The Raymers

July 2009

Dear Praying Friends,

Psalm 121:1-2 “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.”

The past year has been one of many changes for our family. Last August we relocated from Mission, Texas to Monterrey, Mexico. This move had been in our plans for a couple of years. What we had not anticipated was moving the headquarters of OREMUNDO with us, but God saw fit in His perfect way that when we moved the bulk of the ministry moved with us. We are now continuing to minister with the different ministries of OREMUNDO Ministries, as well as, we are now working together with the Universidad Cristiana de Las Américas (Christian University of the Americas). We are excited about what God had done, and what we know He will be doing in the future through us in both these ministries.

We enrolled Carena in a Christian school here and are pleased with her Spanish acquisition. She will go back to school in late August. She just finished attending a music camp that was offered by the school and really enjoyed that.

We have just finished our summer mission team schedule for this year. We began January with eight groups signed up to come, but because of economics, reports of violence in Mexico and the swine flu, our group number dropped to two groups. We know this was God’s plan as we are in the midst of several new projects. God blessed mightily on these two trips and we were able to complete work projects and vacation bible schools for two churches and two church plants. We saw many children attend and hear the Word of the Lord in the VBS classes and many accepted the Lord as their personal Savior. God also worked in the lives of the groups who traveled with us confirming His working in their lives. Please pray for those who made decisions during the weeks. Debbie led three girls to the Lord during the VBS outreaches. Pray that these three girls will grow in the Lord.

Our first trip was to a church we have helped in the past. There we helped the church refurbish some pews and some other furniture around the church. Each evening we traveled to another area to help in vacation Bible school classes. We were not sure how many children would attend as school was still in session, but we were pleasantly surprised by over 70 in attendance. We are thankful that our co-workers Jonathan & Wendy Latham worked with us on this trip. It was a blessing to work together.

Our second trip was to another church here in Guadalupe where we undertook the project of designing and building a 12’ x 22’ stage for their new auditorium. We are thankful that the platform was completed and we were able to help with a vacation Bible school at a church plant from the same church.

Russell will be going to the state of Tabasco in August with Matt Bixby another one of our co-worker missionaries to give a three day intensive course. Matt will be teaching on Homiletics and Russell will teach on Church Administration to pastors from that region. These conferences have been well received at other locations and we look forward to a wonderful few days in Tabasco. Please pray for Russell as this will be his first time to present the classes in this format.

We are excited about the possibility of helping one of our co-workers in a church plant endeavor here in Guadalupe. Please pray with us as we look at this new opportunity of ministry.

Then at the end of September our family will be heading to the Tampico, Mexico area where Russell will be preaching a week long conference on finances. Please pray for our family as we will be traveling most of the fall both in Mexico and in the United States.

Thank you for your faithful prayer and support over the years that we have been privileged to serve our Master here in Mexico.

In Christ,

Russell, Debbie & Carena Raymer