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1/23/05 | 1/30/05 | 2/6/05 | 2/13/05 | 2/20/05 | 2/27/05 | 3/6/05
3/13/05 | 3/20/05 | 3/27/05 | 4/3/05 | 4/10/05 | 5/9/05 | 6/6/05
6/23/05 | 9/4/05 | 9/11/05 | 10/14/05 | 10/20/05 | 12/09/05
Rev. David A. Hawk, N. American Representative, Misión
Mazahua
763 Merrimak Drive, Berea, Ohio 44017-2246
[440] 234-9712 logoshawk3@aol.com
address correspondence to: mailmaster@mmab.org
Card #1 Week of 1/23/05
Greetings from Misión Mazahua!
With this brief note we inaugurate what we hope will be weekly "postcards" for
all who desire to keep in touch with Misión Mazahua and to pray for
the ministries in progress. Please praise God with us for grace received and
opportunities opening before us, and pray for the Lord's blessing in activities
and issues for which we seek intercession. This mailing will be very short
each week; a vehicle for more comprehensive prayer lists is in the works. For
now we will send text only; soon, we hope, there may be a way to send photos
as well, so we will have "picture postcards"!
May God bless you all as you partner with us in ministry to the Mazahua
people.
Misión Mazahua "Postcard" to our friends for the week
of January 23, 2005:
Lisa, Norberto and Yoshi recently made one of their semiannual treks
to Laredo, Texas, to renew Lisa's visa and vehicle permit for Mexico.
The trip was delayed,
prolonged, and rendered miserable by severe and persistent cold-type illnesses
suffered by all three! When they started homeward on Jan. 20, a week behind
schedule, they were still feeling pretty bad. Please pray for full recovery
from this immediate round of illness, and for robust health for all three
on a daily basis all year long.
The Mission's director of the Special Friends Program, Jovita Perez,
was advised last summer that corrective steps were required for the lingering
effects
of childhood polio. On Nov. 28 she underwent the first of several surgeries.
Another part of the process is a six-month bone-stretching traction therapy
which is underway now. So far progress is good. Pray that each procedure
will produce maximum benefit, and that Jovita will be able to return to her
work this summer; she is sorely missed! After very generous support from
friends and medical professionals in Mexico, there is a projected $10,000
residue of expenses from the whole process, which the Mission seeks to help
supply. Please ask the Lord to provide the necessary resources.
Rev. David A. Hawk, N. American Representative Misión Mazahua
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Card #2 Week of 1/30/05
Misión Mazahua "Postcard" to our friends for the week
of January 30, 2005
Warm Greetings from Misión Mazahua! Thank you for joining us
in praise and thanksgiving to God for His grace and His work among the
Mazahua
people. We cherish your intercession on our behalf as well. As prayer
multiplies, fruitfulness multiplies, too!
Shortly before Christmas Lisa Cortes wrote, "Community work is
exploding!" That
was a praise comment, meaning that opportunities and contacts for ministry
in the villages have been appearing at an accelerated pace lately. Praise
God for the people who are opening the doors for Mission involvement
in their lives, and pray that we may be good stewards of every relationship,
every expression of trust and every invitation to demonstrate God's grace
in action among "our" people. Water projects and sewing groups
are two fields that have generated special interest among the Mazahua
leadership. Besides wisdom and God's guidance, we will need additional
people and vehicles to optimize our response.
For six months Lisa and I have been working on establishing habits of
regular contact and communication. We have tried several different
plans with some success, which is cause for thanksgiving. Now Lisa
reports that her laptop computer, a critical link in every possible
plan, is apparently compromised and getting worse. The cost in time
and frustration exacted by these problems affects every element of
the Mission's work. Please pray that a way can be found to clear up
the computer's functions and systems, and that memory and processing
power can be substantially increased.
May God's blessings be rained into your life as well! With appreciation,
Rev. David A. Hawk, N. American Representative Misión Mazahua
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Card #3 Week of 2/6/05
Misión Mazahua "Postcard" to our friends for the week
of February 6, 2005
Warm Greetings from Mission Mazahua! Thanks to those who have written
with encouragement for these "Postcards". There is a direct
relationship between the prayer raised on behalf of the Mission and
the ability to takes steps ahead for the Kingdom of God in the field!
We are SO grateful for your partnership in every dimension of the work!
For well over a year the government of Mexico has been promising to install
a distant learning center at Las Rosas. The Plaza Comunitaria, as it
is known, will essentially be a computer center devoted to adult education.
The students have been ready for months. After LONG delays, the satellite
links have finally been installed. About a month ago Jaime Leon and
Judith Gonzalez were trained to handle the two personnel positions
the government will provide, fulfilling the needs for an administrator
and an instructor/ classroom helper. But none of the computers or instructional
materials have arrived! Please be praying that the barriers to completion
of this project will be removed, that the installations may be completed,
and that the school may begin its ministry---SOON!
Praise the Lord, a plan is now in motion to replace Lisa's "poor
little old laptop" with a new laptop, which should arrive about
the middle of March. Thanks to those who prayed, and thanks to those
who are taking care of this need! Please continue to be in prayer for
additional laptops to replace limping PCs in the Mission offices. Both
communications and administration will be much improved when units with
newer processors, more memory, and smaller energy requirements can be
installed, especially if we can secure power backups that will keep voltage
fluctuations from hampering efficient usage.
As they would say in Mexico, Que Dios te bendiga (May God bless you!)
