Newsletter 2
Dearest Benefactors and Friends,
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet serious trials for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” James 1:2
I have to begin by apologizing for not writing you all sooner. Since my last newsletter in May so much has happened, and we have been so abundantly blessed. I am only able to give you a taste of what our summer has been like but if you want to hear more glory stories please email me, check out my blog, or invite me over for dinner in December when I am home for a visit. Gosh, now where to begin…
After my wild and crazy visit to the states in May, spending four weeks in eight states, visiting my FMC family and my beautiful biological family in Ohio, I returned to Saltillo excited to be back in the saddle working with the teens. Throughout the month of June we worked on forming a weekly program for the young people with activities during the week, and a larger youth group meeting on Saturday afternoons. We have struggled with the teen’s consistency but those that come regularly remind us that it is not about the numbers but about the quality of service we give to those that faithfully show up. The week night activities that we have been giving for those desiring a deeper relationship with the Lord include nights with theological discussion over coffee, missionary formation called “Light of the World,” an hour of praise and worship in the parish, and our Friday night Bible study. Recently we have also begun having a Lord’s Day celebration on Saturday afternoons followed by dinner and fellowship with the teens. In addition to our work with the young people we have continued to visit the Mexican FMC missionary families in General Cepeda, and the desert ranchos that are part of our parish.
In July, Father Jose asked us to put on a three-week program for the teens called Vacations with Jesus. I spent those three weeks putting on nightly youth meetings with a team of young adult helpers from the parish. After only having five teens on the very first night, it looked like it was going to be a long three weeks, but thanks to the invitations we ferociously passed out the next morning in the neighborhood, and the typical summer boredom of the average teen we had over fifty teens coming each night. It was a really blessed time as each night we prayed with them, played games with them, had small group dynamics, and gave nightly talks about our Lord. It was a really wonderful time even though my patience was tested quite a bit by their lack of respect, and I was able to learn a lot of really great lessons. I came to the realization that it really is all about building personal relationships, and that if we lack a personal relationship with them then they are more than likely not going to listen to what we have to say about the Lord. But if we build a strong, loving friendship with them their hearts are an open door for the message that we share with them. I also realized that it is impossible for us to bring anyone to the Lord; we can only bring the Lord to them, and hope and pray that they would have an open heart to receive Him and follow Him. Since the end of vacations with Jesus we have been continuing with our version of youth ministry here and praise the Lord many of the teens are continuing to come and be fed and are growing closer to our Lord. I also had the privilege during these three weeks to spend the mornings giving English classes to children in a very poor neighborhood of Saltillo. I was able to have my first ever classroom teaching experience and it truly was a ton of fun while also helping me to gain so much respect for teachers here in Mexico. Let me just say thirty little kids in a tiny classroom without having any teaching assistance and without any real training as a teacher can be quite a trip.
All in all we have been so blessed, although the road has been difficult at times. We continue to struggle with a lack of communication with Father and others who work within the parish at times, with disunity among the preexisting groups of young people here, and with the irresponsibility of the teens much of the time. But none of these things have ever led us to think about leaving the parish or giving up. We are so blessed to be here and are so thankful for the generous and open hearts and homes of our parish family. The family we have here is really such an incredible witness to the huge hearts that the poor have, full of love and kindness and their intense desire for loving, caring community.
One another note, we are quickly approaching our parish’s festival, September 13th, which gathers about 6,000 or more people from all over Saltillo and from the surrounding little towns to celebrate. During the day of the “party” we will have Mass at almost every hour, hoards of Mexican food vendors, and a total carnival type atmosphere throughout all the streets around the parish. We are super excited to celebrate this special day with our neighbors and parish family and we anticipate being quite busy helping out.
Throughout the past three months the Lord has also been teaching me so much, and to steal a phrase from my new favorite author, Shane Claiborne, God has been “wrecking my life.” Not in the destructive kind of way but in the breaking me down and humbling me kind of way so that I can better serve Him. He continues to speak to me about the importance of personal prayer, the blessing and struggle that is community, of patience and perseverance, and giving me a new insight into the beauty of our suffering human family. We have been given so many wonderful opportunities recently to serve the elderly, the homebound, and the sick and it has made me come to the realization that I do not deserve to help them. They are the ones that end up serving me and loving me with such a depth of love that my simple, selfish gifts pale in comparison. I have been privileged to be loved by these beautiful souls like the elderly nun in the nursing home who each time I visit has given me her blessing, and promised to offer up her sufferings for me and our mission. What a saint! Each in their own way blesses me and never fails to smile so large for me when I visit. I am obliged to help them though; it is not an optional thing because these people that are suffering are my brothers and sisters, my family and your family too. This is not anything extraordinary that we are doing, because it is only justice that we are giving them. I hope and pray that you can find ways to meet the needs of our suffering family surrounding you as well.
Thank you so much for the constancy of your prayers for us and for your monetary donations. Thanks to your gifts we have been able to meet some really pressing needs of your suffering family here in Mexico, and be assured that the poor are remembering you in their prayers. May God richly reward you for your generosity to Him and to His people.
Yours,
Jonathan
P.S. Please check out my blog (www.missionaryjon.com) for more in depth stories and pictures.
