The Ruiz Family
Serving the Lord in Tixtla de Guerrero, Mexico
July August 2024 Update
Dear Praying Friends,
Wow! So much has happened in the last two months. I feel like I need a vacation after our summer break. But no, we’ve already started home-schooling again.
Mid-July my dad flew back to California and Hannah flew home after being on a 10 week singing tour for college. She jumped right in full speed with VBS starting the following week. The Lord blessed us with around 350 kids! All of our brethren rejoiced to see God answer our MANY prayers for provision (food, gas, and prizes), protection (transporting all of those kids in our own vehicles), physical strength (many of our church members got dengue this summer), and spiritual victories (many children were saved and our own faith was strengthened).
The week after VBS, my sister Kim’s husband Paul and daughter Abigail and an older gentleman from their church Brother Ron came for a week-long visit from Oregon. Since their desire was to see the mission work our church does first-hand, we packed their week full visiting the mountain villages and the Acapulco mission, besides being a part of our normal services and even working a day out at the new church property filling wood molds with cement with the brothers in our church. My brother-in-law took many videos which I am sure you would greatly enjoy. They are posted on his church’s Facebook page if you are interested.
Pastor Paul’s last day here, Sunday, August 4 our church celebrated my husband’s birthday. Our son Samuel flew into Mexico City very early that Sunday AM and rented a car, surprising his dad, and making his birthday a very happy day.
Samuel and I accompanied that small group back to the airport the next day in the rented car, and then took the 4-hour bus ride back home to Tixtla that same evening. We were planning on having an enjoyable lazy day on Tuesday together as a family, but early Tuesday morning we were informed that Efrain’s sister’s 4-month old baby had passed away early that morning. So we packed up our family and took the 6-hour trip to the mountains for the burial. My kids were able to bring such peace and joy to the funeral with their singing. The little baby had health problems since his birth and had spent 3 months in the hospital so his funeral was sad, yet sweet.
We enjoyed 3 short weeks with our whole family together, plus one. My 9-year-old niece Ava has been with us since my dad’s visit and will be living with us. It’s been challenging adding another member to our already large family, but God is good in giving us His love for her and making her one of the family. Just last Saturday night, God gave me the opportunity to lead her to Christ. Praise the Lord!
During these last two months, we have been able to continue with the second stage of our building project thanks to some generous gifts from God’s people. The progress has been very slow due to the huge rain storms that come in early every afternoon around 2 PM. The road to the church property became impassable due to the mud. Last week we had various trucks dump out gravel on the road to help get to the construction site. Our goal is to get the walls and roof up where the first section of the future auditorium will be and use that area to meet in meanwhile.
The last Sunday in August we had two young ladies graduate from our Bible Institute. Our dear pastor friend, Ivan Sotelo (the pastor who lost his son in a house fire in April in Iguala) preached for us. What a blessing to see this family again and observe God’s grace in their lives! I had a beautiful time visiting with his wife the next day. Thank you for praying for them. Just today, my husband took one of our Institute guys to Iguala to help out this church for the next 6 months. I know it will be a great blessing to their church as well as a learning experience for this young man.
Samuel and Hannah are now back to college, and I am presently attempting to homeschool 7 grades this year (K5, 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 10th, and 12th). Please pray for me. It is more challenging than I’d like to admit, but I know that God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness. Pray that I will have wisdom knowing what is really necessary to teach, and what can just wait.
I am so appreciative of your prayers and financial support. May God be glorified in our lives every day. Thank you for taking a part in His work here in Tixtla and her surrounding towns.
I feel like there is so much more to say, but I must stop. We love you all!
In Christ,
Laura and Efra plus Samuel, Hannah, Grace, Lydia, Laura, Mark, Ava, Ruth, and Benji
The following are just a few videos Pastor Paul made while he was here. If you want to see others just scroll down on Mill City Christian Church on Facebook.
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