Changes of Plans
In April our team left the tribe when our co-worker Dan suffered from anaphylactic shock after a penicillin shot. For several weeks we stayed in town while he recovered from a variety of illnesses as well as edema around his heart and arrhythmia. When it became evident that Dan was still too weak to return, our team planned our next trip without the Alkire family, leaving them in town to recoup. In need of some hard workers to replace Dan, Sarah, and Josiah, we invited Pete and Liesl Hypki to join us. They proved to be such a valuable asset, that we thought we should have them around permanently! We are happy to announce that the Hypkis are joining the Las Moras team to reach the Nahuatl.
One of the reasons our team was in a hurry to return to the tribe was a dental clinic we had scheduled during May. Two dentists traveled from the U.S. and generously volunteered their time in our village. During a few short days they did over 400 procedures, including countless fillings, root canals, and even some surgery! We pray that the Nahuatl sense our desire to meet some of their physical needs while we learn what we need to in order to meet their spiritual needs.
Like a Ton of Bricks
Another major work project that faced us during our return trip to the village was moving about 1,500 adobe bricks under shelter in preparation for the coming rainy season. These bricks are about 18 inches long and weigh nearly 30 lbs each, so you can imagine how much we looked forward to this job! We also spent our days visiting our neighbors, cleaning, trying to set up a satellite system, cooking, digging ditches, and getting the house ready to be closed up. During one hike to a nearby village, we met a young man who had injured his toe with a machete. The cut was dirty and infected and since the doctors weren’t in town, we even preformed some impromptu medical work.
Off We Go…
During the summer months, our team will be all over the place. Alkires have returned to the U.S. to seek medical help for Dan’s back. Please pray that he will receive good news and good help. Because Rachel and I cannot stay in the tribe by ourselves, we will also be out for the entire rainy season. Rachel will visit family in the U.S. and Canada, and I will head to Michigan to see my family and supporters. The Elkins and Hypkis will also be traveling to see family and friends. Our scattered group will reunite in October and, as soon as the roads are dry, will move back into the tribe and begin work there again. We’ve talked as a team about the confusing timing of our situation; we desperately want to be with Nahuatl, learning the language and preparing to share the gospel. We know that God knows this and loves the Nahuatl and wants to draw him to himself. And so, while we don’t understand the delays before us, we trust that his heart is good, his hand is mighty, and his timing is perfect.