Lights and Toilets!

This last week was a busy and fun week out in Las Moras. We were able to take some huge strides in completing some large projects in our tribal home all thanks to God’s faithfulness and His bringing of a work team from Walnut Hill Bible Church out to help us.

We picked up 8 hard working guys at the airport and after a quick stop at Burger King to fill their bellies we began the trip to the tribe. Our first stop was a small town at the base of the mountains where we spent the night. We took them for their first carne asada, and had some debriefing time where the team got to know each other better and also got to hear a bit about what they could expect once they arrived in Las Moras.

Unloading all the luggage at The Plaza Hotel.

Enjoying a carne asada dinner together.

We enjoyed a trip to the market to buy some fruit and sweet bread for breakfast before getting on the road to Las Moras.

Debriefing the team and giving a short summary of the cultural expectations along with the work expectations of the trip.

We left town quite early to get on the road. The guys were all excited to get there and begin the work that they had come to do. As we traveled we were all able to share stories about how God had worked in each of our lives and just enjoy some good fellowship. Pete, Tom Elkins, and myself tried our best to point out all the good picture spots and landmarks along the road so that the guys could get some fabulous pictures to take home to their families.

Traveling the mountain road to Las Moras.

There are so many captivating views along the drive. This one is of our homes from about 15 minutes away.

Unpacking the luggage upon arrival in Las Moras.

Upon arrival the guys unloaded the luggage and assessed the projects and materials that we had prepared for them. Then we all headed in to Rachel and Katie’s house for a quick lunch of sandwiches together. Then it was a la chamba! ( to the work!)

A photo of our house before the work crew began their projects.

There were many projects we had planned for this specific work team. Including setting up our solar electric system and wiring the entire house, all the plumbing for the kitchen and bathrooms, putting up some metal siding to protect our house from the rains, drywalling, painting, some framing, and many more little projects. All of the guys had great attitudes as they attacked each project and worked in unity showing the Nahuatl people what the body of Christ looks like in action.

We were receiving visitors almost immediately upon arrival back in Las Moras.

The guys quickly formed work groups, assessed the projects, and began the work.

Chad teaching Pete a bit about our solar system as they installed the panels on the roof.

Tom working hard on wiring our tribal home.

Colin, another of our knowledgeable wiring guys.

Jay, Dan, and Easton were our faithful siding crew. Here Jay and Dan measure and cut specific pieces to put up on the gable ends of our house. This is to protect the wood from the rain.

Easton hanging from the gable ends in his make-shift harness. This is where he spent most of his work week, here and on the roof.

Jay at work sanding our rusty doors and then he went on to paint all of them.

A picture of the main room work site.

The siding crew had to get creative. Setting the ladder on the tailgate of the truck gave Easton an extra few feet.

Chad rocking the solar room!

Mike putting plumbing in for the Elkins apartment.

Harry and Mike working together to plumb our downstairs bathroom, complete with toilet, sink, and shower.

Mike and Harry our plumbing team finished the plumbing throughout the entire house. This is a picture of our window that will be over our kitchen sink and their hard work.

When the plumbing was finished they were eager to help with drywall and whatever other projects that needed to be done.

Tom and Colin under the experienced guidance of Chad worked together to give us electricity in our tribal home.

And there was light! Lots of light!

And toilets!!

Easton and Jay at work insulating the solar room.

Us girls worked all week cooking the meals for the group. Rachel, Katie, and I all rotated days and Teresa was our right hand girl in the kitchen. Here I am grilling hamburgers for our Sunday main meal.

The team worked so hard, often still completing projects as the sun went down. There was also wiring still going on inside the house at night...or so I hear.

The night sky over Las Moras.

Pete invited a few of the Nahuatl guys to participate in some of the work. It was a neat opportunity for our brothers from Walnut Hill to be working alongside possible future brothers in Christ.

Pete supervising a couple of the Nahuatl guys during the work day.

One of our neighbors came to work one day, and in the afternoon his son showed up to work with him. It was too cute!

The guys worked incredibly hard throughout the week, but we did find some time to have fun as well.

The guys breaking for a mid day snack and water.

Jay taking a little break.

Fellowship after our evening meal. We ate all of our meals in Rachel and Katie's house and thank them for their hospitality.

A black widow spider was found.

The team also decided they needed to visit the bathing hole in the creek at least once. And as promised the water was like ice!

The guys were given the opportunity to help the Nahuatl community by purchasing some of their handmade crafts to take home to family and friends.

One afternoon after lunch we all took a brief walk to the edge of the canyon. The views are spectacular, and it gave the guys a chance to get to know the village as well.

