This months Challenge: Plan a night to go eat Mexican - either with a friend or with your family. Make a point to pray over the requests here in Leon before you eat. One method that has worked in Leon to share the gospel is to share with the waiter or waitress and obviously to leave a big tip - because really, who wants to listen to a bad tipper ;). One easy way to share is just to tell them why you came - you can use this challenge as your excuse. Let me know how it goes or if you do it at all :)

Prayer:

• Last Monday we went to the orphanage for the first time. The director never can remember exactly what she has told us from the previous time we met her, which is quite frustrating and ate up about 30 minutes of our time. However, we finally did get to interact with the children and I think it went pretty well. Please pray for these children. Obviously none of them have parents around and many of them have suffered emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. Most of them are under the age of 7 or 8. Pray that this ministry would touch their lives and that the director would also come to salvation. Pray for the youth from my church that are coming and helping and learning to teach - Pray that this ministry would be catalytic in their relationships with Christ.
• On Tuesdays we have a Bible study started in colonia M which I have mentioned before and is the same place we are having the Saturday kids club. Our purpose in the kids club is to meet parents who will hopefully want to attend the study. On Thursday night, J and I, went to follow up with some of the parents and to invite them to the study. God really blessed it and several of them expressed interest. Pray that this Tuesday these new women would come and that our study would be full! Pray for me as I lead it in Spanish ;). Also pray for the kids club. As we walked to these different houses it was very obvious that many of these children live with drug-addicted brothers and sisters or parents and that many of them are probably abused. These kids are precious and we are starting to get to know them on a more individual level. Pray over them.
• Pray for a group that we have going in colonia A A. We started this one a couple of months ago and the family has been very faithful to come and very excited to learn from the Bible. If they haven't accepted Christ already, we believe they are about at that point. Pray for us as we lead and try to move forward with them.
• Pray for the University work that I am still trying to figure out how to start. I met with two believers who are students in one of the Universities here and who are trying to reach out on their campus to find out how they are going about it. They shared some good information with me and I have a few ideas now about working but it still isn't clear. Pray for this vision to be completely guided by the Lord.
• The last thing I can think of right now is for several of the women in my church who have decided to form an evangelistic singing group. This is very exciting to me because several people in my church have now expressed their desires to reach out to this city. Pray for wisdom and discernment for me as I try to help them in what ever way I can. I would love to sing with them if possible :) They also need help with vision as to how to actually get out there and make it happen. Pray for these 4 women D, D, A, and M.

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing." 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

This verse has spoken to me lately. I am praying for love for these people. Sometimes, honestly, they are hard to love. They look at me funny and constantly try to speak English to me when I am speaking Spanish (which can be slightly discouraging when they think their "hello, how are you" is better than my 7 months of learning), and a mountain of other reasons that would not be edifying to me or you all if I went into them. The point is, is that God has called us to love. I am praying that my heart will be overflowing with love for these people and that when offended my heart will immediately say "they know not what they do." I encourage you all to love those around you as well. Especially those who offend or hurt - pray for them. God will bless it :)

http://www.purevolume.com/RachelEldredge

Prayer

All,

I have made a short video with pictures and a video of a little colonia here in Mexico - I hope you enjoy it and that it catches you up on a little bit of what I have been living in lately. These people need your prayer!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weImBrfNaxk

Challenge :) I have seriously been thinking of creative ways to help all of you back at home remember to pray for Leon, Mexico. I have several ideas which I will disclose in later updates as I have decided to give you a new challenge each time. (or as long as I can come up with new ones :) This update's challenge is as follows:

Please write a word or scripture reference on the inside of your wrist. Mine is as follows:

Please pray for Leon each time you see your wrist. Once it washes off you don't have to rewrite it :) unless you want to. Also, please leave comments here on this blog about what God showed you through this challenge and how other people around you responded to seeing you faithfully remember Leon in prayer. This can easily be a way for you guys to share the truth of Christ with those around you as they see your wrists. This will also be a huge encouragement to me!

