Role-ing Along

Over ten years ago, our family stayed with Amy’s parents while raising support for ministry in Mexico. I had always enjoyed Rob, my father-in-law – but after living in the same house for several months, I found his love of pun-making was unexpectedly coming out in my own speech patterns. God’s Word repeatedly points out how much influence the people around us have in our lives… so when I noticed this pattern, I had great fun teasing Rob with passages such as I Corinthians 15:33: “Do not be deceived, ‘Bad company corrupts good morals,'” (CSB).

Rob’s influence in my life happily extends well beyond an occasional finely-crafted (or groan-worthy?) turn of phrase… however, when considering our developing ministry roles in Chihuahua, I could not resist paying homage to his witty ways in titling our update. Serving the Lord far from home only accentuates our appreciation for the family and friends we miss, and Amy and I are grateful for the Godly example set by all of our parents. Each one today continues inspiring our own pursuit of Jesus – even if a few odd quirks hap-pun to show up in the mix as well!

Last fall, we shared about the support ministries God has given us here in Chihuahua. The massive IT project mentioned is underway, teaching at the MK school has settled in to a productive groove, and that initial consultant training workshop did lead to joining the team consulting new missionaries’ Spanish studies. My first opportunity to observe a pair of evaluations in November went well, but things will really get serious this week as our team prepares to tackle seven evaluations at once! The other consultants-in-training and I will gain some great experience through that process, then prepare to do it all over again with ten more learners in April! Life is never too slow or dull on the mission field.

Amy has also kept busy: home life is always full, and ongoing health challenges only make it more so! Flu season was quite rough this year… between that and prior food allergy struggles, most of our kids missed far too many days of school. Much has improved over the past few weeks, and we continue to learn helpful things which make some difference. However, we still ask for prayer – in particular for Titus and Joel. Meanwhile, we’re excited to see that Amy’s energy levels have risen dramatically in the new year! This development has been over a year in coming, and we are incredibly grateful for the Lord’s provision of significant improvement for her here.

Outside our home, Amy continues serving in various mission musical activities. Co-directing the MK school’s Christmas program was one large project, and she also helps with music at some monthly field meetings and ladies’ group events. Not only does she enjoy this type of role, but helping in this way has been particularly meaningful now that Amy’s sister Maria – a former mainstay in this type of service – has returned from Chihuahua to ministry in the United States.

Both Amy and I have also added new ministry roles. We together joined the field’s Child Safety Team: a group dedicated to preventing child abuse in any form, shining light on any such evil which does occur, and coming alongside anyone hurt by this kind of sin. Praying our part never need go beyond the precautionary, we with God’s help are determined to defend the vulnerable among us should the need arise. Other changes include my interim office manager role becoming permanent – Amy helping through supply buying – and joining the team coordinating our field’s various Chihuahuan support ministries. To make time for settling into these roles well, I will not teach at Binimea in the coming school year… but hope to build on experience gained there through future opportunities to teach in Spanish.

Last week, the Kurvits family officially moved to Las Moras – joining Katie and Rachel on the team planting a church among the Nahuatl. Ryan and Kirsten are a wonderful couple (with great kids, too!). We met Ryan when he first came to Las Moras in 2021 with a work team, immediately appreciating so much about him and his character. It is easy to see the Holy Spirit at work in his life, and even in more limited time with Kirsten we have seen that same Christlikeness reflected in her. There is bittersweetness in their going – it will always be hard, I suspect, to not be able to serve in Las Moras ourselves. But I cannot imagine anyone it would please me more to see go serve the Nahuatl church, community, and missionary team than Ryan and Kirsten. Please join us in prayer for their family in its transition, for the church planting team as they learn to live and work together well, for the young church in Las Moras, for the ongoing Bible translation efforts, and for the surrounding mountain communities who – like all of us – so profoundly need Jesus.

Meanwhile, God is doing something fun and unexpected in Chihuahua this spring: a short-term team from Peaceful Valley Church is coming our way! Ethnos México holds all-field conferences every other year – a vital part of fostering field unity among our far-flung members, and renewing our focus on the unreached. When a last-minute need arose, PVC generously volunteered to send a childcare team – which allows our missionary parents to get the most possible out of this year’s conference. Amy and I will host the team on-site, and help plan trip logistics… so this spring will be even fuller than we had originally imagined! We are excited as we anticipate our friends’ (and some family’s!) upcoming arrival, and grateful for the Lord’s provision of them in this capacity.

Our thanks to each of you who partner with us in ministry – through prayer, encouragement, financial giving, coming out on short term teams… or any other way the Lord has led you! Here are some ways you can continue in prayer with us at this time, both thanking the Lord for His faithfulness and bringing the needs we perceive before Him:

Praising God!

• For a fruitful season of ministry these past few months, and the privilege of serving our church planters and support missionaries in many diverse ways.
• For His provision of a Peaceful Valley Church’s work team, meeting a key need for the field and letting us look forward to quality time alongside them soon.
• For a couple key family birthdays: Elayne is now 15 (a noted coming-of-age birthday in Mexican culture), and Titus is now become our second teenager.
• For dramatic steps forward in Amy’s mono symptoms over the past couple of months, with her daily energy levels and enthusiasm greatly improving.
• For the Kurvits family, their willingness to serve the Lord among the Nahuatl people, and the joy it brings us to see Rachel and Katie partner with a couple like Ryan and Kirsten.

Ways to Pray:

• That He continue strengthening us to serve well in the roles He gives, equipping us to fulfill His part for us in reaching Mexico’s unreached.
• That He lead us clearly in planning our upcoming summer furlough, including discernment in when to schedule long-awaited Midwest travel.
• That He provide healing and relief particularly for our sons, whose still-mysterious gut-related pains have led each to miss far too much school this year.
• That He uphold and sustain us in the busy season between now and May: that we prioritize well, set aside what we can, and continue resting in Him.
• That He bless the Kurvits family, the Nahuatl missionary team, the church in Las Moras, and all influenced by these four faithful servants the Lord has serving among the Nahuatl people.