Schroeder Family Chronicles

Washington DC Trip - Day 3

2011-08-15T18:41:00.001-06:00

Our friend Mary Beth set us up with a tour of the Pentagon on our 3rd morning in DC. Robby Sudder is an army officer and gave us a 2 hour tour. Just getting past the security was impressive--but we were also impressed at how the place is a city in itself with grocery store, drug store, restaurants, flower shop, barbers, book stores, etc. I guess the people who work there spend so much time there that they need to not have to go into the real world for goods and services.

From there, we took the metro to the Old Post Office Building and ate lunch at the food court there--nearly every kind of ethnic food you can imagine. We went up in the clock tower for a great view of DC. Then on to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum where we saw the original Wright brothers' 1903 flyer, Lindbergh's "Spirit of St. Luis," and the Apollo 11 Command Module.

We met Mary Beth for supper at a restaurant called "Ted's Bulletin"--another well-known DC eatery.

We finished the evening with the Friday night parade at the Old Marine Barracks. You can see a video of the silent drill team here

Posted via email from Somewhere in the Middle

Washington DC Trip - Day 2

2011-08-13T22:03:00.001-06:00

On the second day of our trip to DC, we took the metro to the Smithsonian Museum of American History--way too much to see but we tried valiantly to see as much as we could in about 3 hours: Judy Garland's ruby slippers from Wizard of Oz, Archie Bunker's chair from All in the Family,c the presidents and their wives, old cars, trains,--even Julia Child's kitchen! We weren't able to see it all, but we had fun trying.

After grabbing a quick lunch, we met our friend Mary Beth Brednich at the visitors' center of Congress. She works as an aid in the Senate and gave us a fabulous tour--walked the halls, stood in the House gallery, and saw more statues and paintings than we can remember! One of the fun things about being with Mary Beth is all the insider tidbits and history that she knows and shared with us as we walked the halls of the Capitol. Her job puts her in regular contact with all 100 senators--a wealth of knowledge--and a beautiful person!

Then...we went to "Ben's Chili Bowl"-- a famous Washington dive for hot dogs and chili cheese fries.

We finished the evening off with a tour of Washington Monument--went all the way to the top for a beautiful view of the city. There was a jazz concert nearby as we left.

See the full gallery on Posterous

Posted via email from Somewhere in the Middle

Washington DC Trip - Day 1

2011-08-11T20:21:00.001-06:00

We just flew in today from an 8 day trip to Washington DC--a kind of family graduation/senior trip for Natali and Morgan before they go off to college. Lots of sights, fun and memories.

For the next few days I'm going to record what we did on each of the days there with a few of the photos--so we won't forget.

The first morning, after buying subway passes for the week, we spent a few hours at the U.S. Botanical Gardens which are located to one side of the capitol building. I think they have most every plant from every place in the world--have recreated different environments: desert, southwest, jungle, rain forest, etc.

Afterwards, we had tickets to a Washington Nationals-Atlanta Braves baseball game at Nationals Park. It was our first MLB game ever. We had peanuts and hotdogs. The game was rain delayed in the 6th--but we had a blast.

We ended the day with a visit of Lincoln Memorial--very impressive!

See the full gallery on Posterous

Posted via email from Somewhere in the Middle

Plunged into Life in Texas

2010-09-14T13:01:00.001-06:00

Its hard to believe that 2 months have passed since we left Mexico. Settled in to a farm house. Girls in school at Amherst Independent School District. Got some farm animals: baby chicks, an old horse for Ceci to ride, some baby heifers to feed milk. We feel over our head right now. Like a person must feel who jumps out of a helicopter into the ocean for an important mission of some kind. He comes up. Is breathing and alive...but still not sure which way is north. But figuring it out. And feeling good to be alive. I wonder what lies ahead!

Posted via email from Somewhere in the Middle

Iztaccihuatl - Climbing a Volcano with Friends

2010-05-22T12:54:00.001-06:00

Last weekend, I joined 10 friends from Guadalajara and Mexico City for a 2-day climb of Iztaccihuatl, Mexico’s third highest mountain. Almost 16 years ago, a few of us had climbed the nearby Popocatapetl volcano before it became active again. We said back then that some day we also wanted to climb Iztaccihuatl.

Izta is also known as the Mujer Dormida, or sleeping woman because its shape looks like a woman lying on her back with at least 4 main peaks sticking up out of the mountain: her head, her breast, her knees and her feet. Our guides took us up towards the “rodillas”, which is the 2^nd highest of the peaks at 5048 meters or 16,561 feet above sea level. What an experience!

After spending Friday night in Mexico City at the Pink House, the group of us from Guadalajara met up with the others and made our way to El Paso de Cortez at the base of the mountain. We took the cars a little further to La Joya (3940 meters), got our gear organized (35 lb packs each) and began the climb at 1:30 pm. Within an hour it began to snow (my friend Lad from Colorado called it “corn snow”). For about 5 hours we made our way up through beautiful and rugged country—through snow storms, wind, rocks. The temperature dropped dramatically. About 6:30 pm we arrived at a rustic shelter called the refugio—a small shed with wood bunks for 24 people. The altitude here was 4870 meters or 15,600 feet. We were wiped out…most all of us suffering at some level from altitude sickness—nausea, extreme fatigue, headaches, etc.

We ate and rested there until our guide woke us a little after 3:00 am on Sunday morning. Visibility was severely limited by a fog and snow, so we postponed our final push. But by about 5:30 am, after having eaten and dressed for the ascent, we formed teams of 3 and 4, harnessed ourselves together, and left the shelter. We used snow axes and crampons to climb the remaining 961 feet to the “las rodillas” peak. We arrived after about 2 hours of climbing at 7:30 am.

It would have been cool to go further and see la panza and reach el pecho of Izta. But because of the snow storm and danger of lightning later in the day, we followed our guide’s advice and considered our mission accomplished. By about 1:00 pm, we were back at La Joya, eating the best quesadillas and soup I’d ever tasted and celebrating our victory.

It was cool to test our physical and emotional limits against the mountain. It was super cool to do that together with such good and strong men.

My friend, James Henderson, made this great video of our experience together:

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The Virgin Came By Our House Yesterday

2010-05-21T19:47:00.001-06:00

Yesterday afternoon we watched as several thousand people paraded past our house with the Virgin of Zapopan. It seems that this time of year the small statue is taken from her special cathedral in the center of Zapopan (one of the cities that make up the Metropolitan Zone of Guadalajara) to make a pilgrimage to all the Catholic temples in and around Guadalajara. She (her statue) spends the night in each temple--then is carried with much celebration through the neighborhood streets to the next temple--where she spends the next night, and the process continues. Folks believe that her presence brings blessing and protection to the neighborhood.

Yesterday was our neighborhood's turn. Everyone started preparing the streets with decoration the day before--sweeping the street, laying a carpet of alfalfa leaves and hanging flags and balloons—excitement in the air.

Then about 5:00 yesterday afternoon, as the video clip shows, the procession made its way down our street passing a few feet from the door of our house. I was impressed to see so many people out on the streets to participate with the virgin. I wondered what moved them to do this. I wondered if the next generation will do the same.

The Virgin of Zapopan on Vimeo

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Last Week in Mexico City

2010-05-21T09:34:00.001-06:00

I spent several days in Mexico City last week—went over on Tuesday and spent the time hanging out with old friends and coworkers—and enjoying the “flavor” of Mexico City. Although the time went fast and I didn’t get to see everyone I wanted, it was a great week and good for my heart to connect with so many friends who are trying to follow Jesus and incarnate Him in and around that huge city. It was good to listen in on some of their stories of life there.

I got to stay in the home of my good friends James and Erin Henderson and enjoy their hospitality. From Tuesday thru Friday, I got to hang out with, eat meals with and drink coffee with the Holcomb and Jenkins families in Cuernavaca, Rodrigo and Rosi Mendieta in Yautapec, Morelos, the Brednich family in Tlalpan, the Torres family in Cuajimalpa, Filadelfo Monterrey in Santa Ursula, Abel Perez in Cuajimalpa, Pedro Marín in the center of Mexico City, Israel and Nelly Molina in Tlalpan, Ryan and Amanda Gray in Benito Juarez, and Jorge and Hilda Ortega in Tlalpan.

As always, I was impressed with the enormity of Mexico City—nothing I know compares with it. As I moved through the transportation system and walked the streets, I felt the pounding of its heartbeat—looked into the faces of the multitudes caught up in its chaos.

And, as always, I was impressed with the faithfulness of my friends; their desire to participate with God and God’s mission there. I saw lots of evidence of their perseverance.

I felt proud that they are my friends.

Posted via email from In the Middle

Morgan and Natali Ran a 5K Race

2010-05-09T14:52:00.001-06:00

This morning our 16-year old daughters Morgan and Natali ran their first 5K race. They ran with a crowd of other women in a Mother’s Day Race at a park near our house. They had lots of fun. I was super proud.

We started training for this race in March using a run/walk plan with the idea of running it together. It was fun training together—watching them grow in confidence and arrive at being able to run the 3.1 miles without stopping.

But then I found out that this race was only for women.

I would have liked to have run with them. But it was fun watching them run!

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This Past Friday Night with Mexican Missionaries

2010-04-26T11:36:00.001-06:00

This past Friday night, we had supper with the Rocha and Garcia families. After spending several years in training and preparation, Lalo and Jamie Rocha, and their boys Liam and Jonah have recently arrived in Mexico City to begin their assignment as missionaries to the people there. They came over to spend the weekend in Guadalajara. We cooked chicken out on the grill and had homemade ice cream. Good friends and good food—a good combination!

Lalo was about 14 years old when Nancy and I arrived in Mexico City back in 1991; he and his mom and brother were being drawn to Christ and beginning their walk as disciples in those days. Lalo was part of a group of youth and university students that formed back then; Nancy and I spent much of our time and energy hanging out with this group and learning together what following Jesus in Mexico City could look like. Soon afterwards, Gerardo and Carola joined us in life and ministry with this group of jovenes—they provided leadership and mentoring for them in the years after Nancy and I made our move to Guadalajara.

Meanwhile, Jamie was an Adventures in Missions (AIM) apprentice in Lubbock, Texas in the early 90’s when Nancy and I were finishing up our preparations to move to Mexico City. We were always impressed with her good heart and desire to follow Christ. Her folks became involved in La Casa de Esperanza orphanage in northern Mexico. Somewhere along the line, she and Lalo met, married and began their family together.

Of course, these relationships have grown and changed over these 15+ years. Gerardo and Lalo developed a great friendship. The Rocha family and the Garcia family are both hot on the trail of Jesus Christ and his desire for them to flesh out Christ’s life in Mexico.

It was cool to see Gerardo and Lalo together this weekend—super cool to hear them talk about their missionary heart and desire to see God’s Kingdom come to Mexico City and Guadalajara—for their Mexico—to hear them describe what they think God wants them to do and how they think the Enemy will likely oppose. It was neat to hear them describe themselves as “fruit” of God’s work through many others in Mexico City—and to hear them describe themselves as Mexican missionaries to their own people in these cities—to hear their desire to see God’s Kingdom alive and healthy in Mexico.

It was encouraging to see the result of seeds sown in good hearts—seeds that took root and are growing into something beautiful and surely much larger than them or the ones who helped plant and water. God is good.

I wonder what will become of these Mexican missionaries and the ones they touch. I wonder what other seeds are being planted?

Posted via email from The Schroeder's Posterous

All Church Retreat

2010-04-20T09:40:00.001-06:00

This past weekend was good for our hearts!

We spent the weekend with members from different house churches in our annual all church retreat. Over the years the shared retreat has provided a great opportunity for fellowship, focused teaching, vision sharing, and seed sowing with visitors. We believe the annual retreat is one of several important practices that help the smaller bands of disciples continue their focus on fleshing out Christ in their own neighborhoods while also sensing that they are part of a larger fellowship of Christ followers.

As usual we had lots of fun together.

We began arriving at the campsite—about 45 minutes outside of the city—around 6 or 7 on Friday night. Then, for the next 45 hours or so we played together, prayed and sang together, laughed and cried together, ate together, and studied and discussed Jesus’ teaching from the Sermon on the Mount together. In all of this, we were especially focused on listening for God’s Word to us as individuals and as a group.

We arrived home late Sunday afternoon tired, but very happy to experience God’s work in and around us.

One of the things that was especially encouraging to me was the evidence of maturity and leadership I saw among my Mexican brothers and sisters. So many people worked together, each adding their part, to make the weekend a great experience. It was cool to watch several of my Mexican brothers—Gerardo, Martín, Jose Luis and Arturo—facilitate times of discussion and listening to God together around Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount—to see their expectation that God really would give us a clear word that requires obedience. I was touched to watch and listen in as people paired off in the last few hours together on Sunday to articulate to one another what they had heard from God and how they planned to respond in obedience.

We also loved watching the kids and youth play together. We’ve noticed that over the past few months it seems that God has drawn the youth from the different churches together. It was fun to see their unity and love for one another so clearly this past weekend.

I was also very encouraged by the father of a visiting family who spent the weekend with us. On Saturday afternoon, with tears Jesús told the group how he and his family were seeing Christ expressed so beautifully in the love in our group—how this was something that he had not seen very often in his life—and how important it was for him.

I already knew that was true. But it was good for my heart to hear that he saw it too.

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Melanie's Quinceañera

2010-04-10T11:59:00.001-06:00

Last Saturday night we celebrated Melanie’s Quinceañera birthday bash. It was a big deal! I think most Mexican girls dream about this day for most of their childhood. The party is a “coming of age” event that signifies a girl’s transition from childhood to adulthood. For those who are unfamiliar with the celebration, it seems very similar to a big wedding—except without the guy! Its typical for preparations for this special event to go on for months or more. There were about 150 guests made up of family members and friends; everyone in formal attire.

It all started about 8:00 pm and, typical of these parties, the evening began with a religious service. Melanie and her family had asked Nancy and me to be Melanie’s Padrinos— and one of my responsibilities was to prepare an address/sermon for Melanie and the group. We remembered together what God has done in Melanie’s life and encouraged her to continue to live faithfully and courageously. Several of the key women in her life described the vision they have for her life.

Then the party began! For the next 5 or 6 hours, there was a fine dinner, photos, laughing, music and dancing. Melanie looked beautiful—and she seemed to have a blast with all of her friends and family. It was a special night.

One of the things I liked about all of this is that we have been able to watch Melanie grow up over these many years. We were with her parents in the days before and after her birth 15 years ago. We’ve been blessed to watch God’s work in her life. Even from a very young age, she has been strong in her beliefs and not easily influenced or manipulated by others. Melanie’s 2^nd grade teacher called Carola to complain that Melanie was teaching the other kids about Jesus during recess at school—that she didn’t think it was appropriate. A few years back, in the days after Melanie was diagnosed with diabetes, it was cool to hear her come to the conviction very soon that God wanted her and her family to help others who were also ill with this disease. It has been good to watch her follow through on that conviction for over 4 years now. Its cool to imagine the woman God is making her to be.

I also liked watching all the kids have fun together. Melanie’s dad, Gerardo made it clear to all the guests that—unlike typical quinceañera parties—this one would be alcohol-free. It was fun watching them enjoy one another.

It was 4:30 am when I turned off the lights to go to sleep Sunday morning. It was a fun night!

See and download the full gallery on posterous

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A Blessed Weekend with Brednich and Henderson Families

2010-04-07T10:53:00.001-06:00

The last few days have been a great blessing. Our dear friends and fellow missionary coworkers from Mexico City—the Henderson and Brednich families—came over to celebrate Melanie Garcia’s Quinceañera birthday party. James and Erin Henderson—and their little ones Kate and Caleb, along with Benjy and Carolyn—and their four boys Reese, Chase, Pierson, and Hudson spent five days at our house. We had a good time together. Our kids had a blast together. There was never a dull moment! It was good to spend time talking and playing together, remembering old times—and encouraging one another.

These families have spent the last 7 years living and involving themselves in Kingdom life in Mexico City.

We go way back with these dear friends. James and Benjy came to work with us in Mexico City as young Adventures in Missions (AIM) workers in early 1993. They were still in their teens at the time. They spent 2 ½ years as apprentices there. Then, they went back to the U.S. to get more training. God blessed them with wonderful wives. Later, they formed a team with several other couples to plant churches in Mexico City. Its been fun to watch them grow—to see them become our friends and peers—to learn from them as they follow Jesus.

One of the things we have really liked over the years has been watching James and Benjy interact with our daughters Morgan and Natali. This weekend was no exception. James and Benjy had just arrived in Mexico City when the girls were born almost 17 years ago—they were some of the girls’ favorite playmates. The guys were so good with them—played with them and gave them lots of special attention. The girls talked about James and Benjy all the time. Later, when James and Benjy had gone back to the U.S., the girls named their favorite toy figures James and Benjy. They played with them for years.

Its fun now watching James and Benjy continue to take interest in our daughters—to watch them interact with them as young ladies and appreciate with us what God has done in our girls’ lives. That is a special blessing for which we are very thankful.

