Mission Meeting 2007

I spent this past week in Leon, Mexico for our annual meeting of all the IMB missionaries serving in Mexico. It was a great week of being able to fellowship and worship together. There were about 200 of us there, including our regional leaders who came. Also, Jerry Rankin, president of the International Mission Board, came to be our guest speaker. Being able to worship and hear the Word taught in English each morning was amazing. One morning, as we sang the chorus "Jesus, Lamb of God, worthy is Your name" I could not help but rejoice as I looked around me at so many people who have seen Christ as infinitely more valuable than any worldly thing and have left all to share Jesus with those who don't know Him. As Dr. Rankin took us through Hebrews 11, we were each reminded of the call that God has placed on our lives and the cost of that call. Whatever that cost may be--leaving family, leaving home, sickness, trials--Christ is worthy. In all actuality, what we look at as "sacrifice" are the very things Jesus has asked us to lay down before Him when we decide to follow Him wholeheartedly as His disciple. And in surrending everything we discover a more abundant life and that He alone can satisfy like nothing else can.

Dr. Rankin actually requested this photo with four of us journeymen girls. We hope the 8 x 10 picture he got is going to be framed in his office at the IMB!


The eight of us journeymen eating some good Italian food at Italiannis, with Josh and Nolan making some of their famous faces as usual. Amy works with university students in Puebla. Josh works with university students in Monterrey. Kim teaches MKs (Missionary Kids) here in Guadalajara. Nolan works with university students in Queretaro. Rebecca works at the Baptist Spanish Publishing House in El Paso, Texas. Casey teaches MKs in Mexico City and Heather teaches MKs in Puebla.

Of course the week was filled with exciting meetings.....

These telephone booths were all over the city so we had to get our picture in one...

Our nightly game of cards...Cameron (a volunteer who came to help), Amy, Rebecca, Lori, Nolan, Kim, me, and Garry. Lori and Garry live in Queretaro. I met them while I was studying Spanish in Queretaro so it is always fun when I get to spend time with them again.

My supervisors, Don and Edith Kennedy, with Phil and Peg Templin, our regional leaders

Kim and I at the gala.....

Amy, Rebecca, Casey, me, and Kim

Kim and I hanging out with the mariachis.....

Amy, Kim, Heather, and I with Jerry. We had fun getting to know him a little better this week. He even knows all our names now without looking at our nametags...impressive with so many missionaries!
Kim and I couldn't resist taking pictures with these random statues in the hotel lobby....

Kim, Rebecca, and I

Me with Joyce, one of my favorite MKs. Her family is serving in Mexico City.

Some of the younger MKs performing a song they learned during the week...


Some of us women from Guadalajara performed a traditional folk dance during the talent show...

Me, Kim, and Becky after our dance...

The single missionaries here in Mexico with a volunteer group that came to help out during the week.....
Kim and I ate the Ladies' Tea

Amy and Tina at the Ladies' Tea. Tina and her family live in Mexico City.