Thank God for:

1. The children from the different communities have been practicing for months to present a Christmas cantata for their families and friends. That will be held on December 23rd in a major shopping area. Pray that this may be a strong witness, especially to their families, and that their families may be drawn to Christ.
2. This week, there is another Good News Club for the kids, with increasing numbers of children coming each day, mostly from unchurched families. The Good News Club is led by youths and adults from the church. Pray for their continuing strong involvement, and that the children will reach out to their families.
3. We also had a turkey dinner in the jail, along with a Bible contest on the book of Acts. Some men came just for the turkey and for handouts, but many are committed and are growing in Christ.
4. I had a good visit with the Monterrey CHE team (Steve and Heather, Isabel, and Hector and Myrtha). Pray for unity for their team, and for their outreach in the community of Nueva Almaguer.
5. From Monterrey, I flew to Atlanta for the Disaster Relief Training of advance teams with Mission to the World. An advance team is the team that responds first after a disaster, to scout out the damage and the needs and to plan how to respond. Thank God for the committed team that is working together on this.
6. I am glad to be home in Rochester with my family for Christmas.

1. I am delighted to be in Rochester-but my luggage has not arrived yet. Pray for this to be resolved, and for continued safety in travel. Later-the suitcase with all my clothes arrived! Thank God!
2. Pray that during this Christmas season that many people will realize that Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us, and that they will turn to him.
3. Pray for strong leadership of our Mexican churches in Zihuatanejo. We are going through some challenges right now. Pray for strength and encouragement for Jacob and Raquel.
4. Continue to pray for our seminary students-Victor, Christian, Tony, and Sotero.
5. In January, I will be helping to teach a course on community development at the Elim Bible Institute in Lima, NY. Pray that this will be a practical encouragement for the students.
6. En route back to Zihuatanejo, I hope to stop by the central offices of M.A.I. (now LifeWind International) in Modesto, CA. I will meet with Terry Dalrymple to plan new approaches for some of our teaching materials.
7. LifeWind International is going through some financial challenges. Please pray for wisdom for the leaders, and for each person (both in the central office and in the CHE teams) impacted by the changes. Thank God for his continuing provision for us.

¡Feliz Navidad y un Prospero Año Nuevo! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Jody

December 29, 2006