I hope each of you had a blessed Christmas and that you’re enjoying the holiday season with family and friends. December was a busy month as we sought to share the light of Jesus. I have many images to share with you this time.
One of the encouraging aspects of this year has been the growth in church attendance. Several new people have joined our fellowship, but the most notable change is the consistency in attendance. 
This consistency was also noticeable in attendance as each of the four levels of the Healthy Church Strategy was taught throughout the year. These photos show Level 3, which was completed in November, along with the interviews for areas of service in El Faro. This month Willy, Josué and I taught Level 4. Praise God for His faithfulness throughout the courses, and please pray for wisdom in planning the continual rotation of the courses and for those who will teach them.
Certificates were given to those who completed the four levels during the Christmas appreciation dinner for those serving in the church. Almost everyone was present for the photo. Of the eight of us in our small group, six attend and serve in El Faro.
Speaking of our group, we also celebrated the birth of our Saviour several times, once sharing a meal including family members, and we made gifts to share with others.
As a church, we held an evangelistic outreach in a nearby park. The evening began with fun activities, followed by a theatrical presentation prepared by the youth, portraying the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. The Christmas story and the reason for Christ’s birth were clearly expressed. We have some good actors in the youth group! The evening ended with a time of fellowship. We were very pleased with the responsiveness of the community and hope to start a regular ministry there. That will be discussed early next year, so please pray for the Lord to give clear direction.
I have enjoyed taking some time to explore nature as I visit with different groups. God’s creation is beautiful and surprising.
On one of the visits, we saw many Least Grebes. Capturing a photo of one with a leg extended above the water was fascinating. I also took a selfie on a day when it was just me and my shadow.
With another friend, we saw a rare sight. This poor hawk must have ended up in the mud and water, leaving it very vulnerable as it tried to dry its wings. It stood motionless except for blinking as we made our way around it. When we returned it was lower to the ground and remained motionless again.
The previous week, I had been out with a different friend in the same area. We weren’t the only ones looking for birds! This Mexican Bobcat was cleaning up. When we got to that spot were it had been, there was just a bunch of feathers left. Earlier we had seen some bones and rabbit fur. After observing each other for a while, the cat sauntered off a bit and sat down again. We continued to watch as it started down the path again, turned to watch us again, and then ran away when we began to walk. (All the Mexican Bobcat photos are from that first sighting.)
The day of the hawk sighting, we saw the bobcat – three times in one day!!! Unfortunately, I didn’t have my memory card the first times. The second time it was much closer and actually “jogged” toward us. I was a little concerned and it was fairly close when it darted off into the brush. Those would have been fantastic photos! I tried to take pictures with my cell phone, but they were too blurry. After retrieving the memory card later that afternoon, we returned to the park hoping to see the bobcat again. That’s when we saw the hawk. As we were leaving, I couldn’t believe it when I spotted the bobcat for the third time! It was too dark to get a good photo, but we were thrilled with the joy of seeing this beautiful creature.
We left very concerned for the hawk. 1 Peter 5:8 warns us, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” 
The hawk was being watchful, but it had the weight of mud and water and the encroaching darkness. It probably met its demise. We must guard against any sin that could weigh us down and instead walk in the light and blessings of the Lord.
Thank you, again, for your faithful prayers and support and friendship. Please pray for me as I look to finish my ministry here in Mexico in the new year and as I plan my Retirement Home Assignment. I’ll write more about that next month.
Looking forward to our partnership throughout 2025 and praying for the Lord’s blessings and protection over you, 
Brenda
