Quechula

The Temple of Santiago

The Temple of Santiago, more commonly known as Quechula, was built in the mid 1500s. The town, by the same name of Quechula, was founded by Bartolomé de las Casas with the assumption that it would be a strategic location to connect the important settlements of central Mexico. The church was large and grandiose in hopes of attracting a large population, but that never came to pass. It's believed that the church never had its own priest, but relied on priests from other dioceses.

The town was all but abandoned after a plague hit the community in the late 18th Century. Then in 1966 the Malpaso Dam was constructed and the church and surrounding area was flooded. Since that time, it's only been recorded to have emerged from the water three times--2002, 2015, and 2019.

We made the three hour trip in 2015 and again last week. It was so much fun to climb and explore. We even swam in the murky water!

The Wounded Soldier

     A lot has been done in recent years to address the invisible battle scars that our military soldiers inevitably acquire during their years of service to our country. I by no means wish to diminish those scars by comparing battle wounds, but as missionaries, we have their own scars too.
   

     What makes it hard for a missionary?

• I am the enemy. As a child we were told, "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt." While it may be true that words do not physically harm us, they do take their toll. We are often laughed at simply because we have greeted someone in the street. We are stared at every time we leave our home. Lies are spread about us frequently. It's hard to build friendships in this environment
• Scabies, Salmonella, Brucellosis, Typhoid...the risk of infectious disease is constant. We've encountered all four of these, plus many others that I can't begin to name.                                         One of my children injured his foot to the point that he had intense pain when he put any weight on it. The easy solution in the U.S. is to get an x-ray. Here it's not that easy. We did take him to the hospital that's located an hour away. We were happy that there was actually an x-ray technician there that day. And they had the plates. (Is that what they call them in English?) But they did not have the liquid needed to develop the x-ray.                                                                       On another occasion, my youngest son suffered a severe eye injury. It was a 2.5 hour drive to find an eye specialist. Such a scary day! We prayed the whole way there that he wouldn't lose his eyesight. 
• Diarrhea, headaches, nausea...again, in the U.S., it would be a simple procedure of going to the lab and getting the necessary tests run. The people we live and work among suffer these symptoms frequently. I almost think it's become "normal" for them to have these symptoms. They rarely seek medical attention. And yet, most of the time they are contagious. Because of poverty and isolation, there isn't really a solution for them. They can't afford a trip to the city to get the tests done. And even if they did, they rarely have enough water to keep bathe or mop their floors. We often suffer the same illnesses because we choose to be with the poor, to eat the food that they offer to us, to drink whatever they hand to us. 
• Marriages are damaged. It's hard to find someone that you trust to watch your kids so that you can have a date night with your spouse. For us, in our situation, even if we could find a babysitter, there isn't anywhere that we can go. Sure, there is a taco stand in town, but going there would not make for a date night. It would be ministry as we visited with anyone who wanted to talk. 
• Conversations with my children are difficult. Don't get me wrong. In the long run, these are the kinds of conversations we should all have with our kids, but sometimes I'm not ready. A few years ago, our 12 year-old neighbor died when a tree fell on him. My son, age 7 at the time, took the death very hard. He hid in his bed, under every blanket and pillow he could find. When I finally found him, his first words to me were, "Does this mean that Felipe is in hell?" That's a lot for a child to process. We've had lots of similar conversations that I wasn't ready for--abortion, homosexuality, teenage pregnancy, drug trafficking, and more. 
• Loneliness and Depression. We lose a lot of friends. We say goodbye frequently to the people we love the most. When I say goodbye to a friend, I know that we can stay in touch through social media, but my children don't have that option. Their best friends live in other countries, or even other continents! (Ultimately, that's really awesome, but in the moment, it hurts our hearts.)

I would have despaired unless I had believed

 that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. 

Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; 

Yes, wait for the Lord.

Psalm 27:13-14

Beautiful Feet

“And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? 

As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.’”

Romans 10:15

     We have a mission team with us this week from the St. Louis area. They have blessed us in many ways over the last year and a half. They come to work in spreading the Gospel, and while they’re here, they love on us and minister to us.

     The team always brings us goodies from the US that we can’t get here—Peanut Butter M&Ms, Miracle Whip, popcorn flavoring, and smoked almonds to name a few treats. But this time, they blessed our socks off! They brought new shoes for the whole family! It’s hard to find quality shoes without spending a ton of money.

     A special blessing...Levi loves bright colors and recently he had asked for red sandals. Unfortunately for him, they cost significantly more than than the blue sandals. He understood the reason, but he still desired the bright colors.