Hiking out to the canyon edge.

And this is what they saw at the edge.

Mid way through the week we realized that we did not have enough wire to finish the electrical job that needed to be completed. So, Tom Davidson volunteered to go with our partner Tom Elkins back down to the coast in a marathon trip to pick up more supplies. We were so grateful for their willingness, and because of the extra trip, Chad, Tom, and Colin were able to finish all the electrical and check each outlet and switch before leaving.

Greeting Tom and Tom back from Home Depot with more supplies.

They were also able to interact with many of our Nahuatl friends as Rachel, Katie, and myself had many visitors throughout the week. Sometimes there were families visiting while we were eating our mid-day meal and so the guys were able to greet them and learn a bit about them.

One afternoon our friends Norma and Lina came to visit bringing along their sister-in-law and their children.

More Nahuatl ladies on their way to the house for a chat.

One of the highlights of the week, though, were our evening times of sharing. Each member of the team prepared a small devotion that they would then share that evening. It was incredible to be a part of each person’s spiritual growth and God’s work in their lives. The sense of unity on the trip was incredible and we couldn’t have asked for a more dedicated, willing, servant-hearted, and faithful group of guys. We are definitely blessed to call you all partners in the work to reach the Nahuatl with Christ.

The WHBC work group + The Hypkis!

On Sunday we had a church service together on the edge of the canyon. Tom Davidson shared about the men and women of faith in Hebrews 11 and then opened the floor for each of us to share about how our upbringing had challenged and or molded the faith that we have today. It was very encouraging to hear everyone’s stories, and I think we all went away challenged.

On the canyon edge meeting together for His glory.

Sunday morning sunrise.

As the week drew to a close we took the guys on one last tour of the pueblo and visited the  tiendas (small stores) in Las Moras. The families that own them were very excited that we had come, and loved looking at the pictures the guys were taking on their cameras.

Visiting Max at her family's tienda.

Monday morning we packed up and loaded all the bags into the trucks to once again travel the road down from Las Moras to the coast. I know as I reflected on the trip that I was in awe of what God had done. Not only in what the guys had accomplished working on our house, but what God had accomplished in each heart and life.

Loading the bags for the trip back down the mountain.

On the road again.

As we arrived at our coastal destination we spent some time all relaxing together out by the ocean reflecting on God’s creation and then enjoyed a delicious seafood dinner together.

Relaxing with the team by the ocean.

All of us out for seafood at Pancho's celebrating all the Lord taught us and reflecting on His faithfulness throughout the trip.

So grateful God brought half of my family along for the trip.

To all of you who came on the trip, Chad, Tom, Colin, Easton, Dan, Mike, Jay, and Harry we are so grateful to all of you for sacrificing of your time, energy, money, lifestyle, and time with your family to be obedient to the Lord in coming to Las Moras to help us with our home. We enjoyed getting to know all of you better, and can’t wait for the next time you come. We hope you were challenged by the Lord on this trip and that He showed you Himself in a real way that will not soon be forgotten. Thank you for all you did and for who you were; the body of Christ in action.

We also wanted to say a huge thank you to those of you who were praying hard for this trip and praying for those who came. It could not have happened without you, and as He said He would be, God was incredibly faithful.

Until next time, please keep praying for the Nahuatl and for our language learning. We need his wisdom and guidance as we balance our time working on the remaining house projects, living, building relationships, and learning language. Pray that God would be continually preparing them to hear His message of hope and grace.

It’s Beginning to Feel a lot like a Different Christmas

It’s December! We can’t believe the end of 2011 is almost upon us. So, much has happened since our official move to Las Moras at the end of October, and we wanted to update you all and thank you for praying for our adjustment to life out here in the tribe.

Moving supplies into our house before the work team arrived.

The first two weeks after our arrival in Las Moras we spent cleaning the houses, preparing for a work team that was coming to work on our house in November, and visiting the families in the village since the missionary team had been out of the tribe since May.

Cleaning the house included setting a number of mouse traps. The mice had been living quite comfortably in the girls house while we were gone.

Visiting with a family in a nearby village.

Some families came by to have their pictures taken, and to visit.

We celebrated Pete's birthday on November 2nd as well. He got a fun "go bag" filled with all sorts of goodies that he would need if he had to take an emergency trip without having time to pack.

People seemed very open and warm as we visited from house to house, excited that we were back and wanting to hear about our experiences “on the other side,” which is how Spanish speakers often refer to the U.S. We also welcomed several visitors into Rachel and Katie’s house to have a cup of coffee and chat, as our house is not yet set up to receive people.

