~ Serving in Loreto, Zacatecas ~
BALL BEARINGS
Mike and Faith Ball
As we write this report, we are In Deaver, Wyoming and plan to head to Mexico about the middle of October.
Brother Gerhardt from British Columbia sent down thousands of gospels of John and Romans; so we handed them out to every house in the little town of Valle de Delicias, and through that we met another lady (Mary) with whom we have had Bible studies. We also had some outreach in another town called Asientos, which came about through one of the young ladies, Amarantha, who left the drug rehab center and returned home there. She showed a lot of interest while in the center; so we were determined to follow up with her. It took three trips to find her, and we started having Bible studies with her until we left. Cesar and some of the other young people, including Feilynn, have continued these studies. Ethan also accompanied us.
The studies in the rehab center are continuing. Manolo or Neto and his son Hector have continued them with various young people accompanying them. Since we left Mexico in April, another study has started with a lady (Cyntia) who was helping at the rehab center. Feilynn is involved with the studies with her.
We’ve had a lot of influence in the life of another young man, Riki. We hired him to paint our house since he didn’t have work at the time. We have spent time in his home with him and his mom and had opportunities to minister to her. She has had studies with Manolo. Through her (Lupe) and Riki, we have met two other people we have had Bible studies with—one a lady (Maricela) who was going through hard times. Through Riki we met a friend of his, and I was able to have several Bible studies with him (Juan) and his wife. It amazes us that the brothers continue to be faithful in witnessing to others, and through their witness we have opportunities for follow up and input into their lives. Lupe was baptized shortly before we left. One of the young men in the church, who has been there since he was a kid, got married the first of this year; and a couple months before they got married, they asked us to have studies with her, a new believer. We were able to have discipleship studies and marriage studies with them, and she (also named Lupita) was another who was baptized. Ethan was baptized as well and a few others.
We are just thankful to the Lord for the opportunities He opens up while we are down there. We started the work in Tepetate about seven years ago; and through Pedro from there, we are now ministering in the small town of Valle de Delicias. We started the work in Tepetate because of a farmer who came to Manolo for seed through a government project that he was supervising. Pedro is a brother who wants to serve the Lord and has been involved in the work in Valle de Delicias. That ministry has continued even while we’re in the States.
We returned to Wyoming the end of April and once again are working for Wyoming Game and Fish. In August our home fellowship dissolved because it had dwindled down to only six of us, and we thought it was healthier to seek fellowship with other brothers. We have been going to the Baptist church in Powell, and the first Sunday there we met a family who really desired to be discipled. Therefore, we have been having studies with them once a week. Seth and Ashlee have three kids at home and have been convicted to be debt free; so they have their property and house for sale. He wants to be free to serve the Lord wherever He wants them to go. He witnessed to a friend of his, Kyle, who made a decision for Christ; so Mike is starting Bible studies with him.
Mike has also preached at a Baptist church in Worland where Jeff Anderson’s parents attend (Jeff was a missionary to Peru with Shield of Faith for a short time). This church is without a pastor right now; and Jeff’s father, Mahlon, has asked him to fill in on a few Sundays.
Our situation in Deaver is changing this year. Our daughter Chantel, who has stayed here in the winters for the last nine years, has just moved out to attend college in Laramie, and our other daughter Viana wants to come to Mexico with us. Thus we have no one to stay in our house over the winter. We ask for prayer for this need.
One more grandchild was born since the last newsletter, Astrid Milan Rosales Ball, to Angelina and Michael. Now we have a grandbaby in Mexico, and our total is nine!
Thank you for your faithfulness in prayer and support.
May the Lord bless you,
Mike and Faith and (dwindling) family