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Weekend with Friends in Uruapan

2010-03-30T13:42:00.001-06:00

We spent this past weekend with Juan Carlos and Cynthia and their three daughters, Alejandra, Juli and Mariana. Juan and Cynthia were our neighbors for the past five years; we lived in the house directly in front of them in the coto privado (gated community) before we moved to where we live now a few miles away in Colonia Mariano Otero. Ally was—and still is—Ceci’s best friend. Juan is originally from Uruapan, in the neighboring state of Michoacán and has for some time been talking to us about going there with them. Nancy and Cynthia have been developing a really good friendship for years. But Juan and I had never found a good opportunity to go much deeper than just neighbors. It was fun to be with them this weekend.

We got up early Saturday morning and made the 3-hour trip to Uruapan. Each year in Uruapan, on the weekend of Domingo de Ramos (Palm Sunday), a huge Tianguis de Artesanias begins and runs through Semana Santa. They say it is the largest such artisan market in all of Latin America. The indigenous people from all the regions of Michoacán bring their handicrafts. There is traditional music and dancing—an opening parade—major celebration! The streets are full of people.

We spent Saturday and Sunday together—seeing the sights, looking at the Artesanias, hanging out and talking, and eating lots of traditional cuisine from the region. It was especially fun to do this with Juan and Cynthia because its their old stomping grounds and they loved showing us around and taking us to their favorite places. And Juan appreciates good food!

One of my favorite things about getting to know any region is trying the typical foods. Juan certainly didn’t let me down on this trip. We ate tacos de carnitas (deep fried pork), enchiladas, gorditas, several flavors and types of atole, corundas (a triangle-shaped tamal that is typical of the region), several pastries and sweets, exotic flavored ice cream (avocado, peanut for example), goat tacos and Tarascan soup. We also drank a few cups of locally grown café. All of this is especially significant when you remember that we were only there for about 30 hours! It was my kind of weekend.

But the thing I really liked about the weekend was the way Juan took us behind the doors on the street to where his family members live. We visited his aunt. We spent several hours on Sunday afternoon with Juan’s sister and her family. With great pride, they showed us several of the local sites and then invited us to their home for Sunday comida—showed us good, Mexican hospitality. They are both educators in the school system in Michoacán—their families have been there for generations. The conversation was easy.

It was lots of fun. I wish we could have gotten to this point in our friendship earlier.

I wonder what—if anything—will happen next with this relationship.

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Gotcha Day

2010-03-27T06:35:00.001-06:00

Yesterday was “Gotcha Day.” Five years ago yesterday—on March 26, 2005, our daughter Cecilia Grace was born into our family. It was the day we got Ceci. I can’t believe how fast the time has passed!

Yesterday we had a family date; after school we ate at one of our favorite restaurants and went to a movie together. It was fun being together. It was fun telling remembering together all that has happened since Ceci came into our family. It was fun imagining what the next few years will be like.

We are blessed!

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Running with Jose Luis

2010-03-24T13:20:00.001-06:00

I had a good time running a half-marathon this past Sunday with my friend Jose Luis. He and I joined about 2300 others for the 24^th annual running of the Medio Maraton Internacional Benito Juarez here in Guadalajara. We began running together about a year ago and have enjoyed training on and off together for the last few months. We enjoy the running and the hours of conversation that come with it. This was Jose Luis’ first half-marathon. It was fun to watch him run!

Jose Luis is a good guy. You may have noticed from the picture that he is a few years younger than me—about 20 years younger!

Several years back, he was working in a factory and became impressed with the lifestyle and strength he saw in one of his co-workers, Martín. Martín was a follower of Jesus and a part of the church that lives and meets in Colonia Jardines del Valle.

In the months that followed, Martín helped Jose Luis come to know Christ and the strength that comes from living in the Kingdom of God. At first, it was difficult for Jose Luis because his family didn’t understand and felt threatened by the changes they saw in Jose Luis. They threw him out of the house and threatened to disown him. But Jose Luis persevered—and now a few years later, a house church rotates their weekly gathering between Jose Luis’ small home and the home of his sister Luz. Most all the family has made or are in the process of making decisions to follow Jesus. You can’t be around him very long without noticing Jesus in him.

It is fun to watch Jose Luis run!

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Paying Attention

2010-03-19T16:08:00.001-06:00

Thursday evenings are usually one of the high points of my week. Last night was no exception.

Almost always, 3 or 4 of us fellows gather for a couple of hours. Martín, Gerardo and Jose Luis came to my house last night. It is always good just to hang out together as friends—to eat supper or drink coffee together—to catch up on each other’s lives. Of course, these guys are not newbies when it comes to following Jesus; between the three of them, they have almost 28 years of experience as Christ followers. Each of them is fleshing out Christ in obvious ways where they live and work. The conversation is almost always rich!

One of our main reasons for gathering is to pay attention to God’s work and word in each of our lives; to do this together—to be there for one another during good times and bad—to listen for God together and to support one another as we each try to be obedient to that word. Besides our weekly gathering, we also try to connect by phone several times during the week—to ask how its going and to pray together. We usually agree to read some section of scripture during the week in our personal time with God—lately we have been making our way through Ephesians. Out of all of that, God almost always speaks.

I think that we are learning how critically important it is to spiritual formation and maturity for us to have these close, and ongoing listening relationships with another person or two. I’m impressed at the constancy of this element in the lasting spiritual formation I’ve seen over the years.

I hope that these friends of mine and I don’t forget this important lesson. I think it could make all the difference in the world.

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A Blessing to Families in Crisis

2010-03-16T16:53:00.001-06:00

This past Sunday afternoon we drove out to a nearby campsite to join our good friends, Gerardo and Carola, for a little while as they finished up a weekend Camp for recently diagnosed children with diabetes and their parents.

It was cool to see them and their team as they tried to be a blessing to the lives of some 25 families in crisis. I felt so proud that they are my friends—so impressed with what God is doing through this group—so hopeful to see this light shining in a dark place.

As they have done six times in the last couple of years, they and a growing group of about 30 professionals (nutritionists, psychologists, educators in diabetes, doctors and social workers) offered an invitation to children who have recently been diagnosed with diabetes. They invited the children to bring a parent and spend a weekend being pampered, being shown how to care for themselves, being educated about their illness, being listened to—generally being blessed by others who know what they are going through.

There were special workshops being offered for both the children and the parents—covering all the relevant subjects and questions that these families are experiencing. We met many parents and children—saw looks of tiredness, fear, stress…but also glimpses of hope in the eyes of the parents. We saw kids having fun!

One of the things I love about this is the way God has helped Gerardo and Carola discover this ministry out of their own life experience. About 4 ½ years ago, their 10-year old daughter, Melanie, was diagnosed with diabetes. Their world was turned upside down as they faced an illness that threatened to change and destroy all their hopes and dreams for their daughter. Yet out of this crisis and the salvation God provided for them, they were drawn by God to notice and try to help others who now find themselves in a similar crisis. The telling of their story has become healing for others. They began the Hope Foundation for Children with Diabetes—Mexico’s first and only non-profit foundation for children with this disease. They are presently serving over 200 families with this disease.

I think of the Apostle Paul’s words of praise to “…the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

Another thing I love about this is the way others—young professionals who hear about what is happening with these kids—are begging to get involved in this project. They are finding purpose and satisfaction beyond the materialism and “success” that is being advertised to them as professionals. While very clear about their own faith and about how God has been at the center of this story, Gerardo and Carola are partnering with many who are at various stages in their walk with God. Gerardo and Carola see it as a way to plant seeds and build relationships with all kinds of people—to allow God to plant and nurture the seeds in hearts as those hearts become ready.

At a coffee shop this week, a young fellow asked me about my life and my reason for being here. As I told him about some of the things that are going on around us—and mentioned the Hope Foundation for Kids with Diabetes, he stopped me and asked: “Could somebody like me get involved in that as a helper?”

Gerardo calls this their proyecto de vida—their “life project”—a God given mission that springs out of one’s own design, one’s own pain, one’s own experience. It is a mission that brings life both to the one on mission and to those who are being served.

He has lots of people wondering about what their own life project might be.

I wonder where all of this will go. I wonder what God will do with all these seeds being planted in so many different hearts.

It sure is fun to watch and imagine!

See and download the full gallery on posterous

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Multi-Church Gathering Yesterday

2010-03-08T12:12:00.001-06:00

Yesterday we enjoyed being with good friends. As commonly happens on the 1^st Sunday of the month, members from several of the house churches gathered for an afternoon of worship, fellowship and fun. This month’s gathering was hosted by the church that lives and meets here in Colonia Mariano Otero. We gathered in the carport and patio of the Zendejas sisters—and spilled over into our house across the street.

The afternoon began with an extended time of singing, prayer and reading of passages from the Psalms. Jose Luis, who came from the group that lives in Colonia Nueva Santa Maria directed the larger group in a reflection around the Lord’s Supper and the common desire to follow Jesus’ example of perseverance and self-sacrifice. A little later, my daughters and some of the youth took the small children aside for a Bible Story while Gerardo, who came with some of the members from Colonia Jardines del Valle, exhorted the larger group to live with faithfulness—and then facilitated a time of discussion and sharing of passages from Scripture. Then, after a time of focused prayer for those with special needs and requests, the rest of the afternoon was spent cooking tacos, eating together, playing ping pong, laughing, celebrating a couple of birthdays, and generally sharing life together.

Days like these are good for my heart.

One of the things I especially liked was the way that the members of the different groups enjoyed and played with one another. Sergio and Amelia had birthdays in the last few days—in good Mexican style, we made the most of the opportunity to have a party with them!

I think our shift to small house churches in the last few years has been important because it has helped many to envision themselves as a group who fleshes out Christ in their neighborhood. The focus on simplicity and smallness has allowed the groups to “do church” simply and focus much of their limited time and resources on family spiritual formation and connecting to God, on discipleship and on reflecting Christ to others in their own colonias. However, the regular practices of gathering monthly as a larger grouping of house churches—and of regularly gathering for retreats, special studies, and youth activities reminds the house churches that they are not alone—that there are other groups like them who are similarly trying to follow Jesus—that we are looking out for one another.

Another thing I liked was that there were several visitors among us yesterday. It was cool to see how the group welcomed each one and to notice how the visitors felt comfortable enough to share needs and ask for the prayers of this group—to see everyone eating together and enjoying the afternoon.

Yes, days like these are good for my heart.

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A Recent Baptism

2010-02-08T13:42:00.001-06:00

Gerardo’s and Carola’s friend Mara was baptized a couple of weeks ago. She has been trying to follow the Lord for a long time—been in and out of our group (and in again) over the years. But recently she decided she wanted to make changes in her life—asked for Gerardo’s and Carola’s help with this.

We pray God’s guidance and blessings for in her new beginnings.

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A Men's Weekend

2010-02-05T12:52:00.001-06:00

I had a great time with 10 of my friends this past weekend. Six of us from Guadalajara met up with five guys from Mexico City at a cabin on the east side of Mexico City—in the shadow of the volcano, Iztaccíhuatl. After several weeks of prayer and preparation, we wanted to spend the weekend with God and with one another in conversation about our role as men—in our families, jobs, churches and communities. We wanted to be brutally honest with ourselves and with each other about how our life is going, about what we really want, about what it will take to live the life that God intends us to live. As followers of Christ, we wanted to seek God together in these talks.

From Friday night until Monday morning we hiked, talked, prayed, discussed scripture, played, ate and challenged ourselves and each other. At times the conversation was intense. We told stories from our own lives. We considered the stories of men we admire. The conversation was focused. We also had great fun together!

We talked about our desire to see real transformation in our families, in our churches and in our culture. We know first hand how difficult it is to live a sane and Christ-centered life in the big cities of Mexico—anywhere for that matter. And at the same time, we know how critically important it is that there are strong, good men who are living up to their responsibilities as leaders in their homes, in the workplace and in Mexican culture.

We spent a lot of time considering Jesus Christ and the kind of life he lived as a man. We talked about our Enemy and his common strategies against us. We recognized together how important it is not to be alone in this battle.

One of the things I liked about the weekend was the way we were able to get past superficiality and really get to the heart of what it means to live and struggle as men. I was impressed that in spite of the diversity in this group, we all are challenged with the same questions and doubts, the same failures and needs, the same desire to make a difference in our world.

It was also a cool thing to see the strength in each of my friends—to see how each of them wants to flesh out what God has placed in them.

As we headed back to our cities on Monday, there was a newfound unity among these men—a simple yet clear commitment to walk together as friends and to help one another succeed in our important role as men—a commitment to a handful of practices that we hope will help us keep moving in the right direction.

It was not a bad way to spend the weekend.

I wonder where this will lead in the weeks and months to come.

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Ronnie and Sandra Schroeder

2010-01-28T11:02:00.001-06:00

We spent this past week enjoying a visit from my folks, Ronnie and Sandra Schroeder. As always, we had a great time together—talking and being together. We stayed a few days here in Guadalajara and then spent a few nights vacationing near San Miguel de Allende.

I’ve been blessed with good parents—which is not a small thing!

One of the things I really like about my mom and dad is the way they have always supported us in our desire to be missionaries. I remember years ago when I decided to put off post-graduate work and instead enroll in the Adventures in Missions program; they not only gave me their blessing but also provided financial backing and visited me when I lived in England as an AIMer. Later, when Nancy and I decided to begin our mission work in Mexico, they could not have been more supportive. During these 19 years in Mexico, they have made dozens of trips to visit us and have given much money to bless our lives, the mission, needs of coworkers, special projects, etc. Not only have they been supportive; but also they have allowed themselves to be influenced and changed by this experience.

Nancy and I want to be that way with our daughters and the dreams God has put in their hearts. We hope it won’t be anything too crazy!

I also like that my folks are really interested in the lives of our Mexican friends. Yesterday one of my friends told me what another had said after they spent time with all of us on Monday. "I like Chadd's mom so much because you can tell she really is interested in what our life is like--she asks questions and really wants to know what we think and what we want to do with our lives."

I like that about her too.

We were trying to count how many trips my mom has made to Mexico since we moved here. We came up with between 40 and 45 week-long visits in the last 19 years. This means that my mom has spent almost a year of her life in Mexico! My dad has averaged a week each year which means he has spent 3 or 4 months here. We’ve had lots of fun and made many good memories.

I wonder what they’ll do with their vacation time when we’re not in Mexico anymore.

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Women's Gathering on Saturdays and Kid's Formation

2010-01-20T12:37:00.001-06:00

Every other Saturday afternoon, our house is the gathering place for several women who come together to help one another grow in their understanding and skills around the idea of spiritual formation in children. Nancy invited them to begin this Kid’s Formation Workshop back in September.

I’m amazed at the sustained interest in this…that they keep gathering with such enthusiasm. They have a lot of fun together. Lots of things are happening—fellowship, fun, eating and praying together. But Nancy is especially focused on a few elements:

They are growing together in their understanding of the larger Story of the Bible. Instead of merely seeing the Bible as a hodgepodge of stories, poems, laws and prophecies, they are seeing that the stories of Scripture make up a larger storyline. These women are grasping this important truth and are also learning to share these stories in the context of the larger Story with the children in their own families, in their house churches, and in their neighborhoods. Its cool to watch them grasp this together.
They are learning together how important and yet simple it is to tell and “play” these stories together with kids—and perhaps adults. They have a growing confidence that they don’t have to be professional teachers, but that God does something formatively important when we begin playing with kids around these stories…that important questions and conversations often come out of this experience. The kids are blessed; the adults (when we let ourselves) also can enter into the play and be blessed as well.
These women are also growing tremendously in their confidence. Most of them have a very limited education. This has caused them to doubt their ability to contribute. But Nancy is helping each of them put together a resource box of simple tools which can be used to tell the different stories of the Bible. Each time they meet, they work to make the material together (on a recent Saturday they each made a wooden temple that can be used to tell several of the Bible stories). You can tell that they feel good about themselves and their ability to be helpful to kids. Its neat to see their confidence grow and to hear them tell of how they are using all of this with the kids in their lives.

Its fun to see the growth and wonder what will become of all the seeds that are planted in good hearts.

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Our Old Friend Pedro

2010-01-09T11:15:00.001-06:00

One of the things I liked about our recent visit to Mexico City was that we got to spend a little time with our old friend Pedro. Pedro is a tough guy from one of the toughest areas of Mexico City—Tepito. Pedro has been following Jesus for almost 20 years now. It shows.

When we were together a few days ago I heard him tell his story again…how 18 years ago this month he stumbled out of a cantina at about 11:00 am in the morning and was handed a piece of paper by a girl who was handing out invitations to a Christian film series. She spoke no Spanish and he no English. But she led him to where I was and in my poor Spanish (Nancy and I had been in Mexico for only 6 months or so) I explained to him about a film series we were offering and invited him to attend. He came and met several of us—he and I began to read the Bible together each week. A few months later, he decided to commit to Jesus—and has been walking and growing with God ever since.