Prayer needs:

• I have contacted an orphanage here in town and am trying to set up a time when the youth at my church can go and teach these little kids about the Bible and generally just love on them. Please pray that this will work out. So far the youth minister is very excited about it and has recruited several of the youth to go. Please pray that all of the details will come together. We are planning on going on friday afternoons!
• Please be in prayer for a neighborhood called M. We are starting to work in this area and are trying to meet families to start Bible studies. We have met one wonderful lady who is a Christian and has opened up her home for us to use to invite people to study the Bible. We had a children's event there on Friday, April 30th to try to meet some of the parents and to just leave a favorable impression on the area. We had prayed for at least 100 kids thinking this to be a number too high but God provided about 200 kids! It was very chaotic and we were all exhausted afterwards but overall it went well. We invited the kids to come to a kids club that we are starting on Saturday mornings. Pray that the right amount of kids will come and that we will be able to prepare well for it. We are having these clubs the last 4 saturdays in May, starting May 8th. Please pray that this will lead to Bible studies in this area and that children and parents will come to salvation. Our ultimate goal is a church! Here are a couple of pictures from the event. Preparing balloon animals for the kids and actually breaking the pinata :)

• We are also trying to start work in another area of town called San J. B. We don't really know how to start here so please pray doors will be opened. We have started partnering with a social organization in town and we may have some entry into the schools through them - hopefully we can meet some parents. Obviously God has to prepare their hearts, so pray that God will be working on people's hearts throughout this area.
• Also, continue to pray for entry into the Universities. I am still unsure of how to go about starting this work and really my heart hasn't been in it. Please pray for God to change my heart about this. I want to have an open heart to these students and a strong desire to share the truth with them.
• Also, I am currently involved in 4 different Bible studies. I am leading the study in one and leading music in the other 3. Please pray for the people in these Bible studies. Pray that as they read the words for themselves that it would become alive to them as it has become to me and to all of you who believe. Pray for their salvation! :) Pray for wisdom for us who are leading the studies and for me as I lead worship.

Thank you all so much for you prayers and encouragement! I love hearing from you all so keep letting me know you are alive! Let me know how I can be praying for you also - I consider it a privilege.

love,

Rachel

I also have decided that I want to leave you with a bit of God's word. God has been graciously opening up his word to me lately and so I will share with you from what he has been showing me.

"A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it." Proverbs 22:3

I find that so often I see something in front of me that looks good or looks smart - and it may be - but sometimes these things are not God's best for us. I have learned this the hard way what seems a million times now. I want to encourage you all to examine the things that are taking place in your lives. Is there danger in them? Not physical danger, but the danger of a separated relationship with Jesus. Is there sin? Are you continuing on a path that will not lead to holiness? If we see danger, the Bible says if we are prudent we will take refuge, and if we are simple in our thinking we will keep going after it. What does that lead to? Suffering. First hand experience with suffering - it stinks! Let us be prudent in our decision making and let us take refuge in the father when we see danger ahead :)

http://www.purevolume.com/RachelEldredge

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2653710&id=4922382

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2680646&id=4922382

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2683223&id=4922382

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2673178&id=4922382

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2683654&id=4922382

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2690837&id=4922382

The PEACE of Christ

A woman literally walking on her knees up to the alter of the Virgin of San Juan
You will notice above the lit up idol of Jesus a box with a doll in a dress - this is the Virgin of San Juan - they take her out every few months to parade her through the streets.
A woman lifting her arms to form a cross as she prayed during a processional on good friday - this day is the most holy day of the year for Mexican catholics - they reenact the passion of Christ and never once mention his resurrection. They do nothing on Sunday.

