Let it Rain

We are officially into summer, which means rainy season up here in Las Moras. An opportunity to resupply for the next 4-5 months out here (muddy mountain roads don’t travel easily!) went well, and upon returning we hurried to prepare for the arrival of regular, ongoing rain and thunderstorms. By God’s grace, we got it done on time – bring on those showers!

Our House Construction Status page is newly up-to-date, and now outlines our revised goals for the next several months. Since its publishing, Pete and I successfully installed a pressurized water system for the house: one still without faucets, but also without leaks! With another week or so of work, we hope to put the system to work: finishing the outhouse, installing a half bath and twin-tub washing machine, and setting up a temporary shower (with plastic sheeting instead of tile) and kitchen faucet.

Continued progress on the house will be won through perseverance and hard work: we are up to four cancelled work teams, with two to three more uncertain as the virus rebounds in places. We still have seen no evidence of the pandemic’s arrival in Las Moras – for which we continue to thank the Lord! Similarly, we are grateful that God has provided a semi-permanent doctor and nurse on-site for the next several months, which will prove invaluable if – when? – COVID-19 does make its presence known.

With the arrival of summer comes our kids’ two month vacation from home school – and an opportunity for Amy to start her formal study of the Nahuatl language and culture! She already has a handful of language sessions under her belt, and is building a good list of terms and phrases. The official, consultant-sponsored ‘kick off’ of our study program will take place next weekend… and though it is ‘only’ the first step in a process which will require years of faithful investment to achieve, we thank God for bringing us faithfully to this exciting day!

As we rejoice in these steps, several challenges remain in the near future. One of our sisters-in-Christ has left the village following the untimely burning of her house – something in which an inter-family feud is rumored to be a factor. Coronavirus precautions continue to prevent the Nahuatl church from meeting corporately, though God has opened a door for small group gatherings! Meanwhile, our church-planting team faces changes which necessitate reorganizing major aspects of our strategy moving forward. We are certainly learning that flexibility is a core prerequisite for life as mountain church planters!

In all of these things, we remember the faithfulness of the God who brought us here. Just before the children of Israel crossed into the Promised Land, Moses reminded them of everything which He had done for them – things which had never in the history of the world been done before for any other nation (Deuteronomy 4:32-35ff). We too can look back and see proof of His love, provision, and mercy through each step of the journey to Las Moras. The obstacles ahead are daunting, but we continue to rest knowing God’s love for the Nahuatl people – and for us as well! – remains unchanged.

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Praising God!

• For progress in our construction tasks
• For Amy’s official start in language and culture study
• For rain, turning the mountains green once more!

How to Pray:

• For the Nahuatl church in a time without ‘normal’ fellowship
• For our sister-in-Christ whose house burned and had to leave
• For new challenges coming up for our church planting team