchcraft that still carries the Catholic name. Anyway, Duane had told us stories about them blocking the roads and carrying guns and being robbed when they tried to reach the people there. Panix was the first village to have a martyr. The very first Christian there was shot because of his faith. He was shot many times in the chest, died, and was driven down the mountain. Toward the end of the 6 hour drive the man came back to life! He’s still alive and kicking. Matt met him at the base last month and we talked to him when we went to the church service in Panix. His name is Juventino and he’s the cutest little old man I’ve ever seen. My only question is – since he came back to life, does that still make him a martyr?


Good news!! We applied for Roca to be represented as a mission organization at the Passion07 conference and we were accepted! This is amazing news because it will expose the work of the base to 20,000 college students. Matt and I will go to Atlanta in January to pray for students and encourage them to get involved with missions. We’ll also talk to them about our experience on the field at Roca. We are so excited!!! Please pray for us because our deadline to send in our photos, videos, and agency fee of $500 is fast approaching.

corn

There has been some sad news from the Ixtayutla/El Mosco area recently. The people there are running out of food. Specifically, there is no corn, which is what their tortillas are made of. Duane and some base workers took two truckloads of corn and fish up 2 weeks ago. People wanting to buy some corn stopped them several times along the 8-hour drive up the rugged mountain. They couldn't sell it to them or they would be out by the time they got to where the problem was worst. In addition to being out of corn, they are also in need of sugar and other basic cooking ingredients. It was heartbreaking for those who went on the trip to see this devastating hunger. The people of Ixtayutla are starving.
This is a product of many things. One is simply that a spirit of poverty lives in this entire area. Also, many men have left this region to work in the States, leaving their fields unattended. They might send money to their families, but it doesn't matter because there's no food available to buy.
God only knows what the solution to this problem is. We can help by sending truckloads of food and ministering to the people.
Please pray for this area, that God will move in big ways and change the hearts of His people and that He would provide for them the food that they need.

white rock

Pictures from our boat trip around Roca Blanca (the white rock).

This is Allison, a girl from the last team that was here. She will be moving to Mexico soon to do missionary work for 10 months.




The boat driver of the other boat randomly jumped in the water and caught these awesome sea turtles with his bare hands!