Rev. David A. Hawk, N. American Representative Misión Mazahua
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Card #4 Week of 2/13/05
Misión Mazahua "Postcard" to our friends for the week
of February 13, 2005
Do you remember the story of Israel's battle with the Amalekites, shortly
after their departure from Egypt? [See Exodus 17.] Joshua fought the
battle, but his success depended upon the ministry of Moses. His effectiveness,
in turn, rode upon the assistance of Aaron and Hur, who held up Moses'
hands when he was too weary to do so himself. We who are involved with
Misión Mazahua rely upon your prayers in the same way! We thank
you in advance for your prayers on our behalf.
This week a team of four from Kingston, New Hampshire is making final
preparations for their trip to Misión Mazahua. They include
Susan and Jeff Phillips, their 14 year old daughter Kaila, and Jeff
Robie. They fly into Mexico City on Feb. 20 for a week of service.
Please be praying for them already for safe travel there and back,
for effective work in the tasks they undertake, for the cementing of
bonds of Christian love with the staff and local residents, and for
a rich encounter with God. Invite the Lord to reveal and fulfill His
plans, even if they turn out to vary from the planned agenda of the
week!
In about three weeks the annual Special Friends Camp takes place at the
hacienda. Before then, they would like to make some access-enhancing
improvements to the grounds. Please be praying that materials can be
secured, that staff time can be allocated, and that the results will
enhance the experience of both this year's campers and future visitors,
to the glory of God.
This Saturday, February 19, the Misión Mazahua Advisory Board
will hold a regular meeting with special content. Business will be held
to a half hour, a little over a half hour will be devoted to a video
and a personal report from a recent mission team leader, and then we
will give nearly an hour to intercessory prayer for the Mission. Join
us in Bowling Green if you can, join us at home if you can't reach BG,
and/or pray that this focused prayer effort will add significant energy
to the advance of the Kingdom in Mazahua country.
Bendiciones, [blessings]
Rev. David A. Hawk, N. American Representative Misión Mazahua
PS: If you know others who would like to receive the list proc notes
from the Misión Mazahua Advisory Board, including these "Postcards," please
ask them to be in touch with us; the more partners who join us, the
stronger our ministry becomes!
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Card #5 Week of 2/20/05
Misión Mazahua "Postcard" to our friends for the week
of February 20, 2005
Wouldn't it be interesting to see the Lord's journal
of plans unfolding, purposes fulfilled, blessings bestowed, graces given
and lives changed? I honestly believe your names would be there, with
a note beside them something like this: "Prayed for Misión Mazahua
today, especially for project Z; I will respond with blessing Omega..." I
believe it because I have already seen some of those blessings emerge!
Thanks for praying!!
This week the Phillips family (Jeff, Sue, daughter Kaila) and Jeff Robie,
all of Kingston, NH, are in Mexico serving with the Mission. Pray that
God will bless the Mazahua through their ministry efforts, and that
He will bless THEM at the same time, both in the immediate moment and
in the opening of doors for long term ministry relationships.
Thanks to those who prayed for the Advisory Board meeting last Saturday.
A couple of new possibilities for ministry arose. Please pray for creative
development and application that will edify the Mission and accelerate
Kingdom work in Mazahua country.
It looks like this summer could be the time for a concentrated effort
to construct a larger number of solar stoves than ever before! Several
unexpected blessings converged to shift this project into higher gear.
Fulfillment will require $3000-$4000 more for wholesale materials and
the finalizing of plans for a building team. Pray that the Lord will
put the final pieces into the puzzle, completing the picture of His
plan for this effort.
May you be blessed even as you bless "our" people in central
Mexico,
Rev. David A. Hawk, N. American Representative Misión Mazahua
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Card #6 Week of 2/27/05
Misión Mazahua "Postcard" to our friends for the week
of February 27, 2005
I have a friend who builds houses. Every day he works, he sees a little
progress. On a bad weather day, no problem, he just does something else
and knows the building will be just as he left it the next time he arrives
to work there.
Missionary work isn't like that! We are building people, communities, cultures
and ultimately the Kingdom of God. We may not see visible progress every
day. Sometimes there is a great leap forward, sometimes it seems like things
are falling apart faster than we can put them together. We may leave one
person or project for a time to attend to other priorities, and when we
come back, everything has changed! But we have one huge advantage. Our
Master Builder never quits working, and He never steps back from the advancement
of HIS plans, so we can trust that even in the new situation the project
is still on track!
This Postcard is being written on Monday, Feb. 28. The team from Kingston,
NH is flying home today, leaving in late afternoon and arriving home way
late at night. If you can pray today, please seek safe travel on their
behalf. Later this week, pray for a smooth readjustment to the home scene,
for effective and significant integration of last week's experience into
the fabric of each team member's life, and for clear discernment about
what God might have each person do next in His service. Meanwhile, be praying
as well for the Special Friends Camp Team. Their advance team leaves for
Mexico before the next "Postcard," on Sunday the 6th, with the
main body of the team being there March 9-16.
Lisa Cortes reported to the last MMAB meeting that "Pastoral Ministries,
placed on the back burner for a time, is pushing forward with new power
at the insistence of the pastors and lay leaders themselves." [emphasis
mine] Some 35-40 pastors, lay leaders and their wives now meet bimonthly
for study, fellowship, sharing and prayer. The Mission funds and hosts
these meetings, and also provides scholarships for pastors to attend training
conferences elsewhere. Please pray for the resources for this ministry
to continue growing, and for fruitfulness as Mazahua leaders take the gospel
into their towns and villages. Seek wisdom and guidance for Norberto Cortes,
Jaime Leon and Pastor Samuel Canales, who lead the ministry. Uphold Jaime
and four pastoral students especially, as they meet weekly at the hacienda
for seminary-level indigenous pastoral studies.
