I know the prayers our God's people make all the difference in our ministry and we are so thankful for all those who think of us and take time out of their day to pray for us.  i just can't say that enough.  Below are two examples of people praying for us that have been very encouraging to us.


Report from another missionary visiting Ozark Baptist Church:
"We were just at Ozark Baptist in Arkansas. They knew you and your husband very well (they support you guys.) Sang your praises. We were there for prayer meeting and let me just tell you that they were praying for you guy :)"


Another friend takes God's prompting seriously:
"I have been meaning to tell you about the dream I had a while ago. I woke up and was concerned for Sam and Hayden's safety -- they were the only ones in the dream, but I somehow knew you were all in danger an we had to get to you -- then I realized it must be from the Lord, so I prayed for you all. I prayed more than ever. And I prayed fervently for a few days after that before the email prayer request was sent out!! Praise the LORD for protecting your family! I am so grateful to be a part of that hedge of protection that was put around your family last month/ early this month and to be an ongoing part of your ministry! 

Of course we always pray for you. :) We will continue. We love you guys! 

C"


Below is a chronological review of Sam's Facebook statuses, as you can see his trip was a very fruitful one. 


Tomorrow I start my trip back to our new town in Mexico (Encarnacion de Diaz), Carie and the kids will be in the States for a while longer. But for now a verse found in Phillipians 1:25 And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all...


From 1PM monday to 3PM Wednesday, I've taken two church vans, 1 train, 1 plane, a bus, and a taxi. Traveled about 2500 miles. AND arrived to our home in Encarnacion. Thankyou to all that prayed. Please continue to pray as I start getting the parts for a tent, that we will be able to get it done quickly.


FYI - for all. I've made to our town La Chona. The conflict that happened here lasted 4 days and has been quiet since. I've purposely been walking through the town just to see what the sentiment toward us would be/is...I feel as safe as anywhere else in Mexico. ---- The new tent church is coming along, God has clearly directed our steps in finding materials and manufactures needed to get this done. Lord willing we will be in it this Sunday. Thank you for your continued prayers.


The "tent" church is coming along. Drove through Aguascalientes for 3 days looking for a place to have the tent made and find the right size tubes for the frame. 1st we found the "tent" makers and it went from *$30K pesos to $20K to $8K....Praise GOD. Then drove all day Tuesday looking for poles...finally in exhaustion I prayed...Found the tubes 20 minutes later. PRAISE GOD from whom all blessings flow.  ENDSTATE: currently we have the frame built and will be picking up the canvas tomorrow afternoon. Should have the tent ready for service and the church fellowship this Sunday. God's so good to give us so many blessing...undeserving. *Prices listed in pesos, so divid by 12 more or less to convert to dollars.


Are you ready brother...my response "listo por Cristo" or ready for Christ or to do what ever Christ wants of me. Today we picked the tent up at 12:00, and we started putting things together. Bro Gerardo and I worked for 7 hours today getting it together. How do 2 men move 350-400 pounds of canvas tent up and over a 3.5 meter high frame..."poco un poco" (little by little).  The two rain storms that blew through made for some extra fun. Will have pictures soon. We Praise God for His provision for the tent and for keeping us safe today. Thank you to those who have been praying.


The church members were excited to be meeting in the new church.  It is a great solution until they are able to start building on the land that has been purchased and while they are building.  Sam has made his way back up to Arkansas and the entire family will be headed back to Mexico very soon.  We are all excited about serving in La Chona during the next year. 

We Missed All the "Excitement"...PTL (Praise the Lord!)

Dear Pastors, family and friends;

I wanted to write a quick note to let you know where we are and inform you of recent events that have occurred in our new town of Encarnación de Díaz (La Chona).

As you may know we completed 5 months of language school and at the end of June moved to our new town of La Chona.  Prior to our arrival I was contacted about my grandmothers health and quick there after her death.  My family provided the funds for our drive to the states so that we could attend her memorial service on July 1st in N.W. Arkansas.

On July 4th, I was contacted about recent cartel activity in our town.  During our absence (PRAISE GOD!), there were several shootings as a new cartel tried to gain a “foot print” in the area.  The military was called-in to help control the situation and several arrests were made.  Over the course of the week we confirmed the information and sought direction from God concerning our immediate return. 

At this time, all is at rest in the area but time is needed to prove the security of the town.  We have sought God’s direction on what we should do; at the counsel of my pastor I will be flying back to Mexico on July 20th while Carie and children stay in N.W. Arkansas. 

This trip has several objectives:

1. Confirm the security of our town for my family’s return
2. Obtain and construct the new tent for the church
3. Preach my first sermon in Spanish

PRAISES:

• We PRAISE GOD for is protection.  God used my family and the home going of my grandmother to protect us.  Thank you for your prayers.
• We PRAISE GOD for using the vacation home of a member of my brothers church to provide a home for us near family.
• We PRAISE GOD for providing for needed van repairs.
• We PRAISE GOD for providing the funds and opportunity to attend “Family Camp” last week.
• We PRAISE GOD for supporting churches that love us and pray for us.

