Jacob and Amanda Henderson in Mexico City

Long Time No Blog

2008-09-05T06:57:00.000-07:00

Well, we figured that it was finally time for us to blog again. After a long hiatus from communication, we think we finally have our bearings and are ready to share them with the big world beyond.

As you can imagine, things have been pretty crazy these last few months. These have been the most trying times of our lives, and we know that there are more to come. One thing is for sure though; although things are crazy and trying, being with our children is the most rewarding part of our lives. Many of you have probably looked up Tay-sachs by now, and have an idea of what is coming for us as a family and what is ahead for Noah. Of all the things we want to communicate, I think the most important is this: in spite of all of this, we thank God for the blessing of having Noah as our child. He is truly a joy. At the moment he is a happy, silly, and sweet boy; and Adah is a sassy, smart, and sweet little "Miss Priss." We love every moment with our children, and we aim to enjoy all the good moments that we can. Adah is back in school and doing great. Noah is stable and still doing a few new things. Every small thing is a gift!

Ok, here comes the big, or not so big, news. We have decided to relocate to Childress, Texas for the next few years. This was one of the most difficult decisions of our lives. There are many, many factors that went into this decision, but what it comes down to is a desire to be near to family and loving doctors for the remainder of Noah's life. Noah and Adah's well being is priority. Our hearts are torn by this decision, but we are confident that God has guided us to this because we have begged him for wisdom along the way. Thanks for your prayers.

Mexico City Mission Project

We love Mexico City; it is our home. God's vision is alive and well. It lives in the leaders here as it lives in our hearts. Everyone has been very supportive of our decision, and they look forward to our return. We are confident that the church will continue to grow.

We are also thankful because Ryan and Amanda Gray are returning to Mexico City in January of 2009 to continue their work with the Mexico City Mission Project. It will be a whole new and exciting phase to the work that God is doing here. We plan to stay in close contact with everyone and, Lord willing, even make a few visits!

We are not yet informed as to who will replace us as coordinators of the Pink House, but we know that it is being considered. We will let everyone know as soon as we do. Vero Marquez will be staying here in the "in between" times. We thank God so much for her; she is amazing! Thanks to her the Pink House will stay "up and running" through this transition.

What's Next

So, our next steps are in preparation to leave. We plan to leave here in the last week of October. We are starting to get busy with moving plans. This includes everything from a moving company, to visas, to customs forms, to houses, to goodbyes. Please keep us in your prayers through this process. It can tend to be long and hard.

Although we are working on leaving, the work here is in full swing. Since September is "Mes de la Patria," we are busy with party plans for Independance Day. We are really looking forward to enjoying this day with all of our friends and family. As always, it will be a big "to do" with plenty of food, fun, games and serenading. It should be a blast. Our small groups are doing well right now. We are finally getting back in our groove after the full summer. We ask for you to pray for the continued growth and commitment of the church.

Other prayer requests include:

Noah's health

Adah's adjustment

Billy's recovery

Vero's health

Growth of the church

Multiplication of small groups and leadership

Giovana

Luz Elena

Laura

Raúl

Spiritual growth and maturity of our leaders

Pedro and his work downtown

Please check out Noah's webpage, courtesy of Brian Reed. It is http://www.prayersfornoah.org/

We will leave you with a few pictures from this summer for your enjoyment.

News on Noah

2008-06-30T10:15:00.001-07:00

For those of you who do not know. Our little Noah has been diagnosed with Tay-Sachs disease. We beg of all of you your prayers for Noah. For more information on Tay-Sachs we are recommending this website: www.ntsad.org Please take a look at it when you get a chance. Thank you each and every one of you for your prayers and concerns for Noah. We will keep you informed as we learn more. Pray that we have wisdom as parents and that God heals our boy!

Noah is One!

2008-06-19T16:05:00.001-07:00

Playa Azul Pics!

2008-03-28T16:18:00.001-07:00

We promised new pictures, and here they are! These are actually from mid February. Enjoy!

Prayers for the Kids

2008-03-17T10:22:00.000-07:00

Noah

I am sure that many of you have heard by now, but for those of you who have not we want to give you an update. Our son Noah has been diagnosed with nystagmus. This means that his eyes move from side to side very rapidly affecting his eyesight and balance. It is not common and is usually a side effect of something else that is wrong. So, we are in the process of doing some studies. We have seen several different specialists already. Our first stop was with a neurologist, and we have had a CT scan done on Noah. Everything in his brain appears to be normal (or as normal as it can be with a dad like he has), and we are moving on to some other genetic and metabolic tests. We would like you to pray for Noah. He is a great boy, and he smiles all the time. He has been a little slow in his development, and that has also raised some concerns. However, he is sitting up well now, with very little help, so that gives us a good idea that his balance is getting better. We are all doing well, and things are going as good as we can hope. We just pray that we keep on getting confirmations and answers to what is going on and how we can best treat the situation. Thank you for your prayers. We really appreciate it, and we will try to keep you all as informed as we can. Hopefully by the end of the month we will be able to tell you more news from the tests they are doing.

