June 27, 2007

Dear All,

Just a quick note to let you know I enjoyed and survived my 10-day whirlwind tour of northern Mexico and south-central Texas. I praise God for encounters with dear friends, a clean bill of health from my doctors (though a colonoscopy awaits me in October!), and for the safe journey the Lord provided for the organ (yes, it was an electric organ, not a human organ!). I returned to Nuevo Laredo last Friday and passed through Monterrey to pick up sister Martha before we made the nine-hour trip home. Despite the terrible forecast, the weather was perfect for driving: mostly cloudy but no rain! God heard our prayers and protected His organ.

I hit the ground running (though the running here is a much slower pace than what I became accustomed to on the border) with a special anniversary service here in Frijolillo (forty-third anniversary of the sanctuary), a meeting with the leadership of the presbytery and the leaders of the presbytery’s Bible Institute (they invited me to participate as a teacher, though I asked them to wait until January to give me time to finish my own course work at Fuller and time to learn the ins and outs of their program), helping the secretary of the presbytery’s women’s organization type up her reports and agendas for an August women’s convention, and lots of “play time” with the kids here in Frijolillo (my house in quickly becoming Grand Central Station at least two or three times a week, and I would have it no other way).

Tomorrow I will go to Tamazunchale as I am “madrina” (godmother) for a fifteenth birthday celebration for a young woman in Chapulhuacanito, and my charge is to help her find (and of course pay for) a “day after” dress—her first dress as a “woman.” I look forward to the fellowship with Karen and her mom, Paz, as well as a stop at sister Raquel’s house for lunch. (Raquel is the missionary/pastor of the Chapul church. I have spoken of her quite a bit.)

I must close for now, get the kids to put the coloring books and puzzles away so we can all go to tonight’s prayer and worship service.

I will write a more complete update next week about my ventures thus far. I heard lots of fascinating stories behind the building of the Frijolillo church last Sunday and I want to share them with you. Stories of tremendous faith and commitment, which challenge us all, even the Frijolillo church of today.

Thank you so much for your prayers while I was on the road the last two weeks. Though the trip was not restful, it was covered with God’s grace, no doubt a product of your prayers as well.

His peace be upon you in the coming week.

In His love,

Susie

The 2007 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 66