1) Mike will be traveling most of the month. Pray that as he receives safety training he will find practical ways to apply the principals to the flight operation in Mexico.
2) Pray for Joan as she stays in Mexico while Mike travels.
3) Our temporary airstrip permits expire this month. Pray that the five year permits will be issued soon.
Dear Friends,
With Thanksgiving behind us and Christmas just a few weeks away it seems appropriate for us to mention a few of the things we are thankful for.
First and foremost, we are thankful that God sent his only son to die for us that we might be saved.
We are also thankful for family, friends and churches who generously support us in our work here in Mexico.
We thank God daily for sons who know and love him. Watching them grow into Godly men is a real privilege.
Five happy and healthy grandchildren have to be on the list too.
We are thankful for our government contract to bring patients out to the hospital. This is taking our planes and pilots into new airstrips and providing new contacts for possible ministry.
more >Please continue to pray that five year permits will be issued by the Mexican government for the airstrips we use. Pray for wisdom and safety as we face an increased demand for flights in December.
Pray that the flights we do each day will help foster relationships which will allow us open doors to share the Gospel. Pray for the MAF team which have been invited to visit Amoltepec this month.
Mike and Joan have been given the opportunity to lead a cell group Bible study. Pray for wisdom as they prepare to share with a group of new Christians and unbelieving friends they invite.
Pray for all those participating in ESI groups as the Fall semester is coming to an end and special projects are due. Pray that Edgar and Neri will be an encouragement to all those who participate.
Praise for the safe arrival of our new granddaughter Payton Ann. Pray for safe travel for Joan as she visits with family in the Cleveland area the first two weeks of November.
Pray for Mike as he travels to Guatemala to fly with our MAF pilots there while Joan is in Cleveland.
Pray for Edgar, Neri and Mike as they study Hebrews together. Pray that their schedules will allow them to meet together every week. Pray that as the ESI groups study together each participant will be encouraged as they study God's Word.
Praise that Mike has made good progress toward renewing his Mexican pilot license. Pray that the new license will be issued on time.
Praise that six month permits were received for our airstrips. Pray that the government authorities will be moved to act on the paper work we have submitted and issue permanent permits soon.
Pray for the safe arrival of our new Granddaughter due in late October to Ben and Andy.
Praise that we were able to get a 30% discount when we purchased the motorbikes for the Pastors in Amoltepec with the Parkside VBS offerings. Pray that these motorbikes will enable the Pastors to extend their outreach into new communities which need to hear the Good News.
Two churches in Edgar’s home town which is an 8 hours bus ride from Oaxaca are asking us to start an ESI group there. Please pray for wisdom and God’s direction in starting this new group.
more >Dear Partners,
Thank you for your prayers! We are back in Oaxaca and settling into our responsibilities. It was hard to leave family and friends behind but it's good to be back working with our MAF team. We also enjoy the opportunity to worship again with our Mexican brothers and sisters in our church.
We were able to get our visas renewed this month. Mike has done some flying and some training with Bruce. We are finally able to do regular flights to our mountain airstrips again. Last Friday we were given a six-month permit. We also received word at the same time that all the paperwork we have submitted for airstrip permits has been lost in the system so we are scrambling to get it all redone as soon as possible.
Along with normal flying Mike will be working in September to renew his Mexican pilot license. This process is quite complicated and the laws have changed recently so no one is sure what needs to be done. It will involve three separate trips outside the State of Oaxaca to comply with all the requirements. Your prayers would be appreciated for wisdom and success.
more >We are thankful for God's provision to be back in Mexico. Pray for safety in our flight and maintenance operations. Pray for wisdom in using the resources God has given us to extend His Kingdom in Oaxaca. Pray that the government permits for our airstrips would be issued soon so that we may be able to use the airplane as a tool to reach those in need.
Pray that as Mike & Joan settle back into Oaxaca that it would not become routine but each day would be a new opportunity to share God's love with people who need to know him. Pray for Mike as he leads Edgar and Neri in a Hebrews study that they will all grow together in God's grace.
Blessings,
Mike
more >Praise God for time in the U.S. with family and friends. Please pray for Mike and Joan as they wrap up their time in the U.S. and fly back to Mexico on July 28th. Pray for wisdom as they deal with many details involved in their transition back to Oaxaca.
Pray for safety as they travel through Idaho on their way to Mexico for special security training. Paperwork has progressed well for Bruce's pilot license. Pray that Bruce's license will be issued soon. Pray that the permanent permits for our airstrips would also be issued soon. Pray for safety in our flight operations during the rainy season.
Pray for open doors to share the Gospel in the mountain communities of Amoltepec. Pray that our team in Oaxaca would keep focused on ministering to the unseen spiritual needs of the people we serve while caring for their more obvious physical needs.
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Dear Friends,
I'm sorry we didn't get you an update in May. It seems harder to do when we're in two different places.
Mike had a good trip to Oaxaca. He flew almost 40 hours checked, out Bruce on the airstrips and gave Juan Carlos a bit of a break. He returned to Cleveland via Dallas where he met up with his folks and drove them in their motor home to Cleveland. They will stay in Mike's sister's driveway until October.
May also consisted of lots of traveling together. We attended a family reunion with Joan's family, enjoyed family vacation in the Outer Banks and wrapped it all up with a visit with several supporters in Atlanta.
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