Amanda in Mexico: August Update

Hello from Mexico! I hope this newsletter finds you well! Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support, especially as we prepare to get into routine and the full swing of school life. We have had a very warm summer as we received minimal rain this year during rainy season.

We started this month off with a YWAM team coming to Chihuahua on a missions trip. It was a huge blessing to have them here, connecting with some of our youth in our ministry; running 3 day VBS’ in 4 of the local orchards in the area; and helping us with the yard work on a work day. The children really enjoyed the team, as they played, sang, watched skits, etc. One orchard we went to the children would come running and shouting with excitement as they’d smother the team in hugs. This is so unusual for the Tarahumara culture, as they are a shyer and reserved people, but I soon learned that these kids had grown up in the daycare at the orchard and spent more time there then with their parents. The lady in charge of the daycare was sharing with me that very rarely do people come to visit just to come and love on the kids and play with them. All of the orchards we visited were full of kids, as the apple picking workers are here from the mountains and the kids were curious to come and see what they would do each day. I know seeds of love were sown in these children’s hearts and I pray that they would receive more opportunities to hear about Jesus as they return to the mountains.

Another event the YWAM team did was a Youth Basketball Night. Many of the local youth showed up, some who were hungry for the gospel and others just out of curiosity to see what the evening was all about. I was overjoyed to see the male members of the YWAM team take time for our youth boys. They are strongly seeking a male figure to follow, but it’s rare that a godly man will take time just to listen to them and talk to them about “men stuff”. Please pray that God will raise up godly men to invest in these boys so they can break the cycle of alcoholism and broken relationships.

This past 2 weeks, we have been preparing for school to start. We are so excited that Sandra, who just graduated from the YWAM Discipleship Training School in the mountains, is joining us as a teacher this year. Sandra has been with us since we began the school in 2017, and has since given her life to the Lord and is passionate about serving Him! It’s been such a joy to see her grow and be transformed as she continues to seek God. She will be teaching our students who are still learning how to read. Please pray for wisdom and strength as she leads this group of 5 students.

We have a total of 14 students this year, 9 of which are more advanced in their studies and are working towards a Jr. High certificate. Currently, I will be teaching this group, due to lack of staff, but we are praying God would provide another teacher, as we could really benefit from a third staff that would oversee and step in to help when necessary; help in the area of discipline; and take care of other details in running a school. We currently have interest from one Christian lady who has worked in ministry for 5 years as a teacher at a school. She truly has a heart for youth and I believe she would be a huge asset to the school. But the ministry doesn’t have the budget to hire another teacher. If the Lord is placing it on your heart to support for another teacher, it would be a huge blessing for the ministry! We are hoping to pay her $1 250 pesos weekly, which is an equivalent to $100 CAD or $75 USD. We ask for your continued prayers for each student that will be entering, that God would work in their hearts in a special way this year.

Martha Ayala with her daughter and husband. She has a a strong desire to serve God and has many years of experience in the ministry

I also want to share with you that the village we live in has given us permission to use an empty building to start our school while we wait for our usual building to free up. In the past, we always have had to wait to start school until October as it is being used to house workers from the mountains during apple picking season. So we began to look for a more permanent building. Last week, we received a HUGE answer to prayer as we were given permission to a 2 month trial. We are so excited, the only setback is that there is no washroom in the building. So we are in need of a portable out house, as it is not our property, so we cannot build an outhouse onto the yard. A friend of ours has found one for $10 000 pesos ($600 USD/$800 CAD). If you would like to give to this project, feel free to get in contact with me.

Praise God for…

- The YWAM mission’s trip went very well! Many children/youth heard the gospel!

- Sandra is starting her first year teaching with us!

- Providing a school building

- School is beginning on September 4, 2023

Pray for…

- God’s provision for another teacher for the school

- My sister Amelia’s new youth ministry she is starting up

- Ana Cristina as she is taking over the ministry in the mountains we started this past year

- God’s provision to buy an outhouse for the school.

Thank you so much for your time as you read these updates, for your faithful prayers that keep this ministry going, and for all the encouragement and support that we have received from you! We are truly blessed to work alongside you! God bless! Amanda