Clausons in Monterrey

This month’s update is focused on changes that will take place over the next several months and affect our team and thus our lives personally as well as our ministries.

First, as many of you have probably already heard our colleagues John and Letha Kerl will be following a call to serve in Europe as Regional Coordinators for Covenant World Mission (read more).  This change is a difficult one for us personally as we say goodbye to good friends and mentors and also for the Foundation as the Kerls were the founders and visionaries of this ministry.  Please pray for them and their son Peter as they prepare to leave Mexico where they have lived for 18 years and transition into an exciting and demanding role in Europe.  Also, please keep our team in your prayers as we adjust to “life after the Kerls.”

The second change we are very excited about is that we will be welcoming the Weld family to serve with the Mexico mission staff and the Foundation in Monterrey!  Brian and Kerith Weld and their three daughters will arrive here in May.  We look forward to this new friendship (especially since they also have a baby girl in between Lucas and Matías’ ages) and the ways they will strengthen and challenge our team with their gifts and experience in ministry.  Please pray for them as they transition from living in Australia (where Kerith’s family is from) to Monterrey.

Finally, we are still adjusting to being parents of two young boys, who are growing very fast!  We have really enjoyed these first three months with Lucas and also watching Matías react to him.  He already wants his little brother to get down from mommy’s arms or the stroller to play with him!  Thank you for your prayers for this major transition in our lives.  God has blessed our family in many ways through you.  Your prayers, notes, gifts and financial support remind us that you are thinking of us.

• Erika has begun facilitating another class on family conflict resolution in Burócratas, another low income community located near the Foundation.  Nine women are meeting weekly to learn together how to develop healthy, violence-free relationships.

• Nils and Lisandro Restrepo are exploring the possibility of starting a community bank with a group of women also in the community Burócratas.

• The Mexico mission staff is planning a pastor/spouse retreat for all Covenant pastors in Mexico.  We pray that this will be a time when they can be ministered to, can recharge their batteries, relax and have fun.  Erika and Patty Restrepo will be leading a workshop on conflict resolution within the congregation and Nils is helping with the logistics of the event.

Please pray for all of these exciting relationships that are forming and that we would be God’s instruments to show His amazing love for each person with whom we have contact.