As this year so quickly draws to a close, I wanted to thank each one of you for your ongoing participation in all that goes on down here in San Carlos! Your prayers and your generosity continue to spur us onward in what God is doing here in Mexico, especially through CEC and the many students whom we've been able to get to know over the years.
Many continue to ask how Howard Dyck, our director, is doing - he is continuing to fight, though it has been very much an uphill battle and likely will remain so for a while. The family is working hard to bring him down here back to Mexico, as this familiar setting will significantly help in his recovery, Lord willing. One of the hurdles is the cost involved in transportation - if you would like to contribute, please visit: https://gofund.me/028ccecf. Your continued prayers are greatly appreciated in his recovery!
Others have asked if we plan to carry on with our school year this coming year. The interesting part is that we were already planning for Howard and Susan to not be around for a significant part of this coming course as they were required to be in Canada for six months, bringing them back halfway through the course - and this was all already in place before any of these health complications arose. Thankfully, we have a great team in place of fellow administrators and teachers who were and are prepared to move ahead this coming January, though, without doubt, a heavy heart. We are grateful at the interest there is and the students who have already confirmed - not only for the first year course but the second year as well. We begin in one month, Lord willing, the 23rd of January! It is just around the corner and we covet your prayers as we prepare. Specifically pray for those students whom the Lord would have be a part of CEC 2023. It is often a challenge to set aside the time and make arrangements to be here - there are often many obstacles, but these too become opportunities to see God's faithfulness in their lives. It is looking like a good group of students is slowly but surely coming together.
HIGHLIGHTS
It seems that I'm in a little bit of a calm between the storms as this fall has been quite busy. Here are some highlights from the past couple of months:
Bethel Church Group
We don't receive many groups from outside of Mexico as that is not our primary ministry focus. However, Bethel Church, located just outside of Winkler, MB, has sent a group before. My parents led this team which was was supposed to come during the covid pandemic but for obvious reasons had to postpone their trip till this year. They came this year, however, armed with hearts for service - all 24 of them - and left their impact not only here at the school but with a local church ministry that has a significant ministry in their surrounding, troubled neighbourhood. The group poured cement, laid block, and served at the church's children's ministry - and they did it well outside of their comfort zone. Laying block and mixing cement are not commonplace skills for us Canadians, like they are for many down here in Mexico, not to mention the significance of a language barrier. As the saying goes, though, actions speak louder than words and perhaps that holds true to an even greater extent when there are very few words that you can share! One of the Mexican workers on the project told Rafael, one of the church's leaders (whom many of you know and have personally met when he accompanied me with his family to Canada a few years ago) that he was greatly impacted by the team's dedication and effort as they took their time to work alongside them, of all the other things they could be doing or places they could go - it left a deep impression on him. In the end, their actions spoke volumes, communicating how we are serving God together and caring for one another, even when words fail due to language barriers.
Consiervos Missions Training Program
It was no small feat for the Bethel group of 24 to find space in CEC's facilities because during that time there was also a group of 25 or so students/staff with the Consiervos cross-cultural training program - we had a full house! Consiervos spent just over two months in an intensive training course aimed at equipping lay-missions workers to serve along side cross-cultural missions teams. Two of our previous CEC students were a part of this course and it was a pleasure to continue to interact with them and encourage them in their walk as they consider serving in missions work. The program runs very similarly to CEC's program and featured 20 different missionaries participating in classes during this time. It is a relatively new program, this being only its 2nd time running. It complements our training program in many ways and actually fills part of the vision that CEC has had, having a "3rd year" program that focusses in missions. It is a great experience to collaborate together with others in this way, and I have enjoyed greatly being able to be a part of this program as well.
CEC 2023
With all of this said, it has been a busy fall season, and the busiest is yet to come! Please pray for us as a school and as a staff as we navigate these difficult times. It seems that over the years we have had to work through some significant health issues within our full-time staff - in a sense this is not new, but each one comes with its own set of challenges and discouragements. We pray for Howard's return to San Carlos and for his recovery! Thanks, as always, for your continued prayers! I am grateful for each one of you. ¡Dios les bendiga and feliz navidad!
