March 3, 2008

Dear All,

Greetings from Frijolillo!

Just a note with a few prayer requests as we enter a particularly busy time in the life of the church and our presbytery in particular.

Please support us with your prayers for the following:

• My friend and colleague, missionary Raquel Bonilla Gonzalez of the Chapulhuacanito church, was called home to Oaxaca last Friday night because of a downturn in her mother’s health. From what I can gather from reports via another friend, her 86-year-old mom, Feliciana, is in stable but serious condition at home in Chichihualtepec. She has chronic lung problems. Please pray for the healing of sister Feliciana’s body and for the Lord’ strength and consolation for her children, particularly Sister Raquel. Pray also for the church in Chapulhuacanito as they move ahead in ministry without her.
• For the team from the presbytery here who will go to the remote community of Barco to help the church finish the walls of their sanctuary in anticipation of a team coming in May to put in the concrete floor. We will be in Barco this coming Monday through Thursday. Pray for safety in our travel across the river, for our health while there, for the brothers’ safety as they work on scaffolding, and that all will go smoothly despite Sister Raquel’s probable absence (she was the organizer of this event). Pray too that God would minister to his children there through us during our time with them. We look forward to daily worship times together as well as the physical labor.
• For the family of an elder from the Huitzitzilingo church, Jose Hernandez Posta, who passed away yesterday in Tampico after a short illness.
• For me and the completion of the two classes I am taking at Fuller Seminary. I have until March 21 to complete the work. I will make the deadline, but it will be a crazy month between the visit to Barco next week and other commitments to the presbytery in addition to my need to study. Please just pray that I will hear and obey God’s guidance as to the use of my time and that He will help me to complete the coursework satisfactorily.
• For the Bible Institute of the Huastecas, which has been reorganized for 2008. We will have classes two days each month in Chapulhuacanito. I am in charge of morning worship for each day and will be giving messages related to our development and character as leaders in the church. I have also been asked to teach a class on the “History of the Primitive Church,” which is really a general church history course. I have materials, but do pray for me as I prepare my lessons and pray that what I have to offer might be a real benefit to our students. Our first classes are March 12 and 13.
• And finally, pray for special Holy Week events here in the presbytery. We will be projecting the Jesus Film in Náhuatl in public arenas in a number of communities, and we expect large crowds. Pray for event organizers and for those the Lord would lead to the events, that the message of hope in Christ will be received with joy and commitment.
• And one praise! Simon, the 9-year-old son of missionary Saret Hernandez of the Taxicho church, was able to have the orthodontic surgery he needed in the state capital of San Luis Potosí last week, largely free of charge (part of the Mexican government’s health care coverage). It will be a long haul for Simon, as he will probably need braces and/or more surgery in the future, but the first steps have been accomplished. Continue to ask God to provide for Simon’s dental health. Pray too for his brother Jairo who suffers chronic lung problems (tendency to pneumonia) and appears to have some of the same orthodontic challenges his brother has.
• And one more praise! For my parent’s visit to the Huastecas last week. I enjoyed their company and an opportunity to show them around last Monday through Friday before they returned to the States. What a joy to have them visit my new home and get to meet my family here. They were a hit with the kids in Frijolillo.

Thank you so very much for standing in the gap for me and all your friends and brothers and sisters here in the Huasteca!

Love,

Susie

The 2008 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 256