From February 9 through March 9, Phil travelled back to Mexico for an important Ministry Visit.

It was four weeks of non-stop travel and visiting throughout the mountains of Puebla state, the central states of Querétaro, Mexico State, and Tamaulipas towards the north-east coast of the Gulf of Mexico.

What was the purpose of this intense trip?

Since our return to Canada in November was expedited by the passing of Carolyn’s Step-dad, it meant we had to leave a few things unattended in Mexico. It also meant that several months would pass with little connection to the ministry on the ground with national leaders and ministry groups. Regular contact with leaders is crucial to the ongoing success and progress of the ministry in Mexico at least at this stage in the development of ministry. We are still in the first stages of investing in the National Leadership Team which we hope will be able to oversee most of the existing ministry within the next 2 – 3 years. That is our goal! It means working ourselves out of those responsibilities, as well as investing in new areas and new leaders.

During the four weeks Phil and the Leadership Team were able to visit and connect with most of the leaders and ministry groups. All but a couple of the 25 study groups studying with Semillas (SEAN) are re-engaged and eager to study. We are hoping to start 2 – 3 new groups in the next couple of months. We met with key leaders to encourage them as they move forward with their groups. We are excited to see 4 new people take on leadership roles as they lead their groups. César and Blanca are working together to co-tutor a group that Bernabé has been working with, Zacarías is eager to tutor a group that Moisés has been leading, and Misael is grooming a leader from his church to start and lead a group in another town not too far from Tampico. It’s great to see the Leadership Team investing in and raising up other leaders — the synergy is exciting to see! We also celebrate 4 groups now fully established in using the Spanish materials while tutors facilitate learning in their own indigenous dialects.

After much encouragement to study, we celebrate with this group in the photo above who is now well into their second discipleship book. The pastor of the church in Potrerillos has wanted to get people from the congregation studying God’s Word more in depth. In the last 6 months of 2021 they began studying and now are well into the second part of the basic level which focuses on the fundamentals of discipleship. The youngest in their group is 10 years old and studies with his grandpa and the oldest is well up in years, has difficulty seeing but participates with all her heart!

Prayer