October - December, 2025

 Dear Fellow Laborers in the Lord, 

 “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18

This verse gently reminds us that our thankfulness is not for every thing around us, but thankful in every thing He brings, and as we look back on these past months, our hearts are truly grateful. The Lord has continued to be very good to us, and we are thankful for how clearly we see His hand. Through October, November, and December, He has encouraged us, stretched us, and reminded us again that He is faithful in every step of obedience.

Church Plant Update

October was a month of encouragement. On October 3rd, my brother-in-law, José, and his wife, Karol, were married. After completing premarital counseling, it has been a blessing to see them now faithfully serving alongside us in the church plant in Mexico.

That same month, our Bible study reached 28 people in attendance. Hearing testimonies and seeing the excitement of those attending has been very encouraging, and we are thankful for how the Lord continues to bless this work.

Discipleship is going strong! We currently have six individuals being discipled, with four to five others waiting to begin. This discipleship is nearly a year long and is designed much like a small Bible institute, helping individuals become well-rooted in doctrine and in what it truly means to have a growing relationship with the Lord. We are thankful to see such a desire to grow spiritually.

As mentioned in previous letters, we have outgrown our current meeting space and we continue praying and searching for a place to gather. The challenge has not been availability, but regulations and pricing. Many locations will not rent to religious organizations or political parties, so we have had to be careful and creative in how we describe what we do. We are trying to be wise as serpents but harmless as doves. Presenting ourselves as a personal development class that uses the Bible as curriculum and also offering English as a second language (for outreach) alongside has helped open some doors. Even so, several opportunities have still fallen through when we were almost ready to sign. We trust the Lord’s timing and ask that you continue to pray for wisdom as we seek the right place.

Thanksgiving and God’s Protection

At the end of November, we shared a Thanksgiving meal with our Bible study group. Since Thanksgiving is not a Mexican holiday, we used the opportunity to teach that giving thanks is a Christian practice, not just an American tradition. It was a sweet time of fellowship as we reflected on the Lord’s blessings and thanked Him for allowing us to serve HIM.

Earlier that week, the Lord reminded us of His protection in a very real way. While working on our personal septic system for the house we are still building, we loaded blocks onto our trailer.

As we were coming down the hill, the weight pushed my  vehicle out of control. The trailer jackknifed into the vehicle and nearly pushed me off a roughly 30-foot drop. Although the vehicle sustained some minor damage, the Lord spared us from what could have been a very serious accident or death. We are deeply thankful for His protection and care! 

Brief Time in the States

In early December, we were briefly back in the States for a couple of weeks. We were able to help our church by introducing our Bethlehem Experience into Spanish as a Christmas outreach to the community. (Normally only in English) Through the Spanish outreach, eight individuals trusted Christ, and over 200 souls responded to the Gospel in English and Spanish. We are also thankful for the opportunity to use this outreach as a model that we will adopt and use for future Christmas outreaches for our church plant.

While we were away, José faithfully covered the Bible study in Mexico, and attendance remained steady. We are grateful for the Lord’s work continuing. We were also thankful for the  opportunity to spend a short time with family, celebrating a late Thanksgiving and an early Christmas before returning.

A Personal Prayer Request

A few days before this Spanish outreach, my wife became very ill. What began as a urinary tract infection spread to her kidneys, and she was hospitalized for a few nights. Doctors were concerned about stopping the infection before it could enter her bloodstream. We praise the Lord that she responded well to treatment and is doing much better now. Further testing revealed ovarian cysts that will require follow-up care. Praise the Lord, we have found a well-recommended doctor to  follow-up in Monterrey. 

While we are thankful this happened while we were in the States, our insurance for stateside only covers 70% of the medical costs. We are responsible for the remaining 30% along with the deductible, which has left us with an unexpected medical bill. This is not easy for us to share, but several have asked if there is a need connected with this, and we were encouraged by my pastor and partners in the Lord to make it known. We ask for your prayers for this situation as we move forward.

As this letter goes out, we are preparing for a Christmas outreach on December 21st with our Bible study. Our desire is to reach the community, share the Gospel, and invite families to continue studying God’s Word together.

We are deeply thankful for each of you. Your prayers, encouragement, and faithful partnership mean more to us than we can express. We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and we thank you sincerely for your continued prayers as we move forward.

Your Partner in the Lord,

Gavino Hernandez

Isa. 6:8