To my brothers and sisters living in the States,

I have much to share about the past few weeks here in Mexico but I feel the need to encourage you in this moment from what God has been teaching me. As many or all of you know, my transition to Mexico has been much more difficult than I ever anticipated. When I thought of missions, I envisioned a great adventure - I expected to be on fire for Christ and set others on fire as well. What I have found instead is a daily choice to surrender my being to Him, my creator. I have always learned the most during struggles and I don't think I have ever grown as much as I have during the last 3 months. I am being edified in Him daily as I wait for his strength to fill me. No matter where we are at or what we are doing, whether we are happy or sad, in plenty or in want we have the choice to surrender ourselves to Christ and follow His direction in every decision. This is what I have been learning - to daily tell Jesus that I am not enough and that I need Him to be enough for me. What I have found through this time of hardship is a deeper relationship with God. I have always heard about the peace of Christ and even talked about it as if I understood it - but the truth is, I don't think I ever really grasped what that peace was until a few days ago. In what should have been the most difficult of days since I arrived here, I found myself standing firm in the loving arms of Jesus. I found myself laughing and even experiencing joy. And since that day I have continued to feel that peace covering me. How is it possible I wonder? How is it that I am still standing? how is it that I have the strength and the desire to keep moving forward? To continue to share the truth of Christ with the most lost people I have ever met? It is God! It is His love for me, the weakest of women, that sustains me. It is His peace that is filling me up in these days and even giving me joy to dive into this work and to love these people more. Praise Jesus!

What I am trying to tell you all through this small testimony to God's grace is that HE is enough for you. Please submit yourselves to Him in this moment. Please give yourself completely to Him. While I know some of you are so strong in the faith, I also know that no matter how strong we are, we are still going to hit walls and have hard days. Submit yourselves to Christ in the good and the bad - Sometimes it is more painful to submit and to wait in Him but goodness! it is so worth it! Surrender and experience His peace - it is more incredible than I have words to describe.

Obviously I still need your prayers. Please pray for my ministry here - pray that I will have wisdom and discernment in how to go about reaching and helping these people. Please pray for my heart in these next few weeks - pray that God will heal all wounds and that I will be able to love more fully. Pray for entry into the Universities so that I can begin ministries in them. Pray that I will be able to find the social service agencies in this city and that God will give me wisdom in how to work with them. Pray for people of peace and for softened hearts as I share the word of God - pray that it will not fall on deaf ears. Just pray for this city.

I can not thank you enough for your support and prayer - God hears you and has been answering. I love your sweet notes of encouragement that remind me I am not forgotten. I am praising my Father for you all :)

Continue following Christ, reading his word daily, and actually living by what the word says.

"But the wisdom that comes from Heaven is first of all pure; then peaceloving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness." James 3:17-18

This is a video demonstrating how to receive a free hour of Skating! Also demonstrating how to have fun when you love to skate and sing - 2 of my favorite things ;)

in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life

Virgin of Guadalupe

Someone's house
One of the streets I worked on

I want to share with you what God has been doing in my life these past few weeks. I have gone from deep discouragement to deep joys. God has been using this time in Mexico to truly mold me and shape me and I am so thankful for that. He always wants us to grow closer to him and that sometimes involves hard days.

This last week however, I have been incredibly encouraged. I have been involved in the coordination and translation tasks of two volunteer teams that have come down to help from the US. I worked for two days with a group of youth and we went door to door giving out gospels of John (Evangelios de San Juan) and I translated as they shared their testimonies in English. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed translating! It was a blast of creativity as I tried to translate their profound emotions and thoughts. Simply glorious ;)

I also had my first Bible study with one of my teammates this last week and we had about 6 or 7 people show up which was wonderful! And I was challenged to pray out loud in Spanish for the first time ever. Though I have been learning Spanish for the last 5 months I had never been forced to pray and therefore avoided it at every turn because if speaking isn't hard enough, imagine trying to passionately speak to God in a language not your own. A few days later though, I prayed out loud for about 8 women as I went house to house taking surveys - what a tremendous blessing that was! God is so wonderful to shape us and stretch us at exactly the right moments.

