Blog 61 10 January 2018

¡Feliz Año Nuevo!

Happy New Year!

Firstly, a sincere word of appreciation for my many prayer warriors and faithful supporters.  I appreciate all that you do that makes possible all that I am able to do.

As 2018 begins to unfold, I am excited to see the Lord work:

In my own life I have noticed some areas in which I have grown much since coming here.  However, I have also found some areas of my heart and life that need much more work.  I would ask you to pray for me as I seek to draw closer to the Lord and sincerely desire to please Him with my life.

In our school, I am very pleased with the hard work of our students.  If you have experience with ACE, you know it isn't always easy to stay on track; but we are privileged to work with young people who have eternal goals in mind and understand the importance of not only their studies, but the good habits that they are developing through their studies.  We are looking forward to two young men graduating high school in May, both of whom plan to attend Bible College and serve the Lord in missions.

In our church, Pastor Jonathan has challenged our soulwinning leaders and Sunday School teachers to purposefully set goals that will help to reach more people with the Gospel.  Rarely does a week go by that we do not have people down the aisle for salvation and baptism, but there is always room for more souls!

Christmas Party Field Trip

Through a gift from a friend of ACMH, our entire student body was able to enjoy an outing to the Planetarium in Monterrey.  Although there was a small observatory, most of the attraction was a museum similar to COSI or  the Mid-America Science Museum in Hot Springs.  The attraction for December -- January was "The History of Toys" with each station being a different decade.  From rag dolls and stick guns to remote-control cars and video games we were able to learn the ins and outs of how our toys work and what makes them so much fun.  Our recent graduates joined us as well as several parents, who of course, paid their own admission.

 With the start of the new semester, we are all hard at work and looking forward to a tremendous year!  Several students have already completed paces during our first week back.

The Great Commission

Great News! While traveling over the Christmas holidays I was able to pass out several tracts, in both English and Spanish.  On my return trip, I was seated at the charging station at my terminal in Dallas  completing the immigration forms, when a kind lady came over and offered to help me complete mine.  I thanked her, then showed her that they were now printed bi-lingually.  I told her that I had something that may be a blessing to her, though, as I handed her a tract that started with the question: "Are you sure if you died today that you would go to Heaven?"  She stared at it for a moment before responding, "You know, I'm not sure."  The tract was in Spanish, I said the main points of the plan in English, and as she read through the tract, she translated the verses back to me in English.  At the end, she prayed the Sinner's Prayer and placed her trust in the Lord alone for Heaven.  She agreed with me regarding the change from the inside that I had shared when relating my own experience.  Life will never be the same for Sara again.  PTL!!

With the beginning of the cold weather Ladies' Soulwinning was moved from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm.  As this is after school, Stephanie and I will be able to join them again.  When it warms up I am sure the time will be moved back to the morning.

Prayer Corner

Please pray for all of our ministries here:

*Mount Hebron Baptist Church

*Mount Hebron Christian Academy

*Mount Hebron Bible Institute

Please pray for the Ashcraft Family:

*Pastor Jonathan and Mrs. Jenny 

  ~ their 4 children

  ~ their many responsibilities

*Pastor (emeritus) Tommy and Mrs. Brenda

  ~ Mrs. Brenda's health

  ~ a permanent housing situation

Please pray for me personally:

*To grow spiritually

*To have wisdom in decisions

*To learn Spanish

Blog 60 24 Nov 2017 Thanksgiving

THANKSGIVING in MEXICO

 

The children were upstairs playing and another couple had to return to work, as Thanksgiving is not a holiday here in Mexico.

SHARING the GOSPEL

Wendy, a recent high school graduate whose family attends Mount Hebron has joined Stephanie and I on Tuesday soulwinning a few times. Pictured here are Stephanie and Wendy witnessing to some vendors in the town square.

Wendy goes soulwinning regularly with the youth on Friday nights.  Pastor Jonathan often joins them; he took this picture of Francisco and Andrew downtown.