I heard him tell of important people God has used in his life—the Moore and Fanning family—Gerardo and Carola Garcia—and many others.

It was cool to hear him describe his life and ministry now and his dreams for the future…to hear him talk about the brokenness he sees daily in that huge city and his desire to participate with God in seeing things made right. Pedro ministers to at least 3 small communities of disciples—celulas he called them in different neighborhoods in Mexico City. He has friends all over the city. He knows life is tough. He likes to teach and help people…but especially loves telling the story of God’s work in his own life and helping others see that God is willing to do the same thing for them.

Pedro is still a tough guy from one of the toughest areas of Mexico City. He has a faith made mature through experience with God on the streets of Mexico City. It was good for my heart to see the evidence of Christ in my old friend.

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Bringing in the New Year in Mexico City

2010-01-08T18:28:00.001-06:00

We spent last week in Mexico City—decided to go over a few days after Christmas and see the New Year in there. Our friends, the Degraffenreid family (a missionary family from Guadalajara whose kids go to school with ours) went with us. We had a great time showing them Mexico City, seeing the tourist sites, hanging out with old friends, and visiting our memories of our early years as missionaries in Mexico so long ago.

In later blogs we may write in a little more detail, but we visited the Pyramids of Teotihuacan, the Basilica of the Virgin Guadalupe, Chapultepec Park, the Zocalo and Templo Mayor, the museum of Friday Kahlo, the center of Coyoacan, and Six Flags Mexico. We took 17-year old Zane Degraffenreid to Los Narajitos for tacos and he ate 30 tacos in one sitting—we wonder if it might be a record!

We got to spend time with our good friends the Brednich and Henderson families—and got to eat lunch with Pedro Marin. We also got to visit the orphanage where our daughter Ceci spent 2 years of her life—got to visit several of the people who were responsible for caring for her back then. We got to say “gracias” again to them.

One of the things that I really liked about the week was that we stayed at the Pink House. When Nancy and I first arrived as missionaries to Mexico we lived our first 5 ½ years in the Pink House. We brought Morgan and Natali home from the hospital to this house. It was there that we studied Spanish everyday and began to fall in love with the Mexican people.

It was cool to visit old memories last week!

¡Feliz Año Nuevo!

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Making Memories on our Last Noche Buena in Mexico

2009-12-25T11:35:00.001-06:00

Last night was likely our last Christmas Eve—Noche Buena—in Mexico…at least for a while. We spent the evening with the Zendejas clan. The Zendejas sisters have been following Jesus for many years. They live across the street from us—we’ve been doing a lot of our life with them lately.

It was a fun night—and una experiencia muy Mexicana.

We arrived at the sisters’ house about 9:30 pm—the only non-family guests. The night was chilly—probably in the low 50’s. As people arrived, we were served snacks and ponche—a hot, fruity drink. By about 10:00 a group of 35 or so family members had arrived each bringing food and gifts. Amparo welcomed us all and after a couple of prayers, we ate supper about 10:30 pm—two or three types of tamales, a spicy meat dish called Birria, a corn based stew called Pozole, beans, rice, tortillas, and lots of desserts. They asked Nancy to bring Lasagna—also delicious but not so Mexicana. Lots of food!

After the meal, the kids had put together a skit re-enacting the story of Jesus’ birth and they performed it for all the adults. Then the family did the traditional Posada—which is a re-enactment of Joseph and Mary looking for a place to stay in Bethlehem. Several songs were sung. At midnight, everyone began giving the Christmas abrazo (a hug and “feliz navidad”) to every other person in the house. So theoretically, everyone was hugged about 35 or 40 times from 12:00 to 12:05!

There were Christmas gifts for everyone and lots of candy for the kids. The sisters had made sure that our family had gifts under the tree—something we had not expected. Everyone had lots of fun.

We made it home about 1:00 am or so…feeling tired but very blessed to have experienced this special night.

Something tells me that we’ll be drawing on these good memories for years to come!

¡Feliz Navidad!

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Blessed to be with Good Friends Yesterday

2009-12-21T14:44:00.001-06:00

Yesterday several of us from 4 or 5 of the house churches met together at a park in the north of Guadalajara for a shared time of food, fellowship and fun. After spending some time greeting one another and catching up in conversation, we began a time of singing and worship. The children had worked up a rendition of the story of Jesus’ birth—cool to see them telling the story together. We shared the Lord’s Supper and Gerardo gave an exhortation to the group on the importance of a life focused on Christ and our desire to grow together in 2010. We spent the rest of the day eating and playing together. A blessed day!

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MAWLing at the Monthly Leaders' Gathering Last Night

2009-12-14T16:42:00.001-06:00

I was encouraged last night as I sat with a group of house church leaders. We try to all get together at least once each month. Yesterday was fairly typical of these gatherings. Everyone was with their particular church community in the 1^st part of the day. Several of the leaders then, gathered about 5pm at our house. The main idea with these gatherings is to provide mutual encouragement and support for the leaders as each is involved in parenting spiritually a group of Christians—and usually also involved in helping several not-yet Christians in the journey towards Jesus. The group tries to provide a safe environment for each to be honest about struggles and victories—and to encourage one another from Scripture—and discern God’s will as a group regarding different challenges—and spend lots of time praying together.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately of the MAWL approach to leadership development. Model. Assist. Watch. Leave. At this point in our ministry here and with our departure date coming up in a few months, we are trying to live squarely in the “Watch” stage. We want to watch our Mexican brothers and sisters as they go about their life and ministry—and we want to be available to provide feedback and conversation along the way.

Last night, I was encouraged to watch my Mexican brothers and sisters minister to one another. It is cool to see so much evidence of growth and maturity. I wonder what will happen in the years to come. I continue to be hopeful!

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Renewing our Missionary Visas in Mexico City

2009-12-07T19:03:00.001-06:00

This past weekend we drove the six hours over to Mexico City to renew our FM3 missionary visas. In addition to getting the legal stuff done and coming away with Nancy’s and my little green booklets (our girls were all born in Mexico and have dual citizenship), we also got to spend a little time with fellow missionary families in Mexico City—Benjy and Carolyn Brednich, James and Erin Henderson, Ryan and Amanda Gray and Nelly Javier de Molino. Besides working in church planting with her husband Israel, Nelly is also a lawyer. She does a great job helping people like us get our legal status sorted out.

Oh yes—we may or may not have eaten some tacos and ice cream while we were there!

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In Mexican News Today

2009-12-02T13:20:00.001-06:00

I try to pay attention to the daily newspaper and radio. A few of the headlines and stories that caught my attention from the Mexican news today:

Money From Remittances Has Fallen 36% Since This Time Last Year. Money sent by Mexicans living in the U.S. to their families in Mexico (remittances) is the 2^nd largest source of income for Mexico—petroleum sales is first and tourism is third. The Bank of Mexico says this is the largest decrease in history. Experts here say that the pullback in the construction industry in the U.S. has hit Mexican workers in the U.S. 20.9% were employed in 2008. Estimates say that 13 of every 100 Mexican migrants living in the U.S. are presently unemployed.

For the 2^nd time in 12 days, a key witness in a huge case against massive police corruption was assassinated yesterday in a Starbucks in Colonia del Valle in Mexico City. (This is very near to the Sunset House). He was supposedly in a witness protection plan.

President Felipe Calderon is finishing the first half of his 6-year presidential term this week. There is lots of talk about his accomplishments, failures and challenges as President of Mexico. A few of the lists that caught my attention:

Key Priorities of President Calderon’s 1^st three years in office:

The war on drug cartels
Energy reform
Trying to offset declining oil revenues with a tax reform
A national infrastructure plan

Great Problems Faced by President Calderon in his 1^st three years in Office:

The world economic crisis
The H1N1 influenza outbreak with its effect on Mexico
The drop in revenue for Mexico as a result of health concerns—tourism has been hard hit
The 2009 drought in Mexico

Main Accomplishments of President Calderon in his 1^st three years in Office

The criminal law reform in Mexico
The pension reform for public servants
Elimination of a corrupt public utility company in central Mexico
His decision to combat organized crime head on is considered courageous by most everyone
Educational equality reform
The tax and energy reforms (though limited) are being considered accomplishments

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Thanksgiving with Friends

2009-11-28T18:27:00.001-06:00

What a feast! About 35 of us—half Mexican and half from the U.S.—gathered at our house this past Thursday for a shared Mexican/American Thanksgiving meal. Besides the traditional turkey and dressing, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie—we also had Mexican Mole to go with the turkey, Frijoles Puercos and Flan. Several card games were going on. We cranked up the old Nintendo 64. Good food. Good fun. Good friends. And I got to watch the Cowboys win with several of my friends who were rooting against them. Can it get any better?

For many things we are thankful!

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A Good Week with the Pruett Family

2009-11-28T18:20:00.001-06:00

This past week we got to spend time with Joe and Elaine Pruett and their three boys: Seth, Parker and Cooper. We go way back. Joe was an AIM (Adventures in Missions) student back in 1992. After he spent his AIM time with us in Mexico City, he went back to the U.S., did some more ministry and missions training and married Elaine—who Nancy and I knew even before we married. Then, along with 3 other families, we all formed a mission team to Guadalajara and moved here in 1998. We’ve been through a lot together!

This past summer, after almost 12 years in Guadalajara, they moved to San Antonio, Texas to begin a new chapter in their life and ministry. We miss them. But its cool to watch them with people and to imagine how God will use them for Kingdom purposes in the days to come. They are educators. Joe is working in the San Antonio school system—teaching 5^th graders. I can’t imagine a better influence on a 10 year-olds formation than Joe! Or on anyone’s formation for that matter.

It was fun to be with the Pruett family this past week. They had been given a vacation package at the beach and invited us to join them for three days. Then we spent the rest of the week in Guadalajara. It was fun watching our three girls and their three boys together!

A good week!

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Looking Forward to Camping Again

2009-11-18T18:12:00.001-06:00

I’m thinking about camping with my friends again next year.

This past weekend 34 of us went camping together about 2 hours from Guadalajara at Santa Maria del Oro—on the banks of a lake that is in the crater of an old volcano. Most all of the adults in this group have been following Jesus for some time now and are actively involved in leading and caring for (mothering and fathering) others—and in incarnating Christ among those who don’t know him well in their corners of the world.

During the weeks before our camping trip, we envisioned the weekend being mainly about spending time together with God—allowing God to draw us to and prepare us for this retreat—and to guide our time together. For the weeks before many of us prayed with expectation to that end—that we would encounter God together. We tried to structure our time for a balance of encounters with God over the weekend: solitude, small groups of 2 or 3, large group conversations, and just having fun together. We encouraged all of the participants to prepare for the time by being attentive to God and to come to the weekend prepared with what each believed God had given them—to be prepared to both give and to receive.

It was great fun—and a great blessing from God for all of us I think. Lots of things happened: prayer, mutual encouragement, reading of scripture, singing, playing, confession, eating, discovery, crying, and laughing—lots of laughing. It was a blessing to be with some of my fellow missionary coworkers—Cory & Toni Burns and James & Erin Henderson. It was a blessing to be served by some of our AIM apprentices as they played with our little ones. It was fun watching the interaction between older and younger leaders, between those with different experiences, gifts and styles. It was cool to see the discoveries that were being made. It was super cool to see the unity and the love and respect for one another that was shown.

We believe that this kind of regular retreating together and attentiveness to God together is an important practice for those who are intent on caring for others—for those who are in the trenches of kingdom leadership. The desire of this group of friends is to continue this practice a time or two each year.

I’m thinking that wherever they are camping this time next year is not going to be that far from Texas!

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Polly the Parrot Dances to the Lord!

2009-11-17T18:25:00.001-06:00

via vimeo.com

We are having fun living across the street from the Zendejas sisters. Their parrot, Polly has been raised listening to the house church that meets there sing praises. She gets excited and even dances when she hears the songs! We caught her a couple of weeks ago on video.

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Baby Shower For Liliana Yesterday

2009-11-08T22:08:00.001-06:00

This Saturday, the ladies in the churches gave a baby shower for Lilian who is expecting a little girl around Christmas time. What I liked about our time together was the laughter that filled the house. The ladies truly enjoyed each other as they played games and prayed for the family’s new addition.

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Video: Family celebrates Dia de los Muertos in the cemetery

2009-11-07T16:38:00.001-06:00

via mexicoreporter.com

This past Monday, November 2 many Mexicans celebrated Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead).

Because it is a national holiday and the girls were out of school, we decided to drive outside the city. We were impressed that the cemeteries were full of people.

I ran across this short video of a Mexican family explaining some of their beliefs and practices for Dia de Los Muertos.

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Worried about my Dad

2009-11-07T11:41:00.001-06:00

I got news yesterday that my Dad was put in the Heart Hospital in Lubbock. After having a heart stress test over a week ago, he had a follow-up appointment with a cardiologist yesterday. He was told that he was in immediate danger and they admitted him to work to lower his blood pressure and do further tests.

They are doing more tests today and will determine if he needs an angiogram.

It feels tough not being able to be there.

Please pray with us for he and my mom.

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Three Years Ago Today...

2009-11-05T13:35:00.001-06:00

via vimeo.com

One of the things that regularly brightens Nancy's and my life is the fun of parenthood--getting to live with and raise good girls. Our 16 year-olds have been trying to love God and follow Jesus all their lives. But on November 5, 2006, they along with some others in our community of house churches, decided to jump fully into God's Story--to be baptized into Christ. It was a great day!

My friend Tim Rush made this video of this special day. We've shown it to friends in the past but have only recently put it online.

Today, I'm remembering this day and the joy of sharing life with Morgan and Natali. Thought I'd share the memory...

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Robbed Again This Morning!

2009-11-05T13:03:00.001-06:00

Its not what I wanted to be thinking about today—but this morning after dropping my girls off at school I stopped at a park for an early run. While I was getting in my run, and for the second time in the last 7 months, thieves broke the locks on several cars in the parking lot—mine included. My smart phone, ipod and wallet with cash, license and credit card were all taken from the console where I had them hidden. Loss of money, loss of time and serious frustration are three things I hadn’t planned on receiving this morning!

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Blessed by Time With The Krogsgaard Family

2009-11-04T14:38:00.001-06:00

A couple of weeks back, we got to spend time with the Krogsgaard family. Bernard and Logan stayed at our house with the girls and me while Nancy and Alicia participated in a retreat for missionary women. It was a good week of reconnecting and remembering together.

We had not seen the Krogsgaard family in almost 18 years. Bernard and Alicia were young missionaries and part of the church planting team we joined in Mexico City back in 1991. However, just as we were getting settled in Mexico City, they transitioned to life and ministry in Canada. During these years since, they have been involved in local ministry with churches in Canada, teaching at Western Christian in Saskatchewan and leading numerous “Let’s Start Talking” campaigns to mission fields all over the world. Last year, they joined a church planting team working in Lazaro Cardenas on the Pacific Coast of Mexico—about 6 hours or so from Guadalajara.

One of the things that impressed me while spending time with Bernard again is the value of investing one’s life in others—of modeling simple discipleship and encouraging others. Bernard did that for me over 18 years ago—and continued doing that as we reconnected. I wonder what God is doing with all the kingdom seeds that have been planted through Bernard’s and Alicia’s life.

We were blessed.

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Most Mexicans Focused on Survival

2009-10-28T11:45:00.001-06:00

Mexico is a mess these days. I know most places on the planet are. But it seems to me that now, perhaps more than ever during our years living here, Mexico is in crisis: economic, political, moral, social, family, health, security, etc. The newspapers and television programs are full of story after story of crime, sickness and corruption.

This morning, as I read the newspaper, I saw a summary from anthropologist and sociologist Roger Bartra. Bartra is an award winning researcher and author who teaches at the UNAM (National Autonoumous University in Mexico City). He will be speaking here this weekend on how he sees Mexico’s unfolding future. The title of his keynote is: “La Sombra del Futuro” –“The Shadow of the Future.”

But what caught my attention was the way he describes the state of mind of most Mexicans these days:

“…(Bartra) perceives that the Mexican society is depoliticized and apathetic; that common Mexicans are tied up in survival. Their lives are preoccupied with family, security and the problem of finding a job” (my translation).

Bartra puts into words what I sense as I live among and talk with common Mexicans. For the most part, they seem to me apathetic—disinterested in discussions of politics, religion, world issues. They’ve heard and reheard all the proposals. They’ve gotten their hopes up too many times. Just not interested anymore.

Or maybe it is not that they aren’t interested—but that most just don’t have the time and luxury to think of these things right now. They are focused on survival: family, security, trying to make a dignified living.

Often I wonder what God is really doing here… I think I see evidence of hope—yet still so much darkness.

This morning I’m thinking about the incarnation—about God’s presence among Mexicans.

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14a).

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Last Sunday--My Kind of Day

2009-10-22T14:08:00.001-06:00

This last Sunday was my kind of day.