Adah

In Mexico kids start going to school when they are at the latest 3 years old. That was too big of an adjustment for us last Fall, but now we have all gotten used to the idea, so Adah has been enlisted in school! She will begin classes at the beginning of April. We were going to wait until this Fall, but it was reccommended for her to finish this school year so that she can really get comfortable with her Spanish before beginning Kinder II. (There are three years of kindergarten before starting first grade.) We are very excited for her, and so is she. It is going to be a very big change for our family, but most of all please pray that Adah adjusts well and makes many new friends. She is full of personality, energy and big words. The other day she told her mommy that she was, "actually quite hungry." That just gives you an idea!

We will keep you posted as soon as we know something about Noah. Have a great day and thank you for your prayers.

Febrero Loco

2008-03-01T06:51:00.000-08:00

There is a saying here in Mexico. It goes like this, "Febrero loco, marzo otro poco." It means, "crazy February, March even more." This saying is used in reference to the weather, but for us personally February truly is a crazy month. We will see if this saying applies to March, making it even more crazy. It is starting to look like it, but stay tuned and we will find out. We are sure that your month has probably been just as crazy as ours, so we would like to share with you what has been going on in Mexico City.

AIM Group

As is our annual routine, we had the privilege to host the Adventures in Missions class and some guests along with them. This is a great time for the AIM students to come and not only see what life is like on the mission field but also be impacted by seeing with their own eyes the magnitude of the city and souls who do not know Christ. They are just beginning their school term that focuses on all of the mission points that they will be going to, and this trip to Mexico Cityis an impacting part of their process. It is one of the big steps that they take in realizing that they are going to be apprentice missionaries in a place foreign to what they normal know and do. It is a great eye-opening experience. It has been a highlight in the lives of AIM students for as long as SIBI has had the Pink House.

This year they were a very large group. It included AIM students, AIM assistants, AIM directors, current AIMers, future AIM students, and AIM sponsors from Paducah, Kentucky. Tagging along were also future AIM coordinators from around Mexico and AIM group guides from Mexico City. We never got an exact count, but we were at the very least 120 people. This was our first time to host the AIM students as caretakers of the Pink House. We think that it was a great success, but we are still waiting to hear their feedback! (hint hint) We actually enjoyed preparing them breakfast at the house, and because of it we have "war stories" akin to Belinda's! Boy could they eat! Every morning they ate 16 liters of yoghurt, fruit, granola, and varied main breakfast courses. One morning we flipped 400 pancakes and fried 300 strips of bacon. Another morning we scrambled 180 eggs with ham and cheese, and the list goes on and on.

We are so grateful that they took this time out of their schedule to come and use Mexico City as a launching point for the students to get an "in the face" view of the reality of what they are going to encounter on their mission fields.

Visit from SIBI Representatives

The day before the AIM students left, some representatives from SIBI also came to visit. These were Truitt Adair the director of SIBI, Jay Jarboe the lead minister at the Sunset church, Brad Pruitt the director of finances at SIBI and Rudy Wray long-time missionary to Latin America and current director of ministry training division of Pan America at SIBI. These four men came to Mexico City to take a look at the Pink House and its use in the work here. We hope and believe that received a good perspective, because this Pink House is being used in so many good ways. Our Mexican leaders were able to share with these men their own vision for this city and how the Pink House fits in for them. It was a great moment. We consider ourselves blessed to be able to be the caretakers and know that God is doing some amazing things here in Mexico City and has used and will use the pink house in this vision.

Football, Fútbol and Food

As far as the Benito Juárez congregation is concerned, things are going really well. We started the month off, probably like most of you, with the Super Bowl. We used it to host an event to reach out to people. We had a fun time! On the same day there was also a classic soccer game between the Pumas and America, two Mexico City rivals. Therefore, the moment that we concluded the church service everyone stayed around, and we grillled and watched sports all day long. The soccer game was a blow-out game, but the Super Bowl (as many of you know) was a great game. Those who were not necessarily interested in the games watched movies, and of course we all ate very well. We were able to start and expand some relationships this day, and we will see what the Lord will do with the friendships He has started from something as easy as watching some games together. We also had a half-night of prayer in Santa Ursula, a colonia in the delegation of Coyoacan (just south of Benito Juarez.) This time was planned by the leaders of one of our small groups that meets in the same home. It is so powerful to see God at work, and when we pray we can see how God does His powerful will. Please keep the work in Mexico City in your prayers.