MISSIONS CONFERENCE

There were many country displays to represent the various countries of our missionaries.  One team chose our Institute and featured pictures of graduates serving in various places.  They set up a little mini-airport complete with tickets to the mission field.  Lucas particularly enjoyed the airplane.

Here is a picture of after almost any church service.

MOVING DAY

Due to a property dispute involving the land of Mount Hebron, several of  us who live on the property are moving.  It has been decided that I will live at Jon & Jenny's for the time being.  Our long-term solution (subject to change) will be to take over the rent on the house of the couple in Language School (Stephanie, my soul-winning partner, and her husband).  Their house is 3 houses away from Jenny's.

While shared households can be stressful, we have decided to focus on the positives:  more home-cooked meals for me; more frequent free babysitting for them.  :)  Well, maybe that's really two positives for me: 
I love being "Aunt Emy!"

 

My new view of the beautiful mountain.

Addendum:  The church and school buildings are not involved in the proceedings.  We are having all regularly scheduled church services and seeing people saved and baptized every week.  We are planning to resume Institute classes in January.

MOUNT HEBRON CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

We are still having school every day. I believe it to be a part of my ministry to keep stability as much as possible for the children whose lives are a bit topsy-turvy right now. Jessica’s children have missed two days in order to pack and may have to miss more.  Francisco and Sammy's parents (who are on church staff, but live off property) have been working hard to help everyone involved.

Our last scheduled day before Christmas Break is Wednesday, December 20.  We are going to have a big party and a surprise for the students -- I think they are going to like it!

*ADDENDUM:  PTL!  Leo and Jessica found a place about 15 minutes away from the church and school.  They have been approved to move in on December 1st, but really would like to do so before then.
Some families are still looking.

PRAYER CORNER
Thank you for taking the time to pray for Mount Hebron Baptist Church and our ministries.  Please pray for 
Pastor Jonathan & Mrs Jenny and their children.  Please pray for Leo and Jessica, as well as several 
other families that will be moving.  Please pray for the Bible Institute to be able to resume classes in January.  And most of all, pray for souls to be won and lives to be changed.

Blog 59 16 Oct 2017

💙Appreciation 💙

Just a note to thank so many of you who continue to pray for our school, our students, and myself.  I do not usually take the time to view the stats on my blog, but this past week, I did look.  I am both honored and humbled at the number of "views."  I realize that every person may not read every word, but I trust that even those who only look at the pictures pause for a moment of a very busy life and say a prayer for Mount Hebron Christian Academy. Your prayer is much needed and much appreciated.

I also want to thank those who support our school by supporting the ministry or by giving directly to me.  In September I mailed six personal notes to different families or organizations who were a blessing.  Several others donated over the summer or will send something during the holidays.  This is not taken for granted and is very much appreciated.  Only the Lord truly knows what a difference each gift will make in eternity.

SCHOOL HAPPENINGS

Samuel, Age 6

Javier, Age 6

Jonny, Age 10

Ruth, Age 4

Sarah, Age 5

The Ashcrafts were out of town when these pictures were taken, and the three teenagers were busily working and did not have time to pose for pictures 😀

We have enlisted some young people to help us with the Kindergarten.  Bro. Mauricio is a young adult who grew up here at Mount Hebron and comes in on Tuesdays and Thursdays before he goes to work.  Miss Gabriela is a student in our Bible Institute and helps on Wednesdays and Fridays after her morning classes.  Both of these assistants speak English and are helping the Kindergarteners and First Graders learn English words and letter sounds. 
Please continue to pray for a Kindergarten Teacher.

The Great Commission

Stephanie and I have been passing out tracts in the 2 - 3 town squares close to the church here.  We go on Tuesdays in the afternoons just about the times people are getting home from school or shopping in the bodegas for the lunch hour.  One week we handed out about 50 tracts in about 30 minutes. There are not always that many people there, but the weather was nice and there were many people coming and going from the bus stops.  The following week, Stephanie's husband Trent came with us and was able to lead one man to the Lord.  