I was encouraged to be with the church this past weekend. We almost always spend time with one of the younger and less mature groups, but this past Sunday we decided to spend time with the house church that lives and gathers in the Jardines del Valle Colonia on the northwest side of Guadalajara. This particular group goes way back relationally, but specifically began forming as a house church about 5 years ago. The core of the group are 3 families that all moved onto the same street—over time God became the center of their relationship and formed them into a family who together are now trying to flesh out the life of Christ to the people around them. As much as any group I know, they really live as a family of God.

About 20 of us gathered at Gerardo’s and Carola’s place and for the next couple of hours centered ourselves on Jesus—praise, prayer, mutual encouragement, reading of scripture, discussion, etc. After remembering Jesus specifically in a simple taking of the Lord’s Supper, everyone chipped in to buy chickens, tacos and trimmings and we spent another couple of hours laughing, playing and eating together. My kind of day!

One of the things I really liked about that day was the way God’s Word came to us. While the group was reading Acts 13, the conversation kept coming back to these verses:

“While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off” (Acts 13:2-3).

The group noticed that in a similar way as they gathered as a small church, among them were many “missionaries” who the Holy Spirit is sending out each week. It was cool to hear the group put into words what they think this looks like. Adriana is a single mom who is a “missionary” to children in a park near her home. Arturo is a single man who has been following Jesus for nearly 10 years—he is working for a microfinance business that makes small business loans available to the poor—he sees himself as a “missionary” to the poor—and to those who work among them. The Garcia family talked about the Foundation for Kid’s with Diabetes and their “missionary” work among so many families who are now lost in the same trauma they themselves were in a few years back. Hector talked about his work as a psychiatrist and his desire to be a “missionary” to those who are marginalized and abused. Martín, who began a new church a few years back among friends who worked at a factory with him, described his “missionary” desire to see this happen again soon. It was cool to hear them articulating the way they see themselves as together a family of Jesus—but each one as missionaries sent from the community to incarnate Jesus to others.

I noticed that a lot of the kids were listening to and participating in the conversation—including my three daughters. I wondered what will come of all of this.

Yep, it was my kind of day!

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Saturdays and a Group of Young Disciples

2009-10-18T20:36:00.001-06:00

Every other Saturday several of the youth have begun meeting for Bible study, prayer and fellowship. This past Saturday night, they gathered at our house. These kids (mostly high school and college aged young people) live in different parts of the city and each is part of one of the house churches. The Saturday youth gatherings provide a sense of unity among the youth—one of several practices that emphasize that the house churches and their members also belong to a larger fellowship of Jesus’ people in this city—that they are not expected to walk alone as disciples.

One of my good friends Cory is working among these young Christians—he has a heart to help them and other young people grow into leaders who will join God in making a difference in God’s world. Two things specifically encouraged me about their time together last night. One was that Cory is helping them to consider “obedience-based discipleship.” Last night they were working through the story told in the Gospel of Luke (8:19-21) where Jesus says that his family—his true “mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.” I was encouraged to hear that they were each trying to name something that they wanted to put into practice from God’s word this week.

The other thing that encouraged me was that some of the youth are bringing friends who don’t yet follow Jesus. I wonder what God will do among this group in the days to come. I can imagine!

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Diana and ministry in the park

2009-10-12T08:54:00.001-06:00

I want to tell you about Adriana (Diana) and how she is ministering in the park near her house. Many of you know Adriana. She has been a part of us for 12 years. Her ongoing transformation is encouraging. She has been involved in teaching the children in the church for a long time. Although she has shed tears of frustration she has continued to train herself. A couple of years ago the little girls in the neighborhood started knocking on her door asking her if she would read them a story, a Bible story. In between breaks of selling candy and raspados (snowcones) at her puesto outside of her house, she would sit with the neighbor kids and tell and read them stories of the Bible. God has continued to bless the kids through Adriana and her faith. On Saturdays, 8 young girls consistently knock on her door saying that they are waiting for her outside. One of the girls is deaf and her mother sits and translates for her. Last Saturday she told the story of the creation with resources she herself had made. Four mothers sat at the table with her. One older lady passed by and said, “Doña Diana wait right there…I’m bringing you another 10 kids.” Diana told her it would have to be another day because she was limited on resources for that day. I wonder what seeds God is planting in their hearts through Diana’s ministry in the park.

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Unpacking

2009-10-11T13:39:00.001-06:00

I spent the last week in Texas. With school and responsibilities at home, Nancy and the girls stayed in Guadalajara. But I was blessed to spend time with dear friends, family and new acquaintances in Lubbock, Abilene and Lamb County. This weekend, I’m unpacking—literally of course—but also “unpacking” the experiences with people, thinking about the last week or so and what God has left on my heart. A few of those things:

I was encouraged as always by God’s people, their generous heart and the desire I see in so many to join God and make a difference in the world. I’m specifically thinking of the Sunset Church of Christ and their generosity and desire to participate in world missions. On October 4, they took up their annual mission contribution to fund their mission efforts for the next year. Even in a year with so many financial struggles and worries, they surpassed their goal of $261,350.00 and ended up giving $276,555.29.

In a similar way I was encouraged by listening in on and participating in many conversations with folks in Lubbock, Abilene and Lamb County who are seriously considering how they can live and encourage others to live a more missional lifestyle in their own neighborhoods, fleshing out Christ among unreached people there, and seeing new churches spring up. One of those conversations was at a Church Planting seminar at the Sunset Church of Christ on October 3—cool to hear them talking about the possibility of planting new churches in Lubbock.

I continue to notice that when we tell simple stories (especially ones that are recent and ongoing) of life on mission with Jesus, it is encouraging and even life-giving to the hearers. Whether male or female, old or young, educated or not—there seems to be a general interest in what missional life looks like and a desire to participate in this life at deeper levels. I think I understand more all the time the grace it has been to get to live the life of a missionary—and I am more convinced than ever that this life cannot end when we no longer live in Mexico. I feel sure I will die if I can’t continue to live these stories of life and experience the blessing of sharing them with others.

Finally, I am impressed with the brevity and frailty of human life. Last Monday, on a farm road in Lamb County a truck driven by a farm worker lost control and collided with a car driven by a mother and her high school aged daughter. All three lost their life. On Tuesday night, Jorge, an old friend and Christian brother died in his sleep in Mexico City. Some think he may have had the flu. He was in his 30’s and had a newborn child. Then on Wednesday, I heard of another tragic accident involving a school bus. My reading this week has had me “chewing” on James 4. These words leap off the page at me: “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:13-14). I think a lot about the future. I desire to live my life squarely in the present and centered on Jesus.

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Thursday Nights with Young Leaders

2009-10-02T11:29:00.001-06:00

Thursday nights are fun. For several weeks now, a group of us men—mostly young leaders—have been gathering at my house to talk and pray together.

Last night was typical. A couple of the guys arrived early and we played a game of PIG (actually PUERCO) at the basketball net out back. When the others arrived, we spent some time allowing each one to describe the state of their heart—sadness, worries, anger, happiness, excitement, etc. Then, we each shared something that we had received from God in our personal walk with him this past week. We have committed to each doing an inductive study of James, taking a chapter each week and “chewing” on it in our quiet times with God. It was cool to hear each describe how they are wrestling with Scripture and discovering God’s Word—a Word that requires obedience.

Finally, we spent 30 minutes or so reading and discussing Luke 5:1-11. Last night we read the text aloud two times. Then, one of the guys, Hector, retold the story in his own words to help us turn it over in our hearts and minds one more time. Then, we began asking open ended questions of the text—discovering together what God wanted us to see about God, humans, disciples, sin, etc. We each ended the time mentioning at least one thing that we believe God wants us to obey out of that passage.

We ate together afterwards. Thursday nights are fun!

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Yesterday at Church

2009-09-28T08:25:00.001-06:00

It was cool to see God at work in his church yesterday. My family and I made our way up to a poor colonia in Guadalajara called Nueva Santa Maria to be with one of the house churches that lives and meets there. When we arrived, Jose Luis had chairs and up-side-down buckets set around in a circle in area outside the door of his small house. After about 15 or 20 minutes, Jose Luis welcomed about 23 of us (at least half not-yet Christians) and explained that we had gathered to praise God in song, read and discuss scripture, encourage one another and remember Jesus around the table—which we did for the next couple of hours. Later we walked to the corner for roasted chickens and continued the feast until late afternoon.

I especially liked how the group discussed God’s Word yesterday. After a prayer recognizing our common need and desire to hear a living word from God, we began to read the text from Genesis 6, 7 & 8—a story that had been chosen beforehand. Then Liliana retold the same story on a level that helped the kids to understand and be drawn into the story—so cool to see the children and adults alike really engaging the Bible. Then, for the next 30 or 45 minutes, while the children continued to draw pictures about their ideas from the story, the adults engaged in a conversation about God’s sadness concerning the sin and violence in his world, God’s plan to make everything clean and new again and the possibility that we humans can join God in this plan. I was blessed to see God working among us.

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The Dengue Fever, H1N1 Virus and Going on with Life in Mexico

2009-09-27T18:14:00.001-06:00

This past week, the newspapers are full of stats and warnings that the H1N1 virus is making a comeback here. Some are calling for the closing of schools again like we did last April and May. However, for the moment everyone is emphasizing washing hands, not greeting one another by shaking hands and kissing cheeks, and wearing a cubreboca on your mouth if you are sick.

Yesterday afternoon, about a dozen women gathered at our house to continue an ongoing workshop on spiritual formation in children. It is especially geared to help families and house churches think more carefully about how they will take responsibility for the teaching and spiritual formation of the children among them. There continues to be lots of interest in this semimonthly workshop.

Here Juli is shown telling the story of Creation yesterday at the workshop using the props she had prepared since the last class—with a cubreboca on her mouth since she had cold symptoms.

Also, Dengue, a serious illness carried by mosquitoes has reached epidemic levels here lately. At least three members of our church fellowship have come down with this illness in the last few days, including Carola Garcia who was diagnosed with it this past Friday. Please continue to pray for Carola, Diego and Sebastian…and for Mexico.

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Running with Jose Luis

2009-09-20T13:19:00.001-06:00

I got back a few hours ago from an “Independence” race with my friend Jose Luis. It was Jose Luis’ first race and we had lots of fun. We ran from the Centro of Guadalajara to the Basilica of Zapopan. Pretty cool to run the streets of Guadalajara with 3500 Mexicans celebrating Mexican Independence! It was especially fun to be with Jose Luis.

See and download the full gallery on posterous

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Fiesta Mexicana

2009-09-17T16:15:00.001-06:00

Viva Mexico! This past Tuesday night, about 80 people (members and friends of the various house churches) celebrated Mexican Independence Day at our house. The party started about 6 pm and was still going strong after midnight. Good food, fun and friends!

See and download the full gallery on posterous

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September

2009-09-03T14:08:00.005-06:00

Its hard to believe that September is already in full swing. The last couple of months have seemed filled with out-of-the-ordinary things. Of course God has continued to bless us as a family. We also see evidence of God's work around us among the churches and in the lives of our Mexican brothers and sisters. A few things for thanksgiving and prayer:

Changes with Missionary Families

In July, two of the missionary families who work with us made moves to the U.S. Tim and Kim Rush and their children moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma where they plan to spend the next year on furlough working with their sponsoring congregation and preparing to come back to Guadalajara in the summer of 2010. We've heard from them and they seem to be doing well. However, please pray for Kim's mother, Kay as she has been diagnosed with cancer. Pray for her this next Tuesday as she will be undergoing an operation.

Also, after 11 1/2 years working in Guadalajara, Joe and Elaine Pruett and their boys moved to Texas in July. They will begin a new phase of their life and ministry in San Antonio, Texas. Joe got a job teaching school. Please pray for the Pruett family in this important transition time. Pray for the Mexican churches as they continue their life and ministries without these two wonderful families.

House Churches and their Leaders

The Mexican house churches seem to be going through what we hope are growing pains right now. We know that difficulties are fairly common, but we are praying that God will help them grow stronger through the trials. We are especially praying for the Mexican leadership during this time. With so many changes among the missionary families, the Mexican leadership is being challenged to grow. Each of the groups has emerging leadership that is developing and maturing. However, Gerardo Garcia and Martin Iturrabiatez are growing to provide leadership and care among the churches. Please pray especially for these men and their maturity.

We believe one of our main assignments for this year is to walk alongside these leaders, encouraging and mentoring them, but all the while allowing them to resolve problems and discover how they want to lead. Of course sometimes the balance feels delicate. We are trying to do this through weekly one to one prayer and study times, monthly leadership group meetings and ongoing Bible studies. We are also seeking to participate with different house churches each Sunday. The churches have recently renewed their committment to meet all together once each month. Please continue to pray for the Mexican leadership and for our ministry among them.

Mexico in Crisis

We ask you to continue to pray for Mexico. The global economic downturn of the last year or so is hitting Mexico hard right now. I recently heard an analysty comment that the number of people in "extreme poverty" has increased 38% this year. He also quoted statistics saying that 48% of Mexicans (more than 50 million people) now live below the poverty line.

As you know along with this has been the recent escalation of violence associated with organized crime and drug trafficking. The government has made confrontation of this crime one of their main priorities. Yet it seems that this has exposed even more the deep-seated corruption in the society and the lack of a functioning judicial system. Even when criminals are caught, there is little confidence that they will stay caught.

Please continue to pray with us for a radical change in Mexico. Pray that the rule of God would come more fully to Mexico--that there would be a grassroots movement of God that would change everything!

We continue to thank God for his grace and goodness in our lives--for our partnership with Mexicans who long for change--for our partnership with you.

A Summer Full of Fun

2009-08-31T20:49:00.000-06:00

We spent about 3 1/2 weeks in July and August visiting family and supporters in Texas. It was good to see many of you. Our family visited supporters in Lubbock, Amarillo, Amherst and Petersburg. We also spent good time at the Schroeder farm in Amherst and in Lubbock with the Burris family.

This summer was landmark for our family in that the older girls, Morgan and Natali got their license to drive. Old Blue is still serving us on the farm as a good practice car!

We had a great time reconnecting with old friends, eating homemade ice cream and relaxing.

The Gossett family who were part of our original team in Guadalajara came for an afternoon visit. Their boys, Caleb and Aden had a blast with all the cousins in the the cow tank.

When we returned to Guadalajara we packed up the house and moved to a different place with lots of spill out room into the garden.

We met the first Sunday back with the house church in Mariano Otero. Many of you might remember the video of Angelina's baptism in the waterfalls of Tala a few years back. She fell and broke her leg several weeks ago and is bedfast. The church has met around her bed for the last few weeks. Here is Angelina with her granddaughter Carlita, Ceci, and Aime.

Across the street from our house lives Sara. This is Ceci, with Sara and Polly perched on top.

This past weekend some of the ladies enjoyed a sleep over without kids at our house. We enjoyed each others company as we talked, sang, watched a movie, made pizzas and worshipped together.

God continues to bless us in many ways.

Thank you for your partnership and prayers!

Our prayer is that God and God's Kingdom come more powerfully and more obviously to to Mexico and to all of our lives!

God at Work at Diabetes Camp

2009-04-07T18:14:00.015-06:00

What a powerful experience! I just spent this last Saturday, Sunday and Monday at a nearby mountain campsite with about 95 members of the Fundacion Esperanza--the only foundation for kids with diabetes in Mexico.

My good friends and co-workers, Gerardo and Carola Garcia began this foundation after their daughter Melonie was diagnosed with diabetes. Now, almost four years later, a team of parents, friends, doctors, pychologists, social workers and nutritionists have come together to provide encouragment, education and support for families like them.

One of the projects of this Foundation is to put on a camp two times a year for recently diagnosed kids and their parents from the Guadalajara area. A little over 30 kids and their parents attended the camp this past weekend.

At the camp, the parents were offered intense education and training on how to cope and how to care for their child with diabetes. They were led to express their pain and begin a road to acceptance and healing.

At the same time, the children were cared for and educated in the basics of this disease. Through classes, activities and conversation they too came to understand diabetes better and to begin to accept their reality and move forward.

It was fun to see God at work here! It was powerful to see how God is using the Garcia family to connect a group of people around a common pain and a common hope. It was powerful to see how God is using them to show Christ's love and healing in such a natural way--in a way that flows so clearly out of their own suffering and out of the consolation that they have found in Christ. It was powerful to see so many who are finding purpose in helping others. It was cool to see how Christ was so obviously seen in word and deed.

I pray for God's continued work here...for the healing seeds that are being planted!

March Update

2009-03-31T19:00:00.003-06:00

Wow! I can't believe how fast time has flown lately--and how bad we have been about writing here.

We are well--and want to take a minute to write about some of the things we have been up to in the last few weeks. As always, we are thankful to God for our friends and family who are interested in God's work here in Guadalajara and who join us in prayer for this work.

Nancy and the Kids

Several weekends back, Nancy and the girls had a pijamada (slumber party) with some of the girls that live in La Nueva Santa Maria--one of the colonias where there is a house church. Adrianaita, Fatima, Melani and Nicole joined Ceci, Morgan and Natali for a great time togehter making bracelets, watching a movie, eating popcorn and studying about Jesus around the table. We topped it off with a silly picture.

