06 Jan Update from the Reeck Family

Roger and Marilyn Reeck, UB endorsed missionaries in Honduras (serving with Wycliffe), sent this update at the end of December.

While in Costa Rica, Roger fell while mounting a bicycle and completely ruptured a tendon in his knee. He underwent major surgery, and was able to travel back to Honduras five days later. His cast will be removed the first week of January, and then he’ll undergo physical therapy. His first trip is to South America in February. He hopes to be walking by then.

All four daughters came home for Christmas.

• Christi and her husband, Rigo, live an hour away in Honduras. Rigo works with two different groups which provide clean water to communities and organizations; Chrysti works at two pre-natal clinics, helps at a feeding center, and is involved in Bible Studies. They have three children: Anthony (almost 7), Amanda (5), and Adrian (3).
• Teresa lives in San Antonio and is vice principal of a Christian school.
• Amanda, living in Houston, took a year out of medical school to do research. She’ll return to medical school this summer for her final year.
• Elisa is a science teacher at a Christian school in San Antonio, Texas. She completed her Master’s degree this year.

05 Jan Mexican Churches with a Vision to Grow

Denis Casco, center, looks over blueprints for the Zacapu church in Mexico.

In all the years I’ve visited mission fields and seen new churches being built, I had never seen a set of engineered blueprints for a church building–that is, until I visited Mexico in early December 2009.

Rev. Denis Casco, Bishop of the Mexico National Conference, and I visited with the Zacapu Church in the state of Michocan. There we were shown the site where the congregation is building a church that will seat 300.

The congregation currently meets in warehouse area in the local municipal market, but they purchased a piece of property for $17,000 and have been paying as they go to construct the building.

Many of our 44 churches in Mexico have set their sights high and have been using their own funds to build churches that are proportional to the vision God has given them.

04 Jan Update on Julie Hendricks

Troy Hendricks, UB endorsed missionary in Spain, gave this update on Facebook about his wife Julie and the broken knee she suffered in mid-December: “Just back from Julie’s follow-up appointment with the surgeon, and he removed the stitches and strips that were holding the incision. He said the knee looks good. Now comes the really tough part of physical therapy. He told Julie to begin today and only wear the brace when she leaves the house. Long painful road ahead, but HE has brought us thus far and will carry us onward!”

04 Jan Melissa Kline: Christmas in Macau

Melissa Kline, UB staff in Macau
On December 20, Living Stone Church celebrated Christmas by throwing a “birthday party.” For David and me, it was an incredibly special Sunday.

• An English Language Program student from 8 years ago came with her family, and her son sang in the kids choir.
• A PV student from 4 years ago came and brought his brother and cousin.
• Three ladies from the women’s Bible study that has been meeting for 9+ years came along with a couple of their children.

Seeing all of these people in one room at LSC was the most amazing feeling. God does have us here for a reason!