Xalapa, Veracruz

Remember my post back in May of last year about Soledad form Xalapa, Veracruz?

Soledad is the lady in the middle. Her mom, the lady on the right, sadly, has since passed away.

I have an update on all that!

Back around June of 2016 we started going to Xalapa every week to have services. It has been a really wonderful experience. Our church has really gotten involved and there is always a group from Puebla ready to go to help out and create an atmosphere of prayer and worship where the Holy Ghost can move! It is a sacrifice!! We leave in the morning and at times do not get back until very late at night. Valentin told me the other day, "You know, one day someone told us about Truth! It's now up to us to pass it along." I am thankful for that attitude among our people.

Our pastor is out of town right now due to the obligatory renewing of papers and Nicole's upcoming wedding. In his absence, I took a group up a couple Saturdays ago for the service, but this past one, I was unable to go. I was so very encouraged when Valentin informed me that even though I couldn't make it, there was another family in the church that has a car and wanted to take a group. I said something like - wow! Yeah! Go for it! Sara ended up taking my little piano and played for the service! Just typing that makes me get teary - I am so so so HAPPY to see some people take the initiative and also that my little piano student is using her talents for the Lord! This is HUGE for me! Valentin taught - that's a burden off my dad's shoulders. Sara took a burden off me of doing the music. And the church marched right on!

Here are some random pictures from the past months of going to Xalapa...

We started out in Soledad's house. We would all sit around on her couches and have service. Very often we would have the sweetest moves of God, with barely ten people there. We'd have better services in Soledad's living room than at our home church on Sundays. The amount of people and the room you're in makes no difference. It all depends on the hunger in the hearts of the people.

Usually my dad teaches, but Mario and Abner have gone a few times and taught. Valentin is always there and also has given some of the lessons.

The entrance to Soledad's house

A few months back, Soledad had surgery on her knee. She was bedridden for over a month so services were done around her bed.

Xalapa is a little warmer than Puebla and...unfortunately...it's kind of humid! 

However, everything is beautiful and green...looking out from Soledad's mom's backyard is like looking over a jungle!

Back in September, Soledad testified in service that the Lord had spoken to her and told her to open up one of her rental houses for us to have service in. The tenant's lease was up in October and we moved in that very month.

The painted white part is the "house" (more like a room) that we are now having services in.

Back through that doorway is a bathroom and "kitchen"...meaning there's a hookup for a stove and such. It's just an empty cement room at this point though.

The inside

We bring over all the chairs from Soledad's house, but if more people come than we have available chairs...we just sit on the floor.

Pray for Soledad!!! She is having such a hard time walking, but has such a desire to get out and witness! Her bad knees are really holding her back. 

About Soledad - while we go to Xalapa every week, she continues to come to church in Puebla faithfully every Sunday. That's a 3-hour commute each way! She is one dedicated lady. We love her to pieces!

This is what a typical service in Xalapa looks like...

A couple months ago these two girls (sisters) walked in right at altar call. They were given a flier a couple hours before when we'd gone out witnessing. They both reeeally started praying and we had an AMAZING move of God. We found out after talking to them afterwards that they know something of Pentecost, but said it is hard to find a church that preaches "sound doctrine" and holiness. Just so happens that they are Soledad's neighbors that live just down the street! We are excited for the future of these two girls.

I'm bummed that it's taken me so long to tell you all about this new venture and the good things God has been doing in Xalapa, Veracruz. So many good things have been happening, so many victorious services have been had. But as time passes, I forget about each little thing. That's just a bummer! I will try to update again soon. In the meantime, please keep this new work in your prayers! We want to see GREAT THINGS happen in the future!

~Bethany~