Hi Everyone!
While on this trip out of Mexico, I don’t have a lot of time to write prayer letters. I’m usually driving or with supporters. After everyone goes to bed, I try to answer urgent emails, but I’m usually exhausted. I’ve only had four days home since the last trip and I leave in the morning on the third trip. I have not been able to get everything done that I had hoped to do in these four days – I haven’t even had time to download photos, so this will be a photo-less message.
I am grateful to God for all the journeying mercies He has shown me. On the first trip, I flew to Kansas. Unfortunately, I picked up a bad cold that accompanied me into the second trip, but I thoroughly enjoyed the visit with friends and supporters I hadn’t seen in about 24 years. From there I flew to Washington for some quick visits before driving to Oregon. After several good visits and sharing at a supporting church, I drove back to WA and then flew to Calgary. I enjoyed all the short Alberta visits because I did not have enough time there before flying back to Ontario.
After three days, I was off on the second trip, this time driving. Again, I enjoyed all the visits in Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana, including sharing at a supporting church and a Spanish church. Near the end of this trip there was a tire pressure warning, but I was able to get back home and that was one of the appointments taken care of before the next trip.
After some sleep tonight, I’ll start on the third trip to visit supporters and a supporting church in NY, NS, and PE with stops in ME, NB, and QE because of the long distances driving. I’ll also visit supporters in ON on the way home and once I’m back. I’ve been hearing about the wildfires in most of the provinces, so I’d appreciate your prayers for safe travels and hope there will be no delays. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get everything done that I had hoped to these four days, so I’ll need to be taking some time in the next week to get caught up and prepared.
One of the main prayer requests that I left with you was to pray for the supply of Willy’s finances so that they will be able to serve in El Faro. Praise the Lord that a few people have let me know that they will take on some of that need. If the Lord has put it in your heart to help financially, please confirm that with me so I can let you know how to send it. The funds will be directed to our mentor church in Mexicali until the El Faro church is able to set up the procedures to care for this detail. The Mexicali church will send the funds to Willy along with their support to complement what El Faro can provide. The plan is for the El Faro church to take on the full support of its pastor and we hope that will happen within a 3-year period, but at this point outside help is still needed. Since God has so clearly led in the decision for Willy to pastor the El Faro church, we are trusting Him to supply everything necessary to make it happen. If you desire further clarification, please write me directly at brenda@teamven.org and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible (but probably not immediately due to the visits).
I’m looking foward to some new opportunities to share and to spending time with those on this third trip. Please continue to pray for me and for those I will spend time with. When I return, I’ll have a week or so to finish with the medical appointments (so far, so good), complete a few more visits, and get ready to head back to La Paz on July 20th. I may not write again before August, but I wanted to let you know that I am well, that the car is a huge blessing, and that I covet your prayers for the remainder of my time away. I appreciate each one of you and am blessed to be able to visit with so many of you. I really do miss those more south in the US that I don’t have time to fit in a visit with, but we continue to serve the Lord together. I also apologize for this rushed update.
With a grateful heart,
Brenda
