Amanda in Mexico
July-August Newsletter
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Hola! I hope this newsletter finds you well! It has been much too long since my last update. Time has flown by and just like that we are back into the school year.
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In the month of June, I had the opportunity to go to Canada and visit supporters, as well as speak at churches. I was truly blessed by the people I was able to visit and the new people I met! I forget sometimes how many people back home are praying for this ministry and us. Visiting so many supporters brought me so much encouragement and my passion for the work the Lord is doing here grew so much. Thank you sincerely for every kind word, every piece of advice and encouragement, and every opportunity to share about the ministry.
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I returned to Mexico mid-July and it was a wonderful few weeks of spending time with the family. In August, it was time to start preparing for the next school year. Receiving all the kids on the first day of school is like Christmas morning to me every year! I love seeing the smiling familiar faces, as well as the shy new faces. I praise God for each beautiful child that walks through that door every morning. Before we could receive the students, though, we had a LOT of prep to do. We spent much time cleaning, preparing and organizing the school and planning for our classes. We also prepared some workshops for our teachers. I enjoyed sharing about some of the topics I have been learning in my psychology seminars, helping the teachers understand themselves, as well as their co-workers and students, better. Another ministry in the area asked us to share these workshops for their staff as well. All the speakers did a wonderful job, and it brings me joy to see teachers’ passion for their work and students. I laugh, though, remembering my high school days, how much I disliked public speaking and I was convinced I would never need those skills in my life. Ever. God had other plans, though, and He worked hard on my identity, building up my self-esteem and dealing with the lies that kept me from working for the dreams He had placed in my heart. Praise God He never gives up on us, even when we give up. He patiently keeps working and gently pushing us out of our comfort zones. He is truly amazing!
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I also had the opportunity to visit Corarayvo, a mountain village, this past month. It was beautiful, as it was green and rainy. The most beautiful part was visiting with the people. I remember 6 years ago when I went for the first time. The people were quiet and reserved. Despite the fact I only go once a year, the people know my name and are so happy to see me. The doors are opening for the gospel. My highlight this trip was when I was visiting and elderly couple; two little boys were there and one of them asked me about something related to death. I began telling them about Jesus and how He is preparing a place in heaven for those who love Him. Immediately, the 7 yr. old boys grabbed chairs, pulled up beside me, and asked me to tell them more. I spent the evening telling them Bible story after Bible story. They were so excited and it was so fun to them get into the stories. For the rest of my time there, they followed me around, asking me to tell them more stories about Jesus. I am reminded why Jesus said to “let the little children come to me” because their little hearts are so innocent and sincere. It was hard to say good-bye as the hosting family is going through an incredibly difficult time. The grandpa is not doing so well, and he is awaiting an appointment for an eye operation for his cataracts. One of the young women is currently in the hospital with her baby as he has an infection on his feet. She has been in the hospital over a month already and is becoming quite despaired, as she has no income and her little boy’s feet are not recovering well. Please keep this family in your prayers.
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This past Monday was our first day of classes. A church in Canada had blessed our students with a gift of school supplies, hygiene items and a toy. The students were so excited to see these beautiful gifts sitting on their desks as they entered the classrooms. It was fun to hear one boy shout out “Hey! I can have my own soap and shampoo now instead of sharing with my siblings!”…. but we all know that once his family is out of shampoo and soap, he will be sharing with them. I laughed at the boys as they excitedly ran into the storage area to put on their new deodorant. Many of these students cannot afford or do not have access to deodorant. We also received a donation to buy vitamins for all our students. This is a huge blessing, as our students have low immune systems due to lack of vitamins in their diet at home. They are enjoying their gummy multivitamins every morning. Please keep us in your prayers as we get back into the swing of things here at school.
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Praise and Prayer items:
Praise God for providing me with another vehicle after my accident in April
Praise God for the hearts that are opening to the gospel in the village of Corarayvo
Praise God for each students that will be attending Oaks of Righteousness this school year.
Praise God someone has offered to build us a website, soon we will be sharing our new website with you!
Pray for the Caraveo family in the mountains that are going through a very difficult time. Pray for healing for the grandpa and the little boy in the hospital.
Pray for wisdom for our teachers as we teach the students. Pray that our school could be a safe place where the students can grow and become men and women after God’s own heart.
Thank you so much for all your prayers! God bless. Amanda.
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Our first women's night out, building relationships with women in the Tarahumara community.
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