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Hello, friends, family and supporters.
Wow! Summer has gone by so fast. We sure hope you have enjoyed it… trips to parks, family outings, picnics, enjoying the nice weather, ice cream 🍦. We had a good summer and enjoyed some time off from our “regular” work for a couple of weeks this summer.
Trip to Michigan
We spent about two weeks in Michigan at the end of June and beginning of July. It was wonderful to be able to get away and see our family, spend some time together and simply “relax”. We were also able to visit Fellowship Church in Grandville and meet several of the people who have been faithful supporters of our ministry throughout the years.
Our time in Michigan was pretty much planned before leaving Mexico, so we didn’t really have much down time, but we enjoyed spending some time in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and also a few days in Indiana. On the 4th of July, we saw the parade and the fireworks in Grandville. It was the first time our daughter, Anna, had ever been to a 4th of July celebration. We also ate hamburgers together that day. Our son, David Jeremiah, was able to join us for the long 4th of July weekend, so that made it special, too.
We also enjoyed getting together with aunts, uncles and cousins for a family gathering. It was so neat to reconnect with some of them after so many years of being away. Anna met cousins she didn’t even know existed, and now communicates with some of them on social media.
Online Bible School
Our final exams actually took place while we were in Michigan, so we had to keep up with our students and course facilitators while there. Most of the 150+ students who were enrolled were able to successfully complete their courses.
After returning to Mexico at the beginning of July, we had a few weeks to work on other projects before opening up the course registration for our fall semester, which began on August 21.
Right now we have over 160 students enrolled who are taking Bible classes online with us. We are currently teaching courses on Old Testament Survey, New Testament Survey, Systematic Theology, The Life of Christ and The Acts of the Apostles. We plan to soon offer several other courses, as well. So far we have been adding one new course per semester, with the goal of forming a complete online Bible School program.
You may be wondering who are students are and where they live and work. We have students from many areas, although presently most live in Mexico. We have a few students in the U.S., and have had others from Argentina. Many of them are lead pastors in some of the main cities of Mexico, others are assistant pastors, elders, worship leaders, Children’s Church and Sunday School leaders/teachers, and some others are young people who want to grow in their walk with the Lord and knowledge of God’s Word. Some live in the larger cities and towns, while others are from small villages far from the main cities. They are from all age groups and walks of life, from young junior high and high school students all the way up to retired adults 65+ years of age. Some are educated and hold a Master’s Degree, while others are older adults with little formal education. But the common thread that unites them all is their interest in studying God’s Word and principles for daily life, and their calling to serve the Lord.
Our prayer is that these courses will teach many thousands of believers who will then go forth with the Great Commission, making disciples, strengthening the believers, and raising up churches.
Local Church Ministry
Over the summer we have also constantly been active preaching, teaching, discipling, counseling, leading worship and sowing into the lives of others in the context of personal ministry and the local church. Our Wednesday night discipleship meetings are going very well and growing. Our Sunday worship services are very much alive with an expectancy for God, and our worship team is hungering for more of God’s life and presence among us. We recognize our need to be a people who long for God’s Word, His presence and His anointing. We long to be a church of personal meaningful relationships, both on a horizontal and a vertical level.
Sara is now working closer with the children’s ministry and we’re believing for new fruit there. Anna continues to minister to the adolescent girls each week and has become an excellent teacher of God’s Word.
God has opened the doors to have weekly meetings at a rehabilitation center for alcoholics. One of our leaders, Carlos, who many years ago was in one of these centers, has become the main leader of this group, sent by our church. They have services every Monday from 7:00 P.M. to 10:00 P.M. freely preaching the Gospel. Many of these men and women are learning about Christ and His power to set them free from addiction. This ministry has also become a great opportunity for several of the men and women in our church to make a difference, sharing the gospel there and providing the spiritual and emotional support needed to help these alcoholics win the battle over addiction.
Our greatest need at the moment is to build a strong leadership team in our church. We understand that we can’t do everything, and the we need the help, support and strength that a team brings. Please pray for us and the church in this area. We are praying for leaders with a united heart, mind and soul, a leadership team that will take our church to the next level.
Our Family
It has been a very interesting last couple of years in terms of family life. David and Daniel moved out in the spring of 2017 to attend college in the United States. During their summers, they have to stay in the U.S. to work for their tuition costs, so we have mostly seen them only during Christmas break.
However, Sara was able to take a trip in May to spend a few days with Daniel as soon as school was out for him. She sure did enjoy that trip! We also spent a few days with David while in Michigan in June. He showed us around the university campus, which is huge! It was the first time we had been to his school since he began college over two years ago.
Anna is now in 11th grade. She has been homeschooled since kindergarten and really enjoys her studies. She is an excellent writer, teacher, and speaker, with a true sensitivity to the Holy Spirit.
We spend our mornings in the cabin here in the mountains. Anna works on her school, and Sara and I work on the online Bible School, communicating with students and preparing teaching materials for church. Sara has been a great help with the online Bible School, and she spends many hours reading homework assignments, grading the students’ work and writing to them. We spend many of our afternoons and evenings in church activities. Mornings are mostly quiet but busy, and several evenings each week we gather with different church groups.
Thanks Again!
We are so thankful for our friends and supporters who help us through prayer and financial support. Thanks so much for remembering us and praying for us. We also continually give thanks to God our Father for you, and pray that you may be filled with the knowledge of His saving grace.
Have a great week!
David and Sara Lont