Back to School
Our first Mexican Independence Day fiesta!
Hey friends! Sweaty September summer salutations to you all from one of the southern most points in the country and a reminder that the weather is always greener on the other side. We have some great updates so stick around!
Wrapping Up Summer in Mexico
Our time in Mazatlán with Shoulder to Shoulder was, like a great pastry, both fruitful and fulfilling. Although much of the team began departing during the first half of July to visit friends and raise support back home, our family remained a bit longer to take advantage of the time in Mexico, visit more churches, spend more time with the STS staff, and handle some cool center-improvement projects.
We visited several more local churches, starting relationships with a few and connecting with community members. Bryan took on construction projects at the pastoral center, which is the main hub for pastoral training, resources and support. He kept busy with painting, cutting, and creatively repurposing materials to help outfit a kitchenette and give the front desk area a makeover. Thanks largely to the combined effort of many others, the pastoral center now shines with illustrious new tile, wall covers, and more.
Just in-progress pictures—now imagine it with real flooring and some furniture.
Return to the (Rio Grande) Valley
After finishing up our time in Mazatlán, we flew back to Edinburg, Texas, to continue training at Rio Grande Bible Institute. Erin has started her second, and final, semester of Spanish, tackling the challenging coursework, including giving devotionals, kids ministry presentations, and of course that classic mid-September nativity play. Her current joys include singing in Spanish on the worship teams at church and the seminary and finally having deep conversations about culture and theology with Spanish-speakers.
It was extra fun to include our kids in this class project!
Bryan is taking a Spanish Bible class (on the Pentateuch!) while homeschooling the 4 kids each week. The kids are thriving and thoroughly enjoying their homeschool experience, which has really helped our family relationships, communication, and flexibility. It’s been awesome to see their progress in Spanish too! Many thanks to: our Spanish tutor for them that comes during Bryan’s class hour, weekly library story hours, church activities, and patient friends who are game for casual conversations to help them grow conversationally.
First day of school!
As a family, we’ve been inviting different couples/families over each Saturday for dinner (usually Spanish-speakers), a blessing of friendship only made possible thanks to our advancing language ability. And kudos to Sophia for leading us in prayer several times in Spanish! We’ve started attending Wednesday Bible studies for our church, Redeemer en Español, continued leading worship, and started teaching some for kids ministry there. Happy to share that this educational combination of formal and informal opportunities have helped us prepare and equip for future ministry.
Answers to Prayer
God has been faithfully providing all the support we’ve needed through you all for more than a full year! Woot!
We had a safe trip back to Texas and great start to our extra-busy fall semester. Many relationships have seemed to deepen with local/campus friends.
We’ve maintained exceptionally good health physically!
Bryan experienced a noticeable improvement in his Spanish conversational skills through all the hands-on work this summer. Erin is making big strides thanks to wonderful tutors/teachers here at the school.
Our children have grown happier and more engaged this semester now with their homeschool routine, and Bryan truly loves the opportunity to teach them.
Prayer Requests
For our upcoming visa appointment on Oct 2 with the Mexican consulate! Please pray for acceptance, and smooth and timely processing.
For our kids to find their footing in Spanish and grow more confident and fluent this semester.
For God to continue binding us closely with friends here in TX and grant us meaningful community despite the short time horizon.
For endurance and focus amidst challenging classes, homework, and busy schedules.
For Rio Grande Bible Institute, that God would continue allowing it to thrive as a place of spiritual formation and training for future leaders, despite international student visa issues.
For the pastors and leaders supported by Shoulder to Shoulder in Mazatlán. Pray for their integrity, boldness, and effective leadership as they faithfully serve their communities and spread the gospel.
As we hit that 1-yr mark, it reminded us how thankful we are to those of you standing with us in prayer and support. We’re so encouraged by the generosity of our mission partners, and the faithfulness of God to have brought us this far, nearly to the end of our “pre-field” phase. We look forward to sharing more updates soon!
Grace and Peace,
The Josephs
A dancing sunset at RGBI
