Well, we have been lax in updating the site for various reasons, some good and some not so good. Joe had some serious health issues in 2009 and I was taking up the slack for him during that time. He is taking medication and the situation is much improved though still not the best it could be.

We are continuing the ministry work here in spite of all that and the violence which seems to have sent others packing. The last Sunday of each month, we have baptisms and there are always people to baptize. The small mission extension where we were working is now being lead by a couple who served under us there. It is so good to see God raise up Mexicans to reach out to and minister in their own country. This has permitted us to do other things here in the church. Joe leads intercession each Monday night. We are each leading a different group through the book Experiencing God. Joe has a “new life” group and I have a regular cell group each Thursday night. Late night Tuesday is when Joe has the “Without Excuse” cell group for those who can't come Thursday evening. For the people who can't come at night, we have the Saturday afternoon cell groups where Joe leads the men and I lead the “new life” group. We have also been ministering inner healing and liberty to people with oppression, depression and other problems.

Last month, the pastoral team, ourselves and two other couples, honored the workers in the church with a banquet. We did everything, decorations, entertainment and even served the meal. It was a blast. Everyone enjoyed it tremendously. The pastors, and their children, all dressed up as heros.

We just started working on next month's “Friends Banquet” where we have dinner and entertainment. We do this four times a year. Everyone who invites someone pays the tickets for the people they invite. There are always decisions for Christ at the banquets. Our goal this time is to have 600 people at the banquet. We are having a well known saxophonist for entertainment this time.

The medical/dental outreach trips into the mountains to the indigenous were a successful foundation. People from the church now make a trip to the mountains every month to have services. This is a miracle as the indigenous people are a very closed society. To be accepted by them in this way is truly the work of God.

The self help groups are about to start up again. They are offered at all four extensions and last 10 weeks. There is a “graduation” meeting at the end. Many of the people then start coming to the church because they have accepted the Lord after He changed their lives through the series.

The world wide financial crunch is being felt here as well, so we are looking for ways to supplement our income, which is also giving us a way to be more involved with the community and impact it for the Lord. Joe has been designing and maintaining websites, so he is busy keeping other people's sites updated and not ours. I have been busy researching linguistics for a class I am teaching at one of the university's here in town. And they just gave me two other classes so that has increased the research I need to do to prepare. But to continue teaching there, I will need to get a master's degree. That would mean a lot of money and time away from the ministry, so we will see how God wants to handle this situation.

To finish this report, we now have ten people signed up to be baptized this Sunday, February 28. The men, pastors and the male cell group leaders only, will be going on a retreat this weekend. So another female pastor and I will be doing the baptisms. Yippee!

The stories below are from when we were updating the site more regularly back in 2008, but we didn't want to delete them in case someone wanted to read them.

Thanks for your prayers and support. We do appreciate it and are so glad that you are helping with God's work here.