The youth also spent several weeks in February and March planning and practicing a play to perform at the all-church retreat. They worked up a spanish rendition of the story of Punchinello called Tu Eres Especial (You are Special). They worked each Saturday on the play, songs and the backdrop. The process and the final product were both lots of fun!

All Church Retreat

Three weekends ago, we had our annual all-church retreat at a camp ground outside of the city. Almost 90 of us representing at least six different house churches spent Friday night through Sunday afternoon playing, talking, praying, singing, eating, studying, working and listening to God together. It was a great time to recognize and celebrate God's work among us and to grow closer to one another and to the Lord.

The adults had a special workshop on Spiritual Cleansing called, "Get up and Walk." The children were blessed to be led by a group from the University Group of the Sunset Church of Christ in Lubbock who spent their Spring Break with us.

Several of the youth presented the larger group with their rendition of "You are Special"--based on a children's book by Max Lucado. It was a great success and lots of fun!

New Christians

Two Sundays ago, a young couple, Quique Garcia and his wife Monica were baptized into Christ. It seems that they began being drawn to Jesus several years back and since then have spent time off and on with Christians here. However, in the last couple of years, they have spent more time with Cory and Toni Burns--studying and beginning to live as a community of Jesus followers. What a great joy for them to take this step of faith!

As always, we thank God for your partnership with us in prayer!

Tu Eres Especial

2009-03-31T17:11:00.011-06:00

This is a video clip of the skit several of the youth did a few weeks back at the All-Church retreat. It is a spanish version of "You are Special."

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January Update

2009-01-21T22:15:00.020-06:00

Greetings from the Schroeder family! We hope that you have had a blessed Christmas holiday. We are well—wanted to take a few minutes to update you on recent happenings and some specific requests for prayer. As always, we thank God for your partnership with us!

Family News - Our Christmas Holiday

Even though we decided not to travel to spend Christmas with family this year, we had a great time. It was good to spend a couple of weeks resting, hanging out with friends, spending time with Mexican Christians and enjoying one another. We went on two camping trips! We were reminded of God’s goodness to us.

Turtle Camp. The day after the girls got out of school, we drove with four other families to a Campamento de Tortugas a couple of hours south of Puerto Vallarta. We spent three days and nights camping out on a beach and hanging out with a marine biologist who works to preserve endangered sea turtles. Late in the evenings (about 11:00 pm) we patrolled 12 kilometers of beach on 4-wheelers looking for female turtles which had already laid or were laying their eggs. The eggs are rescued and brought back to the camp where they were put in secure nests so they can incubate for about 50 days. Each female lays about 100 eggs. In the mornings, we would take the baby turtles that had hatched in the night (after having been rescued about 50 days earlier) and release them into the ocean. One day, we also got to go out in boats with a couple of the biologists to catch and study sea turtles swimming in the Pacific Ocean. Of course, we did a lot of playing, cooking, eating, sweeping sand out of our tent and having a general good time! It was a bit of work at times—but a fabulous experience! We came home on December 23 just in time for Christmas.

Santa Maria del Oro. We spent New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day at another camp site. Again, we traveled with five other families to a volcanic lake (in the crater of an old volcano) about 2 hours south of Guadalajara. This trip was a little more relaxing than the turtle camp—we swam in the lake, hiked, rented kayaks, ate, played cards, talked around the campfire, and enjoyed one another.

We are thankful the experience!

Church News

The churches seem to be doing generally well right now. Of course, the different groups are all at different stages of growth and maturity—dealing with their own unique challenges. We have been with many of the maturing leaders over the past few days—talking about challenges and dreams for this year. Most of the Christians are poor and there is a great deal of talk around Mexico that 2009 (as you would imagine) is going to be very difficult economically. Please pray with us for our Mexican family—that the trials will make us all stronger in our focus on Christ—that we would all see opportunities to bless others with generosity and service. Please continue to pray for our ministry among these churches, and especially among the maturing leadership. Pray for the churches and pre-church groups in La Piedad, Jardines del Valle, Mariano Otero, Jocotan, Nueva Santa Maria, Las Pintas and Ciudad Granja. Pray for leadership; for new opportunities to plant gospel seeds.

Proyectos de Vida

You may remember that one of the ways our Mexican brothers and sisters have begun talking about their mission as individuals, families and churches is with the idea of “proyectos de vida” (life projects).

In November, we wrote especially about the Garcia family and the work they are doing among children with diabetes and their families. We mentioned their need for funds to be able to minister to this group in 2009. In December, the Lord blessed them with the funds they had requested! Praise God!

They have begun working on a weekend camp planned in early April for children and their parents who have recently been diagnosed and are just learning how to live with their disease. They are also beginning a new course that will be offered twice weekly to help poor parents with basic orientation. Also, this coming Saturday, January 24 they are scheduled to do a radio program on a local Guadalajara station. Please pray for the Garcia family and those who are working with them to offer help. Pray that God will use this service to plant seeds of the kingdom and provide open doors into families and groups of people.

Pray for our brothers and sisters around us who are involved in similar “life projects” in their neighborhoods. Pray for them as they look for ways to use their God-given experiences, passions and gifts to join God in his mission. Pray for the countless seeds that are being sown among people that come in contact and begin conversations with God’s people.

Horse Therapy

Several months ago, Nancy and I took a course in Horse Therapy/Therapeutic Riding and began volunteering at a newly formed Horse Therapy center. The center was begun by the local mounted police force. On most Saturday mornings, we spend several hours working with dozens of children who have special needs (autism, cerebral palsy, downs syndrome, ADD, etc.). By combining exercise and traditional physical therapy with horseback riding, we are working with several other volunteers to provide help to low-income families. Nancy and I have begun to see it as one of our “life-projects.” Its a lot of fun. Oftentimes the girls go with us. Please pray for us and these children. Pray that God will use this service to open doors into the lives of new families and groups of people.

A couple of months back, the local news did a video report on the new center. If you watch closely, you will see Nancy, Morgan and I working with children in this clip.

http://www.exonline.com.mx/diario/videos/410732

Video Report on Guadalajara Mission

2008-11-07T11:21:00.001-06:00

This is a video that some of my coworkers prepared last month for the Sunset Church of Christ.

Hope Foundation For Kids with Diabetes

2008-11-07T11:20:00.001-06:00

One of the most padre (cool, wonderful) developments among the fellowship of churches in Guadalajara over the past year or two has been what the Mexicans are calling proyectos de vida (life projects). I wrote some about this here.

Out of the Garcia family’s crisis when their daughter Melanie was diagnosed with diabetes, the Lord placed on their heart a desire to reach out and minister to other families who are going through the same crisis they went through. Almost 3 years since this diagnosis and crisis, they have established a non-profit organization to serve kids with diabetes and their families (the 1st such foundation in Mexico). When I asked Gerardo about this a few weeks ago, they had 119 local kids registered in the foundation. By helping these families in crisis and partnering with others who want to do the same, Gerardo and Carola have countless opportunities to share the hope of Jesus that is within them. We believe God is using this and other similar proyectos de vida as part of God’s ongoing story of transformation—in Mexico and beyond.

The foundation is called La Fundación Esperanza. Check out their website to learn more.

By the way, this foundation is need of funds to be able to complete their 2009 objectives and plans—$23,500 USD. If you are interested in contributing to this, contact me or follow links on the website. We can send you a breakdown of the budget--all of which will go directly to serve kids and families with diabetes.

May God use this life project and others like it to help hurting people and to open doors for the proclamation of the good news of Jesus Christ--all for the glory of God.

August Update

2008-08-18T12:53:00.009-06:00

So much has happened since my last report!

Family News

The summer break from school has come and gone as the girls began classes again this morning. One of the family highlights of the summer was Morgan’s and Natali’s 15th Birthday Party. As you probably know, an important Mexican family tradition is the quinceañera—a special birthday party with family and friends that marks a girl becoming a woman in Mexican culture. In our own adaptation of this, we invited about 30 close friends to celebrate the girls’ 15 years and to encourage and commission them as they enter into a new chapter of their lives. It was a very special evening. We thank God for Morgan and Natali, for God’s grace in their lives and for the special community of friends who are sharing these years with them.

Another “biggie” was a trip to Texas in July/August. We spent time with family and friends and were also able to visit some of our partners in Lubbock, Amherst, Littlefield and Amarillo.

On the way back to Mexico, we also spent a week at the border (Cd. Juarez) finishing up the process of getting Ceci’s Immigrant Visa (Green Card). She is now classified as a permanent resident of the U.S. and can move freely between the two countries. At some point in the future, we will likely apply for her U.S. citizenship—she will qualify to have dual citizenship in both U.S. and Mexico. Of course, we are thankful to God for the gift of Ceci and for God’s grace in the legal process with her.

Summer Campaign Groups

In June and July we hosted youth groups from three churches: Sunset in Lubbock, Clovis, New Mexico and Grass Valley, California. Between these groups, almost 50 workers spent time showing kindness and service to people in and around our city and encouraging the Christians here. Among other things, they participated in youth clubs in two different neighborhoods, handed out food to homeless people, did clean-up and paint work in a Colonia where we live, and handed out literature and Bible DVDs to people on the streets. We thank God for these young people and pray that God causes the seeds of God’s kingdom that were planted in and by them to grow and multiply in the days to come.

Churches and Ministry Opportunities

We’ve only been back in the city a few days but as we are connecting with the church leaders we are hearing stories of God’s work—and of course evidence of the Evil One’s attacks. This past weekend, the men of the Jardines del Valle church hosted a men’s cook-out. There were 20 or so men there representing 3 of the churches. The women are having a overnight retreat this weekend…we are praying that there will be good participation and that God will work for good among the ladies of the churches. There seem to opportunities for a couple of new groups to start--please pray with us to the Lord of the Harvest.

Finally, I am especially encouraged with the Diabetes Foundation that Gerardo and Carola Garcia have been developing over the past few months. They recently hosted their first “Diabetes Camp” with over 30 kids attending. Gerardo tells me that they now have 104 kids with Diabetes registered as members of the foundation. Please continue to pray with us that God will use the Garcia family and others to help families who are in crisis and that seeds of God’s Kingdom will spread!

Thanks so much for your partnership with us in prayer!

May Update

2008-05-12T13:28:00.017-06:00

Time seems to be passing quickly--can't believe its been almost 2 months since I last wrote!

The last couple of months have been full of ministry and events--much evidence of God's work--but as always, reminders of the Enemy's activity and his schemes to distract, divide, discourage and destroy. We want to mention a few things for your thanksgiving and prayer.

Family News

It is extremely hot and dry here--our rainy season should start sometime in the next few weeks. The girls are doing well--ready for school to be out for the summer! Their classes carry on until the last week of June. Morgan and Natali continue to play on the school volleyball team--they even one a match last week!

Ceci will turn 7 in a few weeks. Yesterday, she was telling me about the birthday party she is having at school. She wanted to know if I would go for the party. When I told her I would think about it, she was thoughful a moment, and then said: "But the kids aren't going to be able to say your name dad--so could you just call yourself 'Pancho'"?

April also marked 2 full years since Ceci's adoption became final. We thank God for Ceci and the gift she is to us and so many others. Since two years have passed, we are now able to make application for her citizenship in the U.S. We've put in all the paperwork and are now waiting to be invited for an interview at the border--are hoping that this interview will coincide with a trip in July to Texas. Please pray with us that all of the legal work will happen easily and quickly!

Youth Weekend with the House Church in La Piedad

A little over a month ago, we participated with the house church in La Piedad in their outreach to youth and children who live around them. With them and members of 2 of the other churches in Guadalajara, we spent Saturday and Sunday in and around their house with nearly 30 kids and youth. These are kids who have a background of broken families, parents with addictions, violence and despair. So many things about this are awesome: the participation with our Mexican brothers and sisters...seeing them minister incarnationally and in ways that so clearly connect to their own woundedness and healing in Christ...seeing Jesus minister to hurting kids through his body...seeing signs of transformation at multiple levels.

We thank God for his work and light in this dark area. We pray for protection against the Enemy's scheming...we pray for countless kids and their families. We pray that God will help more of his people to discover their mission to the people around them.

All Church Retreat Last Weekend - May 9-11

This past weekend, we participated in our annual all-church retreat. About 80 of us gathered at a rustic retreat site outside the city. The group was made up of members from five house churches (Mariano Otero, Jocotan, La Piedad, Jardines del Valle, and Cerro del Cuatro) along with several seeking visitors and a slew of kids.

It was a great time for fellowship, Biblical teaching (Joe Pruett gave several hours of teaching on spiritual formation and our practices), mutual edification and lots of fun. We saw evidence of God's work in so many ways. We are especially encouraged to see clear growth in shared leadership and responsibility among our Mexican brothers and sisters. We praise God for this important growth.

On Sunday, two new sisters were immersed into Christ--they are family members of the Cerro del Cuatro church: Manuela Juarez Cantero and Maria de Rosario Medina Benitez. Their family calls them Manuela and Rosa! We praise God for his salvation in this family--we pray for continued growth and maturity. I'll try to put up some video footage of the baptisms soon!

Leaders' Retreat - May 2-5

Two weekends ago we facilitated a leaders' retreat for several of the house church leaders from Mexico City and Guadalajara. We spent 4 days (including travel) at a mountain retreat site between the two cities. 6 Mexican families and 3 missionary families participated in this time (33 people I think)--what a wonderful experience to see these leaders connect with one another, share stories of struggle and victory, pray and study together, fellowship and build one another up. We were especially impressed with the deep pain and suffering that almost all of these leaders have experienced--how that pain has found healing in Christ--how their faith has grown through this--and how these experiences have contributed to a deep maturity in them.

We thank God for this maturity--We pray that God will continue to shape and mature this group--that their numbers will grow.

Upcoming Activities

We anticipate alot of activity in the next few weeks. Please pray specifically for these things:

The arrival of a team of missionary apprentices from the Adventures in Missions Program (AIM) this week. We are expecting 6 young people to arrive tomorrow. Our coworkers Cory and Toni Burns will be coordinating their apprenticeship. Pray for God's grace and guidance for all of them. We especially pray that God will use them to connect with unreached people.
Youth groups from at least 3 churches (about 75 campaigners) will be with us in June and early July. We pray that this will be a good experience for them--that God will also use their time to serve needy people and open doors into new groupings of people.
Marriage Encounter Seminar. We hope to offer a marriage encounter seminar in one or two colonias in the next few weeks. We are talking with some of the house churches about the possibility of hosting us and inviting friends and neighbors to a seminar designed to promote healthy marriages. We are praying that this will be a help to hurting families--that it will give opportunity to speak of Good News and connect families with God's people in those colonias. Pleas pray for God's grace and guidance in this.

As always, we thank God for you and our partnership!

Ceci and Her Tonsils Separated!

2008-03-14T10:20:00.003-06:00

No problems with Ceci's operation yesterday. We were in and out by about 3:30 pm. Ceci slept through the night and is eating ice cream, watching TV and resting on the couch.

We are thankful!

Ceci's Tonsils Look to be Coming Out a Day Earlier

2008-03-11T13:24:00.003-06:00

We just found out this afternoon that Ceci will be having her tonsils out a day earlier than we had thought. The doctor scheduled the operation for Thursday--which works for us too.

Thank you for your prayers!

March Update

2008-03-07T20:48:00.001-06:00

We trust that you are well today. The last few weeks have seemed full of important events and ministry. We see much evidence of God’s work—as always, we also see opposition. We want to mention briefly a few things for your thanksgiving and prayers.

Family News

The girls are doing well—ready for the Holy Week break starting next weekend. Here in Mexico, the schools shut down for the entire week before Easter Sunday. This week is called Semana Santa (Holy Week). School is also out for the week after Easter which is known as Semana Pascua (Easter Week). Things really slow down for these two weeks—of course there are many religious celebrations. No school sounds great!

Also, Ceci is scheduled to have her tonsils out next Friday, March 14. It is planned as out-patient procedure—she should be home later that afternoon and will get to take advantage of the 2-week break for recovery. Please pray for her and the doctors who will be treating her—pray for God’s healing for her in the days afterwards.

Partners’ Meeting Last Month

We were blessed with a great weekend this past February 8-11. 26 visitors from 8 partnering congregations in Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Washington spent a long weekend here. It was a great time to fellowship with one another, discuss our mission partnership in Central Mexico and spend time with members of the Mexican churches. We though one of the highlights was our time together on Sunday—especially the time after lunch when a dozen or more (Mexicans and visitors from the U.S.) took turns telling stories of God’s transforming work in their lives. We thank God for this blessing and pray for deeper partnerships.

On a sad note—one of the participants in the partners’ meeting, Tim Hartman was killed this past Tuesday in a plane crash in Oklahoma. He was a husband, father, deacon. We pray for his family and loved ones.

