A couple Saturdays ago we went to a balneario, which is a water park with a big pool, water slides, picnic areas and big grassy areas to play on. This one has a five-meter platform for diving and Tim couldn’t resist (Drew dived off a two-meter board which was fun to watch). There was a guy doing all sorts of fancy twisting, somersaulting dives. That wasn’t Tim. His jumps (not worthy of the name dives) were launch-yourself-hope-you-hit-right-and-just-survive affairs. Right now that kind of feels like our work in Pueblo Nuevo. We are diving into different works, which we hope make a big splash here! The computer classes continue to go well. We’re making new contacts on Drew’s soccer (fútbol) team. We’ve had good interest in American football training time we’ve done with another missionary and we hope to be able to do a one-day sports camp in July. We’re planning a week-long English class for teachers at the school in July. We have a meeting to promote our “sustainable development” project (putting in recycling containers, planting trees) at the school this Friday.
But right now the big thing is a three-day medical clinic June 15-17. We will hold it in the neighborhood hall, working with another church. We’ll have general practice doctors, nurses, and one or more dentists. Almost all the medical professionals are from Mexico, with one nurse flying down from Washington. We will also be hosting two students from Baptist Bible College who are coming down to work with us for a couple of weeks. Our prayer is that this event will be a springboard by which we become known to many people in the community as Christians who really love them. We want to communicate God’s love to the people that come through and then offer them an opportunity for a Bible Study. So, to finish off our diving analogy, we’re just throwing ourselves into the water, trusting that our “cannonball” will splash someone!

Help!
This would all be crazily impossible if it weren’t for the help we have working with us. First and foremost, Eddie Ferguson arrived May 18. He’s already jumped into the work and will be an immense aid as we prepare for the medical team. We’re also talking about starting some activities with youth. Edgar Muñoz, the oldest son of the family we’ve mentioned, is also talking and praying with us about this. We are now meeting with the small group on Sundays to pray for Pueblo Nuevo. We trust that God will begin to put together a team as we pray and work together to serve this community.

Election Update
The election here was interesting. On April 24 the ballot boxes were burned amid claims of fraud, so the election was re-done the next week. A young lady won the election. Tim and Eddie have been in to meet with her and her administration in order to reserve space for the medical clinic. It looks like they will be receptive to us as we seek to serve the neighborhood and build relationships.

What’s in a Name?
As we become active in many areas in the neighborhood we want a name to present ourselves by. We’re currently brainstorming, thinking through names that reflect a concern for the community and the Gospel and also that make sense to people here while being non-threatening. Eventually this might be parlayed into a church name. So we’re thinking with people in the small group.

Help Wanted
Diabetes education, dental work, education, English…what skills do you have? We continue to look for areas to serve the neighborhood. We’ve had very churches follow through on their interest to come down and fear it’s due to all the bad publicity Mexico’s been getting in the news. Honestly, Puebla is very calm and safe (Trivia: Mexico City’s murder rate is lower than Washington’s!!! D.C.’s, at least). We walk all throughout the neighborhood, we are comfortable and safe here. It’s safe, it really is! Come down!