Raymer September 2007 Prayer Letter September 2007
Dear Praying Friends,
Our theme for the past few months has been “God’s Plan and Timing is ALWAYS Best.” This summer has been full of many activities which have kept us busy and trusting in God.
The end of May brought the 2nd Annual Pastor’s Conference at the Christian University of the Americas in Monterrey, Mexico. Russell was asked to teach a workshop on Church Finances. The reception to this workshop was very exciting as pastors are seeing the importance of making sure that God’s finances in the local church are handled properly. Russell also was responsible for the technical aspects of sound and recording at the conference. The conference was a great time of fellowship and learning for many pastors from around Mexico.
After the conference in Monterrey, we made a quick trip to Kansas City where we were able to attend the high school graduation of one of Russell’s nieces. It was nice to see family and friends as many had not seen Carena for some time.
Our June was a very unique one for us, as we were not scheduled to take any groups into Mexico during the month. This allowed us to help organize and run the Vacation Bible School at our church in Mission, TX. About six months ago we began attending and serving at the Iglesia Bautista del Valle in Mission, TX. The church wanted to have a VBS but had not had one before. This church has recently changed from a mission of a local English speaking church to its own church. We saw God bring nearly 50 children in for the Bible schools. This was very exciting since the church only runs about 15 children on Sundays. We saw many children come to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ during the week. Debbie taught the older children, while Russell coordinated all the activities and events surrounding the classes. It has been fulfilling to see the excitement that the adults in the church have had to continue ministering to those children. This month we plan on expanding our AWANA program to reach out to the community children.
The first day of July took us with our first group of the summer to Guadalupe, Mexico where we ministered at the Christian University of the Americas. Our trip began on a different note. On Sunday morning as we were obtaining our permissions to enter Mexico, Russell received an urgent phone call that the youth pastor’s father had just had a massive heart attack. We quickly made arrangements for him to cross back over the border to return home to his family. We didn’t know why we had been delayed at immigration until receiving that call – God’s timing is always best. With the group’s other sponsors we continued to Monterrey where we worked on a variety of projects at the university. We worked on painting a guest house that would house a new teacher and his family for the upcoming year. We also helped the Christian day school associated with the University on a project of getting ready to put a roof on a new building for their kindergarten. On late Thursday morning a load of over a thousand clay blocks for the roof arrived. The contractor was very upset because he had told the company to deliver them on Friday morning. They had to be unloaded and stacked on the roof. Once again we saw the hand of God in this because with our many hands available this was able to be done quickly and efficiently – what the contractor didn’t realize was that our group was leaving Friday morning, so God had them delivered early.
Our next trip took us back to the city of Guadalupe to work with a different church. This week we were working at two different Vacation Bible Schools each day. In the mornings we worked at the main church and in the evenings we were at a mission church about 30 minutes away. It was exciting to see the children arrive and arrive. We ran nearly 200 children in the morning VBS. We helped organize the young people to help out in the different classes and prepare the craft project each day. Russell ran the puppet stage and with the help of his puppets asked the children lots of questions. Now imagine a room 10’x12’ and imagine 100 children crowded into that space. That was our evening VBS. We were pleasantly surprised at the number of children that the Lord allowed us to work with at the mission. The Lord blessed and the two churches who traveled with us brought a lot of prizes and crafts that were a great blessing to the churches.
The end of July found us traveling back to the other edge of the city of Guadalupe to work with a church for the first time. In 1993, Russell’s first year here in Mexico, we had visited this church when it was a mission. It was new and renting a small house. Now the Lord has blessed and the mission is now a church with its own building, and it rents a house down the road for additional Sunday school space! The plan for this week was different than normal. During the morning and early afternoon we worked on painting the outside of the auditorium and worked on some remodeling inside for a new office. Then in the early evening we had a special youth outreach. We went to a park about a half block from the church and held a soccer tournament on two days. We then had a challenge from God’s Word and saw many young people make a decision for Christ.
Our final trip of the summer was to Tampico. The plan for this week was to hold a special children’s camp program for 3 days. Russell and the pastor of the church have desired to do this program for a couple of years. A few days before the trip was to depart for Mexico, we received a call that the group we had scheduled to travel with us would not be able to come. Russell called and talked to the pastor in Mexico and they both felt that God was leading to go ahead with the planned children’s program. We went ahead as a family and traveled down to Tampico for the activity. Russell organized the entire program and ran the opening, games and closing, while Debbie taught the 11-14 year old class. We saw God work in mighty ways and saw 89 children the first day, 95 the second and 96 on the final day! This was more children than the church had ever had for a children’s class! Debbie had the privilege of leading three boys to the Lord out of her class, and there were several other children saved in other classes.
On our way home from Tampico we stopped by Monterrey so that Russell could meet with Matt Bixby and AJ Gibson from the Christian university. Russell, Matt and AJ are working on a new program of continued education training for pastors. We are excited about how God is working and opening doors for this new part of our ministry. We would appreciate your prayers as we continue finalizing the plans for this program.
Carena continues to grow and expand her world. She loves to sing and talk. She made friends with all those who traveled with us, and usually learned the names of all the girls in our van long before mommy and daddy did. She does not like to see anyone leave. She has a hard time saying good-bye. She enjoyed teaching the girls songs in Spanish, while they taught her new songs in English each week. Carena enjoyed being in the children’s classes this summer and learned many new Bible verses. Very soon she will be able to be another translator on the trips as she is picking up both languages very quickly and knows the difference between the two.
We would appreciate your prayers as Russell continues to finish the conversion of the videos to DVDs. The project has taken much more time than we had originally anticipated, but the end is in sight as the fourth year of the videos is nearing completion. Lord willing, this month this step will be completed. Also, October 4-6 Russell will be organizing an Intensive Bible Course in Saltillo, Mexico. This is a new program that we are working on. Please pray for Matt Bixby and AJ Gibson as they teach at this course.
We have had several different churches in Mexico ask us to help them find some toys for their toddler nurseries. We would appreciate your prayers for this that God will provide. If anyone would have some toddler toys in good condition that they would consider donating to these churches, we would appreciate it. They can be sent to us at OREMUNDO.
Thank you for your continued support and prayers. We praise the Lord that over the past year several of our churches have increased our support level. Please pray for us as we will be traveling in Mexico most of the month of October.
Thank you,
Russell, Debbie and Carena Raymer
The end of May brought the 2nd Annual Pastor’s Conference at the 
The first day of July took us with our first group of the summer to 
The end of July found us traveling back to the other edge of the city of 
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