The Lord has given us favor here among the people and we praise Him for this! Just as we have come to love the people here so too have we found that the people here have responded in love back to us. They receive us into their homes with a warm welcome and many times we leave with a timely gift of bananas, eggs, or some other item we can use. Prayer, love, and sharing life with the people here has brought about open doors of opportunity to teach, preach, and heal as Jesus did in His own ministry. Jesus always has been, and continues to be, all about relationships.

“…Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.” ~ Matthew 4:23

We took a break from teaching English classes for a few weeks; during our time off from teaching we have been inundated with inquiries as to when the classes will start back up. They were excited to hear that classes will begin again in October. These classes have opened up opportunities to get to know many different people in the community here. This past week we had one of our English class students, Mariela, over for a meal at our home. She is the owner of the tortilla factory here in Mazumiapan and we have seen the book the Great Controversy opened on the table where she sits.

“…as Jesus was reclining at the table in the house, behold, many tax-collectors and sinners came and were dining with Jesus and His disciples.” Matthew 9:10

We recently had an opportunity to preach at a church plant in La Florida, a nearby village. They have just a few members right now, but I encouraged them by sharing with them how David and I were a part of a church plant back in the United States that started our with just a few members and has now grown to well over 200 members. We were asked to return later this month to preach again and to help them design plans for their new church building. We have also been asked to preach in October at Mazumiapan 1 church. Please pray that the Lord will continue to open doors for us to encourage the people of God.

“And let us consider one another to prove unto love an to good works: not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” ~ Hebrews 10:24-25

We have recently started up our second diabetes class and we now have more and more people asking us questions on how to live a healthier life. We had a cooking class in our home on Sunday and, Lord willing, we will be having anther class in two weeks. We are also looking forward to having a class in October at Mariela’s mom’s house who lives in a nearby village. After our cooking class, this past Sunday, we went to visit the mother of one of our Bible studies who had asked us if we we had some time to answer some questions about her health and how she could find healing naturally. When we had our first diabetes class at Ada’s home, she sat in on the presentations even through she doesn’t have diabetes. I am so glad that she was at her daughter-in-law’s house, where she was helping with her new baby so she could hear the messages. She has already started making changes in her lifestyle habits and told us that she feels better.  

We enjoy ministering to the people here so much. God has truly blessed us! He has taught us how to use what is available to us here to cook good, tasty, healthy meals. He has given us great favor in working with the people here, and we have many fun and happy moments with them as we share life together.

“…Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” ~ Luke 2:52