Back in the Northwest

I hope you all had a great Christmas and New Year's! It has been nice being in the northwest visiting with family and friends. I have spent most of my time with my family resting from the work behind and for the work ahead. As I get ready to go I have been reflecting a lot on 1 Corinthians 13. If we are not reaching out to people with the love of God all of our actions and works mean nothing. I could "give my body" as a martyr for Jesus Christ but even that, which would seem like the pinnacle of self-sacrificing love, if it is not from the desire for the glory of God and the good of others it means nothing. I want more of that love. I know God is in control and working in our lives...I am learning to stop trying to control everything myself and rest in that fact more and more.

Excitement is building for when I leave for Culiacan, Mexico at the end of this month. Focused training in recordings for oral cultures will start in May but my next few months will be working with Gospel Recording Network in Culiacan for an outreach to the migrant workers that come to Culiacan every year for the harvest. This will be the practical outworking before learning how to do the recordings myself. For the month of March I will be a part of the follow-up team after different teams leave at the end of February.

It looks like this next year I will be able to come back to the Northwest every few months for about a month. This will be a great help to my family here as we are still trying to figure out what is going on with my dad and why he can't walk. My mom has had some respite from caring for him while I have been here.

Thank you for your continued prayer and support. I am sure for all of us we have our own interesting adventures and challenges ahead of us this year. I would love to know how I can be praying for all of you...please write me and let me know! : )