    Fast forward a week...and Levi now has red tennis shoes! I think he would sleep in them if I let him! He’s so happy with them.

     All that to say, God is so good to take care of us. Even the desires of our heart for red shoes!

Unnecessary Pain and Suffering

Today we had visitors. It was unexpected really. It was a family that we’ve known for awhile and they’ve visited our home a few times. But it was unexpected.

And the news that they brought was also unexpected. Their baby died two days ago. My heart hurts for the mom who lost her baby. But my heart is also frustrated. The baby died, we assume, from dehydration. He had diarrhea. Again, we assume it was caused by drinking contaminated water.

It was so unnecessary.

We have taught this family the importance of clean drinking water. The nurses in the clinic have taught about the necessity of boiling their drinking water. It is maddening!

Too often when we talk to people about the importance of clean drinking water, they tell us that it doesn’t make them sick. They tell us that it makes us sick, as foreigners, because our systems are weak. They have always drank water from the river or from the water pipe and they’re not sick.

The reality lies just below the surface. They are sick! Their systems are fighting illness almost constantly. They frequently suffer from diarrhea, fever, and headaches. And yet, they deny that water could be the cause.

It’s not hard to see the spiritual parallel. Too many have been baptized into a religion that has offered them eternal salvation based on a list of rules—do good, give to the poor, be baptized. Those are the basics. Do more good than bad and be baptized and you might go to heaven. Keep working hard.

We have come to tell them that salvation comes from faith in Jesus Christ alone. We have proclaimed the Truth that Christ died on the cross to forgive them. They just have to accept that Christ’s salvation is sufficient.  The message that we share sounds similar enough to what they are already doing. They believe in Christ, but they pray to Mary or another saint. They believe that Jesus died on the cross, but they light candles and repeat the “Hail Mary” over and over because Jesus is too busy to hear their prayers. Mary will listen and she will answer.

Too many people are dying and going to Hell because they believe that Jesus died for them. But they also believe that Mary forgives their sins. She listens to their prayers. She answers their requests. Jesus’ sacrifice for them was good, but essentially, it isn’t enough. They need more.

It’s so discouraging when I have a remedy that would heal their illness. There are medicines that would have healed that baby. And spiritually, there is a remedy too...faith in Christ, alone.

Community

     I'm not one to choose a "Word of the Year" or any such thing, but this year there is definitely a word that keeps coming to mind...

COMMUNITY:
1. a unified body of individuals: such as
     a. the people with common interests living in a particular area
     b. a group of people with a common characteristic or interest          living together within a larger society
     c. a body of persons of common and especially professional              interests scattered through a larger society

     I've known that I'm part of a community--especially in regards to the body of Christ, but the last six months have been a constant reminder that we are not called to travel this path alone.
     We have friends and family in the US who pray for us regularly and are supportive of what our calling implies. Talking with other missionaries, we realize that not all missionaries have parents and siblings who are supportive; on the contrary, some are very much against the idea of missions, or even Christianity.
     God has give us our mission board, and we are so grateful--the fellowship, the prayer network, personnel who specialize in Member Care and Homeschool consultants, our supervisors (past and present). The list goes on and on.
     Another amazing blessing has come through national churches. Not only have we been invited to worship with nationals, but we have spent time just "being" with fellow Christians. They have also been an amazing blessing when we have had physical needs--finding quality doctors or giving us a place to stay.
     So, as I begin this new year, I am reflecting on how the Lord has blessed me through the community of believers across the globe.

How good and pleasant it is when God's people

 live together in unity!

Psalm 133:1

   

Don Clemente

A donation of First Aid Kits was given to Don Clemente
and his son and daughter-in-law.

                The first time we entered the community of “White Hill,” we met Don Clemente, his face shining with kindness and gentleness. He answered all of our questions and told us a little about himself. As we talked, he sent someone to buy some soda. Before we left, he loaded us up with peaches, a squash, and some corn from his fields.  As we drove away, it was obvious that we had found a man of peace.  Through the years, our focus was on “Pine Hill,” so we didn’t see Don Clemente often. But always when we stopped in to visit, he was kind and generous with both his time and the fruits from his fields.

               One night, our son got sick and we took him to see the doctor in the clinic. To this day, I believe God used our son’s illness to put us in the right place at the right time, because when we got there, the clinic was packed with people. Most of the conversation around us was in ZK, so we didn’t understand much at the time, but we did realize that there had been an accident of some kind. Clay decided to take a closer look and learned that it was Don Clemente who had fallen while out cutting firewood.