By the way: If you need to change any of your address information for this "Postcard",
you can reach us at mailmaster@mmab.org. Give the same address to a friend,
or to your church's Missions Committee chairman, so they can join the prayer
partners listing.
We appreciate your consistent prayers; they keep us steady for the Lord
in the midst of the constantly developing and sometimes unpredictable winds
of ministry. Blessings to you,
Rev. David A. Hawk, N. American Representative Misión Mazahua
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Card #7 Week of 3/6/05
Misión Mazahua "Postcard" to our friends for the week
of March 6, 2005
Does missionary work ever get boring, routine? Maybe in the daily details,
yes, occasionally. But after 26+ years on the field, Lisa and Norberto
still write about "...growing dreams, disappointing letdowns, encouraging
growth and responses, and intense need that almost hurts..." about
which they hope we will come to share with them "...the struggles,
the yearning, the joy and the pain..." [letter to the MMAB, 2/19/2005]
There is no time to operate on cruise control; God is doing too much that
is creative and new! Thanks for entering into partnership with the Mission
team in your prayers, and in your responsiveness to God as He speaks back.
Your prayers are making a discernible difference!
Praise the Lord, and thanks to those who prayed for the Kingston, NH team.
They arrived home safely, and I have heard from both Susan Phillips [team
leader] and Lisa Cortes that they had a marvelous week in which God did
some beautiful things. Prayers were answered!
This "Postcard" is being timed to go out on Wednesday, March
9; today the main body of the Special Friends Camp team, some 26 strong,
will be arriving in Mexico. Pray for the advance team [who went down last
Thursday and last Sunday as they complete preparations, and pray for the
safety of those traveling today. Pray for God's protection for all of the
wheelchairs, medications, office equipment and a host of other donations
for the Mission, especially that the cargo transfers and the customs checks
will all go smoothly. Meanwhile, the camp has actually begun already, with
Mexican volunteers from Guadalajara and the Mission team providing the
initial leadership. Please pray that the fun and fellowship of the week
will inspire transforming faith in camp participants, and in staff and
volunteers as well! The group will be returning home next week on the 16th.
One of the ministry elements that seems to be taking off this year is the
Sewing Projects. In one village a team of women seek training and equipment
so they can provide school uniforms for their children. In another, a young
mother struggles to support her family by utilizing skills taught by Mission
team members. Please pray that those receiving training will pick up on
these skills quickly, and that there will be effective outlets for their
creations. Pray as well for sewing machines, a serger, and adequate access
to fabric and sewing supplies, so that all who have the skills can be equipped
with the tools to pursue their craft.
To add an address to the list of folks who receive these prayer "Postcards",
or to delete one, please contact us at mailmaster@mmab.org Invite as many
to join us in prayer as you can!
May you see a lavish bestowal of grace in your own life as you partner
with us in praying and working for the glory of God among the Mazahua people!
Rev. David A. Hawk, N. American Representative Misión Mazahua
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Card #8 Week of 3/13/05
Misión Mazahua "Postcard" to our friends for the week
of March 13, 2005
Romans 12:2 urges believers, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern
of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." This
is the goal of Misión Mazahua---transformation of the whole person,
the whole family, the whole community and the whole culture under the gracious
influence of the Lord. Your steady intercession fuels the steady process
of transformation; thanks for being such an important part of the ministry!
When you pray, growth continues; if the prayer stops, progress stops!
Today [Wednesday, March 16] the Special Friends Camp Team returns home
after a week of ministry with physically challenged Mazahua campers. Please
pray for safe travel, and for smooth reentry into the home culture over
the next several weeks. Pray also for time to be still and reflect on what
the Lord has done and said for each person. God has been doing His transforming
work in each Team member; now ask Him to help them see what He has done
and where that leads.
The Special Friends are already home, but they, too, need to discover the
long term impact of the Holy Spirit's work in their lives through the camp
experience. So, too, do their families and neighbors need to see, understand
and respond to the working of God's grace in the lives of the campers.
Please pray that all of these needs will be wonderfully met, in ways that
bring great blessing to all who are touched by God's love and great glory
to God Himself.
The next team to serve is the Mount Hope Team, preparing to depart for
Mazahua country a couple of days after Easter. Please be praying for their
physical, mental, emotional, relational, and spiritual preparation over
the next couple of weeks!
Long term transformation requires significant investments of long term
leadership! Lisa and Norberto have been at it for well over 25 years, now,
and have been praying all that time that a team of Mazahua folk would be
raised up to multiply and extend the ministry enormously beyond what they
can do alone. Let us join them in this prayer!
We are grateful to God and to you for your faithfulness in prayer. We are
asking the Lord to apply His transforming grace in your lives even as you
minister to the Mazahua people.
Rev. David A. Hawk, N. American Representative
Misión Mazahua
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Card #9 Week of 3/20/05
Misión Mazahua "Postcard" to our friends for the week
of March 20, 2005
This week we remember the climactic week of Jesus' ministry, His final
celebration of Passover with His disciples, His prayer and arrest in Gethsemane,
His trials, crucifixion, death and burial, and His rising from the dead
on Sunday morning! Praise the Lord for His grace and mercy in your own
life as the redeeming effect of Jesus' sacrifice has set you free from
sin and death in response to your faith in Jesus. Praise the Lord with
us as well for the power of the gospel at work in the hearts and lives
of Mazahua men and women, boys and girls! When Jesus is welcomed into a
life, transformation is the natural result!
