Little Hands in Mexico

"I want to help," said six year old Nasya Myers as I prepared the
Communion elements. So together we filled the tiny cups and arranged
them on a tray to be used at our COAPA church plant. Will this
little girl, whose hands are so eager to help, grow up to be a
missionary like her parents?

"STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM," the beckoning signs read as we traveled
home from a mission retreat with another missionary family. We
pulled over at a roadside stand and ordered the treat. A little girl
was busy helping her mother in any way she could as the dessert was
prepared for us. In most family businesses here in Mexico, the
children begin taking on responsibility and learning the trade as
soon as they are able to handle the small tasks with their little
hands.

Little hands reached out for the gifts brought by a mission service
organization. These children (pictured above) live on the edge of the city dumps.
Their life revolves around their small community. Our mission
personnel was invited to go along as translators. Medical, dental,
and vision clinics had been offered, as well as a beauty salon for
these residents. Now it was the last day for the mission
organization to be there, and they gave a Christmas party for the
children.

While we were in Campeche over the Christmas holidays to teach
leadership classes, we were invited to attend a kindergarten school
program. Little hands carried the symbols of Christmas as the
youngsters joyfully sang about the birth of Jesus.

Little hands presented various items to the bride and groom at the
altar. Each item represents a commitment the couple makes to each
other as they repeat their wedding vows. Gary officiated at the
wedding of the young people that we have known since their early
teens. What a joy it was to see them beginning a new family unit,
centered around Christ.

The day after Christmas, a new grandson was born into our family.
Julian Maddox Allen joined big brother Adrian and big sister Jade, in
the wee hours of December 26. Our son and daughter-in-law, Eric and
Summer are the parents of this new addition. We are eager to touch
his little hands when we take our summer vacation in Michigan.

Hands for the Harvest (Matthew 9: 37-38) is the mission theme for
2008. Little hands, big hands, hands around the world, are all
working towards this goal.

We personally thank you for the way you have supported us with
prayers, notes of encouragement, and financial giving over the past
year. We want to remain partners with you as we join hands to enter
a new year.

Your partners in the harvest,

Gary and Jann Allen