Growing Up

Our family is doing very well. We are busy, but good. Adah spent a week with her Buela and Papaw (grandparents) at the beach and got to swim and eat lots of chocolate. She stayed with them while the AIM students were at the house. This was her first trip away from home and it went great. We are proud of how well she did. It was harder on mom and dad then on Adah. Noah is doing well. He is still a small guy but is still learning neat and new things everyday. He is at a very fun age. We ask that you please pray for us and the kids. We are trying to find Adah a school, and it has been going well. We will keep you posted on that, but please keep these decisions in your prayers. Jacob and Amanda are doing good trying to find balance in all of the hustle and bustle. Thank you so much for reading this, and we hope and pray that you are all doing well. We love you all. God Bless.

A New Year Underway

2008-01-31T11:25:00.000-08:00

Renewing Our Vision

At the beginning of each year, as a congregation, we sit down and do some dreaming, planning, and praying. We ask ourselves vital questions such as, "What is God's plan for us this year?" and "How can we be good instruments in His plan?" Then we do our best to put it all in action.

This year we believe that we need to be renewed in God's vision. We want to focus on our commitment to our small groups, their growth and multiplication. During the past year we, the leadership, took large strides in achieving these goals on a congregational level. This focus led us to the multiplication of a new congregation, however our small groups' growth suffered. Our goal is to grow in all areas. Our plan for the new congregation in Ecatepec is going well and being blessed by God, and the small groups are all renewing their goals and vision. We are so excited about what God is going to do with us this year. We feel called to "return" to His vision. We want to dedicate ourselves to reaching out to others and to the growth of the church. As a family, we feel so blessed to be a part of such a strong core of leadership who truly desire to see their city become a "Christian" city.

Small Group News

Our small group is still meeting in the Pink House. We have a new sister named Crystal, and she has become a member of our group. She came to know Christ in the Ecatepec group, but because of the distance from where she lives she has started to meet with us. Amanda has started new Christian studies with her. She is a vibrant young Christian with a heart to study God's Word. It is so encouraging to see someone so dedicated to knowing God. Please keep Crystal in your prayers.

Please pray for our outreach where we live. Because it is an upper middle class neighborhood it is difficult to get to know our neighbors. However, we know many people who work around here. These relationships go back years with all those who have lived in this house. We pray that God can use us in reaching out to these people and are thankful that our relationship with them is growing. Sometimes it takes years to build trust in a city where trust is considered unwise, so please pray for our perseverance. Please pray that we can be good examples of Jesus Christ and his love to this area of the city.

Ecatepec Congregation

The new congregation in Ecatepec hosted our last areawide leadership meeting. It is exciting to see the energy that our brothers there have; it is contagious for all of us to be around them. God is growing them in many ways, and God is also using them to grow us all. We are entering into some new phases of growth with this congregation as they will soon be meeting independantly on a more regular basis. This part of the work is such an adventure! Please keep this new congregation in your prayers, specifically its leaders: Miguel and Tina Rocha, Israel Campos and Dr. Salomon Than.

Thanks for Friends

Two of our dear friends Marco Antonio Ponce de León and his wife Claudia were fairly recently immersed into Christ. We met them through Ivan Ponce de León a couple of years ago. They are the couple who rented us the last house we lived when they moved out of the city. Since their move God has been working on their hearts through many different people, and they finally decided to give their lives to Him. A few months after becoming Christians, they were in a car accident, and as a result Marco Antonio found out that he has a brain tumor. He is scheduled for brain surgery here in the city this week. It is amazing to see such a young Christian have such great faith when faced with this kind of trial. Marco Antonio has been a light to all of his family and to us since he found out about his sickness. He is completely dependant on God and His mighty power! Please keep his surgery and recovery in your prayers over the next few days. Also pray that he is soon able to sale his house here in the city. He has had an offer this week, so we are hopeful!

Family

Our family is doing well. We are glad to be back home in Mexico after our long trip to the States. We have all been battling through sickness, probably like most of you, but we are hopefully on the downhill side with just some coughing and headeaches left. Adah is doing great, and Noah is growing more every day with a big smile on his face. He has just learned how to clap and is working on a wave. These are fun times. Adah loves to dance and pretty much anything to do with princesses (go figure.) She is so spunky and sassy! We hope to post some pictures soon. For now, I hope just reading will do.

October News

2007-11-03T21:25:00.000-07:00

The Day of the Dead

This month is marked by festivities surrounding the Day of the Dead which is actually celebrated on November 2nd. People create "altars" dedicated to their loved ones who have passed. These altars include the deceased's favorite foods, drinks, and other items that they once enjoyed. It is believed by some that these offerings pacify lost ones when they come to "share a meal" once a year on November 2nd. This would keep the souls peaceful for the rest of the year. Interesting, isn't it? Vast parties are held in cemetaries as these traditions are carried out. Feelings about death vary greatly across the world. I am so glad that our hope lies in God and his plan for us once we pass from this earth!

