Debbie and Keith are newly endorsed missionaries to serve in Central, Mexico.  They will partner with the Council of Rural Indigenous Evangelicals of Mexico, AR (CICEM) to provide pastoral accompaniment to the indigenous churches.  This training consists of training pastors, church leaders, youth leaders and teachers for the children.  They will travel to six different areas outside of Puebla to serve and empower the people.

Debbie writes: Several years ago, we took a class called “Experiencing God” by Henry Blackeby.  It was then that I realized that God wants a personal relationship with me, a girl from Jane Lew, WV.  God is at work in this world and He invites us to join Him.  That is super exciting to me!  When Boyden, our son was about 3 years old he asked “When are we moving to Africa?”  I said “wait a minute God, I’m not moving to Africa”.  About a couple years later we moved from a nice ranch style house on seven acres in the country to a house that had many issues in a small town. There were vines growing up the back of the house and in through the windows that were cracked.  Our neighbors were very close to us and a little noisy.  I did not want to live in this town.  Looking back this was the best thing that could have happened to us. 

Just as we have fixed up the house, God molded and grew us spiritually.  That first Christmas in our new, old house, one of my friends drew me a wonderful picture.  She had drawn a lion, giraffe, elephant and other African animals around the perimeter.   In the middle of the picture she wrote “Welcome to Africa”.  She told me that my Africa was Worthington, WV.  Your Africa is where God has placed you whether it is in your neighborhood, office, school or in your home.  God has called us all to go and to love people.  We will take the picture that says “Welcome to Africa” to Puebla, Mexico.  We have a love for people that we have never met.  The whole family can’t wait to be able to go, but we are trying to be patient raising the necessary support to be on the field.  I leave you with one question, “Where is your Africa?”

• Pray for Debbie and Keith and their children Boyden and Baillie as they travel visiting churches and building relationships with believers seeking to raise the support they need to begin their ministry as American Baptist missionaries to Mexico.