This past week I have had the opportunity to share the truth about Jesus more than I ever have before. And it awakened me to the deep darkness of the city of Leon. These people are steeped in lies from the time they are born and they cling to it stubbornly as it has become not only a religion but their culture. Everything they do revolves around their holidays and idols. Almost every house has an Idol of the Virgin of Guadalupe - if you don't know about her I encourage you to look her up. She is everywhere here and people worship her as their divine mother. She is more important to them than our precious Savior. Though there is no basis for their beliefs in her found anywhere in the Scripture, they cling to her as a savior. One of my greatest conversations and also most tragic moments this week was on Sunday. We went to a part of town that is poorer and also known to have more gangs and I knocked on 3 doors before someone answered. But on that third door, I looked in and saw an old man and then almost passed the house by, but something inside of me made me knock. He came to the door and invited me and one of the volunteers in to sit at his table as we chatted. He is 68 years old and there was an entire wall covered in idols. We began to speak and honestly, I shared about a relationship with Christ and the hope that he gives us more passionately than I ever have before. And it was such a joy because I was speaking Spanish! God is so faithful! What was so tragic was that he had no hope whatsoever. He looked at me and said "All of that sounds wonderful, it sounds beautiful, but how can it help me?" My heart broke. Here is a man who has an entire wall dedicated to idols and he says he believes in God but he has no hope that God can help him or change his life. My heart was awakened to the oppressiveness of the darkness in this city - it is like a heavy weight bearing down us. Please pray for this man, Jo. He has health issues and is taking care of his 96 year old mother. He was a sweet and precious older man - please pray that as we follow up with him his heart would be softened and that he would witness the joy and love that we have within us through the Holy Spirit.

"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

This passage has really spoken to me lately - Just by living in this dark world we are demolishing strongholds simply with our mere presence which contains within it the Holy Spirit. How blessed we are to have within us weapons that have divine power. What is even more interesting and astounding is that these weapons are weapons of love, peace, humility, selflessness, faith, joy, etc...that through living holy lives we can defeat the powers of darkness is insane. Sometimes it is so hard to actually use these weapons - we want to wage war as the world does with hurtful words and mean glances and manipulation but through the power of the Holy Spirit we can live Holy and allow God to fight the battles through us using His incredible love! It is the Spirit within us who fights because in reality we are incapable of living holy without him guiding us and giving us strength. But with Him we can live HOLY - so amazing. I have been challenged lately, by God, to live a more selfless life. Though I am here in Mexico and I have left my family and the comforts of home I have still been living selfishly - As though I deserve a great adventure in this place and as if I am entitled to happiness. But the truth is, is that God never promises us a great adventure, he doesn’t promise us happy days. But he does promise to love us and to never forsake us. There is a passage that says: I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:12-13. Hallelujah! We can do everything through Him he gives us strength. I have been having to rely solely on God’s strength lately as I have had none of my own and he is so faithful. The secret is to rely on Him - to give it to Him - to surrender our lives to him - to be sacrificial and selfless and also humble. It seems hard and our flesh resists but when we choose Christ we truly have joy and life! How holy is he!!! We truly receive abundant life when we loosen our grip on our own lives and trust God to do with them what he wills.

Thank you all so much for your support during these last few months. Please continue to pray for this city and for these people who have been confused by lies. Pray that the strongholds here would be broken and that people’s hearts will be softened. Pray for us as we continue on in God’s work here - sharing passionately and boldly about him. Pray for strength and a deepening of our faith. Pray that we would draw closer to Christ and that each day as we open his word we would learn and grow and truly hear from Him. Your prayers are appreciated more than I can express here.

Also, here is a link to a site I created to share my music. I hope you enjoy it :)

http://www.purevolume.com/RachelEldredge

And hope does not disappoint us...

“And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given to us.” Romans 5:2-5

“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” Romans 12: 9-13

I have now been in Mexico exactly 2 months. 2 months worth of time has really held a lot of growing for me. God is stretching me and teaching me in ways I never expected. I am thankful for the ways that I am growing and maturing - I am having to constantly lean on my Father in heaven for strength and wisdom in every situation. I don’t know if I have ever had to be this reliant on him before. Please be in prayer for me as I continue walking on this journey with my creator, every step is difficult but I know that in the end I will find myself closer to Him and that is where I want to be.

Please pray for my ministry here, I have been able to start 3 English conversation groups although they are all very different. One of them only has one student and I have wondered if it is worth my time - however this one student is of the Baha'i faith and we are having very free conversation about faith and beliefs which makes me think it is definitely worth my time. One of the other groups has 4 students and the last group is an entire class (about 10 or so). So far we are having decent conversation in English but I am not really sure how to begin sharing the truth with them. I shared the prodigal son story in the larger group and we had discussion about it, it was very interesting but I am not sure that this will be a good method for every class as they really struggled with the English. Please be in prayer for these classes and these students - The 5 that I know the best are B, J, L, M, and M (the two M’s are girls and the rest are boys).

