Our November '97 Newsletter

The Ocaña family: Remember our neighbors, the Ocanas, the ones we shared our water with for 10 months? You saw a photo of them in our August letter. We’re really excited because they’ve come to church with us, TWICE. Mr Ocaña asked,"How often can we come back?" Of course I said, "As often as you like."
For Mexican independence day They invited us to their family’s farm. We met the grandparents, great-grandparents, and all the aunts, uncles and cousins. From what we could tell the only churches out there are Catholic (the traditional sort that discourages Bible reading and argue over which statue of the Virgin Mary is more powerful) and they don’t even have priests except on special occasions. We’re thrilled thinking that God might not only bring the Ocaña family to know Him personally, but He just might use them to reach their whole village too!

Luís: He is the wealthy man who became a Christian a year ago. You might remember him as the young single father who had taken his troubled daughter to a psychic healer for brain surgery. We don’t have a way to contact him now, but we pray that God continues to draw him closer to Himself. The last thing we heard some friends of his who are Christians had taken him under wing and were inviting him to their church. I wish I could give you more, but that’s all we have.

Mexican friends - a while back we asked you to pray that we’d make some Mexican friends our age. Well, thanks… God answered those prays in the form of Angelica & Cesar Olivares. Angie is a periodontist and Cesar owns a polling firm with his brother. They are both from Mexico, but studied in the US. So we get their cultural insights, and yet they are sensitive to the particular difficulties of living in a foreign culture and speaking a strange language. They’re really fun too!



That we enjoy it here - It’s not like we feel that [We don’t feel like] we’re suffering living here. We enjoy it. And from what other missionaries have told us, that’s pretty rare here. Sure, there are difficult moments and we get lonely at times… but then who doesn’t. And if you’re down, you can always find a great taco place nearby :^)

The Internet - I know it doesn’t sound very "spiritual" but if it weren’t for the Internet, life here would be harder and much more lonely. Through the Internet we talk, write, even video conference with our parents and friends. It allows us to be so much more in touch. I’m able to exchange ideas with youth workers all over the world, and I’ve made some invaluable contact here in Mexico through means of the Internet.

You - I know, I know… I’ve said it before, but without your prayer, interest, and support we wouldn’t be here. THANKS! And, hey, keep up the good work

You know those Christmas gifts you need in the "not too expensive yet meaningful" range… check out the book, 31 Days of Praise: Enjoying God Anew by Ruth Myers. We thoroughly enjoy reading through the brief, encouraging prayers together every morning. In fact, we’re on our third time through.