Thanks to those who prayed for the Special Friends Team. We have heard
from a couple of them already, and as usual God orchestrated some wonderful
things during their week of service. At least one of the campers received
Christ as Savior and Lord, and there are some great stories of how God
carried out His perfect plans in ways that just left team members in awe.
Please continue praying for the long term impact of this week of ministry.
The next team to visit is the Mount Hope Team from Livonia, MI. Their advance
party goes today [Thursday, March 24] and the main body of the team travels
next Tuesday, March 29. Please pray for safe travel for both parts of the
team, and for the Spirit's guidance as they complete preparations to serve
the Lord with all their heart and mind, soul and strength. It often happens
that some last minute idea or decision, choice or opportunity that seems
to arise "out of the blue" turns into a significant ministry
option when applied in Mexico; please pray for such details to be shaped
by the Lord's hand as these next couple of weeks unfold.
There is still a significant amount of superstition and false religion
in many parts of Mazahua country, and the spiritual warfare can be pretty
intense especially in the seasons of the major Christian holidays. Please
seek God's grace and favor, protection and effectiveness for believers
as they lift up the Way, the Truth and the Life during the Easter celebrations.
There is a lot of long range planning under way at present with regard
to Misión Mazahua. New mission work teams from the U.S. are claiming
slots on the calendar for the next 16 months or so, ministry opportunities
are arising that will flourish with sustained attention, new leaders are
sometimes emerging, sometimes being sought out for various ministry efforts,
and existing programs and projects are being strengthened. Pray for God's
wisdom and guidance in all of this, that the Mission team may clearly see
and follow the Lord's plans!
We are grateful for you; we rely on you; we treasure your partnership in
the ministry!
Rev. David A. Hawk, N. American Representative Misión Mazahua
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Card #10 Week of
3/27/05
Misión Mazahua Postcard to our friends for the week of March 27,
2005
I was just reading a response letter from a mission work team member who
was at Misión Mazahua in 2004. He wrote, "I have a sense that
things were lifted up and 'lubricated' with faithful prayer this trip." I
am convinced that he is correct; there are just too many wonderful "coincidences",
too many significant spiritual advances and too many good fruits from those
activities that we have prayed over for me to believe otherwise. Thanks
for being part of a growing team that is helping to energize the Lord's
work in Mazahua country!
Today [Tuesday, March 29] the main body of the Mount Hope Team is traveling
to Misión Mazahua for a week of service. Please pray for safe travel,
for minimal complications and optimum connections for both people and luggage.
The team includes a medical group and a significant cadre of teenagers.
There are also two pastors and at least one electronics expert on the team.
Please pray for a productive week as they invest their specific gifts,
talents and training in ministry with the Mission staff. Ask the Lord to
bring blessings to the members of the team even as they seek to bestow
blessings in His name on others.
While most teams fly into Mexico to serve with Misión Mazahua, there
is apparently a small group going with a small truck in about three weeks.
We would very much like to send a serger with that group, and a couple
of sewing machines if we can find them, as well as some sheet polycarbonate
for the sun stoves. To accomplish that, we need to find the desired resources,
and then get them to the departure point. Please pray for the necessary
connections to be made so that these dreams can come together into concrete
plans with excellent timing. So little can go so far if it is in the right
place at the right time and the Lord chooses to bless it!
Note: To reply to these postcards, to add a friend to the mailing list,
to change your own e-mail address or to be removed from the list, simply
reply to mailmaster@mmab.org with your request, and our communications
chief will take care of it for you! Thanks
Grace and peace to each of you as you pray, and as you live for our risen
Lord,
Rev. David A. Hawk, N. American Representative Misión Mazahua
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Card #11 Week of
4/3/05
Misión Mazahua "Postcard" to our friends for the week
of April 3, 2005
Last night I attended a professional basketball game. "Our" team
lost badly. There were moments of brilliance, when the players just seemed
to know where their team mates would be next, and the ball arrived just
as a player did. There would be a flurry of four or five quick passes like
this, and suddenly the ball was jammed through the hoop with incredible
force! Those slam-dunk moments were thrilling to see. The rest of the time
connections just didn't seem to happen, long shots didn't go down, our
own defense seemed pretty porous, and one of our players even got injured
seriously enough to leave the game.
Those of us in the Mazahua partnership are on a team, too. When we are "off
our game" we can expect to see the same kind of difficulties my basketball
team experienced appear in our field of endeavor. But when we pray, God
becomes our star player. He helps us to do better than we know we can do,
and next thing we know a complex set of interactions has unfolded into
a Kingdom victory worthy of great celebration! Thanks, team, for your faithful
prayers!
Many thanks to those who prayed for the Mount Hope team. They came home
on Monday, April 4. Please continue to pray as they readjust to everyday
life, and as they integrate their experience in Mexico into their plans
and their sense of God's purpose for their futures.
One of the long-range projects for which we need to see a flurry of perfect
connections come to pass over the next several weeks is an effort to enroll
one of the Mazahua staff, Judith Gonzalez, in college! Plans are for Judith
to study "English as a Second Language" for a year at Lansing
Community College, then to pursue a teaching degree at Olivet College.
She wants to be a teacher among the Mazahua when she graduates. Finances
need to be raised, applications approved, visa secured, and a huge number
of details arranged. Please pray that the Lord would arrange it all, especially
the $4000 we need to have on deposit to guarantee her first year's tuition.