Linda showing some of the ladies her family photos on her computer.

Rachel sewing at a neighbors house.

Right now Pete and I are eating all of our meals over at Rachel and Katie’s, each of us girls takes a day and cooks each meal for the four of us.  We only sleep and take our bucket showers at our house.

Pretty soon we will have our own outhouse too. We received a GB Packer toilet for our anniversary to use in it.

On  November 8^th a work team from Chihuahua arrived in Las  Moras. Several men skilled in construction, and even a welder came to complete a number of projects on our house. They were here for a total of 10 days and accomplished more than we could have imagined! We were so blessed! The team was able to move existing windows and put in new windows, put in all new door frames, knock down several adobe walls to make layout changes inside the house, lay ground plumbing, pour the entire first floor concrete and finish it, pour a concrete porch, frame 95% of the interior walls, put bars over all the first floor windows, put up our fence around the house, move the stairs, and much more.

Various projects going on inside the house.

A team of guys mixed the concrete outside.

Others worked inside smoothing...

and the finishing.

The crew moved windows, and put in new ones.

A welder came out and put all the bars on our lower floor windows.

Even some of the Nahuatl guys came to work. We had them dig a hole for our septic tank and trench for the drainage line.

Pete and I, plus our co-workers Katie, Rachel and Tom Elkins were able to pitch in to help with some of the “grunt work” so the skilled guys could work on the more skilled projects.

Rachel and Katie help to level the floors in the house before the concrete pour.

Pete bucketing sand and gravel for the concrete mixture.

Shoveling away.

Tom clipping our fence onto the posts after the fence had been stretched.

Our co-worker Teresa Elkins along with another lady who came on the trip with her husband did all the cooking so we would be free to help with the construction work.

Teresa serving the guys during our mid-day meal.

One evening right before dinner, Linda and I checked on the progress of the construction.

After the work team left all of us were exhausted so we took a day to rest and then began to clean up the work site and complete a few other small projects around the house. The last week we were in the village Pete was working with a few Nahuatl guys to complete our outhouse, and I have done a good bit of visiting and some beginning language learning with a few of the ladies there in Las Moras. We also received a number of visitors who stopped by wanting to chat and drink coffee with us. This is great relationship building time. The Nahuatl people love to come and look at photo albums, do puzzles, or just chat about different things we have in the house.

We also participated in the November 20th celebration of Dia de la Revolucion. The village children marched past our homes in a parade and then all of the people gathered at the school to enjoy some pozole, a chicken chili soup, tortillas, and we watched some dances put on by each grade at the village school.

Pozole cooking out back behind the school.

Eating our pozole.

Women hanging out talking after the meal.

The children dancing.

One afternoon Katie, Rachel, and I went to a lady’s house to make tortillas with her. It was a fun experience and I think we all left with stomach aches from laughing so hard. Benita, the woman’s name, taught us all sorts of fun Nahuatl vocabulary, and phrases like, “the white girl makes ugly tortillas.” We left her house with half of the tortillas we had made, and left the other half for her and her family. Three days later Benita came with one of her daughters to visit us! She has never come before, and when we told another friend that she had come he said, “Really?! She never goes and visits anyone!” We are praising God for the relationships He is creating and the opportunities to show His love.

At Benita's house making tortillas.

Flipping them was harder than it looks.

All of us gave it a try, and Benita and her girls laughed and laughed at us.

Benita's cute daughter.

Our final tortillas...as you can see by how some of the sides are folded over and such, this is why they were laughing at us white girls.

Right now, we are out of the tribe for about 10 days as Katie and Rachel renew their VISAs to be in Mexico for another year. We each have to go out to the city once a year to renew our visas when they expire. We also use this time for supply buying and materials buying as well. After we receive the renewed visas and finish our buying we will begin the trip back in to Las Moras. We will stop for a day or two on the coast on the trip to buy some other materials, and then continue our journey. We are hoping to arrive back in Las Moras by the middle of December.

Thank you for your prayers for us as we travel and begin to press into language study more full time when we arrive back in the tribe in December. Please visit our prayer page for update prayer requests and praises.

We appreciate all of you, and could not be here without you. Keep praying for the Nahuatl people as we see hearts being softened not only to our presence here in the village, but we believe they are being prepared to be changed by the power of the hope of Christ.