Ecatepec

We are excited to say that the first celebration in Ecatepec was a great success! Our congregation spent the weekend of October 27th and 28th with our family there. On Saturday, we handed out invitations to the Sunday celebration and also to an event that we had that evening. We entertained our guests with a singing group and a play for the kids who came. And of course, we ate all day long!! The family group there took great care of us. On Sunday we had various congregations in Mexico City come to celebrate with us. We were probably 100 people all together. It was a great time that encouraged us all.

This event marked the beginning of the new church plant in Ecatepec; and as we mentioned before, they are the first group to reach the 3rd generation of multiplication as it is planted from the Benito Juarez congregation. We are so proud of what God is doing in Ecatepec and in the lives of his people there. Please keep this endeavor in your prayers, and we will keep you informed as this new congregation progresses in its plans.

The Vision Marches On!

2007-09-28T15:07:00.000-07:00

Well, we have decided to give the world of blogging a shot. We hope that in this new way we can get more continuous stories about the work here out to everyone. Please let us know what you think. We are excited about the many amazing things God is doing in Mexico City and in our lives, and we look forward to sharing these things with you. We consider ourselves extremely blessed by the work here and by our family around the world!

Fulfilling Dreams

For some time now our dream has been that the Lord make this city a Christian City. We hope to work for this by planting congregations throughout the city. We dream of congregations in all of the sixteen delegations of Mexico City and in the satellite cities around Mexico City. The amazing thing about God is that we put plans before Him, and He turns them all around to do His will, and in that way we know the plans are His.

We currently are the only full time missionaries in the Benito Juárez congregation, and as a congregation we have discussed how and where the next congregation could be planted. God has made it obvious that He is in control. We have been watching the way our group has been growing in Ecatepec, Estado de Mexico. It is a satellite city in the state of Mexico that is home to 6 million. It is the largest of the satellite cities and two hours from where we meet in Benito Juárez. The growth that this group has been experiencing is so encouraging, and we are excited to say that we are in a process of planting the next congregation there. We are especially proud of the congregation plant for many reasons, but two in particular. It is the first multiplication of a new congregation from Benito Juárez (3rd generation). And it is coming from a group of members of the congregation where no full time missionaries are actively involved! We (the entire Benito Juárez congregation) are going to be very involved in the process, but we are so proud of our Ecatepec members for their faith and desire to plant this new congregation. Please pray for these members and this project.

We are doing our first event for the new church plant on the 27 and 28th of this month. We are planning an evangelistic event on Saturday and a combined celebration on Sunday in Ecatepec. We pray that all goes well and God is glorified. We are confident that this next step places us in a new phase of the congregation and work that has made us so proud and excited. We look forward to sharing with you what happens next.

Mes de la Patria

As many of you know, September is the patriotic month in Mexico. It is highlighted by a celebration of the Independence Day on the 15th and 16th. We have made it a tradition here in Benito Juárez to throw a big party on the 15th in celebration of this holiday. We all prepare our favorite Mexican antojito, and this year we spent some time singing all of our favorite Mariachi songs. We feasted on pozole, flautas, pambazos, tostadas, mole, elotes and esquites. For those of you who have been here and sampled some of these foods, you know that we enjoyed quite a treat! It is such a wonderful thing when those around you are excellent cooks! It makes life so enjoyable. We also have some great singers in our congregation, and there is nothing like a Mariachi sing-along to give you a real taste of Mexican parties! You can just imagine how much Adah enjoyed this part of the party as she also entertained us with spirited dancing! Needless to say, we had a great time together. Our congregation really shares the gift of hospitality.

Leadership Growth

Since the departure of all of the full time missionaries in this area our leadership has grown in leaps and bounds. We are all taking on our own roles and trying our best to glorify God using our gifts. We are so proud of the church and how we have all stepped up to the calling God has made for us. We are taking the vision and making it our own. It is an awesome and powerful experience for our family and the church. Please keep us in your prayers.

Family News

We are growing accustomed to life as the caretakers of the Pink House. We actually enjoy the constant presence of people in our home. Adah's Spanish is really flourishing now. Noah is 3 1/2 months old now, and he is growing tons. He officially has his dual citizenship. Let me tell you, you haven't experienced gathering paperwork until you have had a child in a foreign country and have to spend days getting all the requirements figured out: making copies, taking pictures, standing in lines, filling out applications, filling out physical presence tests, waiting in lines, making more copies, requesting documents, waiting, making payments, standing in line, taking more pictures, making yet more copies, etc, etc, etc. If you are ever feeling down about getting these things done, just call Jacob... he is an expert!

We hope to visit the US around Thanksgiving and look forward to introducing Noah to many of you. We plan on staying through the Christmas holidays, so hopefully we can see you.