Please pray for my safety as I travel via bus and plane back to La Chona.  Pray for Carie and the children while they are in Arkansas and try to get started on Homeschool.

NEEDS:  Carie needs to borrow or use Rod & Staff 3rd and 4th grade English materials for student and teacher.  She will be able to return them before leaving for Mexico, Lord willing in the middle of August.

              

Please do not hesitate to call us. 

In His service for His Glory,

Bro Sam

I know it's not the video I promised, but I just haven't had time to figure out how to do that.  However, it's this incredible...from being afraid to put his head under to swimming like a fish!!!

Lots Going On!

As we bring our time in Cuernavaca to a close everything has excelerated it seems.  Sam is taking six hours of private lessons at language school.  He is working with his teachers on teaching Bible studies in Spanish and preaching.  This week he was able with the help of a tutor and his teacher to actually stand up and preach!  He has 2 1/2 more weeks of private lessons.  It is very intense, but we are trying to make our last weeks here really count.

I am spending my weeks with a Mexican midwife, learning and getting more experience.  She is very busy and there have even been 3 births in one day sometimes.  I have just been observing how they do things here and helping out by doing some labor support, drawing up meds, cleaning up, ect.  Yesterday, I got to catch a baby, which for me is not the most important part of the process, but it is the fun part! :)  She was on the small side but perfect and beautiful and her membranes were still over her head.  Once we removed them, she cried with vigor.  Mama felt great and wanted to leave just two hours after the birth.  We assured them they were welcome to stay, but she wanted to have her family altogether at home.  It was her third baby, and since everything was stable and perfect, we proceeded with the newborn exam and birth certificate and home they went.  Happy babymoon mama!  And off the bed I went, since it was only about 10:30 pm and I got a full nights sleep.

Haden our 4 year old has been very scared and upset to get water splashed in his eyes or put his head under water.  I wasn't sure he was ever going to get over it.  Washing his hair was a little bit of an ordeal. Then last week he began swimming around in the deep end with his lifejacket on.  He seemed to enjoy being able to be involved with the other children and their games and became a little less stressed about water in his eyes.  Then Friday afternoon he was splashing around in the shallow end and he said, "Daddy look I'm going to go under the water."  And he did just that with no help from anyone!  Now there is no stopping him, he has been swimming underwater with ease.  He jumps off the side of the pool , floats up to the top and swims to the side.  We are all completely blown away by the change.  He even ask dad to throw him up in the air and he likes help touching the bottom of the pool, so that he can push off the bottom and fly to the top like Superman.
I will try to post video this weekend.  It really is nothing short of amazing, in my humble opinion!

Living Up to Our Name

In keeping with our "wandering" theme, the Means family will be moving to Encarnation de Diez during the month of July.  Sam will be pastoring for a missionary who will be on forlough.  The plan is for us to be there for 11 to 12 months.  Please pray, Sam will need to be able to preach in Spanish by the mid/end of July.  Language learning is a process, a very frustrating one at times.  Right now I feel very unprepared and overwhelmed and am generally fighty the feeling to run and hide.  However, I must be making progress, as I sit outside typing this blog, my neighbors are chatting in Spanish and I find I can ease drop pretty easily if I so desire.  :P
We share a beautiful and very large "Jardin" and a few weeks back there was a very large wedding.  No one was asked permission, and no one was given any warning.  On Friday night crews came and began setting up chairs and stages!  When they came by the house hours before the ceremony on Sat. night, Sam was very clear they had to shut off the music no later than midnight, to which they agreed.  Hundreds of guest poured into our now, not quite as big looking communial backyard.  After the 6:00 pm ceremony, festivities continued until well after 3:00 am!!  Including a band, loud speakers, a catering tent, lots of drunk people wandering around just outside the back door.  Anyway, tomorrow the owners are having a meeting to discuss the situation and several have gathered next door to discuss tomorrows meeting.
Normally only 3 - 6 of the 20 homes are occupied at a time, but this weekend it's a little busier.  Still, I am sitting outside in the pleasant weather and the kids are enjoying the pool.
I missed the whole wedding excitement, because I was having my own exhausting excitement in El Paso, TX.  Yes, Sam drove down from Rogers, AR to Cuernavaca, MX all by himself with five children.  Five very great children, but still five children.  We have been able to hire a caretaker for the children during the day, so they have been able to do their spanish lessons at home and she makes dinner also.
I'm not sure if I have mentioned it on the blog before, but I am a CPM (certified professional midwife).  However,  I don't have as much experience as I would like to have and ever since we have been in mexico I have not been able to attend births.  The trip to El Paso came at a perfect time, well actually, I wish I had not gone quite so long between births.  However, it did help get my "midwifery legs" back under me and get some more much needed experience.  I spent 4 weeks at Casa de Nacimeinto, a birth center I had spent some time at several years ago.  It was nice to see the midwifes there again, to be around birth and remember, I really do love it.  We feel my midwifery skills will be a good outreach tool in the coming years.