Semester Wrap Up

Warm greetings from The (Rio Grande) Valley! These updates always provide a way to reflect on how God has moved and worked; we are filled with gratitude for how he's brought us to the end of another step of our journey.

A Church Home Away from Home

Since our arrival in January, we’ve been regularly attending and deeply encouraged by the local body of Christ at Redeemer en Español here in the Edinburgh area. From the very first Sunday, we felt welcoming people who were delighted to spend time together despite our broken Spanish. The worship music is very similar to what we sang at Parkside Green Church and we felt right at home joining the praise team just a few weeks in. It has been an excellent way to serve and contribute with piano and voice, build friendships, and prepare in practical ministry.

Happy Easter Sunday at Redeemer en Español!

Every Wednesday evening, Bryan has also been taking Elia (along with some college students and friends) to a local Bible study hosted by a family from Redeemer. This welcoming, homey gathering has been a fantastic blend of fellowship, language practice, and spiritual growth as we dissect the Scriptures together over pan dulce and tacos.

Beyond the Classroom

School ministry and opportunities have also taken us off campus. In April, Bryan went on a 24-hour camping trip at a rustic campground—just tents, beautiful stars, and a battalion of mosquitos! It was a refreshing time to unplug, enjoy God's creation, play youth-group-style sports and games with the college students, and talk about faith and God’s calling for each of us.

During Holy Week, we also had the privilege of serving with Baptist Student Ministries (BSM) at UTRGV, the local college. Each day included campus outreach events that blended English and Spanish as we helped run free food and coffee events, pass out invitations, lead prayer walks around the quads, and support conversations about Jesus. It was a rich time of learning and doing, and we were encouraged to see a bunch of young students grappling with the gospel and growing bold for Christ.

Top: Camping trip, with me realizing I’m tall // Bottom: BSM service week, Summer in tow

Family Highlights

The second half of this semester has been more joyful and less stressful for our kids. After a slower start in January, the spring months have brought a few friends. Some field trips, family events, and playdates have helped them feel more settled.

The older girls want to share two big news items: Elia recently won a statewide scholastic writing contest through Kids Talk About God, and a week-long family trip to go with it—she’s thrilled and we’re proud! And Sophia was baptized on Easter Sunday at Redeemer. Again, Erin and I were both so proud watching her take this big step to share and show her faith.

Top: Elia’s award ceremony @ Harvest // Bottom: Sophia’s Baptism @ Redeemer

Weather

Spring here in the valley, much like every other season, is mostly hot and windy. Except for a few days when nature decides to let loose! Just last week, we received 15 minutes of golf-ball-sized hail clattering across the rooftops. Bigger still, a massive rainstorm in March served up 11 inches of rain here—20 inches in nearby areas! The campus flooded in parts, and we lost power for a while, but we’re grateful that the buildings mostly stayed dry, and everyone stayed safe.

Top: A fun science lesson about hail // Bottom: New rivers forming on campus in March

A Semester Complete

As of this week, classes have wrapped up and Bryan has officially completed his second semester of the Spanish program! Thanks be to God for the closure that comes with the end of exams and activities, but we will also miss many friends who are graduating and moving on to begin their ministry elsewhere.

This summer, we return to Mazatlán ready to put our Spanish to work. Erin will resume her Spanish studies in the fall for one more semester, and Bryan will pivot toward a biblical studies class (Pentateuch!) while continuing his Spanish tutoring and restarting our homeschooling with the kids.

We keep thanking God for this season of preparation. It’s not easy, but it’s rich, stretching, and marked by His grace.

Left: teaching an evangelism method in Spanish // Right: tutors celebrate our graduation

Answered Prayer:

We finished the school year at RGBI (and the kids at Harvest Academy) well.
Friendships have blossomed with classmates, tutors, and church members.
Our understanding of Spanish grammar is solidifying (¡gracias a Dios!).

Prayer Requests:

For safe travels and smooth adjustment as we go to Mazatlán for the summer.
For wisdom and discernment as we begin searching for a home church there.
For STS, our mission organization, in the midst of a busy season of mission trips.
For the launch of a new STS chapter in Tepic, a few hours south of Mazatlán.

We feel your support across the miles, friends. Thanks for praying, encouraging, and sharing in God’s mission for us.

Grace and Peace,

The Josephs