When they finish Language School, Trent and Stephanie plan to join his parents in thier ministry as missionaries in Zacatecas, Mexico.

Language Update

(or: My Trip to the Beauty Shop)

When I went to get my hair cut recently, my stylist asked if I spoke Spanish and told me her name was Kristen.  I told her a little, and that hers was the same name as one of my close friends who had died two years ago.  She said my Spanish wasn't so bad and asked how my friend had died.  I told her cancer and Kristen replied that she hated cancer.  She then asked why I was here and for how long.  I told her my friend was the Pastor of a Baptist church and I was here helping to teach their children to learn to read in English.  I asked about her family and we talked a little more.  She told me she was Catholic.

After a few minutes of small talk, she remarked that she had been wondering for a long time what the difference was between Baptist and Catholic: didn't I believe in God the Father, God the Son, and the Virgin Mary?  I said that, yes, I did believe in God the Father and God the Son, but I believed that Mary had other children.  (Yes, I said all of that in Spanish tho stutteringly and  perhaps not grammatically correctly).  Kristen replied: "Oh, so you do not pray to Mary?"  I said that no, I didn't; and also that I believed Jesus is the only way to Heaven.  When she was finished cutting my hair, I gave her a tract and showed her a few of the verses, and said this pamphlet explained what I believed about Jesus.

When I went downstairs to pay, Kristen was attentively reading the tract. Kristen was very open and receptive.  I prayed that she would accept Jesus as she finished reading the plan of salvation. Although she did not promise to come to church, she did say she would like to visit and ask more questions. *Kristen has not yet visited.*

Mount Hebron Baptist Church

Pastor Jonathan and his family were traveling for most of October.  He preached a week-long Missions Conference in Michigan and a Sunday Night Service in the Spanish Ministry of 1st Baptist, Hammond.   Foremost on the itenary, at least for the kids, was a visit to Grammy's house!!  They were also able to spend some time at Lewis Ave Baptist Church, Jenny's home church and their sending church.

Here on the homefront, we had several graduates who are pastoring here in Mexico fill the pulpit on Sundays. Our people love to hear their former Pastor, Dr. Tommy Ashcraft who spoke on Wednesday nights. Soulwinning, Bus Routes, and all ministries went on regular schedule.

Bonus Language Update:

My Dad gave me a Rosetta Stone before I moved (2 years ago).  I completed Level 1 at just past my 1.5 year mark, doing and re-doing the lessons until I got above a 90%.  For several months I have been unable to get Level 2 to work, even after starting from scratch with the the application disc.  Some friends in the states allowed me to use their application disc to try again -- and it worked!!! The program stated that Levels 4 & 5 would need updates, but for now, Level 2 is working

and I got a 95% on Lesson 1, first try! Let us pray that it does not take two years to finish Level 2, and that the last two levels will not be as difficult to get to work.

BOOK NOOK

Since school has started, I have finished one missionary biography and started another.  I wholeheartedly reccomend both of them for anyone interested in learning more about missions:

Tom and Me by Mrs Billie Sloan

To Cross the Widest Ocean by Mrs Becky Martin

Also, I have received several inquiries regarding my writings lately, so I am taking this opportunity to provide a reminder that I have several books available through Amazon in paperback, or digitally through Amazon Kindle:  

What I Learned From My Parents -- lessons from my very extraordinary parents

365 Days of Thankfulness -- an excellent devotional

Every Kid Is Different -- what they didn't teach you in college about the classroom

Where's The Next Jenny? -- effectively investing in the next generation

Prayer Corner

Please pray for the ministry: 

1. Mount Hebron Baptist Church

   a) Pastor Jonathan, Jenny, and their children who are traveling in October for Missions Conferences and visists with family and friends in Michigan

   b) Our soulwinning programs, and follow up, especially for Kristen and a couple we met at the Plaza

   c) Our bus routes and SS classes

2. Mount Hebron Christian Academy

    a) Our students

    b) A part-time teacher to help with K &/or 1st Grade.
    c) The student teachers who are filling-in until then

3. Mount Hebron Bible Institute

    a) Our students

    b) Our faculty (I teach English) 

  c) Our graduates, specifically Geno this month who ministers in the border town of Reynosa.

