Ready to find out where we are going?

This is the post you have all been waiting for…where we will reveal our mission post.

But, before we get to that, I would like to give tribute to our 3 weeks in General Cepeda, Mexico. 

We are driving back to Louisiana from Mexico as I write this.  The drive has provided many hours of reflection and conversation about our time in Mexico.  I asked everyone what they would like to share with you from our time in Mexico.  Isaac wants you to know about the miraculous events, Gemma wants to tell you about our visits to the Rancho’s, Augustine wants you to know about the fun he had, Bridget wants you to know about living in the Mission House, and Aviana wants to tell you that she talked  to people, played with people and was nice to people here in Mexico.  Jason wants to tell you about the work projects, and I want to share with you some of the people we encountered.

On top of a mountain over looking General Cepeda.

A big part of our time in Mexico was evening visits to the Ranchos.  There are around 45 Ranchos surrounding General Cepeda.  They are small communities of people living a simple life in the dessert.  Each Rancho has it’s own little chapel, but rarely has Mass celebrated.  The local priest has asked the missionaries to visit these Ranchos, bringing Prayer Services and sometimes even Communion Services.  When we visit each Rancho, we begin by walking door to door inviting each home to join us in prayer at the chapel.  Once the chapel bell has been rung for the third time, we begin in song.  After one of our prayer services, one elderly women asked us to pray for her husband.  We said we would pray for him right now, she then proceeded to lead us to her house, which was next to the chapel.  Her husband has been going blind for the past 6 years along with other physical conditions.  Their children do not visit or help, so Victoria is left to care for her husband on her own as well as try to bring in some kind of income.  We prayed over her husband,  Philipe.  After our prayer, he said that he felt the peace of God.  Victoria thanked us for bringing a moment of joy and hope to their lives, as it is difficult to maintain in their everyday life. 

Jason is helping attach piping outside of Victoria and Philipe's house,
so they can use their indoor toilet.
(photo by @aprilsimonecouvillon)

Often our Rancho prayer services end with inviting those who want to come up to be prayed over for special intentions or healing.  Our second week, we went to the same Rancho three nights in a row to offer a special “retreat” for them.  Our theme was healing.  The third evening we asked if anyone had testimonies to share.  One woman who had asked for healing for her arm the night before, which she could not lift over her head, shared the she could now lift her arm all the way over her head, and ended her testimony by raising her hands high praising the Lord for his healing!  Praise the Lord! 

A blessing for us in vising the Rancho’s was that we were able to get inside many homes and see how the people live.  I know that it was eye opening for my children to see the lack of running water, small living quarters, poor bathroom facilities, few possessions, etc.   Yet, when we invited them to the pot luck, many came with a pot of food to share with us. 

A chapel at one of the Ranchos.
(photo by @aprilsimonecouvillon)

Praying over people at the end of a prayer service at a Rancho.

Returning from inviting people to join the Communion Service.

We were so honored to be able to help so many people in our short time in Mexico.  There were a lot of people in need of so many different things.  We were able to give alms to someone in need of:  funeral expenses, hospital visit for cancer, diapers for an elderly mother, food for families, building a toilet for a family, medications, eye surgery, and more.  Jason, Isaac and Augustine were able to help clean a house of an elderly man who’s house was absolutely disgusting and literally had not been cared for in years.  Food all over the floor, piles of soiled clothing, feces cemented on the toilet, etc.

The girls came with me on home visits.  We visited some homeless people at the shelter in town.  We visited a 95 year woman on her death bed.  She was and has been in constant pain.  She quietly moans in sheer agony, all the while thanking us for being with her and telling of God’s goodness. 

For our Thanksgiving this year, we were able to invite those we served, people off the street, the poor and the rich to join us for a Thanksgiving feast!  We spent the morning preparing, and then we served and mingled with our 300+ guests.  It was a beautiful day of giving thanks to God!

Jason, Isaac and Augustine burning piles of garbage at their work project.
(photo by @aprilsimonecouvillon)

Outside of the 95 year old woman's house, where they have a little store selling 1 peso candies.
Aviana was gifted with a handmade little purse.

Thanksgiving Feast at the Casa de Missions, where we were staying for 3 weeks.

The second week, during desert day, we were given our envelopes with our mission post.  From that moment on, I must admit that it was a bit of a challenge to be fully present to life in Mexico and not think about ...

Malawi, Africa!!!!!
We will be joining the Herman Family at this mission post.  They just arrived a month ago and are excited to have us join them soon!  It is a new mission post for FMC, so there will be lots of opportunities to develop our own ministries.  Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world, where most people live on less than a dollar a day.  Please pray for us as we prepare for this exciting but also very challenging mission assignment.

Full of anticipation as we held our envelope that holds our future mission post!