November 12. 2013

Dear Friends,

     We are (im)patiently waiting to get a phone line to be able to communicate with you. Our neighbor has permitted us to "borrow" his Internet today to get you this update. Here, you must have a number (a phone line) in order to do business with the phone company. We passed the line over to our neighbor before leaving since we did not need a year's worth of phone bills for nothing. For more than 10 days, our neighbors have not had access to the Internet, so we likewise have been stuck. Everything is falling in place to have our own connection, but in Latin America, nothing is "today." Add the fact that we are out of town about twenty minutes and all that process doubles.

     We have enjoyed getting back with the deaf and seeing that they have carried on in our absence. The only thing we have noted is true lack of leadership. Many are just floating along, happy in the Lord, but not doing anything more. The church is in bad need of repairs and even though we have distanced ourselves from the decision making for the church, they still ask, "What does Gary say?" We would love to see them really get stirred up and decide to faithfully serve the Lord and make all the decisions themselves; but there are few in the church who have the ability to do the work. In the past we have had block layers, electricians, etc. in the church and at present we are lacking skilled labor in the physical aspect of the upkeep.

     We are happy to see new faces and that the deaf still reach out occasionally to others. The church has a great heritage of reaching the deaf, but it seems the cobwebs are taking over in some of the lives. Whisper a prayer for us as we seek to stir them up again after the battles they went through. Will we be pastoring the church again? No. Hopefully, another city will open for us to minister in.

     Please be patient with us as we try to get everything settled in here. The things available in the city are not available here (cable, Internet, phone package), so we must be patient. As soon as we have a number for telephone and Internet service, we will notify you. Continue to pray for the deaf churches in Guadalajara, Monterrey, Ciudad Juarez, Ciudad Mante, Colima and Merida. Some of them still face danger on a daily basis, but God has been so good.

     Thank so much for praying for us and for your faithful support. We will get properly connected ASAP. May the Lord bless each of you.

Gary and Ann