Greetings to all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.  We hope you all had a wonderful holiday season of celebration and reflection on the birth of our Lord and Savior. 

 Our annual trip to the United States went well this year.  Sherlock, our dog, traveled with us to make the trip even more challenging.  He spent a lot of happy times at grandma’s house in NC while we visited churches, friends, and family.

  We arrived in Mexico from the States the day before Thanksgiving to a home that was damp and full of mold!  The furniture had turned gray from mold, the bed sheets were all wet, and a musty odor permeated everything.  It took a week to clean the house from floor to ceiling.  We celebrated Thanksgiving with a pumpkin pie bought in Texas and a roasted chicken bought at Sam’s here in Cordoba.  And we were very thankful for God’s provision throughout our entire trip!  We spent the Christmas holiday celebrating with several area churches.  Christmas Day was a tranquil time of relaxation.  We greatly simplified all aspects of Christmas this year, and it was one of the nicest we have ever had!

I.B.E.K. BIBLE INSTITUTE

  After waiting for many years the day is finally upon us!  The opening of the “Instituto Biblico (Bible Institute) Earl Kellum” is scheduled to open for the first day of classes on April 10, 2007.  We will receive 15 students for one year of study with the option of returning for a second year of study and practical application. I (Terri) will administrate the school, having experience in this area at the University of North Carolina – Greensboro.  Jeff will be one of many teachers.

  There is still much work to be done before opening day: dormitory rooms need to be partitioned, walls need to be plastered, floors laid, windows inserted, kitchen equipment bought, boilers and pumps installed, and teachers assigned.  We want to thank New Life Christian Center for their donation to the Bible Institute.  Please pray that all these things would come together in time for the opening day.

UPCOMING PROJECTS

  Our newest project is in Dos Caminos (Two Roads).  Pastor Jeremiah, his wife Maribel, and his two children, Issac, 8, and Annette, 5, are on fire for the Lord.  In less than a year they went from 15 members to 60 members!  In the next three weeks the church will finish the Basic Doctrine Course we have been teaching every Friday night. 

  Many times there are aspects of poverty that we never think about.  This family of 4 lives in a wooden shack with spaces between the boards for the weather to enter.  They have a dirt floor and no windows.  The do not have hot water to bathe in the winter.  All four sleep in the same double bed because they can not afford beds for their children.  Yet, in spite of these hardships, they joyfully serve the Lord and advance His kingdom, evangelizing on a regular basis.  This winter we will rebuild their home, which is attached to the back of the church.  It will be enclosed and enlarged with two bedrooms, one for the parents and one for their children, with bunk beds for the children.  A cement floor will be poured and widows added.  A hot water heater will be added to the bathroom and an indoor sink installed.  They will be able to enter the bathroom from inside the house.  We will also paint the church and install windows.  In March and April, both groups from Wisconsin will be utilized to complete this project.

 Many times the excitement of seeing large groups of people saved, preaching the Gospel message of hope, or teaching Biblical truths to new and old Christians are balanced by times of sadness when we can not be home for events that occur. 

  We enjoyed celebrating Terri’s mom’s 70^th birthday on September 6, 2006, because we were in NC at the time.  However, on January 17, 2007, our dear friend, Fred Welborn, went to be with the Lord, and we could not go back.  His daughter, Liz Meeks, and her husband, David, handle our finances in the States.  They are two of many people who make our ministry in Mexico possible.  Please keep them, his wife June, and his oldest daughter, Debbie Merritt in your prayers.

THANK YOU (GRACIAS)

  We want to thank everyone who makes His Harvest in Mexico possible.  Those who support us financially and those who pray.  The couples who help us by depositing checks and writing checks to pay our bills.  The church administrators who receive finances and send out information on our behalf.  The one who sends out our newsletter.  The pastors who give us spiritual guidance.  The many families who have befriended us and share their warm hospitality with us when we are in the States.  And those individuals who refresh us with their emails and cards, who keep us updated on what is going on in their lives. 

 A ministry is more than just a family going to a foreign land – it’s all of you who stay home and help us survive so far away from home!