May- June Update: Amanda in Mexico.

Hello from Mexico! I hope this newsletter finds you well! The weather here in Chihuahua has warmed up beautifully. We finished the school year on June 12 with a trip to the zoo. The students had never been to the zoo before and absolutely loved seeing the animals. We bought eggs and other foods to feed the animals and it was fun to see my group of girls feed the raccoons and monkeys. It was a little sad to say good-bye to the students, as we do not know that all of them will be back for next year or not. We prayed with them and had them pray for one another as they enter vacation. Please keep our students in your prayers during their vacation.

This past month we got amazing news! A family from Manitoba, Canada (Nathan and Rose) has made the decision to come serve with Oaks of Righteousness this coming fall for the following school year! We are so excited to welcome them to our team, as Nathan will be taking the position as principal in the school. Both Nathan and Rose are experienced in organization and administration work in ministry, and will be a huge asset to this ministry as well! We are also so excited to have two more interns joining us from Canada, as well as Monterey for the following school year! It is beautiful to see how God provides in ways we did not see coming. As the staff numbers are growing, we are expecting around 25-30 students for this following school year. Please keep this ministry in your prayers, as we continue to seek God’s guidance. One thing that has been on my mind a lot lately is the need for a building, as the one we are currently using would be too small. One verse that the Lord reminds me of regularly is Philippians 4:19 “And my God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Praise God that He already knows our every need and has the solution as well.

In the month of May, we once again sang in the local Old Folks Homes. It is such a blessing to see how the children have warmed up to the elderly, and both are excited to see each other again. The students did a wonderful job singing! Our prayer is that the children will come to understand the joy found in serving others. As I work more with the pre-teens, sometimes I wonder how much they are really listening, in the midst of the eye rolls and attitudes, yet a few days ago, I was so excited when one of my students was writing a test, and one of the questions was “What are some things that please God?” Initially, this student did not care to answer, so I asked him what he thought would please God. When I came back, I saw he had written, “That we believe in Him”. I felt overjoyed, because that is exactly what God longs for from us, for us to believe in Him and place our trust in Him! I guess he has been listening!

Recently, I also had the opportunity to participate in two workshops. One was called “Value, Discipline, and Identity”, with a guest speaker for Paraguay. We were so blessed to learn from his wisdom and receive training in how to help our students understand their value and identity. The other was a counselling workshop with a speaker from the States. We learned how to help others understands their needs and emotions so they can move from a place of pain to an experiencing God’s peace in their lives. Both of these workshops were an incredible blessing to me and I praise God for the support that He provides to be able to receive this kind of training. Thank you for all your prayers and support!  

Lastly, I want to share that Amelia, Ana Cristina and I graduated from the Discipleship International Training that we have been studying for the past 3 ½ years. I am so grateful for the things I learned and how I have seen growth in my relationship with Christ! I am learning to apply God’s Word to every area of my life and how to present the salvation message in a simple, clear manner. I have also seen how Ana Cristina has grown immensely through the Discipleship training. She has become confident and firm in her faith, walking in the security we have in Christ of our salvation.

Praise and Prayer:

Praise God for Nathan and Rose Friesen and family who have decided to come serve at Oaks of Righteousness for next school year.

Praise God for the staff we have lined up for next school year.

Praise God for the opportunities to grow in my knowledge and faith through workshops and training.

Please pray for Ana Cristina in the mountains, as her family is going through a difficult time. Pray for wisdom and strength for Ana as she shares the hope found in Christ with her family. Also, pray for her students as the school year is ending for her as well.

Please pray for God’s continual provision in the ministry with funds, building, etc.

Please pray for the students as they go into vacation.

Please pray for the mission team coming down in 2 weeks to serve in the community, as well as in the mountains with Ana Cristina.

Thank you so much for your prayers and support! What a blessing to have you in this mission with us. Your prayers give us the courage and joy to keep serving Christ here in Chihuahua! God bless! Amanda.