A Proyecto de Vida – Ministering to Families with Diabetes

Gerardo and Carola Garcia are Mexican co-workers who live in Guadalajara. You may remember that their 13-year old daughter Melonie was diagnosed with diabetes just over 3 years ago. As they’ve learned to live with this disease, they have become increasingly convinced that God wants them to minister incarnationally to other families with children who have diabetes—that this service is connected to their proclamation of the Good News of Jesus and the formation of new churches. They talk about this as their Proyecto de Vida (Life Project)—a mission assignment from God that is closely connected to their own life and that gives them a clear door into the lives of hurting people. They believe that God wants us all to discover our unique Life Project—they talk about this every time they get a chance. Since the last time we wrote, Gerardo and Carola have put in the paperwork to begin Fundación Esperanza para Niños con Diabetes Mexico (Hope Foundation for Children with Diabetes in Mexico). This is a huge thing for them—an important step in realizing one of their dreams. Gerardo and Carola have been working with another diabetes association for the past couple of years. They are gifted educators and are offering counseling and teaching to other families. Two weeks ago, they began this new association that is unashamedly Christ-centered. We thank God for his grace in their lives—and for God’s grace through them into the lives of others. We pray that the understanding of proyectos de vida would spread like a virus through God’s people—that more of us would discover our unique, God-ordained mission into the lives of others. We pray that God will continue to bless and guide them in their ministry to families with diabetes.

Note: Gerardo and Carola are presently in need of funds for their mission. One of their needs is related to getting this new diabetes association up and running. They are especially in need of a lap-top computer and projector which would be used to educate groups of families with diabetes. If you are interested in partnering with this family with one-time or monthly funds, please contact me.

Upcoming Youth Weekend with House Church in La Piedad, Michoacan

We plan to travel in the morning to spend the weekend with the church in La Piedad. This group is planning their second (1st was back in November) kids/youth weekend—basically it’s a campout with 30+ kids in and around their house! Leaders from two other house churches are going with us to accompany them in this event. Nearly everyone connected with this group has a past (and usually present) in drugs and alcohol. This church sees ministering to the kids and youth around them as their way to be on mission with Jesus and incarnate Jesus in their world. It is their Proyecto de Vida. Please pray that the kids and youth would experience the healing presence of Jesus in their midst. Pray for Martin, Gerardo, Jose Luis, Juliana, Carola, Rosa and my family as we spend the next couple of days playing with kids, telling stories from the Bible and ministering to kids who have often suffered horribly at the hands of those enslaved in addictions.

I guess I’ll stop there. We thank God for your partnership with us in prayer. We pray God’s guidance and blessings for you in these days.

Please continue to pray for the fellowship of house churches—for their continued growth, maturity and mission—for the leadership of these churches. Please pray the Luke 10:2 prayer with us—that the Lord of the Harvest would raise up workers from and for the harvest in Central Mexico and beyond.

January Update

2008-01-14T11:39:00.000-06:00

We trust that you are well—that you enjoyed a blessed holiday season. We are well and want to mention briefly a few things for your prayers and thanksgiving.

Christmas Trip To Texas

We had a great time on our recent trip to Texas. We spent about 10 days with our family in Lubbock and Amherst. It was Ceci’s first Christmas with family so it was especially fun to see her experience family Christmas with her grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins. She really wanted to see snow and make a snowman. Though it wasn’t much, there was about an inch one of the mornings a day or two after Christmas. Natali made a tiny 1-inch snowman on the hood of our car. Though Chadd preached and taught the Sunday we were in Amherst, the time was mainly about hanging out with family, eating good food, and enjoying our loved ones there. We thank God for this special blessing!

We’ve been back here for just over a week and are encouraged with what we have heard and seen from our brothers and sisters here. We anticipate God’s work in and through this group of churches in the weeks and months to come. We continue to pray to the Lord of the Harvest that more workers will be raised up for and from the harvest in Mexico!

Upcoming Partners’ Meeting

We want to remind you of the upcoming Guadalajara Multiple Church Planting Project Partners’ Meeting which will take place the weekend of February 8-11, 2008. We ask you to pray that it will be a useful time to consider and celebrate our partnership in God’s mission.

Please remember the deadline for registration is January 15, 2008. Let me know if you have any questions. If you would like to participate in this time but have not contacted us, it is not too late! We still have plenty of room and can get you all the information you need.

As always, we thank God for you and your partnership with us and the mission in Guadalajara. We pray God’s guidance and blessings for you in these days.

With love,

Chadd, Nancy, Morgan, Natali and Ceci Schroeder

Photos of Kid's Weekend with Church in La Piedad

2007-12-09T13:28:00.000-06:00

December Update

2007-12-05T13:49:00.000-06:00

We wish you and yours a blessed Christmas and New Year. We believe God has blessed us and moved among us in many ways since our last report. We want to mention a few things for your prayers and thanksgiving.

The Churches – A Kid’s Weekend in La Piedad – Planting Seeds

The fellowship of house churches seems to be doing well right now—each with stories of growth and trials. We pray for the churches in La Piedad, Jocotan, Cerro de Cuatro, Jardines del Valle and Mariano Otero—we pray that each of these groups will grow deeper and stronger in their discipleship—that each will discover opportunities for incarnational mission. We pray that God will open doors for the planting of new churches.

One of the best things about this month was getting to help the Camarena family in their mission in La Piedad, Michoacan. Each of the house churches around us look for ways to flesh out Jesus in their specific neighborhoods. Martin and Rosa have always recognized the many children that live around them and that are connected to their lives in some way or other. They believe their mission involves reaching out and loving these kids. Two weeks ago, we got to help them begin what they hope will be an ongoing mission effort to these kids—25 kids and 7 adults participated in this first weekend. If you want to read more about this weekend and see some photos, you can read this reflection that I wrote earlier. We are thankful for God’s work in the Camarena family. We pray that God will guide and bless them and the other churches as they all seek to live into God’s mission in their neighborhoods.

Missionary Retreat

We were blessed to participate in the Mexico Missionary Retreat in Zihuatanejo early last month. 91 missionaries from across Mexico shared in fellowship, conversation, prayer and fun. We are thankful to the missionary families in Tlalpan for organizing this event. We are also thankful to the Sunset Church of Christ for sending Jay and Sherry Jarboe to share teaching with the group. We pray for the mission works across central Mexico: Mexico City, Tlalpan, Cuernavaca, Toluca, Leon, Guadalajara, Morelia and Lazaro Cardenas.

Upcoming Partners’ Meeting

We want to remind you of the upcoming Guadalajara Multiple Church Planting Project Partners’ Meeting which will take place the weekend of February 8-11, 2008. We continue to pray that it will be a useful time to consider and celebrate our partnership in God’s mission.

You should have already received information regarding this weekend and how to reserve your place. Please remember the deadline for registration is January 15, 2008. Let me know if you have any questions.

Family News – Planning to be in Texas for Christmas

We are excited to spend this Christmas with our family in Texas. With Ceci’s adoption and operations, it has been three years since we were with our family at Christmas. We plan to be there December 23-January 3. Please pray for travel safety. Ceci has never seen snow—you know what she is praying!

I’ll stop for now. As always, we thank God for your partnership in our life and mission.

November Update

2007-11-07T10:56:00.000-06:00

We trust you are well today. We are blessed—can’t believe it is already November. A lot has happened since our last report. We want to mention a few things for your prayers and thanksgiving.

Family News

The school year seems to be going well for the girls. Morgan and Natali are in their second year on the Lincoln School girls’ volleyball team—they recently won their 1st game (I mean their first game in these 2 years!). Needless to say it was a day of great celebration. Ceci is also doing well—she loves school and is learning so much! She has several friends among our neighbors. She also swims twice each week and can now swim the entire length of the pool without help. We are thankful to God for our girls. We pray for their ongoing health and spiritual formation.

Chadd’s mom, Sandra Schroeder came for a visit a couple of weeks ago. We had a great time—even took a couple of days to travel to the nearby state of Michoacan. We thank God for supportive family!

Churches

We thank God for his obvious work among the churches lately. The group in La Piedad seems to have come through a crisis and is doing well again. God has obviously shown his power in delivering Martin and his family from the bondage of addictions again (Thanks for prayers—answered prayers!). They seem to be stronger than ever—committed to the Lord and to one another in a deeper way. They especially desire to minister to children and youth around them…are seeking for their home to be a “safe place” for children who suffer at the hands of their parents who are addicts. Please pray for ongoing transformation in the life of this group of people. Pray for more workers from the harvest around them. Pray for the children and youth around them who have not yet chosen drugs and alcohol. Nancy is working with Martin and Rosa to plan a “kids’ weekend” on November 17-18. We are excited about what God might do during this time. We are also excited about the idea of helping the house churches reach out in simple ways to the kids living around them. Please pray for this time.

We are also thankful to God for his work among the church in Jocotan. Jose Julian and his wife Liliana decided to be immersed into Christ a couple of Sundays ago. Members from a couple of the other churches accompanied them to a waterfall outside of the city for a special time of celebration and sharing of life as they took this new step. Please pray for this couple and the community of faith that is growing deeper and larger in Jocotan.

Missionary Retreat

Missionaries from several of the cities in Mexico are traveling this week to Zihuatenjeo for our annual Mexico Missionary Retreat. Several of our families from Guadalajara will be joining missionaries who work in cities such as Cuernavaca, Mexico City, Morelia, Leon, and Lazaro Cardenas. We expect that it will be a good time for fellowship and renewal. Please pray for travel safety—and for the time we spend together.

Upcoming Partners’ Meeting

Finally, we are praying for the upcoming Guadalajara Multiple Church Planting Project Partners’ Meeting which will take place the weekend of February 8-11, 2008. The theme of this event will be Discovering the Story of God’s Kingdom in Guadalajara. We are praying that it will be a useful time to consider and celebrate our partnership in God’s mission. We pray that God will prepare us for this time together. We pray that there will be a good representation from our supporters.

Also – You are invited to participate with us in this event. The following are some of the specific details that need your attention if you are interested:

Some details we can pass on to you now:

The cost for the meeting will be $125 USD per person. This will include 6 meals (Friday night through Sunday lunch), transportation, coffee and snacks, printed material, conference room, etc. It does not include hotel rooms, souvenirs and meals after Sunday lunch.
Like the last couple of meetings, housing and group meetings will take place at the Hotel Posada Guadalajara. Rooms with 2 double beds are available for $50 USD per night. The cost is the same for 1-4 people. Your specific cost will depend on how many people you want in your room.
We plan for the meetings to begin on Friday evening at 6:00 pm. Arrival time would need to be in the early afternoon on Friday (or earlier). We will plan a “wrap-up” session on Sunday evening followed by a trip to the Tlaquepaque market on Monday morning. Preferably, we would request that you postpone your departure until Monday afternoon. For those who must leave on Sunday, the latest Sunday flight would work but you would miss the evening wrap-up and the time together on Monday. Of course, we would welcome you to arrive a few days early or stay a few days later as well!
We would like to hear from you as soon as possible if you are planning to attend. Please let us know two things. Who is planning to come? How many hotel rooms will you need? This news ASAP will help us in our planning.
We also ask that by January 15, 2008 you send $125 per person to our team account. The address is: Amherst Church of Christ, 106 West 8th Street, Amherst, Texas, 79312. Please make checks payable to “Amherst Church of Christ” and mark “Partners’ Meeting.” These funds will allow us to make the final plans for the weekend.

I’ll stop now. As always, we thank God for your partnership in our life and mission.

Praying to the Lord of the Harvest,

Chadd, Nancy, Morgan, Natali and Ceci Schroeder

September Update

2007-09-04T09:26:00.000-06:00

We hope you and yours are well. It has been too long since our last reportmuch has happened. We want to mention a few things for your thanksgiving and prayers.

Trip to Texas

We recently returned from our summer trip to Texas. It was a great time to spend time with family and friendsto also spend time with some of the congregations that partner with us in our mission in Mexico. We made missions presentations, taught classes and/or preached at Amherst, Crescent Park in Littlefield, Comanche Trail in Amarillo, Petersburg, Greenlawn in Lubbock, and Sunset. We were blessed to eat meals with many of youto be blessed by your hospitality and with many good conversations. We thank God for good friends and family!

Family News

The girls have all had birthdays in the last couple of monthsCeci turned 6 in June; Morgan and Natali turned 14 in July. Classes began a couple of weeks ago and we are all getting back into the school routine.

Churches

Please pray for the fellowship of churches in Guadalajara. It seems that the Evil One has especially been on the prowl in the last few weeks. So many good things have happened in the past months: baptisms, evidence of maturity, growth in leadership, clarity and follow-through with mission projects in each of the churches. However, there have also been many attacks lately: sickness, return to addictions and sinful habits, discouragement, conflict, doubt. We are praying for the churches and their leaders: Mariano Otero, Jardines del Valle, Cerro del Cuatro, Jocotán and La Piedad. We are praying that the Evil One will not have his way with these young churches.

Several of us who focus on church planting plan to go away for a retreat this weekend, September 7-9. We expect it to be an important time for prayer, evaluation and discernment. Please pray for God’s presence and guiding in this time…that this time will be used for good as we seek to move forward.

As always, we thank God for your partnership in our life and mission.

Praying to the Lord of the Harvest,

Chadd, Nancy, Morgan, Natali and Ceci Schroeder

"Immanuel" in La Piedad, Michoacan

2007-06-21T12:56:00.000-06:00

As followers of Jesus we believe that the local church is an expression of the body of Christ—that each community of faith should envision itself as a fresh incarnation of Jesus Christ—an “Immanuel” in a specific locale. It has been especially fun to walk along with one of these local expressions of Jesus Christ in the city of La Piedad, Michoacan.

For most of their lives, Martín and Rosa Camarena—along with their children Martín, Jesús, Luis, Erica and Isaac—experienced the dark side of life in Mexico. They lived the stories of alcohol and drug addiction, abuse, violence, trauma, jail, hunger, fear and hopelessness. Then, they began to recognize the Lord’s presence and activity among them and his desire to save and transform their lives. Through a series of events, God caused our paths to cross and over the past couple of years we have all begun to catch a glimpse of God’s vision to live with and minister to the people of La Piedad through his people there.

Their simple home is being transformed into a safe place of laughter, praise and prayer for dozens of kids, friends, and extended family who live around them. Drawing on their own experience with drugs, alcohol and abuse, Martín and Rosa move among and minister to various recovery groups and dozens of people who desperately need the freedom they have found in Christ. A couple of months back, their older sons Jesús and Luis were baptized into Christ. Though they see God’s work through them in their neighborhood, this small church also lives connected to a larger fellowship of simple bodies of Christ in their region.

Immanuel…God with us…In flesh and blood. May God’s kingdom and presence continue to grow and multiply in our world!

Truama Seminar

2007-06-21T12:44:00.000-06:00

This past May 25-27, we spent a great weekend with Hugo and Sandra Monroy. Originally from Columbia, this couple now lives and ministers in New York City. Out of their experience and ministry to trauma victims—refugees, victims of disasters, war zones, abuse, etc.—they have developed an equipping ministry for leaders and workers who are also ministering among those who have experienced high levels of trauma and brokenness.

The time was great for a small group of 25 or so of us—Mexican leaders and missionaries from Guadalajara, La Piedad and Mexico City! It was a great time of fellowship and equipping—hopefully an important time to be drawn more deeply into mission among hurting people.

May Update

2007-05-16T15:34:00.000-06:00

We hope everything is well with you and yours. Much has happened since our last report. We want to mention a few of these things for your thanksgiving and prayers.

Family News

The girls are doing well—the summer break from school doesn’t begin until the last of June—they think they are ready! Ceci is doing swim therapy 3 times a week right now and is becoming quite a swimmer. Several weeks back she won a medal for completing the 1st competence level. She (and us) was very proud! We are thankful for her growth.

Nancy and Ceci continue their “Moms and Kids” English group with some of our neighbors. Although Nancy insists that she is really not an English teacher, the neighbors show up every time—and go on and on about how their children’s English has improved over the past months. We believe God has provided the opportunity and grace to mix with and form friendships with neighbors. We are thankful.

I guess I should mention that I got bit by a dog a couple of weeks ago. About five minutes into an early morning run I met up with a big dog that had a thing for my thumb! Due to the encounter, I spent several hours in the ER, took several stitches and continue to nurse a pretty decent wound! Thankfully, the dog had been vaccinated and there has been no serious infection.

Churches

Lots of good things are happening among the churches—of course there are always challenges as well. Please pray specifically for the churches and forming churches in Jardines del Valle, Mariano Otero, Jocotan, Cerro de Cuatro, Cd. Granja, Las Pintas and La Piedad.

We’re especially encouraged to hear of new groups being started and of incarnational outreach into new areas. Gerardo and Carola Garcia continue to move among families in crisis…because of their daughter Meloni’s diabetes, they have many opportunities to minister to other families who are dealing with the recent discovery that their child has this disease. Both Gerardo and Carola regularly teach and give counseling to these families. Gerardo has entered a program through the hospital system to prepare himself to minister to those who have terminal illness (and their families) We are encouraged and hopeful as a growing number among us are discovering paths to incarnate Christ and minister among groups of people for whom God seems to have prepared them. Pray with us that God will increase this number, clarify an incarnational vision and lead us into the harvest.