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” James 1:27

Please also pray for me as I try to create presentations about child development and nutrition. My heart’s desire is to work with the poor and oppressed and so far my only idea for getting into these areas and trying to get to know the people is to share practical information with them. My plan is to prepare the presentations and then find government buildings in these areas and try to see if I can find an entry to share. Through these presentations I obviously want to help these people in any way I can with practical needs but my main goal is to share about Jesus. Please be in prayer for these areas of town and the people that live in them and pray for me as I try to prepare and plan. This is a bit overwhelming for me and I am just leaning on God to show me how to do it.

I have begun to really get involved in my church and have started to make friends with some of the youth there. One of the girls that I have come to know and love is D. She is the pastor’s daughter and she sings like an angel. We have started singing together some and she is teaching me all kinds of Mexican slang which is very funny. I just want to thank you for your prayers that I would find friends, I feel like I have begun to make friends at church and I can only give the praise to God. Please continue to pray that I will make friends outside of church and that I will meet people of peace that I can begin to disciple. Thank you all so much for your prayers and willingness to keep up with what is going on in my life. I am blessed.

Restore to me the JOY of your salvation

Hello from the center of Mexico :)

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways and sinners will turn back to you.” Psalm 51:10-13

I read this verse about a week ago and I wrote it in my prayer journal as I do many verses. When I decided to write this update today I went back to my journal to remember what all I have been going through and praying about in the last few weeks. This verse hit me in a new way today - I think the first time I read it, it affected me but today I heard it anew.

My experience here in Mexico really hasn’t been like I thought it would be. I have told God this and I have cried many tears since I arrived here - though this is slightly embarrassing to admit. When I have done mission trips in the past my heart has always been set on fire to tell the people around me about Christ. There is a verse in Jeremiah that says “But if I say, “I will not mention him or speak any more in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I can not.” (20:9). I have felt this kind of fire before but lately it has been only a smoldering heat and not a blazing flame. A dear friend has recently shared with me about the romance of God - his creation and his word display his love for us every single day. I know this romance but as many of you know I am a feeler, which is good sometimes and other times very bad. When I don’t feel God’s immediate presence I struggle - I long for intimacy with him in the worst way. I have known the romance of God but lately my heart seems to have quieted and I am able to feel and see only glimpses of that romance. The other day I went to the park - I had my ipod and I was listening to worship music and the sun was shining and the breeze was perfect and there were pelicans and different types of birds everywhere and I had to jump and sing (when I was sure no one was looking of course) and praise God for his creation and for what He is doing in my life. He has fulfilled so many of my heart’s desires - I desire to be among people that do not know him so that I can share his indescribable love with these people who have never heard. When the days are hard here and I have no one to lean on except for Christ, I feel like that joy and romance from him have been snuffed out but I know the truth of his word! His word says that he loves me, that he will never leave me nor forsake me! I am so glad that Jesus gave me that one seemingly strange day of joy at the park during these days that sometimes seem endless - He gives us glimpses of hope and this we can trust in. No matter what struggles come, I can always lean on him even if I can not feel him in that moment. This is a time of struggle for me - but struggle leads to growth and I want to grow. I want to grow closer to my savior everyday.

The point of this update is not that you would feel sorry for me but so that I can try to encourage you all in any points of trial in your lives. Christ is sufficient! Even when you can not feel his presence he is there - he is constantly with us and he knows all of our inward struggles. You can always fall into his arms and he will never drop you no matter how difficult the situation.

Ok so this update doesn’t really have any prayer requests yet and it is already super long. I am going to list some points of prayer below and hopefully expound on them later. I hope that is ok with all of you who read this.