Please pray also for the necessary adjustments in Mexico, since Judith
has been a key member of the Mission team for several years now.
Lisa and Norberto's youngest son, Joshua, recently began his 7th grade
studies in the home school program. He has been an excellent student [straight
A's in his 6th grade program]; please pray for continued success. The 7th
grade program includes an independent study unit on Mexican history which
has a couple of complex pieces that may be difficult to arrange. Please
pray that creative solutions will arise for each requirement, and that
the end result will be both thorough academically and personally satisfying.
We truly do appreciate your participation with the Mazahua Country King's
Kids prayer team!
Rev. David A. Hawk, N. American Representative Misión
Mazahua
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Card #12 Week
of 4/10/05
Misión Mazahua "Postcard" to our friends for the week
of April 10, 2005, vol. 1, no. 12
This "Postcard" is coming late in the week (Thursday, April
14) because I have wanted to be in touch with Lisa and Norberto before
sending it. They have been caught up in a whirlwind of teams and ministry
activity in recent weeks, both of which have been immense blessings!
They have also been constrained by both time and location to little outside
communication for some time, and are just now getting back into the loop.
This week we solicit your prayers for three very practical issues connected
with their recent situation.
First, phones. The hacienda phone has been out of service for several
months now. This is not the Mission's problem, the phone company had
a major equipment failure. For some reason that I haven't heard, service
to the hacienda has yet to be restored. Please be praying that the Mission
office can be connected to the rest of the world again! Whether the problem
is technical or organizational, ask the Lord to provide the people, the
equipment, the funding and the time to get the phones working.
Second, Lisa's laptop. Praise the Lord, she has received a new laptop
which works very well indeed. She is able to download e-mail again, and
to write responses which she can squirt out at one of the local cyber
cafes. The remaining problem is that her old laptop, which has so many
of the records and files she wants and needs, remains inoperative and
stuck at the repair shop [where, apparently, it is sitting and not getting
repaired]! Ask the Lord to intercede in whatever way is required to get
the repairs done and the machine returned to service! We don't know if
there are parts needed, or if motivation for the merchant is the problem,
or what, so the details remain vague, but the goal we seek is clear,
right?
Third, health. Both Norberto and Lisa are feeling heavily worn out at
the moment, but neither can see any prospect for a restorative time out.
In addition, Norberto has not been feeling particularly well, and as
of Sunday, had come down with a bad throat infection. Please seek the
Lord's assistance for them in terms of arranging adequate rest, regular
healing ministrations, and especially release from stress, or at least
defense against the negative effects of stress when it can't be avoided.
Pray specifically for Norberto's complete healing, both for his throat
and for whatever else may be less than optimal. Ask the Lord to fill
them with energy in all realms, physical, mental, emotional, spiritual
and relational, that they might live out their love for Jesus in all
of these dimensions without hindrance.
Is this kind of detail within the purview of the gospel? It surely is,
for Jesus is Lord of our entire lives, not just the "religious" stuff!
This is, after all, what "wholistic transformation" seeks to
emphasize! When Romans 12:2 urges us not to be pressed into the world's
mold any more, but to be "transformed" or "metamorphosed" by
the renewing of our minds, the writer presupposes that such renewal will
bear fruit anywhere our minds can have an influence! When you pray for
such detail, you pray for the power of the Kingdom to be applied both
to the immediate circumstances AND to every stream of consequences that
will be affected by the results! Thanks for your partnership in all that
the Spirit seeks to accomplish in Mazahua country!
For Christ and His people,
Rev. David A. Hawk, N. American Representative Misión Mazahua
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Card #13 Week of 5/9/05
Greetings to you all, after nearly a month of silence. No,
you didn't miss a "Postcard," nor did the gremlins of cyberspace
gobble up messages you should have been getting. The Mission is perking right
along with ministry among the Mazahua people. It has been on the North
American end that things have been stymied for a while. I trust that
you have continued to pray for Lisa and Norberto, the Mission and the
team, especially around the concerns and opportunities listed in the
last couple of "Postcards." The Lord is definitely still
moving strongly ahead with His plans in Mazahua country, and I take
that to be a clear indication that your faithfulness is bearing the
kind of fruit that Scripture promises!
This week let me invite you to be praying about those plans He has!
There are three short term mission teams now entering or moving through
the final phase of trip preparations, all of whom need our support.
A team from First Congregational Church of Evanston, Indiana is scheduled
to travel to Mexico June 15-22. This group is mostly teenagers, and
the lead time is now down to a month. Pray for all of the details that
yet need to be accomplished in each team member's life, and especially
for the team leaders as they put the finishing touches on their arrangements
for the trip. A team led by Carol Thomas, mostly from central Ohio,
will immerse themselves in the ministry from July 27 to August 3, and
a team from First Congregational Church of Oshkosh, Wisconsin plans
to arrive the day Carol's team leaves for a week of service! For all
of these please be praying that the unique gifts God intends to give
through them will unfold with amazing grace and glory to God. Seek
wisdom, guidance, patience and peace for each prospective team member
as obstacles are overcome, ideas are sifted, and surprising opportunities
arise to be the Lord's vehicle for blessing.
Looking even farther ahead, there are several teams working steadily toward established
dates, a couple still trying to settle dates but hoping to come, and a few still
considering the possibility that God is calling them to partner with the Mission.
There is a group of Congregational seminary students expecting to visit in late
fall, a church group on the calendar for Christmas/New Year's break, and a college
group already slotted in for April 2006. Though they are earlier in their planning
processes, they will benefit from the same kind of prayer support that the more
immediate groups need. Besides that, there is a group of four students from Berea
College in Kentucky planning to work at the hacienda for seven weeks this summer,
and they, too, will find that things go much better as we "lubricate their
pathway" with prayer!!
