The Times They Are a-Changin'

This Bob Dylan song title about transition sure seems to capture the feeling around the Mission District this week. With changes in the comfort zones to which we've all grown accustomed, we are all feeling a bit unsure about what the future will hold. Is that too honest for a missionary website?

But the good news is that we know who holds the future! Yes, it is a trite saying but one to which we cling during times of uncertainty. We trust our Heavenly Father to faithfully work His will in and through us and bring his plans to fruition. In this update, we'd like to take a moment to let you know about some of the changes taking place in the next few days and weeks. Hopefully, this will also help you know how to pray for those affected by the changes.

Foote Family taking Flight

After having faithfully served in Mexico City for 2 years, Larry and Carol are returning to their home near Seattle. We've appreciated their flexibility and willingness to pitch in wherever needed- even if it wasn't in their original job description. We pray God's richest blessings on them as they re-engage with their family and friends in Washington and seek God's plan for this next chapter in their lives. (Yesterday, during a "goodbye" service, the church presented the Footes with the pictured plaque thanking them for their service.) The Footes fly out on Tuesday morning.

Eunice Off To Cuernavaca

Pastor Eunice Alvarez has been working with the local Tizoc church for the last 8 months. She had been working in the Mexican state of Sonora prior to her time with us. Eunice has shown a real willingness to learn and has connected to many of the families in the local church. (In the picture above, she presented a Bible to Martin, one of the faithful young people in the Sunday Kids' Church that Eunice has led.)

We are going to miss Eunice's ready smile and thoughtful preaching but we praise God that she is going to be working just down the road in the next year. A small group of mostly new believers are forming a Free Methodist church in the large city of Cuernavaca and Eunice is going to be leading them as pastor. Would you pray with us for this transition for Eunice and for the resources to support her as the church grows?

Guarellos Going To Leon

Yes, Pastor Jorge and Teresa (pictured to the far left in this group honored for May birthdays and anniversaries) are moving out of the city to Leon, about 6 hours from our part of Mexico City. As you can imagine, this transition has been met with a mixture of sadness and joy. We are all sad to lose the easy access to the Guarellos and their weekly presence in the worship of the Tizoc and Coapa congregations. However, we are glad that the Guarellos can be released to exercise their true giftings in church planting and oversight in a new location. We also trust that the leaders which God has raised up for the Mexico City work will take on new responsibilities and grow in the Lord. Jorge will continue to serve as Superintendent of the Mission District. We'll introduce you to Juan and Eva Murua, the new pastors at the Tizoc church, in a future post so stay tuned.

There are going to be new challenges during this transition time and we value your prayers and support more than ever. Thank you for being our friends and partners in this adventure.

--submitted by Joel for the team

Friends, here is a report of the Allens recent trip to Leon with lots of details for those of you who want to get a real feel for the trip there.

I just wanted to give you and up-date on our weekend trip to Leon, where we are starting with a very small group of people that are interested in associating themselves with our church. It is a little over 500 miles there and back, but a "quick trip" there for us is about 6.5 hours. The roads are almost all toll roads and are in very good to excellent condition. There are "free options", but they would be slower and generally not in near as good condition, although more scenic as they tend to pass through the little "bergs". You are probably wondering why it would take 6.5 hours to go 250 miles. Well, it takes us, on a very good day, about a hour and half, just to get accross town, here in MC! The highways do have speed limits, and there are mountains, curves and traffic to contend with!

Sara Guarello, our district superintendent's daughter, traveled with us. She is a delightful young lady, and we always enjoy traveling with her. She has shown us the way to Leon a couple times and we are now convinced that the next time we can do it on our own, if need be.

On the way up there we stopped at a place for "lunch", and all of us ordered beef and bean burritos. The place is very much in the process of being remodeled and expanded, so at first glance, I was not sure if we had made a wise choice. Just before our orders came, Sara told us she though we were in the area of large flour tortillas, and sure enough when our food came, the tortilla shells were over a foot across. The beef was a little tough, but very tasty, and the spicy sauce was on the side, so we were all content. That way everyone can add however much "spice" as they want, to their own taste!

Once we arrived in Leon, we went to the place where we stay, and visited with our hosts for a while, and then rested for a couple hours. We went over to their place, which is just accross the parking lot from where we all stayed, and had a light supper at our hosts' place, and were able to visit some more.

Gary preached for the Sunday a.m. service, which was a small, but enthusiastic group. He had preached the same sermon the week before in our house church so it did not involve another several hours of preparing a different sermon to be preached in Spanish. After the service, people sat around and talked for at least an hour.

On the way home, we stopped for lunch at a new restaurant called "The Pause". Sara ordered "huaraches", which are named after a sandal, because they have that shape, but they are made out of flour, covered with bean paste, beef slices, onions and lettuce. Jann ordered enchiladas, in a green sauce, which would have been TOO spicy for Gary. Gary ordered something called "chicken violentin". It was a thin hair pasta dish, with a very light, white, cheese sauce. The chicken was breast, rolled and in the middle were small shrimp,vegetables (green pepper, carrots, zuchinni squash, and tomatoes, and all were just at the right point of being cooked, so they were neither mushy nor crunchy.) The chicken roll was cut in half-inch slices and arranged in a ring around the plate. By that time Gary was getting a little tired, but not yet sleepy, so he ordered a cup of their "express" coffee. It was the "real stuff", and excellent, even though it came in a demi-tasse! So good, in fact, that he had to have another cup for the road just before we left the restuarant! No MORE tiredness for the rest of the trip!

The trip the rest of the way home was uneventful, and we made it into the city before it got really really dark.

Gary and Jann Allen