Two Opportunities for YOU! PLEASE PRAY!

Dear friends,
It's such a blessing for us to know that the body of Christ surrounds us as we serve here in Mexico. We are honored to be able to share our lives with you! We have a couple of important prayer requests to share, knowing that you will join with us in bringing these things before God.

1. After just a few days short of one year in Mexico, we are excited to be heading out for 3 weeks of vacation with our families! It's been a great, formative, tough, & exciting year here, and we're excited about all that God is doing here. And- we are also ready for some time with our families! We have had this time planned for several months now, and will be spending time in Colorado with both Steve's and Heather's family. Reservations are made, plane tickets are bought, and we are supposed to be driving from here up to Denver, Colorado starting this coming Wednesday morning. So here's the prayer request. We have been waiting for MONTHS for our working visas, and they still have not come. We are not to leave the country until we have them. Since they still hadn't come this week, Steve went and paid about $90 to ask for special permission to leave the country for the specified dates. Tomorrow (Monday), he'll go back to immigration to find out their answer. PLEASE PRAY THAT THEY WOULD GRANT US THE PERMISSION TO LEAVE! We'll keep you posted.

2. Please pray for Isabel and Debora since they will be here without us after only being here for 4 weeks. They'll be learning to get around on buses since neither of them drive and just generally getting to know the city without their "navigators (that's us!)." By the way- they are doing well. Of course, it's an adjustment to leave your country and your family, etc., so they've had their tearful moments, but we all know that God has them here for His great purposes. Keep praying for close friendships for both of them as that is critical to adapting to a new land.

3. For months now, I, Heather, have had the idea of beginning gymnastics (and maybe aerobics) classes in the community where we're working. It's been an idea that hasn't let me go, so we're moving forward to see what God has planned. In order to begin the classes, I need some basic portable gymnastics equipment. Do you have any contact with any gymnastics gyms or coaches? If so, would you be willing to see if anyone would like to donate some equipment to help this ministry get started? I've done some research, and I would need about $2,500 to just outright BUY new equipment, and that's a possibility too. But- God owns everything, and if He's calling me to work with children and moms in this way, He'll provide either the equipment or the money. We'd love for you to pray about this opportunity for ministry! Let us know if you are willing to help us get started in some way. If you'd like specific details about what equipment I feel I'd need to start, let me know that too. Zip us an email at: thewillies@intercable.net.

PRAISE THE LORD! Since our team is now formed (6 of us- 2 gringos, 2 Costa Ricans, and 3 Mexicans), we've prayerfully made the decision to focus the CHE ministry in Nueva Almaguer. (We'll write more about the community soon.) From mid-July to mid-August, we will be doing 4 weeks of various clubs- including english, gymnastics (Lord-willing!), crafts & sharing Jesus- all with the purpose of spending some focused time getting to know the people in the community and giving of ourselves to build trust with them. We'll have two teens girls from the Atlanta area here during that time, so they'll be a huge help too! Please pray that all the details would come together. We are so excited to be at this point!

We love you all and are so grateful for your friendship, prayers, and support.
In His grip,
Heather for all of us