Brother Gabino Rico whom we have been working with in Torreon, Mexico, has wanted us to see the work in the Yucatan Peninsula for many years. He wanted Brother Windell Gann to come and present lessons to many of the congregations in the Yucatan. We arrived in Cancun, Mexico, Friday August 17 in the afternoon where we were met by Brother Gabino Rico. Along with Brother Gabino was the preacher, Felipe Mukul, from the city of Tizimin (Population 70,000) which is a three hour drive West of Cancun in the Yucatan Peninsula. Brother Felipe has four sons and a daughter. Their ages range from twelve years old to twenty one years old, and they are very active in the church. He has two brothers that also preach in nearby cities and villages.

Monday through Wednesday mornings Windell conducted classes using a power point presentation on the life of Christ from a historical and geographical point of view. The power point presentation Brother Gann developed showed how the cities looked while Jesus was there. He presented views of how some of places in the Old Testament would have looked. Lesson plans were passed out in Spanish, with major events that occurred in the Bible for students to follow along and fill out. Not only did preachers, elders, and men attend, many women and children were in attendance. School was delayed starting on Monday due to hurricane Dean that was expected to hit Tuesday morning. This resulted in many children from the ages of four and over attending the classes. Classes began around 10AM and finished around 1:30PM with a 15 minute break between the two class sessions.

In the afternoons we had the opportunity to travel to six different towns and Mayan villages. After visiting the Mayan Ruins in the town of Chichen Itza on Saturday morning we visited the village of Tixkokob where Windell presented a lesson. Sunday Morning Windell preached at the Tizimin Congregation. Sunday afternoon Windell preached in the village of Pocoboch (name means roasted possum). We met outside under a lean to structure with a tin roof. The congregation is working on a concrete building. They have walls up, but lack a roof and floor. We then traveled to a village named Nahbalam (name means house of the tiger). The church there meets at 5PM to allow older members to walk home before dark since the village has no street lights. They have a new concrete building almost complete, but lack windows, doors, and electrical work. The old building was destroyed two years ago during a hurricane. They have about one hundred members with three elders. We visited in the home of one of members. The home was a Mayan hut with a thatch roof. One of the elders told us many young people have moved from their village and other nearby villages to Cancun for jobs, and they have started a church in Cancun.

Monday afternoon we rented a fifty two seat bus to the village of Tixcancal. After Windell's lesson that night we brought back a lot of children and women to wait out the hurricane at the church building in Tizimin. The church building is opened for refuge during hurricanes for those in the area. This is a great work the church does for the city of Tizimin and nearby villages during hurricanes. During the night the hurricane changed direction and went south of the city of Titimin with much flooding and wind damage avoided.

Tuesday night we took another bus to the village of Hunuku. Many members from the Tizimin Congregation went along to encourage the members in the village of Hunuku. This congregation was started two years ago by the congregation in Tizimin. The church building consists of a Mayan wooden pole hut with a thatch roof with a capacity of about fifty. Wednesday night Windell preached at the other congregation in Tizimin. It is a nice concrete building. The building was full with many standing outside. The church in the Yucatan Peninsula is very strong and growing in numbers. The people are very passionate in spreading the Gospel with their neighbors. They are tremendous workers for the Lord and are great examples for us.

We had the opportunity to discuss and make plans with Brother Gabino for our yearly trip we make each fall to the Torreon area. We have decided to leave from Huntsville Saturday November 3rd and return home Saturday November 10th. The work Brother Gabino suggested we do will be in the mountain village of Covadongo. This is the village where several youth camps and Gospel Meetings take place each year. Last year the attendance at one session was over a hundred children who came from two other nearby villages. Their greatest need at this time is a classroom for the children. Last year they met under a large tarp to protect themselves from the sun. However the wind would continue to blow it down and onto the children. So, our plans this year is to construct a classroom. All that would like to go with us on this enjoyable trip please be making plans to go.

Larry Jones

A few more days and the year 2006 will be over. Thanks to God for the many opportunities that He has given us to serve in His Kingdom.

NATIONAL YOUTH MEETING. Thanks to God about35 years ago He gave me the blessing to start this event, and has been celebrated every year since than; It is also the activity where more people is baptized every year. This year 26 were baptized.

CONSTRUCTION. Christians from the Rogersville Church were here last November and worked building a roof for the meeting place of one of the congregations in Matamoros. A little bit more than four thousand dollars were spent. God gave me the blessing to work a little bit with this group of hard working Christians.

WATER FOR COVADONGA. Drinking water has been a problem for many years for the people of Covadonga. About two years ago the Brethren from Murfreesboro TN, started thinking about drilling a well to provide water to the village. In the months of Octover and November the well was drilled; Now we have to work on the pipe line to take the water from the well to deposits that feed the distribution net. Nine thousand dollars has been spent up to this time and still it will take more money to complete this project. If you would like to contribute to this good work get in contact with Bud Mitchell Phone number 615-893- 6803.

RADIO PREACHING. Thanks to God and to the sponsorship of World Radio Evangelism we are once more preaching on the radio. The population in the area of Torreon is more than a million and the radio station where we have the program claims to have an audience of One Hundred Thousand, to preach for so many people is a great responsability and a great oportunity. It takes time to prepare each message. We are preaying for many good results. Last November María del Rosario was baptized as a result of this work.

CAMP. 13 years ago we started having a Summer Camp at Covadonga. During the camp we had this year three young men were baptized one of them was my grand son. I am working on the estimate of the coast of construction for more dorms for our camp facilities. In case you would like to hear more about the camp activities and needs call Sylvia Askey Phn. 956 - 381- 5939.

TRAINING PROGRAM. I run broke with one year of training preachers. I had to stop the regular program; but I am doing efforts to start again this work.

COMMUNITY SERVICE. God give us the opportunity to help our neighbors around us. One day we could help Bro. Octavio to harvest his beans. It was good to help Bro. Santiago to put a door to his bathroom, and with God's help we could provide the medicine for Bro. Pedro, he couldn't move his head around, a little bit of medicine, some vitamines and some beans helped him to move his head.

MOCTEZUMA CHURCH. We are already making plans for next years activities we know next year will have more opportunities to serve God and our neighbors.

May God Bless you all aboundantly.
Your Christian Brother.
Gabino Rico R.