November/December 2019 …O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.

November/December 2019

…O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.  

Psalm 71:19

For my family, for the second time this year, through Jesus’ provision, faith has become sight, and death has lost its sting. Our sweet mom left her earthly shell on Saturday, November 16. Our dad graduated to the presence of our Savior on April 26. The pain is acute, and we miss them so much, but we are not without the blessed hope that they have come face-to-face and bowed in awe before the Savior to Whom they introduced me 62 years ago. Praise God for that blessed hope.

I'm grateful that the final Old Testament drafts and audio were completed in time and that there were scads of willing helpers in Tepic who have stepped up to take my place in my temporary absence as I came to Phoenix for the final few weeks to help my Mom along the way. The hand of our Good Shepherd led us through this evil and shadowy valley of death just as He promised. A walk with loved ones through that dreaded valley is exhausting and heart-wrenching even though He is with us every step, and we are grateful that the suffering was not wasted. Both of our beloved parents have heard, "Well done" after a life of love and service, and we rejoice that many people heard the Gospel as a result of their legacy. Our mom was comforted to be able to get her final Christmas letter composed and sent out to her list of 400 friends and family members just a few days before her departure. She was determined, in spite of the ravages of advanced metastasized pancreatic cancer, that the generation to follow would hear her concluding proclamation of God’s faithfulness. C.S. Lewis noted: “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” Well done, Mom!  You can read a copy of her last letter here. It’s worth the read.

Our family worked together like a well-oiled machine to plan the celebration of God’s Amazing Grace in her life. We requested that in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made to the Huichol Complete-Bible Printing Project that our parents were so anxious to see accomplished in Tepic, Mexico.

Memorial donations given in our dad’s honor six months ago were earmarked for the OANSA (AWANA) programs in Mexico. They were used to completely underwrite the cost of handbooks, uniforms, and materials for the Zapote de Picachos OANSA club where over 80 Huichol children and their leaders gather weekly to hide God’s Word in their hearts.  In addition, the well-used OANSAmobile in Tepic that transports dozens of kids to the club every week got a much-needed facelift, some mechanical help, and new upholstery. What a tribute to our parents’ desire to share the Gospel with the next generation and to honor the Savior to Whom they led us at an early age and throughout our lives.

And speaking of the village of Zapote de Picachos, the church celebrated their 15^th anniversary since they were forced from their village to the new location.  God miraculously had provided for their beautiful church building, but they outgrew it. This year, with lots of faith, hard work, persistence, collaboration, and generosity, they completed the expansion project. They are ecstatic with joy and appreciation for God’s power and provision for them and the next generation.

The church in Tepic also had reason to celebrate this Christmas! Transformed by His Birth was the theme of this year’s program. The actors, depicting Gabriel, Mary, Joseph, a shepherd boy, Herod, and a Wiseman, have been personally transformed by the Son of God. The lives of those actors who have grown up in OANSA are fresh, meaningful, focused, and determined to share what they have experienced personally with the world around them. That is a miracle! David García orchestrated and conducted a musical ensemble of young instrumentalists who have worked hard to perfect their talents for the purpose of serving in the church. You can see videos, made by Jonatán García, of the preparation and part of the musical performance here and here. 

…O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.       Psalm 71:19

  

--> See some more pictures and videos of November/December2019 Tepic activities here.