Please pray for me:

1. To learn Spanish

    a) To lead someone to the Lord

    b) To be more effective in helping in SS 
    c) PTL!! With a little help from friends in the states, I               was able to get Rosetta Stone up and going!

2. To have wisdom and patience with the school schedule until we have help.

3.   For finances and financial wisdom.

Blog 58 26 Sep 2017

Back in the Swing of School!

We have settled into a somewhat normal routine for school, now.  

Chapel, Music, and PE are included in our week along with  daily devotions.  We are singing a hymn in English each morning. 

The ACE curriculum calls for a Scripture passage to be memorized each month.  Although an entire chapter can be difficult in a second language (or for a First-Grader in any language), we are doing our best and working hard.  Jessaly, Tommy, & Jonathan have learned Psalm 1  ~ PTL!

Here we are learning our pledges in English:

 

And here is a pic taken after the big kickball game:

Front Row: Tommy, Javi, Jonathan, Samy
Middle Row: Me, Sara, Ruth, Jessaly
Back Row: Michael Ratcliffe (visiting), Jonny, Andrew,
                 Hmo. Mauricio (helping in K part-time), Francisco

The Great Commission

I have been going soulwinning on Tuesdays with Stephanie, our Language School student, since both of us are in class during regular ladies' soulwinning.  Neither of us are confident in our presentation, so prayers are much appreciated.

Another interesting thing I was able to do this month was to speak the plan of Salvation in English via text messages for one of our Institute graduates.  Enrique feels led of the Lord to be a missionary to the Middle East and plans to start his ministry in refugee camps in Canada.  He took my English course last semester, but clearly has had some previous teaching as well.  He has a great burden for the Arabic people.

The Local Church

We celebrated Mexican Independence Day:

The children's choir sang one Sunday night:

Johnny, the 3rd one on the 2nd row, is Jessica's youngest son.

Jonathan, Tommy, and Samy on the 1st row.

Javi is there, too, behind his Dad who is leading.

The rest of the school students are K or teens.

We had neighborhood rallies with Evangelist Darrel Ratcliff who brought along is inflatables to draw a crowd of children to hear the Gospel.  We hosted 3 rallies in different areas of Monterrey throughout the week and  promoted a Big Day in the Bus Ministry.  The total saved for the week was close to 2,000 people.  

(swiped from FB)

Language Update

(or: My Trip to the Dentist)

At the end of August I had to ask Pastor Jonathan to make an appointment for me with the dentist because I thought I had lost a filling.  Jenny drove me to my appointment and was ready to translate for me.

The first thing the dentist asked me was if I spoke Spanish. 

I answered (in Spanish) that I spoke a little, but understood more.  He replied (in English) that his English was not very good, but that he would try and practice it with me.  

Except for confusing "open" and "close" a few times while working in my mouth, his vocabulary was actually pretty good.  His English verb conjugation was about on par with my Spanish conjugation.

"Restoration" is actually the same word in both languages, so he was able to easily make it clear that it was a crown and not a filling, and that it had broken, not just come loose.  The protruding metal and not a jagged edge of my tooth had caused the lacerations on my tongue -- no wonder I had been talking with a lisp!  

