Last evening started off very well. Cameron went with me to the community center and we shot some baskets while waiting to see if any students would show up…we never know. About 10 minutes after our start time, Mario showed up. He joined us for a game of “HORSE.” (hey…it’s English!) He plays basketball but had never played this game before (hard to imagine).
While shooting around Mario mentioned that San Juan del Rio is forming a professional basketball team (he is not on the team but practiced against them earlier in the day) and they start their regular season games in 2 weeks. He said, “We should go to a game together.” Wow! Sounds like a great opportunity to build a friendship outside of English classes! Mario also mentioned that he had just had his third phone interview with a potential job that he’s interested in taking if it were to be offered to him. He’s been looking for a job like this for 2 years.
About 15 minutes later, Wendy showed up (she missed the last 2 weeks of classes so it was good to see her return; she had been sick). We got started with our English class and about an hour in the class Mario’s cell phone rang. He left the room and came back in about 5 minutes later and announced he just accepted a position as a UNIX programmer (or something along those lines). GREAT NEWS! Where is the job? Guadalajara. When does it start? Next Thursday.
Oh bother. Guadalajara is over 4 hours’ drive from here. He’ll be moving in just a few days. What a disappointment!
But, all is not lost. We have a few missionary contacts in Guadalajara and maybe the Lord will allow another believer to be close enough to wherever he’ll be living to continue planting seeds of the Gospel in his life. We’ll pray and see.
In the meantime, I’ve told Mario to let me know if I can do anything to help him. His dad is having surgery next week for gall stones and a stomach problem (the acid has burned through his stomach). We have camp next week, but maybe I can get away to Querétaro to help his parents. I’ve only met his father before when he came for English classes about 5 years ago. I’d like to offer to help him move but we’re at our visa renewal time which means until we’re through that process, we can’t commit to driving out of the immediate area.
So, praise God for Mario’s new job, but praying that somehow that there will be a way to continue our contact with him and more importantly for continued opportunity to make spiritual investment in his life by us or another believer. I’ve already sent a note to one couple we know there in Guadalajara. They enjoy cycling and so does Mario. That might be a good point to connect with him.
Knowing Your ABCDs 
I’m sure that you know that Dan & Melinda Nelson are in Guadalahara, right? jd
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Yes, I was thinking of Dan & Melinda but they’re in the USA on a home assignment until later this year sometime. I also know Carlos and Sandy Rios with TEAM who visited us a few months ago. It’s a big city and it looks like he’ll be on the opposite side from the Nelsons. I’m not sure where the Rios’ live. Hopefully, we’ll see something work out for helping him.
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