long time since last update...but all going well

It has been quite awhile since I have written on this site or updated, as I have been very busy with getting adjusted to life here in Mexico.

Everything is going really well, although adjustment and change never happens over night!

Slowly I am beginning now to get started in ministries here in the Baptist church in Las Trojes, Cuautitlan, Mexico. This church has existed for 1 year now, as we just celebrated the one year anniversary just 3 Sunday's ago. Now that I have been in Mexico for over 2 months, I am allowed to begin slowly adding ministries to my schedule. On Monday, I began teaching 3 English classes, one Monday afternoons from 4-6, one Monday evenings from 6-8 and one Wednesday mornings from 9-11. Even the very first day (this past Monday) I already had 3 students in the morning class, 4 in the afternoon, and 5 in the evening class. It was so great to see so many people have interest. I am looking for more materials that can help me to make this class explicity about sharing the gospel. So far, I am teaching my students John 3:16 in English and Spanish and then will explain the verse to them. This coming week I hope to have even more students and please keep praying more and more come. The great thing is that 2 girls came last Monday who have never been to our church. All day people were stopping in to ask if they could come, even taxi drivers were stopping to read the sign. This is a HUGE open door to getting new people to realize who we are, what we believe, and to begin coming to church as well. Pray for students to come who are not Christians and that God will use this save them!

As far as my house goes, things continue to get settled. I now have a roommate, Darlene Gabler, a long-term ABWE single missionary who works in another church plant in Los Olivos, Atizapan Mexico, another part of the northern part of the city, but of course not close to here.

The city is slowly becoming more familiar. It is frustrating to sit hours in traffic, especially when you know that on a day when there is less traffic the same trip could take 10 minutes. Last night for example it took me almost 1.5 hours to get home from Valle Dorado, which is only 4 exits down the Periferico which is the major interstate here. Some days I have made that same distance in only 12 minutes. I am learning that it is daily life. Before I used to get very frustrated by the traffic, wheras now I just sit and wait and realize it is just life. Slowly but surely every day I see progress in making the adjustment to living here.

I am slowly starting to get more of a "schedule" down, which is helping me to feel like life is normal again:) I have the personality where I have to feel like I have my day planned out and that I am doing things purposefully that have significance. God is helping me to see my purpose and significance don't come in feeling like life is normal, but in trusting in Him for my very purpose in being here.

I remember my first few weeks feeling so utterly overwhelmed and feeling like nothing would ever be the same or normal again. Slowly God is trading those feelings for security in Him and helping me to swim through all the cultural adjustments.

Please continue to pray for my daily safety, the ministries I am now starting, my health, stamina, the stress I feel a lot right now in adjusting, wisdom in how to balance my daily life and time, and for COMPLETE reliance on God for contentment, security, and peace--rather than on other Mexican friends or missionaries.

Thank you so much for your support in praying and reading. It has really helped me to get through the initial change and transition, knowing how many of you read and pray for me. I love to get comments as they greatly encourage me!

Hasta luego de la gran ciudad de Mexico,

Bethany