Shelly's Chihuahua Report

If the first thing you think of when you hear the word “Chihuahua” is a tiny dog, I was right there with you until just a few weeks ago.  After a week of ministry in Chihuahua, Mexico—very different images come to mind.

In my mind’s eye I see a group of 70 plus women sitting on the edges of their seats—two days in a row--soaking up Kitchen Table Counseling in Spanish—taking copious notes.  I will never forget how they laughed and cried with me as we looked at biblical principles for our own souls and ways to encourage and listen to hurting women.  Many told me that those they work will be blessed as they pass on what they learned!  

There was a darling pastor’s wife who has co-labored with her husband at the same church for ten years in a small town in the high desert of Mexico.  After the session on bitterness and forgiveness, she came, with tears, and shared how a forgiveness issue was holding her back from transparent ministry.  She told me that by getting that right with God, she was now free to more fully serve our Lord!

Another image is the precious ladies of New Tribes Mission gathering together for a retreat of spiritual and physical refreshment.  Women who, some of them, had to travel long hours on burros!!—in order to come from their remote locations.  Some were praising God for provision of funds for a missionary pilot to swoop in and get them.  Their level of commitment to God and the people He has called them to was evident.  They were weary from translation work, raising babies in primitive settings and just living life.  Several said that before the retreat, they didn't know if they were going to make it--if they could return to the challenges of their life. But as a result of the retreat they felt fortified for ministry.  Young, dynamic women (both Latin and American) at transition points came seeking counsel for their future and how to discern the call of God on their lives.

I led the discussion group for the non-English speaking women and our times together were punctuated with laughter.  During the last discussion session, all the other groups were very intentionally praying for one another while our group was collapsed in laughter!  When I apologized to the leadership, their eyes filled with tears as they said that the laughter was music to their ears!  

A group of ladies came from Klamath Falls, OR to pamper and serve the New Tribes ladies.  They brought lovely gifts and door prizes, led worship, gave pedicures, did dishes, chopped vegetables, whatever was needed.  Those precious women stepped up.  A counselor with missionary experience was part of that team and she did the bulk of the English counseling which was an enormous burden-lifter for me!

My dear friend and prayer partner, Verna Narwold, raised her support to join me in Chihuahua.  She took her role as my traveling companion very seriously and I felt SO supported, encouraged and ministered to.  Even our friendship played a significant role, as one key pastor’s wife told me, “I need a Verna!”  Verna gave a seminar on encouragement and listening at the retreat.  There was nearly 100% attendance at her optional seminar and the ladies were deeply impacted by it.

The Chihuahua trip was not without its challenges.  As the trip got closer on the calendar, I was assailed with insecurity and self-condemnation for having offered to do the messages in Spanish.  It’s been 12 years since I’ve spoken it every day.  One night half way through the trip, I was tired and deeply discouraged about the language flow. I thought, “I can’t do this anymore--it’s too hard and I’m not doing a good job.” But, the next morning God gave grace and flow AND the testimonies of the impact of the messages encouraged me to keep going!  Many have requested more teaching and we are praying about how to paraclete the church and women in leadership in Chihuahua.

I picked up a nasty cough from the dust in the high desert of Chihuahua which turned into a flu-like cold upon return to the US.  But being sick was actually God’s provision to make me to stay in bed and recover from the busy week of ministry.

Your prayer and financial support made this paracleting possible!  The eternal dividends on your investment that we can see are significant—but there are many others that we will only know about when we see Jesus—and then it won’t be important to us!  As you can imagine, neither New Tribes nor the church that sponsored the Kitchen Table Counseling seminar had the resources to pay my way.  Your support made it possible!  

I have two more ministry trips to Latin America scheduled this year--with Glen to Cali Colombia to teach and participate in the COICOM convention in August and to Mexico City in November to work with local churches there in doing a Spanish retreat on Holy Habits and a week-long course in Kitchen Table Counseling at a Bible Institute.