After the handrail was installed,
Don Clemente was able to leave his house!

               The terrain all around “White Hill” is steep hillsides. Don Clemente had slipped and he fell many feet down the side of the hill. (I can’t be sure, but I’m thinking it was 300 feet.) He had hit his head and twisted his back. He was paralyzed from the fall, which for many in this area is like a death sentence, but he refused to go the hospital.

               A few weeks later while we were in the city, we were introduced to a man who was a homeopathic chiropractor. He traveled all over Mexico, giving treatments. Surprisingly, he had been to “Pine Hill” before and he assured us he would come to help Don Clemente. For the next few months, this man came every other week. Little by little, Don Clemente began to regain his strength until he could walk on flat ground.

               A year ago, a mission team from Ohio helped put in a handrail outside of Don Clemente’s house to help him have more freedom. And last summer a mission team from Idaho helped us hold a VBS for the children in the community. Since the VBS we have been visiting Don Clemente every Tuesday. We sing praises with him and the children who gather, and we tell a Bible story.

               Yesterday, being Tuesday, we visited again. After the story, Clay and Don Clemente chatted for a bit. Don Clemente is trying to encourage his sons to study the Bible with him, which we are excited to see. Because of this reason, we have been asked to give them time as a family. To be honest, I’m not sure how to take it. We’ve been kindly asked not to keep coming to the house for Bible Study.

               So, we ask that you pray for Don Clemente and his sons. Don Clemente’s plan is for the family to read the Bible together for 10-15 minutes a day. Our prayer is that God will reveal Himself to this family through His Word!

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16-17           

It's What We Do

         People often ask what we do on the mission field.  Sometimes that's a hard question to answer because often no two days are the same. One thing that never changes...we are always ready to tell a Bible story.

          Recently, Clay had the opportunity to visit a man who was dying. While in the small community, Clay had the chance to share the Gospel and to pray with the man. We may never know what was in the heart of that man, but we know that we were faithful in what God calls us to do.

          After the man died, we continued to visit this community. We've shared many stories of God's forgiveness, and his plan for our lives.

         Often, we are asked for medical advice. We fully acknowledge that we are not experts in the medical field, but the "common sense" that we have acquired from growing up in the US has given us great opportunities to help others. Sometimes it's as simple as checking a child's ears to determine if they have an ear infection or not. Other times, it was to share some eye drops to help an eye irritation.

       

        The kids are sometimes quite curious. I like to take selfies with them. When they see their picture, it makes them smile and giggle! Others tend to be shy and don't want to get too close.





               I wouldn't trade this life for anything! It's definitely not glamorous, and sometimes it's not even comfortable. (The photos don't show the bugs that are crawling on us...or the filth that surrounds us.) But the privilege of sharing the Gospel...of explaining God's great love...the joy in praying with someone who wants to honor God with their life...there's nothing quite like it in all the world!

               

Divine Power

               Recently we shared the story of when Jesus was tempted. He had been in the desert, fasting for 40 days, when Satan came to him and tempted him. First, Satan told him to turn stones into bread, because he was hungry. Next Satan took him to the pinnacle of the temple, where he told Jesus to throw himself down because God would send His angels. Third, Satan took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world. Satan offered these kingdoms to Jesus if he would bow down to him.

               As we shared this story with the ZK, we talked about the common temptations. For many ZK men, alcohol is their greatest temptation.  For the women, it’s often gossip. We discussed how, for me, Satan isn’t going to try to tempt me with alcohol because that’s not my weakness. But it’s important to understand our personal weaknesses.

Honestly, I know that I am inclined to listen to Satan’s lies. That’s my weakness—the lies that try to convince me that I’m wasting my time in Pine Hill. The lies that my children are missing out on all the American experiences—sports, music lessons, Sunday School, etc. How do I defend myself against the temptation to believe these lies? 

               The greatest lesson from this story is how Jesus overcame the temptations that Satan was throwing at him. His greatest weapon was the Word of God! If Jesus used Scripture, shouldn’t we also? And if we plan to use this mighty weapon, we must first train with it. Read it! Study it! Talk about it. 

 “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.

 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but have

divine power to destroy strongholds.

We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God,

and take every thought captive to obey Christ.”

2 Corinthians 10:3-5

In Bloom

   I purchased this plant in May as was part of my Mother's Day gift...

my attempt to brighten up my kitchen.

It did well for about a month, and then things went downhill fast!

It didn't help matters that we went on a trip for a few weeks. I placed it outside, and 

gave instructions to the neighbor on how to care for it. Unfortunately, there was a torrential

downpour while we were gone and the pour thing nearly drowned. 