The last weekend in March there was a retreat for the fellowship of house churches. The church in Mariano Otero was the host and the conversation was focused on “The New Testament and the Formation of Healthy Families of Jesus.” At least six of the groups were represented and it was a great time for fellowship, fun and Bible study. Three men were baptized into Christ: Javier Luna, Jesús Camarena and Luis Camarena. We are praying for the ongoing growth and formation of these three men and for their influence in the communities of people around them.

Mexico

Please continue to pray for Mexico—for God’s transforming work at all levels. As you’ve surely read and heard, as part of Felipe Calderon’s new presidency, there has been increased pressure by the government on the drug cartels in Mexico. Partly as a result of this, there have been 900+ drug related executions already in 2007. It seems that the cartels are giving a clear message: you better not mess with us. Everyday the headlines tell of police, military and high level leaders being killed. Yet common Mexicans seem to be in favor of Calderon’s strong stance—the polls show Calderon’s popularity at over 70%. We pray for God’s clear intervention…for protection for innocent people. We continue to pray for change.

As always, we thank God for your partnership in our life and mission.

Praying to the Lord of the Harvest,

Chadd, Nancy, Morgan, Natali and Ceci Schroeder

March Update

2007-03-17T16:01:00.000-06:00

We trust you and yours are well. Wow! Time is flying lately. The winter coolness has passed and we are in full spring in Guadalajara. Much has happened since our last report. We want to mention a few things for your thanksgiving and prayers.

Family News

Ceci has recovered well from the surgery in December. God has really blessed us with excellent physical therapy. One of our coworkers, Kim Rush was driving a friend home in a rather poor neighborhood on the outskirts of the city back in January when she unexpectedly came upon a large physical therapy complex. Juntos por un Caminar offers several types of therapy (horse, swimming, conductive, etc). The therapists and doctors are extremely competent—and they are great with Ceci. Her progress has been excellent over the past two months. We thank God for her continued growth and healthiness.

The girls are ready for the Holy Week break in a couple of weeks (2 weeks of break from school). Though we didn’t get to see family over the holidays, we were blessed with a visit from Jason and Kara Schroeder (and the cousins!) in February. The girls took several days off of school—lots of fun!

Churches

There is much to be excited about among the churches. In early January, three more were baptized into Christ from the Mariano Otero church and the church in Jocotán. There are exciting things going on in each of the groups—along with challenges of course. Please pray for the ongoing transformation in the lives of Omar, Gerardo and Adriana. Pray for God’s power and direction for each of the churches—pray that we would all follow Jesus.

One of the highlights for us lately has been the growing fellowship between the Mexican leaders of the various house churches. Since October, the emerging leadership of six different groups has been coming together on a Sunday evening each month for fellowship, prayer and study. Next weekend, one of the churches will host an all-church retreat at a site outside of the city. We are praying that it will be a great time for fellowship and unity. We plan to focus our study and conversation on “The New Testament and the Formation of Healthy Families of Jesus.” Please pray for this time together—pray especially for the monthly fellowship of leaders, for their growth and for the communities of faith they care for.

Mexico

President Felipe Calderon completed his “First 100 Days” of office this past week. You may remember that his margin of victory was razor thin…that he came into office amid chaos and uncertainty on several fronts. Many analysts are pleasantly surprised with his leadership and strong show of force in confronting organized crime—yet they point out that many challenges continue to confront his administration and the Mexican people. We are praying for Mexican leaders. We are praying for healthy change in Mexico.

As always, we thank God for our partnership with you. May God bless us all to know and obey him more fully. May God’s Kingdom come with more fullness and power!

Praying to the Lord of the Harvest,

Chadd, Nancy, Morgan, Natali and Ceci Schroeder

2007-03-15T14:20:00.000-06:00

Nancy is taking a phototography class--this is a Catholic Church in our Colonia that she shot a couple of nights ago. More to come later--maybe!

Update on Ceci

2006-12-15T09:27:00.000-06:00

Hello All

We are hoping that you are all well this Christmas season. We are thanking God that all is well and peaceful in the Schroeder household. Ceci’s surgery was a great success. She is laying on the couch singing songs and very comfortable. Thank you all for your prayers and e-mails of support. They are always appreciated. It is cool here in Guadalajara. Nice weather for this season. The girls are finishing up for the Christmas vacation with service projects at an orphanage here in Guadalajara and a movie day on Monday. We are wishing for you all a time of tranquility and reflection for the New Year to come. May God be powerfully among us.

For the Schroeders,

Nancy

December Update

2006-12-13T17:19:00.000-06:00

We hope and pray that you and yours are doing well in these days—that you are feeling God’s blessings during the holidays. We always thank God for your partnership with us in prayer. Like always, the last month has been full of blessings, answered prayers, and new opportunities and challenges. As we consider the last month, we want to mention a few things for your thanksgiving and prayers.

Family News

Our family is doing well. As it is in the US, the Christmas season of course is upon us in Mexico with decorations, shopping and posadas (Christmas parties). It seems that in Mexico—more so than in the States—the pace of life really slows down for 2 or 3 weeks. We plan to stay in Mexico again this Christmas—hopefully will spend good time with some of our coworkers and the members of a couple of the churches. The girls continue with school until December 20—they are counting the days! Of course, we will be thinking of our family and friends—plan to visit by telephone and internet a lot!

Tomorrow, December 14, Ceci is scheduled to have a follow-up operation on both of her hips. The doctors plan to remove the metal plates that were placed in her hips from last year’s operation. We expect that this operation won’t be nearly as big a deal as before—probably just one night in the hospital. Please pray for Ceci, for Dr. Salas and for us. We are praying that this operation goes smoothly and that Ceci will recover quickly.

Mexico Missionary Retreat

We believe the Mexico Missionary Retreat last month was a great success. 14 families and at least 16 singles met together over the Thanksgiving Holiday (November 22-26) at a Mountain Retreat center a couple of hours outside of Guadalajara. Workers representing mission points in Mexico City, Cuernavaca, Toluca, León, Lázaro Cardenas, Morelia and Guadalajara enjoyed the time of fellowship, fun and renewal. We are thankful to God for the renewed relationships, for the sense of unity among this group, and for the spiritual renewal that many of us experienced. Please continue to pray for these mission works across the central region of Mexico.

Answered Prayers/Additional Request

As you may remember, last month we asked you to pray for Rosa Camarena and the surgery she was to have to remove a tumor on her thyroid. We thank God for answered prayers! Contrary to their expectations, when they removed the tumor, the doctors found that it was not malignant! Martin and Rosa continue to minister among a growing house church in La Piedad, Michoacan. Both Martin and Rosa traveled to Guadalajara this past weekend to visit us and to participate in the monthly meeting of church leaders. It was great to hear Rosa tell of God’s work in her life and her own growth through all of this—to see how the fellowship of Mexican leaders are responding to one another with love and support.

We also ask that you pray especially for Luis Bernal’s father Alfredo. Luis is a young single who has been working with us for several months to begin a new group of disciples in and around his folk’s home in the Las Pintas Colonia of Guadalajara. Alfredo suffers from diabetes and is not doing well. In the last few weeks, as his health has declined he seems to be turning more and more to the Lord. We are praying that God works in Alfredo’s life to continue to draw him to Jesus. We are praying for healing. We are praying that God will use Luis (and us) to serve his family during this time.

Also, please pray for our missionary coworkers in Guadalajara and across the region who will be traveling during the holiday season.

Again, we thank God for our partnership with you. We are thankful for your prayers—for the concern and solidarity you communicate to us. May God continue to bless you richly! We wish you a blessed Christmas.

Praying with you to the Lord of the harvest,

Chadd, Nancy, Morgan, Natali and Ceci Schroeder

November Update

2006-11-08T16:32:00.000-06:00

We trust this letter finds you and yours well today. For us, the last few weeks have been full of life and ministry, blessings and challenges. As we think about this time, we want to mention a few things for your prayers and thanksgiving…

Family News

We have felt blessed by God in many ways lately. Ceci is almost always happy with life; she likes kindergarten and especially loves it that almost every week someone has a birthday party! A year has passed since her double hip surgery in 2005. She continues with physical therapy a couple of times each week and is walking better all the time; we are planning for her to have a follow-up surgery in December to remove the metal plates from both of her hips. Please pray that this operation will go smoothly and that Ceci will recover quickly. Morgan and Natali seem to be doing well in their second year of Jr. High (Secundaria). They recently joined their school’s girls’ volleyball team and seem to be having a good time with practices and weekly games against other schools. The girls’ grandmother, Sandra Schroeder, along with their cousin Meagan visited us in Guadalajara this past week. We all had a great visit.

One of God’s great blessings in our lives has been the ongoing growth of the girls in their relationship with God, in their understanding of and participation in God’s kingdom and mission in the world. This past Sunday, November 5 was a special day as Morgan and Natali were baptized at a waterfall outside of the city. They were blessed to be surrounded that day by others who were also being baptized, good friends, fellow-missionaries, Mexican brothers and sisters, along with their grandmother and cousin from Texas. We praise God. Please continue to pray for Morgan, Natali and Ceci and their formation as followers of Jesus.

Baptisms and Evidence of Growth

This past Sunday was a great day of fellowship and celebration—a great day to see evidence of God’s faithfulness and the fruit of God’s kingdom. Almost 100 people representing at least 5 growing house churches met together for a time of worship, food and fellowship. Five people from 3 different groups were baptized: Morgan Schroeder, Natali Schroeder, Luis Bernal, Alejandro Zendejas and Angelina (not sure of last name). Besides the obvious blessing of witnessing the new births, it was a special blessing to see the different churches fellowshipping together and encouraging one another. The groups represented were: Las Pintas, Mariano Otero, Jardines del Valle, Jocotan, and Cerro del Cuatro. There were also several visitors present who are not yet followers of Jesus. We praise and thank God for this fellowship of churches, for the diversity in this group, for the unity and Mexican leadership that was so clearly seen there. We pray that God will continue to move this group to maturity, that God will multiply followers of Jesus, churches of Jesus and fellowships of churches like this one.

Special Prayer Request for Church in La Piedad, Michoacan

The Lord seems to be continuing his work with the Camerena family in La Piedad, Michoacan. Martin and Rosa continue to incarnate Jesus among their family and friends. They also continue to work with a group of addicts and alcoholics from their city. In September, this group put together their first “Prevention Retreat” aimed at 10 to 16 year-olds who may be in danger of falling into Satan’s trap of drugs and alcohol. 18 young people attended this retreat along with 15-20 adults who hosted the retreat. Several of us from Guadalajara participated with them in this—it seemed to be a positive experience for the youth—a positive and learning experience for those who hosted the event. It seems that God is working in this group…that Martin and Rosa are being used by God in all of this. We continue to pray that God will lead the way for this group and that God will raise up more coworkers for Martin and Rosa from among their friends and family in La Piedad…

A few weeks ago, Rosa Camerena was diagnosed with a tumor on her thyroid. Rosa is scheduled to have the tumor removed tomorrow at a hospital in La Piedad. Please pray for Rosa’s healing and protection; pray for the doctors and nurses who will be helping her tomorrow; pray that the peace of God will be present with this family.

Upcoming Missionary Retreat

For the past several years, the missionaries working in Central Mexico have joined together in a “Mexico Missionary Retreat.” For the past couple of years it has taken place over the Thanksgiving Holiday. This year it is the Guadalajara Team’s turn to host the event. We are expecting 70-80 missionaries (families, kids, singles) from Mexico City, Toluca, Leon, Morelia, Lazaro Cardenas and Guadalajara to participate in this event November 22-25. Please pray that this will be a great time of fellowship, unity and mutual encouragement. Pray for travel safety. Continue to pray for the expansion of God’s Kingdom in this region. Pray with us to the Lord of the harvest that the Lord will raise up and multiply an army of Mexican workers for and from the harvest in Mexico.

As always, we thank God for you and your participation with us in God’s mission in Central Mexico.

May God bless you richly!

Chadd, Nancy, Morgan, Natali and Ceci Schroeder

August Update

2006-08-29T16:36:00.000-06:00

We trust that you are well in these days. For us, the last few weeks have been full with the trip to Texas and ministry the last couple of weeks. As we think about the last few weeks, we want to mention a few things for your prayers and thanksgiving…

Texas Trip

Our trip to Texas was a great blessing. We spent good time with our family in the Lubbock area and Ceci got to know all of her aunts, uncles and cousins well—many of them for the first time. We had a great time showing her off and seeing her experience Texas culture and food for the first time. She was especially fond of corn dogs; we lost count of how many she had eaten at about 10! God was good to us in many ways.

We also spent time with most of the congregations that partner with us in Guadalajara. Chadd preached, taught and/or reported with the following congregations in July and early August: Amherst, Petersburg, Crescent Park in Littlefield, Comanche Trail in Amarillo, and Sunset in Lubbock. We also met with mission committees and spent good time around the tables of our Christian brothers and sisters. We were impressed with the love and interest in mission that mark all of these churches. As we told stories of God’s work in and through people in Central Mexico—of what we see God doing in these days, it was great to see how all of us felt encouraged and challenged. Again, we are thankful for God’s goodness and blessings!

Back to School!

The 2 ½ weeks since we’ve been back home seem to be mostly about getting back into school. Chadd was invited to teach a survey of the New Testament to 40-50 teachers during the teachers’ orientation at Lincoln School—the Christian school where Morgan and Natali are enrolled. God seemed to use the time for good in many ways. We had a great 5-day discussion regarding the New Testament, the role of Scripture in spiritual formation, and the practice of engaging Scripture for the purpose of formation. You may remember that Lincoln School is an interdenominational school that serves that larger Christian community in Guadalajara. We are praying that God will use this conversation for good in the lives of teachers and leaders from diverse churches all over this city. We pray to the Lord of the Harvest that He will raise up and multiply an army of Mexican workers for this city and beyond.

Morgan, Natali and Ceci all began school last week—Morgan and Natali began 8th grade; Ceci began kindergarten. After the first week, one of the girls commented that the first week wasn’t as bad as she thought it would be. I guess that’s good! We pray that God will use this year for good in their growth.

Addiction Prevention Retreat

As we’ve spent time the last few days catching up on news with our fellow missionary co-workers and the Mexican leaders of the different churches, we continue to hear stories of God’s work in Jardines del Valle, Mariano Otero, Cerro de Cuatro, Ciudad Granja, Jocotan, Las Pintas, La Piedad, and Tampico. We traveled last weekend to La Piedad to be with the Camarena family and the church that meets in their house. We continue to pray that God will work from these places to form vibrant churches of Jesus Christ. We also continue to pray for our coworkers in other cities across this region: Mexico City, Cuernavaca, Toluca, Morelia, Leon, Lazaro Cardenes to name a few.

Martin Camarena, one of the leaders around whom the young church in La Piedad, Michoacan seems to be forming is a recovering alcoholic and drug addict. You may remember that he and his wife, Rosa are very involved with a community of recovering addicts—that they see this group as part of their mission assignment. For the last couple of months this group has been thinking and praying about beginning an outreach to youth. They are especially interested in reaching young people who are “in danger” of following in their path of alcohol and drug addiction. Please pray for Martin and Rosa, and this group as they host a “Prevention Retreat” this weekend, September 2-3. Several of us from Guadalajara plan to join them this weekend as resource people and helpers. It looks like as many as 9-12 youth from GDL may join us to participate with many youth from the city of La Piedad. We are praying for Martin and Rosa and this band of God seekers…that God will use this mission to draw them closer to God and to one another. We are praying for youth who are in danger…that they will know God’s love for them and that there is a better way. We are praying that God will teach all of us…that we will be good listeners for what God may want to do with this mission.

Mexican Election Results and Political Chaos

As you probably know by now, the Mexican presidential election of July 2 has not been resolved yet. People are generally frustrated and uncertain as to what will come of this. We are praying for Mexico and that God will use these events for good change—for the coming of God’s Kingdom to the lives of Mexicans.

As always, we thank God for our partnership with you.

Blessings,

Chadd, Nancy, Morgan, Natali and Ceci Schroeder
Calz. De los Paraisos #51, Casa #12
011-523-33-629-2076

July Update

2006-07-11T16:40:00.000-06:00

Please keep us in your prayers as we travel today! The last 10 days or so have been crazy with our plans to travel to Texas up and down. We drove to Mexico City on July 2 to present all of our documents to begin Ceci's immigration process and get an immigration card with the idea of traveling to see friends and family in Texas. We ran into problems--because we do not have plans to actually move to Texas in the near future, the immigration officials at the US Embassy advised us to seek a simple "tourist visa." This should have been good news, except that the waiting process is 3 or 4 months for this type of visa. However, because we are US citizens, they moved Ceci's appointment up and yesterday she was issued a 10-year tourist visa. We can work out immigration things later.

