December Update

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