Weekly report

Tomorrow we hope to take Oscar for his first medical visit since we got back home. He hasn't been weighed in quite a few weeks so we are interested to see how the reflux is affecting him. We would appreciate prayer for his health as we try to consider the best options to bring it under control. He has good days and bad days. We have tried introducing some formula, a specialised feeding bottle, some baby rice, infant Gaviscon... Apart from his reflux he continues to be the perfect baby! We are also hoping to continue his vaccinations at home though he is due to get a rotavirus shot which isn't on the schedule here. We will keep you posted as to how things develop.

The Mex-i-Kids club at La loma was very much on our minds this week as they finished off yesterday. They will be taking a break until the VBS in the summer.

We will be making some phonecalls this week to find out what has going and will let you know next week.

We also finally got a prayer letter together. I can't believe how time has flown and how long it has been since the last one went out. Those who read the blog regularly will understand the challenge of trying to squeeze 3 or 4 months worth of information onto 2 sides of A4! We so appreciate all who support us in various ways. It's such an encouragement as we go around on deputation to meet those of you are are checking in to the blog on a regular basis.

It was such a joy to be able to finally visit the charity shop in Coleraine this week. What an amazing effort from those who donate merchandise to those who man the shop and get it set up. There is no way that we can express our gratitude and the difference it is making and will continue to make in the lives of so many in Mexico City. It's such an encouragement also to know that we are part of a team working together.

Documentation

Thanks to those who were praying for our paperwork. Our renewed visas came through before we left Mexico and we got all of Oscar's paperwork. Andrew went to pick up his British passport and birth certificate and there had been a problem with the form for the latter. He had to go back the Tuesday before we left to get the birth certificate. He was horrified to find that they had printed the wrong name on the form but thankfully he had been registered correctly so the misprint was easily corrected. Thanks again for your prayers.

Deputation Schedule

I thought you might like to see our schedule to date. We might not be in your church but perhaps we are in one close by. So check it out and hopefully we will see you soon.

Where we've already been
OMS prayer groups in Newtownards and Bangor
Coleraine Independent Methodist Church
Ballycraigy Congregational Church

May
Wed 14th Larne Mission Hall
Fri 16th OMS Prayer Group Larne
Sun 18th am Muckamore Presbyterian
Sun 18th pm Hazelbank Presbyterian, Coleraine
Wed 21st West Kirk Presbyterian
Sun 25th am Armagh Baptist
Sun 25th pm Moneymore Congregational Church
Wed 28th Ballymena Independent Methodist Church

June
Sun 1st (all day) Portrush Presbyterian
Fri 13th Carrubbers Christian Centre (Edinburgh)
Wed 18th Gardenstown Church of Scotland
Sun 22nd am Bethesda, Fraserburgh
Sun 22nd pm Macduff Church of Scotland
Sun 29th am Liberton Northfield Church of Scotland

July
Sun 6th (all day) Londonderry Baptist Church
Sun 20th am Dunluce Presbyterian Church
Wed 23rd Donaghy Congregational Church

Back Home!

We finally made it. Lots of saying goodbye, cleaning, tidying, packing etc. but we finally left home at 6am on Thursday morning. We arrived at the airport to find that our seats had been given to someone else. We had to wait for the next flight which meant that our stop over in Newark was a stressful rush. We made it to the gate as the flight was boarding. Frequently throughout the journey we commented that people must be praying for us. Tabitha was amazing. She played happily and kept her good spirits throughout the 24 hour day. We were worried about whether she would sleep through the night flight but she managed a good 4 - 5 hours. She's still recovering and getting used to the time difference but is loving all the attention and getting to boss everyone around. It's lovely to see her so happy.

Having mum travel with us was just inexpressibly wonderful. She was able to keep Oscar content which allowed us to focus on Tabitha. The disposable bibs she brought were a Godsend for our pukey little boy! He too did well though he was tired too and has slept lots since getting here.
It was so strange for us getting home this time. Last time we were away we had 2 visits home for family weddings so this has been the longest time we have been away. the first thing we noticed was the lovely fresh air and then how beautifully green everything is. We are just coming out of the long dry season in Mexico City so the air is polluted and everything is brown.

We love Mexico of course but I think that arriving home and being spoiled by family has made us realise just how stressful life can be for us there. It's just wonderful to be surrounded by everything familiar - food, language, health system etc. and everything in close proximity. As well as reporting back on the work in Mexico we are looking forward to a bit of a rest over the next 3 months and to spending some good quality time together and with friends and family.

We will keep in touch with what's going on in the ministries in Mexico and keep you up to date. Please pray particularly for the breakfast club in La Loma as they reach the climax of their teaching on the gospel with only 2 more weeks left before they break up. We really want to see kids come to know Christ as a result.

We heard that just over 80 kids attended the special event at the breakfast club in Tultitlan and about the same number attended the club in Valle de Chalco. Praise God for new contacts and pray that some of these kids would continue to attend and find Christ along with their families in days to come.

The Ladies

Most Monday nights the missionary ladies get together for fellowship and bible study. It has been wonderful to go through a study together and spend time together. It may be some time before we're together as a group with different people leaving the field. That's one of the hard parts of missionary life - saying goodbye. We're so thankful for our missionary family who are so wonderfully supportive.
And yes, Oscar has been a part of our ladies' group since before he was born!

Acapulco

Thanks for your prayers. The trip to Acapulco went well. Andrew had a day delivering necessary equipment and talking to the pastors. It was a day to learn about the worries and the struggles of the churches which aren't in Mexico City and how to pray more for them. One continues to plant new house churches but it is very poor so resources are minimal, one has ideas and would like reach out more but finds few leaders coming up in the church and the last has no pastor, so one pastor is the principal helper there and others help when they can. How our hearts would love to help but we must do it by prayer. So what do we learn? Well, there are needs everywhere and we must do the best we can where He puts us and trust Him with the rest that we have no control over. Andrew left feeling that he had been an encouragement and with a new Mex-i-Kids in the planning of the Coloso church which is an extremely poor area of the city. Rent there is about £35 per month for a 3 bedroom apartment. Please pray for Pastor Mario of the Coloso church who is seeking God's vision and will for this club and how the church can reach out through it.