"Do not worry about your life..." (Matthew 6:25)

A warning which needs to be repeated is that "the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches," and the lust for others things, will choke out the life of God in us (Matthew 13:22).

Our Lord says to be careful only about one thing--our relationship to Him. Jesus Christ knows our circumstances better than we do, and He says we must not think about these things to the point where they become the primary concern of our life.

Well, I haven't written in a while. It is good to be back home and continue the work God has called us to do. Crime and violence continue to escalate in our country and it makes us want to 'worry' at times.

These are some of the headlines in the news:

46 Murders in Chihuahua in 2009

Mexico, Jan 21. The number of violent deaths has now reached 46 in the Mexican northern state of Chihuahua in the 20 first days of the year, according to a television report today from Juarez City.
Last minute press releases indicate that in that region were found 12 bodies, among them two couples and a pair of ministerial policemen, meanwhile they reported other violent deaths in the districts of Durango, Jalisco, Sonora y Sinaloa.
The news sustain that the wave of violence continues at the same rhythm as in 2008, despite the increasing operations of the police forces and the army to stop drug trafficking and organized crime.
In 2008, more than 5600 persons died in Mexico in a violent manner, mainly in six states, most of them North of the country.
According to official sources, in the clash between the police and the gangs, died 94 soldiers and around 500 policemen were wounded. Of the total executed, more than 130 were women.
Tijuana, like Ciudad Juarez across the border from El Paso, has been hit particularly hard by the drug violence that has spread across Mexico. Tijuana saw its bloodiest year ever in 2008 with 843 killings, compared with 337 the previous year.
The violence in Tijuana grew toward the end of last year and continued this year with numerous execution-style slayings. Many of the bodies were found decapitated. The State Department has issued a travel alert for Americans going to Mexico.
The Mexican police and military are sometimes outgunned by the narcos. Arms smuggling favors drug gangs in Mexico, while the police must use legal means to obtain comparable armaments. An expert at the Mexican education institution estimated that 2,000 weapons cross the border illegally into Mexico each day, many of these being automatic and large caliber weapons. The police, on the other hand, have restrictions imposed upon them by federal law that limits the kinds of arms that they may bear.
The weapons used by narcotics gangs include the Russian designed AK-47, but also fragmentation grenades that are ostensibly made solely for military use. Authorities in Mexico theorize that these may be crossing their borders from the U.S., or in shipments of goods imported from China such as clothing and shoes. The ammunition used by the narco-traffickers is also for military use and therefore penetrates the body-armor typically used by Mexican police forces. Chihuahua and Baja California are the two states where most of the illegal arms reach Mexico through its borders, which are porous in both directions.
I talk to my brother Miguel Angel regularly to see how things are going with him. Recently there was a shooting that took place in'Cieneguita' where he lives. He said it was quite noisy in his house. He told me though that the Lord lives in his house and He protected them all. Here in Sonora they're saying that about 25 people died in this shooting, my brother didn't know the number. Although, he has told me before that even if you know, you say you don't...

My brother is sharing the Gospel with the people there. Most of them are so scared they come to him because they know he has something they need. He tells them they need to seek Jesus always, not only when they're in trouble. A lot of people continue to leave their homes and move to other places where they think they will be safer, how they need to hear Jesus is the refuge and strong tower they need to seek to be truly safe.

Wednesday of last week, a seven year old girl was murdered in Cd. Obregón, (less than 100 km from us), by two drug addicts. Daniel was saying how our country is reaping the consequences of of what it has been sowing for so many years and was wondering what kind of harvest could possibly be coming from the new crop of violence and corruption?

Yet, in this unsecured and perverse world, we have the privilege of being bearers of the very best news of all, ('yeah, Josh, so you can't say I only share bad news'), there is hope in Jesus Christ, we can have fellowship with the Father, He is our strong tower, a help in times of need. We know how everything ends, our lives are secured in Him who paid the ransom for our lives.

More good news, last week in Mezquital at the women's Bible study, I was sharing with the ladies the blessing it was for us to be at the missions conference in Murrieta, and the urgency we received to pray without ceasing. I asked Benita (Carla's mother, some of you know her), 'wouldn't it be great if you started a prayer meeting in your house?' Well, it turns out, they have already started... So I asked what day they had designated for that, and they told me they were doing it every day. I was so blessed to hear that...

Obed is already 9 months old! How time flies. Aaliyah is learning how to ride a bike. Talking about how time slips away so fast, we feel the urgency to be doing all we can to reach others for Christ. It is a good time to do it, my husband always says. The world is so unstable, it gives us the opportunity to tell people how Christ is the only way out, that it is only in Him that we can find eternal life. As the darkness increases it becomes easier to shine!

Watching 'Prince Caspian' in our living room

Our visit with our friend Steve Nauert, and his son Dylan was sweet. We love those guys and they are such a blessing to us. We are looking forward to having the whole family, Lord willing, for Easter.

We were amazingly surprised by the visit of this lady with her daughter Tania. Some of you, I am sure, remember Tania. She came to live with us before she was a year old. She was Rochelle's baby for well over a year. Rochelle loved her like her very own, and shed many, many tears when Yoana, the mother, with Tania's father, took her far away to the Mexican state of Puebla. We haven't seen her, or heard from her in seven years. She is now nine. Yoana came a few days ago because she says she started going to a Christian church and she knew she had to come and ask for forgiveness from Rochelle and myself, for her behavior toward us many years ago. (for disappearing without leaving word of where she would be) Truly, I always had such compassion for this lady, she loved her daughter, but really didn't know how to care for her. She seems quite changed and is back in Navojoa where her parents live and wants to start attending our congregation.

The twins are now 14 months old! They are a joy to contemplate! Little, precious miracles! I told Tania how Rochelle would love to see her, and told her about the twins too. She went all over our house and was very curious looking at a picture we have of her with Rochelle, and kept asking question of when she lived with us. Her mother was telling her how she looked like a princess and how very loved she was. I told her she was speaking English before she left our house. She couldn't believe that, but would like to learn English again.

Well, I am writing this letter from Monterrey (capital of the state of Nuevo León, located Northeast of Mexico). We are here getting Marilu's birth certificate, she is with us too. It is quite an intimidating city, so huge. One of the three most important cities in all Mexico and a modern industrial and business center with a population of 1.1 million. Lord willing, we will be done with our business quick and head back home. I am so thankful to live in the country instead of a city like this one...

PRAYER REQUEST FOR RANCHO MARANATHA, ALAMOS, MX.
Please pray for us to find favor and get things done quickly here in Monterrrey with Marilú's paper work.
We are thankful to still have Jerry & Jo watching over the girls at the ranch. They will be heading back home soon. Pray for their return in the Fall.
Please pray for the women's Bible study I plan, Lord willing, to start in Alamos Wednesday, February 4th. I am mainly doing it to spend time with some of my relatives like Emir's wife Luli, his sister Elba, his mother, Emir's sister in law, and my brother Gero's widow Adelita. Other women want to come though. Please pray that the Lord will use me to bring healing and restoration to these ladies.
Pray for the groups coming to work with us in March, one from MN; the other from California.
Pray for the upcoming women's retreat, Lord willing, April 10th.

"The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest" (Mat 9:37-38).

Thank you so much for your prayers and your support.

Ana & Daniel