Hello family,
What a crazy last few months it's been! The semester is already over half-way done and it feels like it just started. Classes have been going well and the Conversation Clubs have been flourishing, but the thing that I've been most excited about is our Bible study on Thursdays. We've had both Christians and non-Christians attending and it has been awesome! Among the group, four young men have been attending consistently and I want to ask you to join us in praying for them. Ronnie and Kevin are both unbelievers that are former students of mine. I've been able to talk with them many times about Jesus and the Gospel. They are hungry and seeking the truth, but they haven't quite been willing to completely surrender their lives to the Lord. Please pray they would. Samuel and Saul are two Christians that have been attending the study as well. They both love Jesus and it's clear that God has called them to be leaders that point many to Jesus. Please pray that I would be able to really pour into them and disciple them as God raises them up to reach the university.
I am also very excited and blessed to be able to attend the CRU (Campus Crusade for Christ) national conference next week! God so generously provided for me and Samuel to be able to go. I'm hoping to be able to bring Priscilla and the kids if I can attend next year. This year it will be in Leon, Guanajuato. I look forward to building deeper relationships with the CRU Mexico staff and to talk to them more about what Jesus wants to do in Chihuahua. Please join us in praying that God would send a full-time CRU missionary here to Chihuahua to join us in reaching UACH with the Gospel!
We had a bit of a crazy week this week. I won't go into all the details here, but to summarize, our only car was wrongfully detained and impounded by the Mexican police. I got a ticket for not wearing my seat belt--guilty as charged --but then the officer also began to accuse me of driving illegally with the car permit visa we have. After having the car impounded and talking to government official after government official, the final verdict was that I was driving legally and it was all a big mistake. One man even admitted that what happened was very wrong and unfair. We know, however, that it was all permitted by the Lord. One reason is that I "conveniently" ran into one of my old students at the DMV. I had talked with him about the Lord before, but hadn't seen him in a year or so. He is struggling and I was able to talk with him about Jesus and His desire to have a relationship with him. He was on the edge of tears by the end of our talk. His name is Fernando--please pray for him. Everyone we've talked to here in Mexico says that the officer did all of this because he was hoping to receive a "mordida" (bribe) from me. There are many awesome people and things about Mexico--but these are the types of things that will only change when the Lord does a powerful work throughout Mexico. Please pray for a country-shaking revival in Mexico! Also, we've been trying to save about $5,000 to buy a car with Mexican license plates and were hoping to do it in the next month or so (to avoid situations exactly like this!). Please join us in praying for the Lord's provision for that.
Finally, God has been doing a really cool work with Priscilla and I as we've been praying more about our role in the church and our future here in Chihuahua. He is doing powerful things in us and in our marriage and we know that it is because he wants to do powerful things through us moving forward. We don't have all the details but we do feel like the Lord may have us planting a church on this side of town sooner than we had previously thought. Please pray for God's will and timing with this and we'll keep y'all updated. If you read this far--thanks for keep up-to-date with what God is doing and joining us in reaching Chihuahua with the Gospel! May the Lord continue to bless you and draw you closer to Himself!
-Tim, Priscilla, Josiah and Hannah
Eph. 3:20-21
Praise Reports
- The Lord is doing a great work in our hearts and in our family!
- God is working at UACH in the Thursday Bible study!
- The Lord showed us favor with our car so that a crazy situation that started with the car being wrongfully detained by police ended with the charges dropped and the car returned.
- The Lord provided so that I (and a student of mine) can go to the CRU conference in Guanajuato next week!
- Josiah did great with his karate exam to receive his advanced orange belt and Hannah has her big dance recital this weekend!
Prayer Request
- For God's continued hand with the ministry at the university--especially with the Bible study and the Conversation Club. For many opportunities to share Jesus with the students and for many to be saved!
- For the CRU conference--that I would be able to further build relationships with CRU Mexico staff and help plan for the future of CRU in Chihuahua.
- For vision, clarity and unity as we move forward with plans to plant a church on the north side of Chihuahua.
- For the kids as they finish the school year and especially for Josiah as he prepares to switch schools next year.
- For God's provision for a car that has Mexican license plates and runs well.