The Ruiz Family
Serving the Lord in Tixtla de Guerrero, Mexico
May June 2025 Update
Dear Praying Friends,
Happy 4th of July from Mexico! Our bicultural family has the joy of celebrating all U.S. and Mexican holidays, plus our 10 birthdays a year (6 of which occurred in these last two months). So, if your life is getting boring, come join us for another good reason to enjoy a good meal, make a delicious dessert, and fellowship with our thankful family. God’s grace and mercy are enjoyed by our family every day!
We are especially thankful right now because God sent His beautiful rain early this year, cooling off our days drastically and turning all the fields and mountains a luxurious green. The early rain has caused some problems in our new church building. The rain flooded the kids’ classrooms completely so we had to meet that urgent need and buy those 4 windows almost immediately. We also had to put a roof up over a stair opening to the roof, right near the piano. We are still without the main door to the entrance way, but nothing important gets wet there, so that need can wait a little bit longer. I was actually thankful that that door was not there last Sunday afternoon when we arrived at church during a huge downpour. My husband literally drove the car right into the church (we still have a rough cement floor) and let us all get out. He backed up and each of the following bus routes (vans) did the same.
(view of one of our downpours during a service)
In May Efrain had the privilege of ordaining one of our young men to the ministry: Franciso. He started a new work in a town about a half an hour away from here about 6 months ago after graduating from Bible college and marrying (last year). It’s been a great joy to have them serve with us on Sunday mornings and then see them beginning a new work Sunday evening and the rest of the week.
In the last two months we had the privilege of accompanying four Bible Institute graduates from our church, one young lady attended an institute in San Luis Potosi, Mexico and the other 3 men attended our own institute here in Tixtla. Our prayer is that these young people will fervently continue to serve the Lord. One of them, Jesus, has already started visiting the town of Chilapa about 45 minutes away from Tixtla every week with the desire to plant a church there. Another young man Jair is helping us with church maintenance and the bus ministries.
Within the last week, Efra and I attended two different funerals, one of a young 31-year-old lady who attended our church years ago as a high-school student, the other of an elderly gentleman. It’s always sobering to think that my life could soon pass. I took the personal challenge to give all of the kids in my Jr. Church class a clear gospel tract and asked them to personally read it to some unsaved friend or family member that week. They surprised me with 7 saved as a result! Praise the Lord for the opportunity we still have to witness to others! Tomorrow Efra is “practicing witnessing” with a new brother in church, and we (the rest of the family) are planning on taking the kids in our bus route witnessing right in our neighborhood.
We already have kids asking about our yearly VBS, which Lord willing, will be held the last week of July. The Lord has graciously allowed us to use the same school near our home again this year, since our new property still needs a lot of work to prepare it for such a large event—usually over 300 kids! We don’t have enough dry areas on our new property for games, teaching, meals, etc. Please be in prayer with us that many kids would be saved and that the Lord’s name would be lifted up in each one of us who will serve in so many different ways.
Lord willing, we will be heading to the states August 7 to visit my family and the churches that support us. During this time, we would like to celebrate our daughter Grace’s graduation from homeschool at Calvary Baptist in Marina. Any that would like to attend are welcome.
Sadly we’ll be leaving Grace in the states for college and heading back to Mexico the first week of September. Please pray for our church while we are gone and our time in the states. May the Lord use us to bless and encourage many others to follow Him wholeheartedly! (I can’t wait to hug many of you in person!)
Samuel has been helping out in my home church this summer, and we are looking forward to seeing him too.
Hannah has been on tour for the college this summer and returns home in 10 days (who’s counting?) to serve a brief 3 weeks with us before flying back with the family. We are eagerly awaiting her arrival. It’s so sad to have my kids grow up and leave home, but my heart rejoices seeing them serve in other parts of the world.
Thank you for your continual prayers and support. God is using you here in Tixtla, Guerrero.
Love in Christ,
Laura and Efra Ruiz (plus Samuel, Hannah, Grace, Lydia, Laura, Mark, Ruth, and Benji)
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