Amanda in Mexico

April-May Newsletter

Kuira! (Pronounced kwee-ra, means “hello” en the Tarahumara dialect). I hope you are doing well. I apologize for sending the update so late. April went by so fast. The first two weeks we had spring break. Amelia was a able to come for a week, which was a huge blessing. Then school started up again, but soon the students began dropping out because May is pruning season, when hundreds of Tarahumara come out of the mountains to prune the apple orchards here. Chihuahua has A LOT of apple orchards. So we were left with 2-3 students. Someone suggested that if the kids leave, we should go to the kids. So, May 10th, 4 of my students and I began working in the kitchen at one of the local orchards. We have been doing it for a month now, and it sounds like one more week will end the season. It has definitely been a very new and different experience, but I am so happy we had the opportunity to do it. The 4 girls have become closer than ever before, encouraging one another, laughing together, sharing all their secrets and doing everything possible to get on my last nerve! I am convinced that teenagers have the gift to figure out exactly what annoys an adult, and then to make sure to do just that on regular basis, hahaha! I love those girls so much, and, after spending 12 hours a day, 6 days a week with them, they've become much more confident and are constantly asking for advice on everything like forgiveness, boys, music, clothes, etc. And then there is this famous question I get constantly: "How can I fall in love with Jesus Christ?". If anyone has an answer to that qustion, I would love to hear it! Feel free to email me. I always tell them that as they read, pray and sing, they will begin to get to know Him more, and the more time they spend with Him, the more they will love Him. I am so proud of them. Every day during lunch hour they bring out the Bible and we read a Psalm, pray and sing together. I love seeing how their adoration for Jesus is growing.

In the month of May, the students had the opportunity to sing at 2 evangelism events. The church had tent revival meetings for a whole week. They invited all the Tarahumara people from the local orchards. Each evening, around 500-600 people showed up. It was so neat to see so many people come out and see some dedicate their lives to Jesus. The students sang one song on Thursday evening. They were so nervous, and I was so proud. On May 23rd, our school also did an evangelical outreach. We invited people from the orchards to come and watch, while the kids took turns singing. That was followed by a traditional Tarahumara game of Arihueta. It is a game with a whole lot of running...(the Tarahumara people are known for running.) The youth also served sandwiches and lemonade to all those that came to all that came to watch.

Lastly, I want to share about a mssions trip the youth had the opportunity to go on. I was so excited to see 6 of the students participate. They were so excited to go out. We went into 2 villages in the mountains, where the youth presented 3 plays, sang some songs and help serve food. They did so well and I am praying it was an eye opener for them as to the importance of sharing the gospel.
I would like to ask you to please keep the students in your prayers as we are about to go on vacation. There are many temptatioms all around them. Pray that they won't turn away from what they have learnt about Jesus and His love.
Pray for their families that they will all come to know Jesus.
Also please pray for the school, that God will guide us as we make decisions for the upcoming school year and He would provide what is still needed.
Thank you so much for all your prayers support. They are so much appreciated. God bless and if you ever have the opportunity to come down, we would love to show you around!
Amanda.