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Finding the edge of the church

That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:10-11

Hola! Sending you greetings from the deep south of Mexico

A QUICK SUMMARY

We are still doing People Group Assesments (PGA) here in Chiapas, Mexico:

• Ministry Update: We are continuing our investigations.

• Recent Travels: In the past few months we have visited Tojolabal, Tsotsil and Zoque communities.

• Travel Plans: Just a few more trips to go.

• Our Teammates: Jessica and Misael had a rough few months.

• Life Update: We have had a little culture shock down here.

• Los Niños: Thankfully they are getting accustomed to living down here.

MINISTRY UPDATE

We are still doing People Group Assesments (PGA) here in Chiapas, Mexico. What does that look like? First we make connections with people in the area. They’re mostly pastors, missionaries, or other local believers. Some connections are people we’ve met while living here and others are contacts we have been given by our coworkers and leadership.

When we meet with them we ask if they know of any villages for each of the groups we’re investigating. If so then we ask if they have any contacts there, if there are any churches of any type, and if they’d be willing to accompany us to those communities. Sometimes they know of specific areas and are also willing to go with us. Other times they’ll give us another contact to continue the search.

Once we are in the villages, we search out Christians if there are any, or locals that are willing to have a conversation. We want to get an idea of several things:

1) How much of their maternal language is still spoken? Is it the primary language in the home? Do the children and grandchildren still speak it?

2) How much Spanish is spoken? It’s very common for the youngest generations to understand the maternal language but only speak Spanish. Sometimes the maternal language is discouragred for various reasons.
3) Who is trying to reach this group or this specific community? Are there outside churches, foreign missionaries, etc. already working with them? Are there believers from the same people group already reaching them?

4) Is there already a church mature enough to be reaching their own people or even other groups?

We are searching for the edge of the church. The answers to these questions help us understand if the Gospel has already reached their communities, if they understand it well enough, and how mature the local church is if there is one.

Please pray that God continues to guide us in our relationships, investigations and conclusions. That we’re able to discern the state of the church here in Chiapas accurately enough to make faithful decisions as individuals, as a team, and as an organization.

RECENT TRAVELS

Since our last newsletter we have visited Tojolabal, Tsotsil and Zoque communities.

In December Gamaiel and Misael went on a several day trip visiting many Zoque communites, acompanied by another expat missionary who currently works with the Zoque. The women and children stayed behind since it was a very long trip and it was easier for the men to hop from place to place. They saw the clear need for the gospel in many areas.

The photo above shows a processional for the Virgin of Guadalupe (who is a highly venerated apparition of the Virgin Mary).

They happened to be visiting during the day of the Virgin of Guadalupe (December 12) which may have added to some of the hostility they encountered. In one small community, as they were already leaving, a young man threatened to burn them the next time they came around. Some places are very closed to outsiders and to the gospel. Others are much more open. Either way it’s always better to be welcomed and to go in with a local contact.

In mid-December we all went to visit a few Tojolabal communities. It was a lovely trip. We all felt comfortable being there and were warmly welcomed. We saw the persecution they experience there, how they are shunned, and the steep fines they have to pay for becoming Christian. We also witnessed the immense joy that they had in Christ. (The two leading photos at the top of this newsletter were also from that trip.)

In mid-January we took another trip to visit a different Tojolabal community way out in the middle of nowhere. To our surprise there was already a large and varied Christian presence (with small churches from various denominations). The older gentleman pictured above was the first Christian believer there. He had first been visited by our guide and his father 20 years ago. At that point he had already been a Christian for 10 years! He and his family have been following Jesus ever since.

On the same trip we also visited a small Tsotsil community of believers to get a better idea of their needs. So far we have seen that even when there’s a faithful church, discipleship is clearly lacking.  

Lastly, we just returned from a trip to visit several small Tsotsil villages. In each of these villages there was only a single Catholic church and no others. In one of them the Catholic church was only one year old, which is pretty much unheard of. These have been the least reached communities that we’ve seen among the Tsostils and are located well beyond what we would consider the edge of the church.

Please pray for each of these communities to come to know the saving grace of God through His Word and to cling to Jesus. That they would even grow to have a heart to reach the lost around them.

TRAVEL PLANS

We would like to visit the Tojolabal and Zoque groups at least one more time. We had another Tsotsil trip planned that was canceled due to blockades in the area (which are very common here in Chiapas), but it could still happen. We also have another potential Tojolobal contact which we would like to meet. At this point we don’t have any further leads on the Zoque. We are hoping to complete our investigations after the next few visits.

Please pray for further guidance, for clarity in communication as we ask challenging questions, for safe travels, and that we will be received warmly.

OUR TEAMMATES

Jessica’s dad paid her a surprise visit. It was good to meet him and spend some time together. He returned home to Mexico City after a few days.

Our wonderful teammates Jessica and Misael have had a rough few months, sadly. As a team their struggles are our struggles.

Please pray for them to stay encouraged, to find their joy in the Lord, and for abundant thankfulness as He continues to provide for their daily needs.

LIFE UPDATE

We have had a little culture shock down here. It’s very different than Chihuahua.

We have already gotten sick from food a number of times even though we try to be careful in what we eat. But we have no lack of good food to prepare at home.

The roads are much smaller here and there’s a surprising amount of traffic, so our big truck struggles to maneuver through town. But we are thankful to have a vehicle that fits us all comfortably and has no problems on the rough dirt roads that we encounter.

We also struggle with very little internet and cell phone connection at our house, which adds extra stress since so much of what we do for school and work is internet based. Phone calls, paperwork, and basic business transactions are often more difficult than we expect and have less than desirable outcomes.

These aren’t huge problems but they all add up to a certain level of culture shock that we haven’t experienced prior, even though we’ve lived in Mexico for almost 5 years. We recognize that we didn’t pick an easy job, and that everything we are doing down here is towards the glory and honor of our Lord and Savior. That makes it worth it.

Please pray that we persevere through the cultural bumps, that we rely on the grace and joy that Jesus gives us daily, and that we extend that same grace towards one another.

On March 1-10th we will be flying back to Chihuahua to renew our visas for 3 years. Gamaiel traveled 2 weeks ago to get his visa renewed and now it’s time for the rest of the family. We also have some dental work scheduled. Please pray for our travels and for success in our endeavors.

LOS NIÑOS

Thankfully Isei and Ayin are getting more accustomed to living down here. They are feeling more at home and finding their groove in the day-to-day rhythms of life.

However, they both desperately miss their friends. We have found one family down here who speaks English. The kids are similar in age but they are very busy with school and their missionary work.

Without many friends around, they seem to be growing closer, which is also an answer to prayer. Please pray for their hearts to find contentment in where God has us, that their friendship with one-another continues to grow, and that their love for Jesus deepens.

PRAISES

• Our PGA invesigations have progressed

• The Lord continues to call more people to Him

• The Ramirez family have been wonderful teammates

• Isei and Ayin’s relationship has grown closer

  
  

PRAYER REQUESTS

• For the believers here in Chiapas

• For the Lord to continue to guide us and protect us

• For continued open doors into the Tojolabal, Tsotsil, and Zoque communities

• For a clear and accurate conclusion to our investigations

• For the Lord to provide for and encourage the Ramirez family

• For friends for our kids & for their hearts to be content

• For our trip up to Chihuahua for visas and dental work

DO YOU NEED PRAYER?

Thank you so much for praying for us. We are so thankful for you. We would love to pray for you too. Please email us your prayer requests by replying to this email, or text Rebecca at: (805) 452-5449