Mexican Summer

Hey friends! We are reaching the end of what has been an awesome appetizer for our missions work in Mazatlán. We have been here since late May, onboarding with our ministry family and figuring out how to live like locals. We’ve also gained deeper knowledge of Shoulder to Shoulder and have had key meetings with our team and with local pastors and churches.

But all along I’ve given great thought to mangos. Our 2-month stay has been right at the heart of peak Mexican mango season, and despite living in the city we just happen to have two clutch mango trees nearby. Mango trees here, as I understand it, sort of belong to whichever guy wants a mango at the moment, and most of the time that guy is me, so I’ve been picking a lot! And it’s a great reminder of God’s faithfulness in our calling—we have been given such a wonderful opportunity to join in His work here in Maz with terrific teammates and such a crucial ministry with so much work ripe to be done, people to reach with the good news. In Matthew 9:37-38 Jesus says, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” We pray this all the time, for God to prepare more missionaries to join STS.

To pick mangoes, I have to walk up 2 flights to our roof, move an extension ladder, climb down onto (shhh) our neighbors’ roof and pick a few in the blazing son, then reverse it all, trying not to drop any. But if God can grow the beautiful tree from a small seed that yields hundreds of the most exquisite fruit known to man, I’m happy to harvest for Team Mango.

Settling In & Embracing Mazatlán Life

I will always remember the day we arrived as the most alarming and harrowing driving experience I’ve had since driver’s ed, but since then we’ve learned the rhythms (not rules) of the road and the confusing streets. We’ve figured out where and how to shop for groceries, how to pay utilities (not obvious), how to think in pesos, Celsius, meters, and grams, and many more cultural nuances. Each new challenge has been like a coin in the piggy bank, and come January when we move down full time, we’ll be thankful for how much we’ve already saved and prepared.

Grateful for our excellent teammates who have helped us adjust in countless ways! *Also, for our CIT friends who are reading, we found more friends who play Five Crowns!*

Hosting Youth Teams from Ohio

Much of the summer work centered on the arrival of 3 youth mission teams from different churches in the Akron/Canton area, and it was an incredible blessing to welcome them. Over the course of 3 of the 4 weeks, after our initial settling-in period, these teams came with open hearts and hands, ready to make a difference in numerous tangible ways.

Oasis de Esperanza Ministry: One team partnered with the church Oasis de Esperanza, engaging in a variety of outreach programs and ministries. Their enthusiastic involvement breathed new life into ongoing local initiatives and gave the youth a chance to build meaningful relationships with community members.
Local Church & Orphanage Projects: Another group aided Ejército de Salvación by building beds and painting, vital improvements that directly impacted the well-being of children at that church/orphanage. They also helped run their VBS program, which really brought joy and spiritual growth to the many kids attending.
Nueva Generación Church Support: The final team worked alongside Nueva Generación, assisting with VBS and helping pour part of the concrete foundation for the church building—a super labor-intensive project that has been progressing slowly over 3 years. Seeing that building go up has been such a blessing to the church, for continued growth and community commitment.

Each team brought something unique to the table, and it was a privilege to participate in leading many of these activities. Bryan was especially grateful to help guide the teams and to foster relationships not only with the visiting American churches but also with local Mexican congregations. We were all excited to get a taste of what we’ll start undertaking as leaders next year.

Bucket lines and great attitudes at Nueva Generación

Exploring Community in Mazatlán

One of the ongoing challenges—and opportunities—we are praying about is finding a church community to call home here. This summer has given us the chance to visit many churches in Mazatlán, a few of which we are seriously considering for regular Sunday worship. Being part of Shoulder to Shoulder means our ministry is inter-denominational and spans multiple church communities, unlike the singular church home we’ve been accustomed to, and our involvement will likely look different than it has at Parkside Green. Nonetheless, finding a place where we can build lasting relationships with Mexican believers and truly belong will be critical for our family’s spiritual well-being and really help the kids get connected and make friends.

We’re also trying to explore the city with eyes eager for ways to get involved a bit outside of work, especially for our kids to have activities. Sophia and Erin got to see a friend’s dance recital, Ezra got to see a local track and field locale, and we’re continuing to learn more about other opportunities for sports and activities for them. We even joined a church at their surfing lessons outreach this weekend, and our kids are stoked to surf!

Rainy Season & Transitions

As we enter the rainy season, most ministry activities pause and many of our Shoulder to Shoulder teammates have returned to the U.S. to raise support and visit family for a month. Bryan has been focusing on some remodeling projects at our pastoral center, helping improve the facility to become more functional and better welcome pastors and church members. Then at the end of July, we’ll fly back to Rio Grande Bible Institute in Texas to prepare for the upcoming fall semester of language school.

Answered Prayer:

Good flights and a great adjustment to start our summer with the help of our wonderful team.
The 3 youth teams had amazing and impactful trips working with the churches here.

Prayer Requests:

For our trip back to Texas and the start to our extra-busy fall semester, wisdom for Bryan as homeschool teacher.
For continued good health physically, relationally, and spiritually.
For continued Spanish development with the help of classes and tutoring, especially for Erin and our kids!
For the continued planning for launching STS Tepic next year.

It has been a fast and fulfilling two months! We are grateful to be in a place where God is using our strengths (and weaknesses) for His purposes. While it has not been without its difficulties, we are confident in where He has placed us in this ministry team. He is a good and faithful Father!

Thank you for your continued prayers, your friendship, and your encouragement.

¡Que Dios te bendiga!