Please pray for us as we travel the next few days towards the Lubbock area. We hope to spend about 3 weeks with family and supporters. Hopefully, we will see many of you and will get to introduce our new daughter to you.

Blessings,

Chadd, Nancy, Morgan, Natali, and Ceci Schroeder

June Update

2006-06-24T16:41:00.000-06:00

We trust that you and those around you are well. We are seeing that it has been almost 2 months since we wrote our last update! We did not intend for so much time to pass without writing. These weeks have been filled with life: some challenges and many blessings. As we think about the last few weeks we want to mention a few things for your prayers and thanksgiving to God.

Family News

Morgan and Natali finished 7th grade classes yesterday. Final exams are this next week, but the girls, due to their grades and attendance record, are exempt from all but one exam. They would say they "survived" 7th grade--probably all and all their most difficult year (relationships, adolescence, peer pressure, etc.). Natali says that it was like a roller coaster ride--one that she wouldn't buy the ticket to ride again. We are very proud of them and see them being formed into strong and faithful young ladies. Of course, we pray for their ongoing formation.

In our last update we told you that Ceci's adoption had become final. Since then, we've made two trips to Mexico city. Besides having her official adoption sentence, we now have her Mexican birth certificate with her new name: Cecilia Grace Schroeder Burris (two last names in Mexico--paternal and maternal). Last week we also got her Mexican Passport. With her past and abandonment, this is a big deal! We are now getting all of our documents together and translated into English so we can make application for Ceci to be recognized by the US Government as our family member. U.S. citizenship will come later, but this will allow us to travel with her to visit many of you along with our family in Texas. We are hoping to present all of this next week to Pedro Alonso, the I.N.S. officer at the American Embassy in Mexico City. If we are approved, we will be traveling to Texas by mid-July. We are praying for Pedro Alonso and the interview we will have with him in the next few days--that he will be helpful and kind--that we will be approved to be able to travel to the US. We are tired of working through all the red tape...but are thankful for Ceci and the blessing of being almost finished with the process! We are certainly learning alot!

Ministering Among Luke 10 Communities

We see God's ongoing work in and around Guadalajara and across central Mexico. Many of us continue to reflect on Luke 10 as a way to envision ourselves as "sent ones" who are going before Jesus into the neighborhoods, towns and cities where Jesus is planning to begin something new. Praying and knocking doors (usually figuratively), we are looking for a household (usually a network of family and their friends) that will invite us in to proclaim in word and deed the good news of Jesus and the Kingdom. Of course, our desire is to see some of these (all of them!) "households of peace" become vibrant churches of Jesus Christ from which Jesus and the Kingdom will continue to be proclaimed and incarnated among others in the immediate vicinity. One of our roles as missionary church planters is to help begin some of these groups as "sent ones," and then to continue ministering to clusters of churches as they learn to follow Jesus as his disciples.

The Schroeder family continues to focus attention on two such family groups. Please continue to pray for the Camarena family and the church that meets in their house in La Piedad, Michoacan. Martin and Rosa Camarena continue to minister among their family members and among of addicts and their codependant family members. This past weekend, they helped lead a retreat for alcoholics and ministered to at least 20 people. We are praying that the Lord of the Harvest will raise up more workers from this group to partner with Martin and Rosa. We are praying for Martin's and Rosa's continued trust in Jesus and for their growth and transformation.

The other group that we are working with lives near and meets in the house of Luis Bernal and his mother, Rosario in the Las Pintas Colonia here in GDL. Among this group we envision ourselves still in the early stages of entering their "household." Chadd is mentoring Luis. The group is very diverse and most everyone is having their first experiences with Bible reading and contact with serious followers of Jesus. Most all have been formed by Mexican Catholic traditions and much superstition. In one of our recent group conversations, the group began working through their beliefs and practices regarding the Catholic and local Saints. We heard numerous stories of their fears and experiences with local saints/powers like the "niño de cacahuate" and the "niño de palomitas." At this point we are trying to help them gain confidence in reading the Bible for themselves. While listening to their diverse stories and accepting their hospitality, we are trying to speak of and model a faith that is Christ-centered and connected with scripture. Please pray for the Las Pintas group, for Luis Bernal and his growth as a servant leader. Pray that Jesus Christ and the Kingdom would truely come to this Colonia.

Our fellow workers in Guadalajajara and central Mexico are living similar experiences. To name a few: since our last update, the group of Christians that live in Cerro de Cuatro (another area of GDL) has begun thinking of themselves as a young church. We are praying for this young group, and for Gerardo and Martin as they help the group in their growth. We are also praying for Tim and Kim Rush as they have recently begun to work among a new Luke 10 community living in San Juan de Ocotan (outskirts of GDL) and another nearby colonia.

Also, the church in Mariano Otero celebrated three baptisms since our last update: Alfredo and Susana Garcia, and Salvador Jimenez. We are praying for the maturity of the church in Mariano Otero, for Joe and Elaine Pruett as they help this church, and for these young disciples. The church in Jardines del Valle is having many new opportunities for growth and outreach lately.

We pray that the Lord of the Harvest will continue to raise up and multiply workers with similar stories in the cities of Cuernavaca, Mexico City, Toluca, Morelia, Leon, Lazaro Cardenas, Tampico, Tlalpan, La Piedad, and Aguascalientes. We are praying that God will raise up and connect a band of Mexican workers who will be committed to seeing the Kingdom truely come to this region. We are also praying for Hispanics, Latinos, Mexicans who live in the U.S....are praying for workers and for the spread of the Kingdom among this group.

Mexican Presidential Elections

You are probably aware that Mexico will choose its next president next Sunday, July 2. We are praying for this process--that God will work in these things also to bring about good for the Mexican people. Most sources point to an extremely close decision between two men with what seem to be radically different positions. I found a recent video clip from the Washington Post that describes the situation from one perspective. This link should take you there if you are interested: http://blog.washingtonpost.com/mexicovotes/2006/06/obrador_profile_and_campaign_v.html

Most of all, keep this in your prayers this week.

As always, we thank God for our partnership with you. Hopefully, we will see many of you in July/August.

Blessings,

Chadd, Nancy, Morgan, Natali and Ceci Schroeder

April Update

2006-04-17T16:43:00.000-06:00

We trust that you and those around you are well. The last few weeks have been filled with normal life and many blessings. As we think about them we want to mention a few things for your prayers and thanksgiving to God.

Family Update

We are still waiting on news regarding the finalization of Ceci's adoption. We've been in communication with our lawyer and social worker in Mexico City--they assure us that everything is going well and that the adoption should be finalized very soon. We are still hopeful that we can get things together in order to make a trip to Texas in July with Ceci. Once the adoption is finalized, we must apply for and be issued a new birth certificate for her. This will allow us to apply for her Mexican passport afterwhich we must apply for a U.S. visa for her to travel with us this summer. Please pray for this process.

We are very excited that Ceci has begun to walk again following her double hip operation last fall. The last few weeks have shown huge strides (pardon the pun!) in this area. She is able to walk 20 or 30 feet without falling--its still alot of work for her but we are thankful for God's healing and strengthening of her legs. We continue to pray that she will be walking and running in the months to come! I'm thankful for Nancy and the diligent work she puts into Ceci's therapy and exercises.

All three of the girls are out of school now for the Semana Santa (Holy Week) break. In Mexico, the week leading up to Easter is called Semana Santa and the week after Easter is called Semana Pascua. Most all schools take both weeks as an extended vacation--a kind of mixture between a religious holiday and "spring break." The girls have already been out of school for 10 days and still have another week. They love it! Nancy mom and aunt are coming for a visit tomorrow and will be here for over a week. We are thankful for family and the blessing of a visit from them!

Continuing Work with Two "Luke 10" Communities

In addition to mentoring/coaching several Mexican and American church planters, our family continues to work out of two households which we believe are growing to become vibrant house churches. The Camarena Family in La Piedad, Michoacan is growing stronger in their discipleship and their understanding of mission. For the past couple of months our family has spent every other Sunday with this family with two goals. First, we want to help them as they grow in their walk with the Lord. We are especially focusing on helping them to hear and obey God's word as they learn to read the Bible. We are using a simple tool called "Life Transformation Groups" which allows them to develop three key Christian practices: weekly reading of Scripture, regular confession and honesty regarding sin, and evangelistic prayer for specific people around them. Our second goal with this family is to help them envision their household as the beginnings of mission activity in their neighborhood and beyond...to function as a simple church with a local mission. We are participating with them in this when we are there, helping them to reach out to other family and friends, and coaching them and modeling how a simple New Testament church might function. We were especially blessed this weekend as 5 members of the Camarena family spent the Easter weekend as guests in our home in Guadalajara--this was the first time that we were able to show them hospitality in our home. They traveled back to La Piedad yesterday. Please continue to pray for Martin and Rosa Camarena and for the dozens of people who are being directly influenced by God's Kingdom as it comes more fully to their lives. Pray that the Lord of the Harvest will raise up more workers from La Piedad who would participate with them in God's mission.

We are also encouraged by a new group that has been forming in the Las Pintas Colonia in the southeast section of Guadalajara. Luis Bernal and his mother Rosario have opened their home recently. We believe that this is a "Luke 10"-like opportunity and we are being invited in to the household (other family members, neighbors, friends) to proclaim Jesus and the Kingdom of God in word and deed. Last Saturday (the 4th time the group has met) evening 18 adults and children spent several hours reading the Bible, praising God, praying, telling stories of God's work in their lives and talking about what they believe God wants them to do as followers of Jesus in their neighborhood. We continue to focus on teaching, mentoring and coaching Luis and Rosario as this group forms around their home. We are praying that God will transform this group of seekers into a vibrant New Testament church in the days to come. We are praying for the neighborhood around them and for the many who are being directly influenced by God's work in these people. We are also praying to the Lord of the Harvest that he will raise up more like-minded workers from Las Pintas who will join this group to participate in the mission of Jesus.

Odds and Ends

In mid-March (March 12-18) we were blessed to host a University group from the Sunset Church of Christ in Lubbock. We felt encouraged by their fresh perspective and their genuine interest in God's work in and around our lives. Besides good conversation and encouragement, they spent several hours prayer-walking and serving in some of the neigborhoods where we hope to find new Luke 10 households to enter with the gospel of Jesus. As a result of God's work in this group and specifically in the lives of Cory and Toni Burns, it seems that a new family is opening their door for the Burns to enter for Bible study, prayer and ministry. Please pray for the household of Javier and Rosario. We are praying that the Kingdom of God will come to this entire household--that a new church would be formed from their house in the Ciudad Granja Colonia.

With the visit of University students from Lubbock, the Lord seems to have awakened in a few of us a desire to pray for the university campuses in Guadalajara. Please join us as we pray that the Lord of the Harvest would raise workers for and from these campuses.

Please continue to pray for our coworkers and similar activity and stories in neighborhoods, Colonias and cities in and around Guadalajara. Some of these include: San Sebastian, Mariano Otero, Jardines del Valle, Cerro del Cuatro, Chapalita, Aguascalientes, Tepic, Residencial Moctezuma, La Floresta and San Pedro. Pray also for other missionary coworkers who are working in Mexico City, Tlalpan, Cuernavaca, Morelia, Toluca, Lazaro Cadenas, Leon, and other cities across Mexico. Pray to the Lord of the Harvest that he will raise up and multiply workers from the harvest...that a Kingdom movement would truely ignite and spread like wildfire!

We thank God for your support and ministry to us in prayer.

Blessings,

Chadd, Nancy, Morgan, Natali and Ceci Schroeder

March Update

2006-03-10T16:48:00.000-06:00

We hope you and yours are well. The last month has seemed to fly quickly with normal life and ministry along with a couple of special visits from Texas. We were blessed with a week-long visit from Chadd's parents in mid-February. Then, at the end of the month, we were blessed with a visit from Bob and Sandy Jackson and Iris Sneed (Al came down with the flu and had to cancel at the last minute) from our sponsoring congregation, the Sunset Church of Christ. As we reflect on this month, we want to mention a few things for your specific thanksgiving and prayer.

Family - Ceci's Adoption - Jr. High Girls

After waiting several months on the paperwork, Chadd and Nancy traveled last week with Ceci to Mexico City where we registered Ceci and were given her original birth certificate. Because of her situation, she was never registered as an infant and did not have a birth certificate. This caused the adoption process to be placed on hold. With this document in hand we are being told that Ceci's adoption should be finalized within 2 or 3 weeks (We'll see--but at least they are saying soon)! When the adoption is final, we will be issued a new birth certificate with her new apellido (last name). We will then be able to begin working on a United States Visa so she can make a trip to Texas later this year. Please thank God for this blessing and pray that the rest of the process will move along quickly and smoothly. Please pray also for the healing of Ceci's legs--that she will walk soon! We are praying that God will continue to use all of this to open doors for Kingdom growth in new areas.

Morgan and Natali are doing well--right in the middle of 7th grade with all the fun (please hear a little bit of sarcasm here) of being a Jr. High girl! We are praying that God will continue to form them into godly women--that He will help them navigate difficult times-- that He will use adolescent trials for good.

Nancy continues to work with Morgan and Natali as they form a spiritual formation group for girls. Morgan and Natali, along with two of their friends from school Sofia and Priscila meet together every two weeks. It is generally a time for eating together, Bible study and prayer, and discussion of some of the real issues facing jr. high girls. It seems that God has put on Nancy's heart a burden for girls in this age group. We are praying that God will bless and lead this group of girls in their formation...that He will lead them to reach out to others.

La Piedad, Michoacan

We are thankful for good news from La Piedad, the Camarena family and God's work in their lives. Since our last update, three visits have been made to La Piedad. We see evidence that the young house church that is based in their home is on the road to health again. Martin has remained sober for over 6 weeks--he and Rosa have recommitted and shown follow-through in their walk with Jesus--they continue to grow stronger and are beginning to envision again how God may use their family/home as a strategic base of operation for Kingdom expansion in their city. Bob and Sandy Jackson accompanied us on a visit there a couple of weeks back--God seemed to use the time for mutual encouragement. We plan to travel there this weekend. We are thanking God for His recent work in their lives. We are praying that God will continue to heal the wounds in their family, that He will show them how to incarnate Jesus in their neighborhood, and that He will use all of this to see many vibrant churches planted in and around La Piedad. We are praying that God will use us to work from this household...to teach and coach this group as they move toward maturity.

Entering Into a "House of Peace" in the Las Pintas Colonia

For well over a year we have been daily praying the prayer of Luke 10:2 and reflecting on this passage as a way to envision ourselves as we follow the Lord into mission in Guadalajara. Praying this prayer and its context in Luke has led us to look for God's answer in people who would open their home to us and the proclamation of the gospel--these "people of peace" are welcoming us and turning their homes into a "house of peace"--which we are hopeful will lead to new house churches as some of these people fall in love with Jesus and committ their lives to Him and to one another as disciples.

We believe God has recently shown us an answer to the Luke 10:2 prayer. For the past couple of months, our family has been praying specifically for a new opportunity in Las Pintas (a large colonia on the southeast side of GDL). Back in January we got to know Luis Bernal who had recently been deported from Kansas after living there 15 years and becoming a disciple of Jesus. While there he had experienced Christian life in a small house church. After his deportation he found himself living with his mom in Guadalajara. We were connected through a common friend. Luis feels a strong burden for his family and their neighbors who all live in Las Pintas. He has asked that we help him develop as a planter of house churches--that we walk with him as he begins something new in his mother Rosario's house. After a couple of visits with her and family members, we recently took further steps to begin a regular time of Bible study and prayer. Luis and Rosario are inviting family members, neighbors and friends to join us in this time. Besides this, Luis and Chadd spend time weekly in Bible study, discussion and prayer. We are praying that God will continue to develop these relationships...that this group will form around Jesus and that it will become a vibrant New Testament church in the months to come.

We continue to pray for similar stories of missionary coworkers, Mexican church planters, and growing churches as they are ministering in the following places: The cities of Aguascalientes and Tepic; the GDL colonias of Ciudad Granja, Residencial Moctezuma, Chapalita, San Sebastian, La Floresta, San Pedro, Mariano Otero, Jardines del Valle, Cerro del Cuatro and Lincoln School.

Odds and Ends

A university group from the Sunset Church of Christ will spend their spring break with us beginning this Sunday. Please pray that this time will be used for good--that hearts will be cultivated and influenced for the Lord--that seeds will be sown.

We are still in need of monthly ministry support to replace the ministry funds that the Bell Trust provided in 2005. We are praying that God will connect us with like-minded partners who are able to help in this way.

As always, we thank God for you and pray for His richest blessings for your life--that we will all know Him better and be transformed into the image of His Son Jesus.

Chadd, Nancy, Morgan, Natali and Ceci Schroeder

Learning to Blog

2005-07-27T16:25:00.000-06:00

We've been missionaries in Mexico for many years and have written countless newsletters, prayer updates and ministry reports. I use the internet daily and write and receive dozens of emails daily--yet I am struggling to figure out how to blog! Patience!