For Christ and His people,
Rev. David A. Hawk, N. American Representative Misión Mazahua
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Card #14 Week of 6/6/05
Misión Mazahua "Postcard" for June 6, 2005; vol.
1, no. 14
Greetings to our friends and prayer partners as summer begins! There is much
going on in Mazahua country, and lots of activity in the support network as well.
Let me quickly share three prayer requests for your immediate intercession.
1) Tomorrow, Tuesday June 7, a team of four college students from Berea College,
of Berea, KY, will travel to the Mission to begin a seven-week summer of service. Please
pray for safe travel, for a smooth connect with Mission personnel in Mexico City,
and for a Spirit-guided launch into the beginning of their season of service.
Ask the Lord to help them quickly find the "niches" for which God has
shaped and prepared each one. The team consists of three guys [Alex, Jeremy and
Zack] and one young lady [Mikita].
2) There is a moderately urgent need for sewing machines, knitting machines and
sergers for the sewing programs of several villages. Pray that we can find the
machines, and that we can arrange for their transport to Mexico during the summer,
ideally with teams or people we know who are already preparing to do ministry
at the Mission. [If you have a machine to donate or know of someone who does,
please be in touch with me!]
3) In a little under two weeks, the Misión Mazahua Advisory Board summer meeting
takes place; it's scheduled for June 18th. A long week after that, the national
meeting of the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches takes
place in Kansas City June 26-30. Lisa and Norberto are unable to come north this
year. Please pray that the Lord's work in Mazahua country can, none the less,
be effectively communicated, and that there will be significant advances for
the Kingdom generated at both gatherings.
Good news, and an answer to prayer: The hacienda phones are FINALLY back in operation,
after months of interrupted service due to damage in one of the phone company's
major equipment centers. And a new village has been opened up to community work
projects. The Lord keeps on moving ahead, sometimes one small step at a time,
but ceaselessly!
Ephesians 6:10-20. Blessings to you in abundance!
For Christ and His people,
Rev. David A. Hawk, N. American Representative Misión Mazahua
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Card #15 Week of 6/23/05
Misión Mazahua "Postcard" for June 23, 2005; vol.1, no. 15
Warm greetings to our friends and coworkers as summer officially begins. The
weather may be warm, but the love of God for His people in Mazahua country is
warmer still! Here are a couple of praise reports and prayer requests that will
allow that love to shine brightly.
1) A team member who helped at the Special Friends Camp last spring, asked to
share a special memory that had a powerful impact, wrote, "Seeing the impact
(on local villages) of 29 years of Misión Mazahua." Lisa recently shared
the news that a new village had begun to receive many of the ministries that
are bringing about such long-term transformation, including amaranth industries,
sewing projects, sun stove usage and others. Please pray for the effective demonstration
of God's love each time Mission personnel are in this village, or in any of the
villages. Pray that one person after another will receive Christ and experience
a changed life! Ask that the entire community will experience God's Life and
His "lift" as well.
2) Another team member, asked what he would say to a potential first-time mission
team member, wrote, " Be prepared for a spiritual uplifting like you have
never experienced before. You become filled with so much joy, warmth and love." The
college students from Berea College, KY, have begun their seven-week summer of
service; pray that they will experience change in themselves even as they work
to make changes possible for Mazahua people. In addition, pray for all of the
preparations, both material and spiritual, of the two teams scheduled to serve
later this summer. Ask that blessings flow even before travel happens!
3) Rebecca and Peter Hoffman have been in Mexico to visit for about a week, and
have a week yet to vacation before returning home. Please pray for safe travels,
great catch-up time, wonderful rest and relaxation, and a rich sense of being
immersed in God's action as they visit. [Rebecca is the daughter of Lisa and
Norberto. She and Peter celebrate their first anniversary on June 26th! Pray
for their multiplied joy!!]
4) Dave Hawk will be at the NACCC Annual Meeting to represent the Mission June
26-29, with a travel day on either side of that. Pray for safe travel, for effective
communication with those he meets, and for "divine appointments" that
will be significant for the life and ministry of the Mission and for the advancement
of the gospel among the Mazahua.
I Peter 2:9. Thanks for your partnership in the Lord's work!
For Christ and His people,
For Christ and His people,
Rev. David A. Hawk, N. American Representative Misión Mazahua
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Card #16 Week of 9/4/05
Misión Mazahua "Postcard" to our friends for the week of September
4, 2005 , vol. 1, no. 16
This "Postcard" comes after a long silence, I know. But
while the e-mails have been inactive, the Lord has been VERY active among
the Mazahua people and with the Mission Mazahua ministry team. Special
thanks to those who have been proactive about upholding the Mission in prayer,
even without the Postcards. Now that Fall has begun, at least unofficially,
we need to get back in stride and pray very specifically for the Lord's unfolding
plans. Here are a few points at which you can partner with the Lord in prayer
[and, who knows, perhaps by other actions as well].
- Praise the Lord for progress in the effort to bring clean drinking
water to the villages! At last report, equipment and molds for the
efficient building of cisterns are en route, with delivery expected
this week or next, after which construction can begin soon! Pray
for safe delivery, clear understanding of how the process and equipment
works, and effective management of the projects. Also pray for safety
for all who are involved in the work, and for the grace of God to be seen
in both
the workers and the work as cisterns are built in several villages.
