No Más Violencia (No More Violence) Ministry

Andrea Palmitano, Redención´s Pastor and Norberto Palmitano

I had the opportunity to visit some of the work that Norberto and Andrea Palmitano (missionaries from Argentina) are doing in El Salvador thru the ministry of "No Más Violencia".  The Palmitanos allowed me to tag along as they continue to encourage and train a very inspiring group of workers from Rendención, a church in Mejicanos, an area of great conflict in the capital city of El Salvador. The Palmitanos train churches to go into public schools to teach the children how to say no to violence and to become "agentes de cambio" (agents of change) using character values and biblical principles.

This group of enthusiastic young people live in the communities where they serve.  The Palmitanos shared that this is the ideal situation for their ministry, but is also the most challenging because their conduct on the street and their neighborhoods should reflect what they are teaching the young children in the schools.

Please pray for (left to right):

Jose Francisco, Jenny, Joel, Margarita, Brenda, Julia, Marlon, Ricardo, Johanna,

Diana and Jose Antonio

The training of this church is sponsored by a LifeGroup (sunday school class) of Humble Area's First Baptist Church.  If you want more information about sponsoring another great group like Redencion, write Dave Eaves, dleaves@earthlink.net.  He is the contact person (and tired less advocate!) for the group that sponsors this ministry.



New Prayer Card

My Girls!

This weekend, Alyssia and Rissa are moving into their respective universities.  Alyssia will start her senior year at Dallas Baptist University and Rissa will be a freshman at Southeastern University (Lakeland, Florida). 

Alyssia took her MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) yesterday.  The results will come in about a month.  Thank you to all of you who have been praying for her.  She will also start a new job in the Security Department at DBU.  Alyssia has started to raise funds for a nine-month medical volunteer tour she has planned for next year (a gap year between college and medical school).  This trip will take her to Cambodia, India and Ghana. We will soon set up a Facebook page to keep you updated and to let you know how you can help her in this missionary journey.

It was discovered that Rissa has a cyst in her left ovary (the size of a golf ball!).  Please pray that the medications she is taking will take care of dissolving the cyst, if not, she will have to have surgery in a couple of months.  Rissa has spent the summer in Clermont, Florida (thank you Clermont Baptist Church!) working as a server at Flipper's Pizzeria, but she is thrilled to start a new adventure in college.  Please continue to pray for her!

I love my girls!!

Alan's First Day of School

Alan will be attending The International School of San Salvador.  Please continue to pray for him as he adjusts to a new home, new country, new school, new friends, etc.  I am so proud of him.  He has been a great help to me in this transition and his attitude has always been positive.  Please also pray for his protection in these new sorroundings.

It has been a whirlwind... and it's not over yet!

It has been a long  time since my last blog... It has been a whirlwind!!  I am tired but excited about all the new changes in our life.  I still have a lot to do, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel! 

Here is a quick list of our busy past couple of months...

June/July:

• Alan and I arrived in Mexico City and started packing almost right away
• Alan emptied a lot of flower pots so we could sell them
• I washed, dusted, scrubbed and clean for what it seemed forever!
• We had three garage sales
• We visited several churches to say our good-byes (that was hard!)
• I had the opportunity to spend two days with the church I planted in Toluca... What a wonderful time!
• Alan and I spent a couple of days with dear friend and Mexican missionary Lili Bahena in her home town of Taxco.
• We met all the Mexican government requirements to be able to get our things out of the country
• We attended a mandatory week long missionary meeting in Queretaro

August:

• We left for Tegucigalpa, Honduras, but had to stay a day in Panama because we missed our flight (not our fault!)
• I will live in such a secure neighborhood in Tegucigalpa, that Alan and I were not allowed to enter until someone proved that we were the new tenants.  By that time I was more frustraded than happy for their security.
• Two days after arriving in Honduras, Alan and I left by bus for El Salvador to get him settled in my parents' house
• The same day we arrived in San Salvador, Alan and I visited his new school, bought his uniforms and books and attended a parent meeting for new students
• Alan started school on August 16
• I left for Tapachula, Chiapas (Mexico) by bus to pick up some things I had sent there from Mexico City.  The trip there and back is a day long ride!  I just returned yesterday and now I have a little time to write this update
• My main purpose of being in El Salvador right now is to get Alan settled in his new home-away-from-home with his grandparents (I continue to remind him that his home is still with his mother!), but since this country is also part of my area of ministry, I have taken the time to visit with some pastors and churches also.

Please continue to pray as I continue to make all the arrangements to get settled in my new home and to adjust to all the new changes in my life.

With members of House church in Naucalpan

Sharing with the church in Toluca

With pastors and leaders in NW Mexico City

In Taxco

With a grouo of women in Tapachula, Mexico

I love you all... I need your prayers!!