July update

Dear Friends & Family,

Sorry we haven't updated in a few weeks but our return to Puebla has found us hitting the ground running. Dan has made one trip to Mexico City to meet with the Kairos book distributor to organize activities for this Fall. He will be there again tomorrow to apply for Mexican citizenship so please keep that in your prayers. Back in our hometown here in Puebla, we have been working to finish a govt. built home for our niece who is a single mom with two children. We also have been clearing the land for construction of our "Jubilee Center" which will house the JEM office in Mexico, library/resource room, medical consultation space with small pharmacy, distribution center for indigenous merchandise and who know what else...

The last four years we have continued our "eye-opening" trips to Chiapas with mostly participation from young people from Puebla. In 2005 we also included a few from Chicago and Barcelona, Spain and this summer we will welcome a retired sociology prof. from TX who will join 5 young people from Puebla. It is both eye-opening for us and an encouragement to our indigenous friends in Chiapas who continue to suffer the effects of low-intensity war. We invite anyone reading this blog to participate with us in an upcoming trip. Just let us know.

Angelica's hometown here in Puebla is called San Mateo Tlaixpan and has historically been very resistant to any other religious groups aside from Catholicism. But about 5 years ago the Jehovah's Witnesses were able to build a building just on the outskirts of the town and they do door to door witnessing each Sat. A little Evangelical church began last Fall where one of Angelica's sisters is helping to plant. We hope to begin attending after our summer activities. But our little MIJE (JEM in Spanish) group will continue to meet as well as a testimony of breaking down barriers of religion, language, culture and socio-economic status. God has called us to be "One in Him that the world might believe" and we are calling ourselves a little seedling of His Kingdom.

On July 14 Angelica and Dan celebrated 6 years of marriage and it was a special joy to include our little miracle in our plans for the day. Jacob is growing and developing normally for which we give thanks to God and continues to give us much joy.

with our love,

Dan & Angelica