Mexico 2001

Posted February 6, 2001

Dearest Friends,

Sorry for the delay in writing. Yes, Linda and the team arrived safely in Atlanta on Saturday afternoon. Everyone looked great and they were so excited about what had happened on the trip. For those of you who know them personally, ask them about the trip, they would love to talk to you.

While Jerre Lynn and David drove home, I took Will and Linda to Birmingham, AL to participate in a Missions Conference. Our good friend Pavel Chiva from Kazakhstan, who has been staying with us this winter, is also participating in the conference.

The rest of the USA puppet team, (Currie, April and Aaron) met us in Birmingham on Saturday night to be ready to start the children’s part of the missions conference on Sunday morning with a puppet show.

After the two puppet shows, the USA team left for home. I finally got Will home on Sunday night. Thank you Tanya and Rod, for letting us have your son for so long and allowing him to go straight to Birmingham. He did a great job. Pavel will be returning Linda home late Wednesday night. (I don’t know about you, but I am very excited. This is my favorite part!!)

Pray for the entire Mexico team as they receive rest from their travels and as they begin to absorb what they have seen. It is very difficult to see and live in great physical poverty and then to return to the affluence that exist in this country.

Expect a final update from Linda after she gets home and has time to think about the trip.

Other Prayer requests:

  1. The recording session for the new Russian dramas for the Kazakhstan trip.
  2. Trip to South Africa with the Covenant College students in March.
  3. Trip to teach in the Bible School at Murlough House in Northern Ireland in March-April.
  4. The recording session for the new USA puppet dramas for this spring and summer.
  5. The trip to Kazakhstan in June-July. We now have $7,000 toward the $10,000 needed for supplies, equipment and travel expense.
  6. Li Maier as she completes the schedule for the Baltimore, Maryland and surrounding area trip in August.
  7. Linda as she plans a return trip to Ukraine in the fall. (She is looking for team members. Contact us if you are interested as soon as possible so we can schedule training.)

Thank each of you for your prayers and support that made the trip a success.

In Christ,

Mike Summer for the team


Posted January 23, 2001

Dearest Friends,

Hola!

We are wonderfully busy. Last night we got home at 1 o’clock in the morning, after doing 2 shows in a town called Ticul (Tee-COOL). We had only planned to do one show, but God opened up a second door. We are working with a man called Xavier (HA-vi -air), who loves children; and he is always looking for another chance to do another show!

Today we have 5 puppet shows, plus a training session this evening. This will be the same schedule for the next three days. Please hold us in your prayers We are all tired, but very happy, and I am so proud of all the work that Jerre Lynn, David and Will are doing. Last night we had the wonderful privilege of having children praying out loud to receive Christ as Savior.

We have had several very good conversations with people about the future of children’s work here in Yucatan. As always, God has gone ahead of us and prepared people who want to make this work their first priority.

Yesterday morning we visited the Mayan ruins at Dzibilchaltun (I can’t pronounce it either). Our 2 friends who went with us are of Mayan descent. They read for us the signs in the Mayan language. It was a wonderful time, and we were blessed with the deep love these men have for Jesus.

We also ate some funny fruit…one was a “zapote” (suh-POH-tay), which is the fruit of the chewing gum tree; and the second was called “mamey” (mah-MAY), which is another tropical fruit.

Again, please pray for us.

In Christ,

Linda, for Will, Jerre Lynn and David.


Posted January 21, 2001

Dearest Friends,

We are in the Yucatan, and already we have seen God do wonderful things. All of our luggage arrived with us, and we were told that this was amazing. Apparently, normally this airline does not bring your luggage with you.

When you pass through customs, you receive either a green light and you may pass, or a red light and they stop you. I of course, received a red light. When I opened the bag, a small packet of anti-bacterial ointment fell out on the table. The lady became very curious about this. I offered it to her, because she had a cut finger. She was so grateful, she decided not to search our bags. The odd thing is, that I did not pack this item. It was left over from my suitcase apparently provides!

This morning we shared at a Presbyterian church, which is almost 125 years old. We had a group of around 70 children who listened with enthusiasm to the program. Those who were worshiping upstairs from us told us later how enthusiastic the children sounded!

This afternoon we will share with a mission church, and then in a nearby street for the neighborhood children.

Today we had a wonderful lunch, and enjoyed corn ice cream! Also there was ice cream of a fruit flavor called guanabana (guah-NAH-bah-nah).

The best of everything that we have seen and done and tasted is the children. They are beautiful. When they guessed how old I was, they guessed … 26! I think I will like these children very much.

Please hold us in your prayers.

Love in Jesus,

Linda, for Jerry Lynn, and David, and Will.