November/December 2008

O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens... What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?...
O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!
Psalm 8

Management consultants call it MBO—Management By Objective; God would call it POHG—the Praise Of His Glory (Eph. 1:12). This prayer update is all about celebrating the many ways that God’s plan has run by that single objective of bringing glory to Himself in the works in Tepic and the surrounding villages during these past two months.

The village church in Zapote de Picachos celebrated its 5th anniversary the first week in November. The little chapel, built in love and with great sacrifice, is to the very center of their village as our Savior is to their hearts. A true relationship with Jesus IS the center of their lives. Ten new believers were baptized during the 3-day celebration.

At the end of the festivities the brothers of the village along with some from the village of La Bendición who came to join in the commemoration decided to combine efforts to clear a large plot of land to plant a community corn crop so that next year they will have plenty for feeding their families and enough to share. During the arduous task, one of the men up the hill felled a tree which tumbled down on top of another brother, Vicente, breaking his back and right foot. For two months the brothers, and a few of their American brothers, have given sacrificially of their time, labor and resources to get Vicente the very expensive medical care necessary to begin the healing process, and as Vicente is beginning therapy and learning to walk again our Father’s objective of bringing glory to Himself (POHG) is functioning perfectly. You may read more details about Vicente and the Huichol “good Samaritans” here.

The month of December was filled with motives for the POHG, as well. There were nearly 100 children at this year’s OANSA (Awana) Christmas party at the Tepic church. Every child received lots of love, a chance to play organized games and break piñatas, a plateful of delicious food, a bagful of fruit and candy, and best of all, the opportunity to listen to the true story of Christmas and receive the greatest gift of all, forgiveness of sins and a permanent place in God’s family.

Caleb surprised us all when he announced that he had transposed the Christmas song he had learned on his flutophone/recorder to his new sax, and he was selected by his teacher to play along with his singing classmates in their performance in the grade school Christmas program! Caleb loves his saxophone; he is thankful that God provided it for him; and he did a fine job of playing his instrument for the POHG.




Luis Armando has taken on the task of teaching six junior high boys from the Tepic church to play the guitar. They meet every Tuesday evening at his house and every Sunday after church to study. They played their first ensemble arrangement in church for the POHG.


Thirty-three years ago this December, as Kirt and I entered Mexico for the first time as missionaries, neither of us realized what all God had in store for us. We knew no one in Tepic, we weren’t invited, and we soon found out that the message we came to share was not really wanted by most. Nevertheless, we prayed that God would make it possible for us, together with those vital partners who sacrificed to help send us, to help lead those whom He placed in our path to Him and plant and establish one biblical, autonomous Mexican church for His glory. Neither of us imagined the course along which God would lead us in order to make that prayer a reality. As Pastor Martín, gave the final invitation to over 200 people in attendance at the annual community Christmas celebration the Sunday evening before Christmas in the Tepic church, it occurred to me that he was wearing a dress suit that had been Kirt’s, he is fruit of the seed that was sown, and he is concrete evidence of many answers to those prayers, many more than we expected, as we all celebrate God’s single objective of bringing glory to Himself – the Praise Of His Glory (POHG).

Quick Reference – January-February Prayer Requests:

• Huichol OT translation project – 6th workshop January 23 through February 7
• Huichol NT - MegaVoice Mp3 player continued distribution to Huichol villages
• Tepic Church – OANSA children’s Bible Club

Thank you so much for caring. I love having you for friends.

Thank you for praying for Kirt's mother, Helen/Little Grandma. When she was admitted, she was not expected to live more than a couple of days. She has wanted for a long time to move to her heavenly home, it's just that the transition is very hard both for those who are in the process of moving and those left behind. I have called her several times, she has told me that she's not in pain, and she's been perfectly coherent. We've enjoyed sharing loving and upbeat conversations in which she shares that she's been praying for the Mexican and Huichol churches here. She is going home from the Casa de la Luz Hospice facility today. It is going to be a difficult move because she has developed a blood clot in her right leg that could easily become dislodged. Assuming everything goes well with her transfer home, her prognosis is still less than 4 weeks.