- Rev. David Hawk will be visiting the Mission Sept. 6-16, with a substantial
agenda of ministry goals. Pray for safe travel to and from the
Mission, and for effective discernment as the Lord's plans are
being sought out, understood in detail and implemented. As always,
people are of
importance, more than systems, plans and projects; pray that the
Lord's perfect balance among all these issues will be realized. There
is substantial need for support for Dave if his role as North American
Representative is to be maintained, a point of deep concern to Lisa
and Norberto; pray that this issue, too, can be resolved.
- There are wonderful developments in the Plaza Communitaria, in the
Excelencias Mazahua, in the sewing projects, in self-sustaining microenterprise
developments, and much more. Pray for sustained growth and energy
in each of these areas, and for the revelation of the Lord Jesus
in each undertaking. [More details about each of these in future
Postcards!]
James 5:16b reminds us that, "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful
and effective." [NIV; and it applies to women, as well!] Here's your invitation
to join with others in that activity which unleashes the power and effectiveness
of God in a setting where He WANTS to be at work! Thanks for your prayers;
without them, the ministry would be severely hampered.
For Christ and His people,
Rev. David A. Hawk, N. American Representative
Misión Mazahua
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Card #17 Week of 9/11/05
Misión Mazahua "Postcard" to our friends for the week of September 11,
2005; vol.1, no.17
Warm greetings to you all from Misión Mazahua!
As I write this I am seated in the new computer classroom in Las
Rosas, and it is truly beautiful! To be able to communicate so freely
with you from the Mission is a marvel and a blessing. I don't know
if using the equipment for this purpose will be possible once school
begins here, and I do know that the Mission office computers are just
as problematic as ever, but for today we can rejoice together! I wanted
to share several PTL's with you [those are reasons to Praise the Lord]
and a couple of prayer requests in which we would welcome your partnership
this week!
- The visit
here, for which prayer was requested last week, is going well.
Plans are coming together, subjects on the agenda for the week are
being talked through one by one, and people are being encouraged.
There is still a full agenda for the remaining days, and the return
is scheduled for Friday. Please pray for continued fruitfulness as
I interact with the staff, and for a good trip back to Ohio.
- More
about the Plaza Communitaria, as promised: I am seated in a room
that has 10 work stations linked to one server, and another computer
tied directly to a satellite dish [if I have understood the technical
explanations correctly.] Next door there is a classroom with a TV
that is hooked up for satellite fed, interactive teaching sessions. Two
rooms down is a bright study hall room. School is supposed to start here
in about three weeks. PTL for the setup. Please pray for a new program
director to be found in a timely fashion [the one who was trained for this
moved away several weeks ago to take a new job with Compassion International.]
Pray also for successful completions of renovation work being done
in other parts of Las Rosas, especially for a set of dorm rooms and bathrooms
that are needed to accomodate resident students. Funding is the
main holdup.
- There are two new productive enterprises being initiated
during these days, one producing granola for a Mexico City restaurant
chain, another producing mole' for the same company. As with
all start-up enterprises, there are snags to be ironed out and adjustments
to be made. PTL for the opportunities being opened up, and pray
for the Lord's wisdom and guidance as things are fine tuned.
PTL for the people who will be impacted for the Kingdom in these
endeavors, and pray that those still needed to fill out the team
may be discerned and integrated quickly.
I am so excited about what I'm finding here, it would
take a letter of many pages to begin expressing it. As always, there are
still more dreams out there than we can begin to touch, and more people
to reach with God's grace than we can yet influence directly. Thanks
for praying so faithfully; it is obvious that those prayers are having
a powerful effect!
For Christ and His people,
Rev. David A. Hawk, N. American Representative Misión Mazahua
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Card #18 Week of 10/14/05
Misión Mazahua "Postcard" to our friends for October 14, 2005,
vol. 1, no. 18
Warm greetings to our partners in mission to the Mazahua people. It has been
a busy, busy month since I returned from Mexico! It looks like things are going
to remain in high gear for some time, too! Here are a few immediate elements
of the Mission's ministry mix which will benefit enormously as you support them
in prayer!
- Lisa and Norberto will be traveling to participate in mission conferences
with a couple of churches who are deeply involved in the Mission's ministry.
They leave tomorrow, Oct. 15th, flying to Phoenix. They move on to Plantation,
FL on Oct. 22nd, return to Phoenix on Oct. 25th, and arrive back in Mexico
on Oct. 26th. Please pray for safe flights on every leg of the
journey and for fruitful encounters and "divine appointments" throughout
the trip. Invite the Lord to glorify Himself in all they do and say, and
seek the blessing of deep, enduring refreshment for Lisa and Norberto [rather
than "trip fatigue",
which sometimes happens.]
- We have all heard about hurricanes in LA, MS
and TX, and earthquake devastation in Pakistan and India. Did you
know that hurricane Stan wrought similar destruction in parts of
Guatemala and southern Mexico a little over a week ago? Mission Mazahua
and others from Mazahua country are preparing a relief and rebuilding trip
to Chiapas State within the next couple of weeks, in partnership with a
former staff member who now lives and works in the region. Prayer would
be appreciated that the Spirit would guide the collection of resources
and materials, so that just the right mix of "stuff" comes
together. Seek the Lord's guidance as well for scheduling, enlistment of
team members and preparations for ministry at home to continue while people
are gone. It looks like the journey will occur soon after Nov. 1st.
