Bethesda Children’s Homes: April 2013 Prayer Letter

GENERALIZED TEACHERS STRIKES IN GUERRERO, MEXICO

HAVE CLOSED SCHOOLS FOR ABOUT SIX WEEKS.

Dear Praying Friends:

Today a Christian day school was born.  The teacher’s strike has effectively closed the public schools for this year in Tlapa.  Our staff is highly trained and some were teachers before giving their lives to Christ.  To keep the children from losing the entire year they have taken on the extra load of forming a private Christian school for the children.

Years ago we started a school and the government threatened to close the homes and did close the Christian school.  Some parents are taking their kids to hire them out as village farm workers.  Marco’s diplomatic skills have thus far prevented a mass exodus.

By faith we are trying to hire qualified Christian teachers to staff the school.  Our already overworked staff will fill in until help comes.

Mexico’s general anarchy is presenting a crisis situation but our God is in control.  There has been bloodshed.  Twelve were killed in one day; half of those were in the state of Guerrero. God has protected the homes.  Major highways are being closed by the rioting strikers to shut down tourism and commerce.  Drug lords, thieves, and kidnappers are using the time of general unrest to gun down their enemies and steal fortunes built in a life time of hard work…many church members in Cuernavaca have been robbed and one was killed.

But our God is in control. Our churches are packed.  Sunday, I preached to the largest crowd in Tlapa ever and none of the children were in the service.  In Cuernavaca, nearly 200 received Christ the week before we arrived.  People who love us here in Mexico are begging us to leave saying we are high profile.  We have no real fear; we are immortal until God is through with us.

Pray that we will find the right teachers, the right curriculum, and for the added provision all of this will demand.  Thank God we are here with them.

In His love,
Mike Patterson
Tlapa Childrens Home