Would you pray for Itzel? She is one of the girls who attends the breakfast club and is about 11 years old. This week she shared with me that her 18 year old sister is waiting to hear if she has a tumour in her ovary. Itzel is concerned and obviously the family is too. She then went on to share that her father has another woman, has at least one child with her and is still with her (and her mother at the same time). He also regularly has fights with his brother who lives nearby. These seem to be severe. It's a privilege to be able to have kids like Itzel open up and to be able to listen and attempt to help. Itzel was contacted through the club and came to the Holiday Bible Club (VBS) in the summer. I'm not sure where she is spiritually but hope to be able to follow up with her more in the weeks ahead. Pray that through Itzel this family will come to know Christ.
My conversation with Itzel was interrupted by one of our helpers who was apologizing that she hasn't been able to help out as regularly. Her husband was out of work and they had been traveling all over the place trying to sell things to make ends meet. The latest news is that her husband has traveled up to the border with America and is hoping to get in there and get some work to support his family. He has left his wife and two young boys at home who are of course missing him desperately. It's a hard one. Work is hard to find here and can be extremely badly paid and yet this little family need their dad and husband. Pray that something will be worked out...and for God's grace in this situation.
The little street kids are still coming, always arriving early and helping out where they can and they have been bringing along some of their friends. We are amazed at how interested they are in the bible teaching. Obviously this is all new to them and they are drinking it in.
Next week one of the leaders is preparing a special seasonal lesson. Here in Mexico there is a traditional festival known as 'Day of the Dead' It will be celebrated on the 2nd November. Halloween is also becoming more and more popular and so in the same way that there are decorations all over the place for Independence day and Christmas eventually all the street stalls are currently selling plastic skulls, ghosts, skeletons and the like.
Traditionally people will build shrines and decorate them with flowers etc. and invite the dead to return. You can only imagine how evil this festival is. Please pray for our leader as she prepares a class on the reasons we don't celebrate either Halloween or Day of the Dead. For many kids it is just another chance to dress up and get lots of sweets (candies) and they don't understand the true significance. Pray that the lesson will be effective in pointing these kids to Christ and His victory over death and the grave.
The following week we will have an alternative party.
Some of the ladies on the team have noticed the terrible condition of the kids' teeth. There are a couple of dentists in the church and we have arranged for them to come to the club next week to look at the kids teeth. We're also hoping to be able to get a hold of some free toothpaste and tooth brushes if possible. The kids will be taught how to look after their teeth and some may get follow-up appointments during the week. Pray that by helping in this practical way the community around the church will see that we care and that God does too and that they will be drawn into the church.
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