- 'Tis
the season for short term mission trip planning, and several are
beginning to come together for 2006. They include church teams, regional
teams, two distinct Special Friends camps [one for sports, one that
isn't focused on sports], and perhaps some with specialized purposes [medical,
construction, teaching, etc.] There are also at least three colleges
looking seriously at sending teams. Pray that the Lord will unfold all
of His plans for each and every group with grace and great blessing for
all concerned.
There is much more to share, much more to pray about. I
already have the list for the next "Postcard" prepared, so
be looking for it early next week. In the meantime, rejoice in
the Lord's faithfulness, and watch for His grace to be revealed
in your own lives
as well as in the villages of San Felipe del Progresso and beyond. For
Christ and His people,
Rev. David A. Hawk, N. American Representative Misión Mazahua
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Card #19 Week
of 10/20/05
Misión Mazahua "Postcard" to our friends for October 20,
2005
Dear friends of Mazahua Mission, sometimes our prayers receive very concrete
[you will excuse the pun?] answers! Some time ago we were praying about concrete
cisterns. Below is a picture of Norberto looking into the second one built by
hand. This one is up at Las Rosas. Within the last three weeks the Mission took
delivery of forms that will allow these to be built more quickly, more easily,
and more uniformly! Now we pray that there will be many of these sprouting in
villages all over Mazahua country, making water accessible to folks who have
never had a reliable source nearby before!
- Peter Hoffman, husband of Lisa and Norberto's
daughter Rebecca, has mono! Please pray for complete and quick healing,
with no complications and no longterm effects.
- Jovita, our
Director of Special Friends Ministries, had another in the
series of surgeries to lengthen her leg and correct her limp
on Monday. Please pray for a perfect recovery and rehab process,
and that there will be great results.
- Rev. David Hawk travels to the Mission via Chicago, leaving this Saturday,
Oct. 22, and returning home Tuesday, Nov. 1. Pray for safe travel, fruitful
ministry, and the Lord's guidance as final details for the trip are ironed
out.
- Lisa and Norberto are in Arizona as of today. The next element
of the planned trip was a visit to Florida for a missions conference
at Plantation Community Church. That has been canceled due to
Hurricane Wilma. Pray for guidance about revising plans, and
pray for the storm to be turned away and/or weakened so as to
have minimal impact on Florida!
- Next week Congregational seminary students and the Board that
supervises their nurture will hold their annual seminar at Mission
Mazahua. 10 students and 6 Board members fly in on Thursday,
Oct. 27, and return to the U.S. on Sunday, Oct. 30. Pray for
safe travel as they come from all different directions, and
for a transforming experience as they encounter God at work
in the mission field. Pray this week for their preparations
to go smoothly, and that all of the work that "ought" to be done before their
departure will, in fact, be accomplished!
For Christ and His people,
Rev. David A. Hawk, N. American Representative Misión
Mazahua
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Card #20 Week
of 12/09/05
Misión Mazahua "Postcard" to our friends for December 9, 2005
Dear friends of Mazahua Mission,
How we appreciate the security of knowing that you are praying for us, whether
we are able to be regular in our communications or not. The last couple of
months have been extremely busy, productive times at the Mission. Among the
reasons we have to offer thanks and praise to God are the arrival of the cistern
molds in the village where they will first be used; the selection of two Mazahua
men who are being trained to serve as a Jesus Film evangelism and church planting
team, using both Spanish and Mazahua language versions of the film; and a continuing
pattern of God's provision which has brought resources to the Mission just
in time to meet special needs [a phenomenon which has been playing out all
through 2005, but which has been especially evident in the last eight weeks
or so!] It is clear to us that without your prayer support, the whole ministry
would suffer!
Lisa commented the other day that the level of activity sometimes feels like
a hurricane! Here are some of the "winds" for which we covet your intercession:
- The first round of hurricane relief [literal weather, this time; hurricane
Stan had a devastating impact in southern Mexico!] went to Chiapas about
a month ago, and was very gratefully received. A second round will support
long-term reconstruction; please pray for wisdom and guidance from God as
those efforts proceed.
- We need some of that special financial provision in order to (a) provide
for all of the December expenses, including the double salaries required
in Mexico, (b) open the way for Judith Gonzalez to begin her college career
in Michigan, and (c) provide for Dave Hawk's support as he serves the Mission
from Ohio. Ask God to do miracles in each area of need.
- The cistern mold shipment, when it was unpacked, turned out to be short
the parts required to create the cistern LIDS. They would hold water, but
it wouldn't be usable without the protection the lids supply, nor would they
be safe for young children to be around. Pray that we can untangle this latest
hitch in the project quickly and get on with construction.
- Generous friends in Illinois have donated a small bus for the Special
Friends program, but delivery is being held up by complications with importing
it, getting it titled, getting it licensed, etc. in Mexico. Please pray
that the obstacles will be overcome and that the bus can be delivered in
early or mid-January.
- A team of 32 people, mostly youth from the Congregational churches
in Wauwatosa and the Milwaukee area, is preparing to serve at the Mission
from Dec. 26 to January 2. Please pray for safe travel, smooth settling of
final planning details, and a rich experience of God's grace for each team
member as they prepare for and begin this trip.
- The invitations for Special Friends camps, scheduled for Feb. 13-18
(focus on sports) and March 13-18 (focus on other kinds of life enrichment)
will be going out Monday, Dec.12---way late, compared to prior years. Pray
that those who have wanted to participate, and/or those whom God is calling
to be team members, will find that arrangements fall into place with amazing
ease as the teams are gathered and prepared for these special weeks of service.
For Christ and His people,
Rev. David A. Hawk, N. American Representative Misión
Mazahua
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