• Please be in prayer as I have started 2 to 3 new conversation groups with students at 2 different universities. Pray that this would be a chance to share the gospel with these young people who think all they need is a good job and a nice house.
• Please pray for the poor areas of the city that I am thinking about working in. One I have looked at is called Los Naranjos. I am trying to put together materials about child development and nutrition that I can share in these neighborhoods as a way of getting to know the mothers and children. Pray that I would have wisdom putting this information together in a presentable way (as it is in Spanish) and that the government officials would allow me an entrance. Also pray that I would have wisdom in incorporating the truth of the Bible into each lesson and that Bible studies would get started as a result.
• Pray for the few friends I have made here -
• M and B who are new Christians.
• C who is trying to get into a university here in town.
• P who is my age and is not working or going to school - she is constantly with her boyfriend, pray that I would be able to hang out with her without G, her boyfriend.
• Also pray for Pm who is a Christian that I met but who also told me she doesn’t tell many people she is a Christian because she doesn’t believe she is a good example - pray that she and I would both have time to get to know each other better as she has a 2 yr old son.
• Please pray also for the church I have started attending, Divino Redentor. Pray that I can get involved with the jovenes (the youth) in the church and begin to belong to this little piece of the body of Christ.

Thank you all again for your prayers for me. This is a place with a lot of spiritual warfare and I cherish each and every prayer that you lift to the Father in my behalf. I am excited to see what God has in store for me here as I know he has brought me here on purpose.

In Him,

Raquelita

MMMMEEEEXXXXIIIICCCCOOOOOO!!!!

Brothers and Sisters in the faith,

I just want to thank you all again for your continued prayer for me. I know that it is a huge commitment to pray for me during these two years but please know

that I am so grateful. I have needed your prayers a lot lately. I didn’t expect this transition to be as hard as it has been but I know that there is a purpose in it. It seems that sometimes God allows me to struggle so that I can relate to the pain of those around me. This has been a lonely time - In Guatemala I was surrounded by other believers my age and I think I took that for granted. I now have a wonderful team here in Leon - they really are great and I am so blessed by them but at the same time I have a hunger for fellowship in the body with others my age, with others that share my desire for adventure. It is difficult for me to get out in this city everyday alone. The wonderful thing is that God really has been showing up even though it has been hard for me to show up. The guy that I met at the ice skating rink, M, has invited me to his house several times to eat with his family and his wife, B, and I have gone walking and gotten to know each other better. I found out that they only received Christ about 3 or 4 weeks ago so I am sure that this meeting was not an accident. I have asked them about reading the Bible and at this point they don’t really know how to go about it so pray that we can begin reading the Bible together and that this can become a Bible study. These people are definitely people of peace for me so please be in prayer for them. They have 3 children, M, J, & C.

Please also be in prayer for me this week as I am finding all of the Universities in the city and trying to find out which campuses I am allowed on. I went to one University last week and I talked with the director of languages about starting up conversation groups in English. She seemed very skeptical so please pray for her and also pray for me as I try to come up with ideas to present to her through email - please also pray that the email will be clear as I have to write it in Spanish.

I also want to share what has been going on here in Mexico for the last few weeks. There is a celebration/worship service tomorrow in a city called San Juan del Lagos. This specific day is for worshiping the Virgin of San Juan who they believe can give them miracles. People from all over Mexico have been walking to San Juan del lagos in order to receive more blessings - the further they walk the more blessing the receive. Me and another missionary here happened upon a parade of these “pilgrims” as they are called and we followed them to a camp site here in Leon. This was only one of many camp sites but we walked up and talked to a man there about the pilgrimage and their beliefs. This particular virgin is not Mary but they pray to her just as they do Mary in the Catholic church. We listened to a prayer and they believe that she can take away their sins and heal their infirmities. Please be in pray for all of these pilgrims - some that we met had been walking for 15 days from Mexico City. Please pray that God would bring down these idols and that the truth of Jesus would be presented to these people. Please also pray that these people would not be satisfied in their worship of this idol.

I am so grateful for all of your prayers and encouragement! The body of Christ is an incredibly beautiful gift. I am including a prayer calendar that I made for myself and for all of you to help you pray better for this city if you would like. It is only meant to be a reminder to pray and to hopefully give ideas of the needs in this city - I hope it is helpful. I am also attaching a link to more pictures that you can look at on Facebook. Thank you all for everything!

For more pictures:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2653710&id=4922382

Proof of my skating classes....