A few weeks after that, we had another trip. This time, I asked the neighbor

to take the half-dead plant to her house so that it wouldn't get too much or too little water.

It had 2 leaves when we left...and 1 1/2 leaves when we got back.

The neighbor's chickens were trying to eat it!

I continued to care for my pour plant. It was quite

pitiful, really. But, I watered it regularly. I didn't give up, even though I was tempted to

pitch it in the trash and buy a cactus. 

On Christmas morning, there was a bud that just about to bloom!

I was so excited! I figured I had another day or so, but that afternoon, I was surprised 

to find a beautiful pink flower decorating my kitchen window.

Of course there is an illustration to be made, right?

The week of Christmas was kind of a rough time. It's always just a

little bit sad to be so far away from extended family. The kids are extra nostalgic,

thinking about previous years when they were with grandparents, or seeing the Christmas lights.

And to be honest, we were discouraged with the ministry. We've poured five years into "Pine Hill,"

and we haven't seen much return.

On Christmas morning, God whispered encouragement into my heart. 

Sometimes, it's not easy. Sometimes you want to just through it in the garbage

and start over. But, how much sweeter it is when you can see the beauty that comes

from care and patience.

What Does Your Pantry Look Like?

         While visiting at a friend's house, we were impressed by their "pantry." They were storing their corn in the corner of the room. We thought it looked like a good amount of corn. They said the harvest wan't that good this year.

           Who wouldn't love a beautiful set of baskets for decoration? But these beauties are not just for decoration. They're used to store corn, beans, or coffee. I especially love the 3 different colors. They all would have started out like the light one on top. But with age (ahem...smoke), they turn colors.

          This basket was holding some coffee beans.

          This is my friend Teresa's kitchen. Could you imagine trying to make dinner in this kitchen? The work surface is about 10 inches off of the ground, so Teresa often sits on a low stool to be close to the fire. The pot on the stove (with the blue lid) was full of tamales!

         In the foreground is a blackened pot. It's what Teresa uses to make coffee. Can you imagine tending the fire all day to keep the coals just right? Today was a good day to be around the fire! It's the only source of heat in the home, and it's cold--inside and outside!

          This is Teresa's mom. Isn't she cute?! She can't live on her own anymore, so Teresa is taking care of her. She keeps her walking stick handy. She was very concerned for our well-being tonight. She made sure that we were offered coffee and hot tamales! She explained that since this is the Christmas season, many are hosting holiday festivities. Since she can't get out like she used to, they made their own tamales.

Sewing Class

          In July of this year, we received a volunteer from our home church in Idaho. Rose was a blessing in many ways, but one ministry that she headed up was a sewing class. We started off with a simple project--a sewing kit. For some, this was an easy project that provided them with some sewing staples at their fingertips. For others, it was one of the first sewing projects that they had ever attempted.

Listening closely...

Concentrating...

         Another important element of sewing class was childcare! Ellie was in her element, caring for the little ones and keeping them safe...which is easier said than done when Mommy is working with pins and needles!

The class was a success in many ways. The women each were successful in making an article of clothing. We built relationships. And we shared about Christ's love through Bible stories. There is more interest in at least one of the women. Would you pray for more opportunities to share Christ?

Spreading the Word

     


     As I stood under a coffee tree, I thanked God for the opportunity to share of His great love. We had been invited to talk to a young man who expressed a desire to know more about what happens to us after death. He had just lost his grandmother, and the thought of death was scary.
     We thought we'd be sharing in a home, but God has taught us to always be prepared. So we shared on the side of the road, under a coffee tree. And instead of sharing with one young man, we shared with about 20 young people.
     We may never see the young man again, but seeds have been planted. The rest is up to God.

What does church look like where you live?

     "What does church look like where you live?"

     While I can't answer for all of Mexico, I can answer about what it looks like in the town of "Pine Hill." You'll remember from your childhood Sunday School classes that we are the church, right? It's not about the building, but rather about the body of believers who gather.

    We hold worship in our home...or in our carport. (It's not a garage.) And when we travel to other villages, we hold worship in homes, or on the sidewalk.

It was a cool evening! We huddled together in Peter's home.

The power was out, so we had worship on the street.

I Will Give You Rest

Sometimes it's easy to see the burden that others carry...more often the burdens are invisible. 

My prayer for the ZK people is that they will come to Him, and lay their burdens at his feet. I pray that they will learn from Him, and that they will find rest for their souls.

