Dave and Blanca Gifford
May 2015
“Tweets” from Mexico City
Once again we bring you oodles of news about us in short,
readable bursts!
dgifford@crcna.org
http://www.giffmex.org
Thank you! Last week while we were in Tijuana we got our
donor report for the vehicle project. Thanks to your
generosity, we now have even more than we asked for, for
purchasing a vehicle to replace our feisty “Town and
Crunchy” (which, to give you an idea, was back in the shop
again all last week). We can now begin to look for an
adequate replacement vehicle. Thank you all so much!
Ministry objectives:
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Teach at the Reformed
Theological Seminary of Mexico
Serve the Jesús el Salvador
Church through mentoring and
an evangelistic children’s club
Develop free Spanish resources
on the web at giffmex.org
Serve as Mexico team leader for
Christian Reformed World
Missions
Thank you again! Blanca’s kids club project is also fully
funded, and our regular support donations are at 64%
through March. Our goal is to reach 83% by the end of June.
Thank you!
Visitors: We have had a parade of visitors since our last
prayer letter: Pastor Matt Palsrok and elder Ed Steenbergen
from Cottonwood CRC, my boss Luis Pellecer and his wife
Ana, my mother, and Blanca’s mother and nieces. Praise the
Lord for these wonderful ways of encouraging us!
Travels: We were in Tijuana from April 16-26. We had our annual Mexico field retreat and field
council, took a couple days to see San Diego, and then welcomed CRWM board members to
Tijuana for the day on the 25th. We were especially pleased that retired missionaries were able to
attend the retreat: Abe and Doris Marcus, Derk and Nancy Oostendorp, Winn Gritter, and John
and Shirley Wind were there, along with all our field missionaries not on home service. We also
got to invite and meet partner missionaries Chris and Deb Miller, serving with Wycliffe in
Oaxaca. The missionaries organized a beautiful quinceañera (15th birthday celebration) for
Alexandra and for her fellow MK, Grace Meyer. Dave led the field council meeting, which went
well. And the board members really enjoyed seeing three ministries in Tijuana and praying for
three pastors and their wives. See photos, below.
Upcoming travels: Please pray for me, Dave, as I travel in May and June to do evaluations of
our missionaries in different parts of Mexico.
Health update: Thanks to all who are praying for Alexandra. She is coping on a day to day basis
with her dysautonomy, is doing well over all, and is doing homeschooling instead of attending
her former school. Blanca now has her date for her preventative breast cancer surgery: July 17.
She will have that done in Grand Rapids and will stay with Dave’s parents while recovering.
Please remember Blanca and Alexandra in your prayers.
Wedding: In April Dave officiated the wedding of Pastor Jorge Antonio, who used to serve at
JES church until last summer, and whom Dave used to mentor. Jorge and his new bride Norely
are living and serving in Querétaro. See photo below.
Hospital visit: Dave was grateful to the Lord to be able to visit Dr. Gerald Nyenhuis in the
hospital before we left for Tijuana. Gerald served with WM in Mexico, and went independent
and continues to live and serve here. Gerald has a brain tumor, and unfortunately the operation
they attempted on him was not able to be performed. Please remember Gerald and his family in
your prayers.
Kids club: Blanca’s kids club continues
blessing the unchurched children near our
church. We are grateful especially to seminarian
Hernan and other volunteers who help keep it
going.
Seminary and mentoring: Dave is teaching
three courses this semester: NT exegesis, ActsPhilemon, and Applied Philosophy (logic and
apologetics). He is studying Social Intelligence
in mentoring sessions with Magaly, and leading
a TLT module on preaching with four members
of the JES church. Praise the Lord that these are
all going well.
Dave officiates Jorge and Norely’s wedding
New missionary: Today we were pleased to hear that Pablo and Sheryl Canché have accepted
the offer by World Missions to become long-term missionaries in Mexico City. Pablo will
develop a transformational network, a coalition of churches and institutions working together for
a larger impact in this city. The Canchés will likely start support-raising this summer, and when
they have their 90% support raised they will come, most likely early 2016. Please pray for them
as they raise support and prepare for ministry here.
Blessings to you all in Christ Jesus,
Dave, Blanca, Daniel and Alexandra
The 2015 Mexico Spring retreat
Tijuana 2015
Photos!
Dave with CRWM board members traveling through
Tijuana
Mom and Dad, proud of our quinceañera Alexandra