Baby Shower!!!!!!

This past Sunday we had a babyshower for one of our ladies in the church, Rocio. It was a fun time of giving thanks and showing love for one another to Rocio and her husband Victor. It was a surprise babyshower which was especially fun! We had families bring in fillings for tacos! Yum, yum!! Several folks in the church also brought their microwaves so that we could heat everything up. We spent the day at the park and enjoyed playing volleyball, futbol rapido and even watched the Colts beat the Jets!!!!!! Our church folk had never seen me in my "fan stage". Of course I screamed when we scored touchdowns! This is a side they didn't know I had!!

We are so thankful for the church family that God is developing here at Nueva Vida. We have another family expecting in June! God is raising up families and we are so thrilled to be a part of it!

Sopes (Soap-pez)

On Saturday we had the privilege as a family to go to one of our newer church families home and eat something called sopes. Miguel and Lourdes and their family are another extended result of our English ministry. They live across the street where we hold our summer English classes. Lourdes and Miguel are now saved and are in the middle of the Bible Overview study with Sam. I've told some of our church ladies that I'd like to learn some more Mexican dishes. Lourdes took me up on the offer. Sopes are delicious! They are like a tostada in that you leave the tortilla flat and put stuff on top. A sope however has to be taken off the griddle immediately and then you form a crust around the edge to hold the yummies. Then you fry it in pork lard before spreading beans and other delicious toppings. The look on my face is that of pain. My nerves in my fingers were feeling the heat on Saturday. I've decided that I have very sensitive fingers. I can't tell you how wonderful sopes are!!!!!!!

Cinnamon our cute little puppy!

Our girls sure have enjoyed having a puppy around. I can't say that mommy is always as excited as they are. But I've learned that having animals makes a house more of a home. Our dog population is now three. For those of you that have been here and seen our house, that is a lot of pets. Cinnamon, the newest family member, however is an exceptional puppy. She actually behaves herself when she is permitted to come inside. She has claimed the loveseat as her seat. She is allowed to sit there if and only if she smells decent. Being a puppy she loses this privilege pretty quickly. Some of you might be wondering what kind breed is she. Well, she is a poodle/shitzu mix.

Installation Service at Iglesia Bautista Peniel, Mexico City

Yesterday we spent the day at a sister church. They were celebrating the Installation of their new pastor, Pepe Pozos. Sam has spent a year and a half leading this church along with their leadership team in first, mending relationships, growing in biblical leadership and secondly, going through the process of finding a new pastor. Pepe Pozos is a student in the Seminary where Sam teaches. Pepe will be graduating this May from the Seminary. We are rejoicing on how the Lord has brought this church and pastor to this point. Sam has enjoyed working with these dear brothers and sisters.


Sam had the honor of delivering the message at the Installation Service.


Pastor Moises Ruiz--mentor of Pastor Pozos


Special music by Avisai Aumada. He will be cutting some Cds in the future. Excellent voice! Avisai was in the youth group when Pastor Pozos led the group in his former church.


Leadership teaming at Peniel praying over their new pastor.


Packed out the place on Sunday at Peniel!

Praise God because only through Him can there be anything good!

Sam, Daniel, Elsa (the mother of Ana Elsa) and Ana Elsa

Do you believe in prayer? Do you believe that God is actively involved in our lives and the lives of others? I must admit that I sinfully have wondered at times the "why fors" in situations. Last night I was reminded that God loves us all so much.

Most of you remember a post that I had about a deaf neighbor of ours, Ana Elsa. We've been called up to her house on several occasions in the past due to family quarrels. I've gone up and found a noose around Ana Elsa's neck. She was very discouraged and wanted to just end her life. We've had friends often ask about Ana Elsa and I can joyfully say that she is now a follower of Christ!!! This past week she accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior! We've been studying and helping Ana Elsa understand the Scriptures for a couple of years now. Things move much slower with Ana Elsa as her vocabulary is limited and the way she processes information and truth isn't the same as it is for you and I. Ana Elsa processes most of what she receives by observing to see if what she is understanding is "true". Ana Elsa came over a year ago and asked about salvation. I can't tell you how many times and different ways we tried to explain the gospel. We illustrated it on the white board. We read from scriptures. We used real life stories... We could see that she needed more time. She did ask us what to say to God if and when she was ready. Of course we went to 1 John 1:9. I wrote out a prayer in very simple Spanish. I had forgotten all about it. Last night Natalie asked Ana Elsa what she did and what she told God. Ana Elsa pulled out of her Bible the prayer I had written and she went on to tell us how she knelt by her bed this past Wednesday and poured out her heart to God. Can you picture Ana Elsa, signing to God begging for forgiveness, admitting she was a sinner and realizing she can't save herself? Our powerful God knows every language and even knows how to sign!

There have been times we have been discouraged with how our deaf ministry wasn't growing or we didn't think we were being affective in the way we were communicating with them. Last night has encouraged us all to keep doing the simple, everyday acts of love and kindness and trust God for His timing and His results.

Praise God with us and please keep Ana Elsa and her family in your prayers. There are many folks around us that are sitting back and watching to see if our "truth" is really what we say it is.

Snapshots

We had such a fantastic time over the Holidays!!! We ate a ton of Mexican food! Laughed 'til our sides hurt and reflected back on all that the Lord has done for us this past year!


My parents flew down and spent ten days with us! We had a wonderful time together!


Here is a flower/fruit arrangement at San Angel where we ate brunch.


We had a great time fellowshipping with Alberto and Karla at San Angel.


Here are the cousins enjoying a fabulous meal on Christmas Day.


We had the bestest food ever at Jim and Ruth's and we enjoyed fellowshipping with Ruth's parents, sister, my parents and my inlaws.


Sam and Ellen Hornbrook came up Christmas morning. We did a very Hornbrook Tradition and put a puzzle together. It was so much fun!