He gave me a shot, dug out the remaining piece of the old crown, took a mold for the replacement, and installed a temporary cap.  This all took about 45 minutes.  When I came back out to the waiting room, Jenny congratulated me that I did not need her to interpret.  It was so tempting not to tell her that Dr. Javier spoke English.  😊

I went back the following week for the actual crown.  I know that dental work can be very expensive in the US, but my total cost for both visits was @ $145, plus pain and suffering.  

Spare Time:

And I'll not leave out the "Littlest" of My Mexico Blessings:

Besides the occasional babysitting, I have enjoyed some one-on-one time with each of these this past month!

Prayer Corner

Please pray for the ministry: 

1. Mount Hebron Baptist Church

    a) Pastor Jonathan, Jenny, and their children

    b) Our soulwinning programs, and follow up

    c) Our bus routes and SS classes

2. Mount Hebron Christian Academy

    a) Our students

    b) A part-time teacher to help with K &/or 1st Grade.

3. Mount Hebron Bible Institute

    a) Our students

    b) Our faculty (I teach English) 

    c) Our graduates, specifically Enrique this month

Please pray for me:

1. To learn Spanish

    a) To lead someone to the Lord

    b) To be more effective in helping in SS 

2. To have wisdom and patience with the schedule until

           we have help

Blog 57 22 Aug 2017 School Starts

The Beginning  of My 3rd Year at ACMH!

First Day of Classes: Thursday, August 17

Our New Computer

(provided by friends of MHCA)

Pictured are the 1st Graders (-1 absent boy).
We also have a 4th Grader, a 7th Grader, 2 seniors, and 3 Kindergarteners.  The K4-K5 make it necessary to have help, so please pray that the Lord sends the right person at the right time.

I will also be teaching English in the Bible Institute, Levels 1 & 2.

The Great Commission:

This picture of houses streaming up the side of the mountain is just above a very popular mall in an area filled with American stores and restaraunts.  
(That's Chili's in the foreground.)

This is typical of Monterrey housing: brick and small.  This is also typical of our bus route areas.
I will be soulwinning on Tuesday afternoons now that school has started. My partner will be Stephanie, who is attending Language School.  This will force us to learn the plan and to become 
the "talking" partners.  Stephanie has led three people to the Lord by reading the tract with them.  I am still working up to my first.

The Local Church:
School has started, the institute students have returned, and almost everyone is back from vacation; so our attendance is up and our ministries are back in full force.  This week we are having a family conference with Evangelist Bill Smith, and in November, our annual Missions Conference.

Language Victories!

I have continued practicing Spanish even though I have not been able to load Rosetta Stone. Here are a few examples that have been an encouragement to me over the summer:

1. One afternoon I rode with Pastor Jonathan and Mrs. Jenny to the teen camp where Jon was speaking that evening.  A youth pastor's wife from another church struck up a converstaion with me about why I was at Mount Hebron and how long I would be here.  I did not understand every word, and my grammar was not great in my answers, . . . but I asked her about her children and her time as an Institute student at Mt. Hebron.
  *Update:*
This patient lady and her husband are here for our Family Conference and we were able to talk again.

2. I am able to pass out tracts and introduce myself soulwinning.  I am still working on the salvation plan.

3.  The little corner store delivers.  Jessica has called and ordered a garafon (a large 5-gallon jug of water) for me.  I was excited to be able to do that for myself  for the first time.  I started by asking for patience with my bad grammar, told them what I wanted and that I lived next door to Pastor Tommy Ashcraft.  Just a few minutes later, my water was there!

Prayer Corner

Thank you for your faithful prayers for our school and other ministries.  Please continue to pray for the Ashcraft family, for me to learn Spanish, and for help in the Christian school.

A big "Thank You" to those who have faithfully supported Mount Hebron Christian Academy and to those who sent school supplies this year.

Also, please pray for Mrs. Brenda Ashcraft (Pastor Jonathan's mom) as she is still not able to put any pressure on her leg from her fall on the day Megan was born (June 13). For two months she has not been able to get out of bed other than her scheduled exercises with a nurse.