As for an update on Victor; it turns out that Victor's legal name is Vicente. It's amazing what you learn when you start asking for documents! The results of the MRI indicate that he needs surgery to implant a metal plate at the site of the fracture. Many of you have asked about getting involved tangibly with the expenses, and some already have. Before I say more, I want to make it very clear that these prayer requests and updates are not for the purpose of requesting financial support for Vicente, but they are intended to give specific answers to questions I have received and also to give pertinent information so that you may pray for those specific needs.
Also, before I say more, it is important that you know that a while back Vicente was involved in some activities that were harmful to both his testimony and that of both churches, at La Bendición and at Zapote de Picachos. He has been forgiven for that sin, and the first time he has been back in fellowship with the congregation was at the anniversary celebration at Picachos where the "accident" happened.

The brothers from the 2 churches I already mentioned are following our Savior's example and reaching out to show mercy at its finest, rallying as if they were the human authors of 2 Corinthians 8 to show their abundance in their extreme poverty, overflowing in a wealth of generosity to him, both in love and money. Gumersindo continues to head up the job of jumping through bureaucratic hoops to get the materials necessary for the surgery. The hospital and surgeon's fees have been completely underwritten; at this point, we are in the process of getting the metal plate, pins, and screws that will be implanted in Vicente's back. The cost of these surgical materials is the responsibility of the patient. Gumersindo has been to every government office requesting assistance, and $11,400 of the total $26,000 has been covered.

It has been important that we stand back and observe the local body respond to the need as they are able. The Tepic church is having a part, as we should, the *Kirt Mellberg Memorial Fund has had a part (through the Tepic church channel), and the Huichol brothers themselves have taken out a no-interest loan for the balance from the fishing co-op of which are members. That will have to be paid back during the next 6 months.

This is one of the most difficult challenges for me of working alongside people in extreme poverty (in physical, NOT spiritual terms); helping them learn to rely on the same Heavenly Father Who so abundantly meets our needs, and not replacing that personal relationship between them and Him with the supply of the "Great White Mother," but being available to come alongside and share the burden. Thank you for praying for the characters in this difficult chapter (including the "Great White Mother" who would love nothing more than to wipe away all the pain in her own power).

*The Kirt Mellberg Memorial Fund was set up at Pastor McKeown's (NVBC) request. After Kirt's memorial service we had in Scottsdale, he requested that 10 interested individuals or churches represented at the service volunteer to commit to contributing $50 per month for 1 year to a special fund for unexpected needs or needs that would be a heavy burden for the Tepic church in the Huichol ministry (like finishing the buildings in Los Aires and in Zapote, for example) as they were taking the baton and running with the weight of the newly acquired job of church leadership and while I waited for God's direction. At that time, I didn't even realize I would be returning to continue serving in Tepic; actually, I didn't realize it would be an option! So that's how the fund got started. At the end of the year, after I had returned to Tepic continue working here, I wrote thank you's to the 10 contributors and included an unbelievably long list of all the things that, by God's grace alone, the fund was used to accomplish. I made it clear that God had supplied more than I ever expected, and the 1-year commitment was up. Two of those who were involved in establishing the fund have continued to periodically send offerings to the fund, so that's why it still exists. From the very outset, I didn't expect it; I didn't ask for it; and I didn't think there was a need for it, but apparently our Father did. So as needs arise, He supplies. It's pretty simple; and quite frankly, I'm still the most amazed of all!

Thank you for continuing to pray for my most recent requests.

Little Grandma is being inundated in attention and loving care, especially from Kirt’s older brother, Carl, and his wife, Carol. They have returned to their home in Colorado and took Little Grandma back with them. Before they left, they had a big Thanksgiving get-together with almost all of her grandkids and great-grandkids in her home in Tucson. Though the prognosis had been for a matter of days, the fact that she is eating and talking and in a really good mood, is proof that the length of our days on earth is totally in God’s hands.

Vicente had his surgery to implant the metal plate and pins at the site of the fracture on November 20, and he has been recuperating in the hospital ever since. The brothers from Zapote have taken turns sitting with him around-the-clock since he was admitted. Today, at last, he was discharged. He still has a LONG road to recovery, and the therapy will not be easy. He is very weak. I took him a pair of crutches that he will begin to use a little each day. He will be staying in the village closest to Tepic, Puga, so that he will be more easily accessible to his follow-up visits with the doctor. Most of the men from the villages of Zapote and La Bendición are out of their villages working in harvests to earn enough to care for their families and to help pay back the loan they received from their fishing co-op. Thank you for praying for Vicente and his Huichol brothers during this very difficult faith-testing time.