Amanda in Mexico

January Newsletter

Hello from Chihuahua Mexico! It is hard to believe the first month of 2022 is over already! 3 weeks ago we began our first day of school for this year. It was definitely an interesting beginning, as 3 days before school began, we were told the building we were using to teach in was no longer available. We sat down with the church we have been serving in, and since we both have different views on running ministry, we decided to separate our ministries. This was a difficult decision to make, because I had grown to love my brothers and sisters in that church, but we are looking forward to what God has planned for the future of the ministry. Over and over again I am amazed to see how God is working in the lives of the youth, seeing how they are growing to respect, love and know Him. Just last night, one of the students wrote on her Whatsapp status "I used to not believe in God, but slowly I am getting to know Him." So today on our way to church, I asked her about it, because she has not yet made a decision to surrender her life to Jesus. She says "Before I didn't ever think about God, all I thought about were bad things. Now I think about the things that I do, and that I don't want to do things God doesn't like. I also know now that God exists and that He loves me." What joy it brings to my heart to hear my students' desire to know God more! All I can do is give God the glory, because I know that only the Holy Spirit could reveal these things to them. I can say it over and over again, but only He can convince a person of their need for God! John 6:44 "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day."

It is wonderful to see the students teaching and encouraging one another.

When Amelia challenges her student to a 5 minute multiplication drill, and both the teacher and student are incredibly competitive!

We were also very, very blessed to have the president and vice president of Sixteen13 Ministries come down and visit us. They spent 1 and a half weeks with us, and it was so fun to watch them connect with our kids, see the ministry, and physically take part of what God is doing here amongst the Tarahumara people. The kids had such a great time with them and we were all greatly encouraged! Tiffany, the vice president of Sixteen13 actually knows Tae Kwon Do, and she did an incredible job teaching our students the basics. We had been praying for a Tae Kwon Do teacher since September, as several of the students had a desire to learn. So this was a surprise from God, as we weren't sure if the students would actually get the opportunity to learn, because the class they were planning on taking shut down in August. Another praise item, a sweet couple from the neighboring town of Bachiniva offered to give our students guitar lessons. They are now coming 2 times a week to teach, and the kids are really enjoying it. For those who don't want to play guitar, are learning to sing. I love how God is answering prayers, even when the beginning of this school year seemed so uncertain, not knowing how the school would work, since we no longer had a building. So we began teaching in our home, and as we talked to different people in the community, an apple farmer offered us to use an empty building he had to use for the school! What a blessing. Tomorrow will be our first day in the new building and we are very excited! We would very much appreciate your prayers as we continue to plan the future for the ministry, asking God to guide us as we look at ways to grow the ministry so that more people can be reached.

Lastly, I would like to share about a friend that I got to know a few months back. She approached me, asking for help, as she was going through a very difficult time and she urgently needed a place to live. God provided a temporary place for her and her children, but a few weeks back, that place became unavailable, and we had to quickly find another place for them. Praise God, He showed us another place for her to live, but it has been really hard on her, because it is quite far away from her work place, and is struggling to be able to get home after work. We have been helping her, but these things can get her very discouraged, and her family could definitely use your prayers. Please pray for her children, as they miss their father, and struggle to understand why they cannot see him. Pray for her, as seeing her kids hurting gets her very discouraged and she doesn't know how to continue. Pray for her husband, that he would be able to see how his family needs him, that he would allow God to change him. Please pray for healing and restoration for this family, that they would come to know Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior.
Thank you so much for your prayers and support. We could not be here without you, and some days feel like giving up altogether would be so much easier, but I know that in God I have everything I need, and that I have family in Christ who are fighting for me in prayer. Thank you so, so much!
Psalm 16:5 You, Lord, are all I have, and you give me all I need; my future is in Your hands.
1 Peter 1:3 By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.
God bless!!