Future Plans

The time together in New Mexico has been refreshing for the both of us. After 5 weeks apart, Lacy came up to America by bus just a few days before I left Arizona to head to New Mexico, and we have been busy ever since. After next week, we will have spent three weeks in Las Cruces, NM. Next weekend, we will head to Phoenix, where I have work, and Lacy will be looking for work. If Lacy does not find work within the first week in Phoenix, she will be returning by bus to our village. The lifestyle of two nomad travelers in these high-priced days of outrageous fuel costs is prohibitably expensive. Lacy's return to Mexico would be completely out of financial necessity. We are praying hard that she finds some type of work while I am working in Phoenix so that we can stay together, since the heat is so intense now in our village that it will be dangerous, health-wise, to continue ministry by bicycle or walking to the other villages.

As we both have this time apart from the ministry, we find ourselves hearing the Lord lead us in some directions that we may have not otherwise heeded. Effectively extending the ministry to other villages, creating a more solid collection of Christian Apologetic and Bible Study resources to make available to the believers, and more emphasis on involving the stronger believers in outreach opportunities are just a few of these conversations we have been having with the Lord. As we seek His leading and listen to His voice to guide us, please pray that we would stay focused on Him. As visionaries, it is easy to get caught up in our own dreams of ministry. Joshua's mother often tells him that he runs to the beat of his own drum, and he was so blessed to find a wife who heard the same rhythm! Sometimes, God wants to do great things through His people. However, sometimes, the Lord requires little of us so that He can accomplish grand things that seem foolish to the eyes of man. We desire to be His tools, led and guided by His Holy Spirit.

Please pray for my (Josh's) spirit, as I long to return to the village. The work continues to be provided, and since the Lord has seen fit to allow the truck to be prepared so many times, it has been a slow process to accumulate funds necessary to sustain us for another six months. So as I continue working, my heart cries out to be with the people again. The believers are not meeting together regularly, as to my knowledge, and the children's classes have come to a halt. Above all financial needs, the spiritual needs of the Christians in the villages surrounding Guadalupe Victoria lay heaviest on my heart. We relate very well to this heart-cry of Paul in the opening of his letter to the Roman Church:

Romans 1:10-15

"One of the things I always pray for is the opportunity, God willing, to come at last to see you. For I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord. When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to visit you, but I was prevented until now. I want to work among you and see spiritual fruit, just as I have seen among other Gentiles. For I have a great sense of obligation to people in both the civilized world and the rest of the world, to the educated and uneducated alike. So I am eager to come to you in Rome, too, to preach the Good News."

Please pray that God would give me strength to stay focused, as I need to work as quickly and efficiently as possible, so that I can return in a speedy timeframe. It is my desire to be back in the village by the first of July, and to start meetings again as soon as possible upon my return.