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The Gift of Presence
June was a busy month for us, and as always, July is even busier! We have been hosting numerous events at the Ranch, preparing for summer camp, for the arrival of our interns (who, thankfully, all made it here safely), and we also hosted 2 different short term teams! As part of all of this work, we have had multiple meetings with various Mexican ministry partners. At one of the meetings, we were talking with our partners about what we have to offer short term ministry partners, both interns and groups, and about what they have to offer us, and how it is a two-way partnership: we both have things to learn from each other. We talked a bit about how some short term teams, from the US in particular, often view their contribution in physical or tangible terms: projects completed, donations brought, hours worked, etc. We talked about the need for our Mexican ministry partners here to offer their perspective to teams; the perspective that presence is also a valuable gift. We need each other and the gift of being with one another in unity.
Convivencia is a Spanish word that means to “live with.†It is a beautiful word that could also be translated as fellowship. This non-tangible gift is what means the most to our Mexican partners. Many, many stories were shared, but one in particular touched our hearts.
Eva (one of our partners in the colonias where the Ranch focuses in ministry) shared a story that happened last summer. We received a Spanish speaking church from the US here at the Ranch for a week of ministry. The same week they were serving with us, Eva and her husband, Juan, were struggling with a student in their ministry. The short term team arrived at a ministry event in the midst of a discussion about whether or not to ask this particular child to leave the ministry for a time. His behavior had been wildly out of control, and he was actively running other children out of the group. Juan and Eva were at a loss for what to do, as they didn’t want to send him away, but they also needed to address what was happening. There was a man in the short term group who took the child aside and sat with him for 2 hours; they did some talking, some sitting in silence, and they just watched the activities without taking an active role in that moment. As Eva shared, she said she still has no idea what they talked about, but that after that conversation this child was a completely new child.
He continues in the ministry today, and comes regularly to events that Juan and Eva host and that the Ranch hosts. Eva almost couldn’t finish her story because, nearly a year later, she still cries thinking about the change in this little boy. He no longer disrupts the group, but actively and appropriately participates.
Presence, convivencia, fellowship, unity…these are gifts which go beyond projects, buildings, and programs.
"How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity!" Psalm 133:1
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Ranch News
School trips. Church retreats. Summer programming!
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At the Ranch in June, we hosted more than 250 Mexicans through various school events and church programs! Without any advertising on our part, local schools have begun to call us and ask us about hosting field days and family events for schools. It’s been a fun experience for us and a unique opportunity to share Jesus with school directors (principals) and teachers as they ask questions about who we are, what we do, and why we would do this work. Many of the families ask for our contact information and desire to come back and have picnics or meals with us. As so many of you pray, the Ranch is a truly unique place where people have an encounter with God. Please keep praying that God would continue to give us opportunities to share the gospel of Jesus with those who come through the various Ranch events. Here are some pictures from various school events: some adaptive riding with a school for children with disabilities, a father’s day field day with a local elementary school, and a private English school who came out with teens for a day of practicing English and making s’mores—something they had never heard of before!
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Ali participated in her dance recital last month and had a lot of fun with her friends! We’re really thankful we returned in time for her to learn a dance with her group. Thanks for praying with us for this! Kylah started attending a small kindergarten twice a week. She has 2 big sisters who do a lot of talking for her, and we realized she needed some time to herself to feel like a big girl and use more of her Spanish. She is LOVING school, and we’re thankful that it has worked out for her to do this for a time! All of our girls have enjoyed having groups here using the Ranch. One of the groups was a local church that brought families to camp at the Ranch. The girls quickly made friends with some of the other little girls, and they thoroughly enjoyed the whole weekend. Our girls are hoping their new friends come to summer camp this year!
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1. Pray for the next 3 weeks of summer camp and all the final details that we are currently implementing. Pray specifically for our transportation needs. We are planning to bring children to the Ranch EVERY day of summer camp, instead of using a small dirt area in the colonias and only coming to the Ranch for one day. Pray that the driver we have rented is reliable and that it’s a blessing to all involved (bus driver, the children, our community, etc.) Pray for the children and youth that will be coming.
2. Interns have arrived!! Pray for safety, health, group unity, and growth in the Lord over rest of the summer. We will have 19 over the course of the summer, 7 from the US and 12 from Mexico.
3. As the weather heats up, it is difficult on all of us. Please pray for an extra measure of patience and strength for all of us!
4. Praise the Lord for busy months of ministry and for all the ways the Ranch is being used to expand God’s kingdom and bless the city of La Paz. Praise the Lord for all the partners in ministry around the world that participate to enable this ministry to happen.
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