What's it like in Pine Hill?

        Four years ago, on May 1st, we moved to the village of Pine Hill. You won't find "Pine Hill" on a map--that's not the real name of the community we live in. But, for security, we don't use the real name in any publication.
     
 It's hard to define "Pine Hill." Recently we had a discussion as to whether it's a community, hamlet, a village, a town, a city...

The walls in this house are a
combination of tin roofing, boards,
and small branches.

The term ‘village’ refers to a small area with small population which follows agriculture not only as an occupation but also as a way of life.





We also realize that the population, which numbers around 6,000, can be misleading. It sounds like a town based on those numbers. But, we have limited amenities...no gas station or post office; water and electricity are unreliable; local stores have a decent but limited selection of goods. We have roads that have been paved, but are in desperate need of repairs.

A traditional ZK shelf...
Instead of a support underneath,
or nailing it to a wall,
a shelf is hung from a post
using wire or rope.

Many houses are made of cinder block. Others are made from boards. Tin roofs are most common. The government has assisted in making sure that houses have concrete floors.

Baby chicks and drying coffee beans!

This lady was out looking for water.

Great Joy!

For the last year or so Levi has been telling us that he wants to be baptized, but when we would sit down to talk to him about what it means, we never felt he really understood enough. But we kept talking about it. A lot. (It tends to be a topic that we talk about at our house often.)

Even last week, while studying our Bible lesson during homeschool, Levi brought up the topic again. Clay happened to be home, so I sent Levi to talk to him. Again, we didn’t feel he quite grasped the significance of how our sin separates us from God.

Sunday night, Levi got in trouble for his misbehavior. Specifically, we told him that his actions were a direct result of his anger towards his brother, and that was sin.

We didn’t think much more of the incident. It was kind of a typical evening…until Levi approached me, sobbing, and he told me, “I don’t deserve to go to heaven!” It took me a minute to understand what he was talking about. Levi said, “Because of what I did…I don’t deserve to go to heaven!”

“I agree with you,” I told him. “You don’t deserve to go to heaven because you are a sinner. But you know what? I don’t deserve to go to heaven either, because I’m a sinner.”

Levi looked at me a little surprised, but kept sobbing uncontrollably.

I reminded him of the lesson from our Bible study group from the week before. “No one is righteous. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. But…while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. He gave His one and only son, who died on the cross, and he promises that if you believe in Him, you can have eternal life. If you confess your sins, He is faithful and just to forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness!”

“I want to be saved,” Levi muttered through his tears.

“Do you want to ask Jesus to forgive you?” I asked.

“Yes,” he said.

And so, I was given the blessing of listening to my son pray and ask Jesus to forgive him of his sins. He repeated the ABCs of Salvation that is taught in the VBS curriculum…admit that you’re a sinner, believe that Christ died for you, and confess that Jesus is Lord.

All of this was repeated through tears, and occasionally he was overcome with sobs. But after praying, he felt a peace that passes all understanding.

For me, it was heartbreaking to listen to him sob as he realized the gravity of his sins. But, it was joy to listen to him confess Jesus as Lord. And it was a reminder to me…when was the last time that I sobbed over my own sin? When was I heartbroken over the thought that my sin separates me from Jesus?

“For godly grief produces a repentance that leads

to salvation without regret,

whereas worldly grief produces death.”

2 Corinthians 7:10

Random thoughts and pictures

This is the view that we often see when we travel
out of our village. We have to cross the mountains!

You think your housework is tiring?
These women cook over a wood fire...so of course, they have to have wood.

Your commute to work gets icy?
Imagine this in the rain!
And remember, it rains an
average of 12 ft per year.

A few kids...
keeping their distance!
This was our first trip into this remote
village. We hope to return soon!

A mom and her kids, hiking back up
to their house. This is a path that we
take to visit our friend, Felicity.
Since my knee surgery last year, I
have to be careful when I visit.

See how the clouds settle down over the village?

This is a local construction site.

This ramp is how they get the
materials to the roof.

Open Their Eyes

Through the eyes of Levi...

We used to visit this house on occasion, and there were always eyes peeking at us through the slats. And you know what, my kids enjoy peeping through those slats too!

Smiling eyes of Ryan

       



       Now we are meeting in this home weekly, sharing the Good News, building relationships...

                ...and making memories that my kids will never forget.

Beautiful eyes of Ellie

My prayer for my children...
         and for the ZK people
...that God will open their eyes.

Bashful Matthew

"...to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light

 and from the dominion of Satan to God,

 that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance 

among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me."

Acts 26:18