Also, thank you for your encouragement, and we look forward to sharing more with you soon. Right now we don’t have internet in the tribe so we cannot communicate via our blog or our prayer letters until we come out to buy supplies, bring in work teams, or for some other reason, but we are encouraged to know that you are still praying for and giving financially to God’s work here in Las Moras. Also, even though we don’t have email access here we still enjoy hearing from you when we are out in the city. So, keep sending emails and letters, as it’s wonderful to hear a bit from home after a long stint out in the tribe.

We are praying that you all have a blessed Christmas season filled with the hope and love of Christ!

Clean Water for Las Moras

The trucks are loaded, and tomorrow Pete & I, along with our partners Tom & Teresa, and Katie & Rachel head south to Las Moras. We are more than excited to once again be living in the village, and spending time getting to know the Nahuatl people. This also includes learning their language and culture as we build meaningful relationships with them.

Also our first work team is coming out on November 8th to work on our tribal home! We are praying we are able to assist them in getting a lot of large projects done, like pouring our concrete floor, and putting in the plumbing.

We are in Mexico, but many of you, our faithful partnership team, are working over time to help us with a specific project, bringing clean water to the village of Las Moras, Mexico. 

Below is information on the current water situation in Las Moras:

In Las Moras, Mexico, the Nahuatl people have few options for water. Some haul it from a nearby stream where people also bathe and wash laundry. Some haul it from small, dirty springs that are often muddied by livestock. Some gather it from puddles when it rains. None of them have access to clean water, and many suffer from water-borne illnesses like typhoid and dysentery. When a team from New Tribes Mission, including Pete & Liesl Hypki, began working in Las Moras, they immediately identified clean water as one of the community’s needs. The remote location, depth, and size of the well needed to provide clean water placed an estimate at $20,000.  The team from New Tribes Mission began earnestly seeking funds in early 2011, with the hope of raising enough money to drill the well in May 2012.  The goal is to make clean water available for all the people who live there, including the team from New Tribes Mission.

All of you can be a part of the project to bring clean water to Las Moras. All it takes is a visit to Culvers!

What: Las Moras Well Project Fundraiser

Where: Culvers, Wisconsin Dells (across from Starbucks)

When: November 1, 2011 from 10:00am to 10:00pm

What do I do: Come enjoy a meal with your friends and family, and Culvers will proudly donate 10% of the days proceeds to the Las Moras Well Project!

If you can’t come to Culvers on November 1st you can still be a part of helping Pete, myself, and our team bring clean water to Las Moras. We would like to raise the $20,000 needed to dig the well by May 2012, and are only about 1/4 of the way to our financial goal. The faster we have a good source of clean water in Las Moras the faster we will be able to bring the truth of the gospel to the Nahuatl, and the healthier we all will be.

Would you pray with us for God’s provision for our water needs?

Would you like to help finance a well for Las Moras?

Call New Tribes Mission’s Finance Office at 1-866-547-2460 to donate with a credit card.  Specify your gift is for the Mexico Fund – Well Project.

OR, send a check made out to New Tribes Mission to

New Tribes Mission
1000 East First Street
Sanford, Florida 32771

with a note saying it is for “the Mexico Fund – Well Project”

Thank you!

We appreciate you prayers and participation with this project, so that together we can provide Las Moras with clean water, and press forward in bringing the light of life in Christ to the Nahuatl.

The Road Home

The title of this post really has two meanings to us, the first being that just three weeks ago we embarked on the trip back home to Mexico after finishing our two month mini furlough in the states. However it also means that we are packing up our things, and beginning our journey to Las Moras which will be our permanent home for what we are hoping and praying will be a long time.

We are praying one day soon she will know the hope of the Savior.

Let me just give you a quick update on the second half of our furlough time. During the month of September we spent about three weeks in Waukesha, WI and the Milwaukee area. This was our time with Pete’s family, and we made some great new memories including being treated to a 4 day get-away to Door County!

Family photo

Also, with September came some INCREDIBLE answers to prayer as God provided the $7,000.00 we needed for the initial payment to purchase our house out in Las Moras!

We have now purchased this home, and are trusting God to provide completely to finish it and make it a place of ministry.

He has also brought in money so that we can begin to buy materials to finish our home! We have been completely overwhelmed and amazed at His goodness and His faithfulness. Not only did He provide financially for us, but also He gave us time with so many of you and we were refreshed and renewed by the time we shared. There are not enough ways to say thank you for the way you have personally lifted our spirits and been living tokens of God’s love. To see all of you excited about the Nahuatl of Las Moras hearing the gospel truly touched us and challenged us in ways you will never know, so thank you!

As September came to a close we began our trek back to Mexico from Wisconsin. This trip included three nights spent with dear friends in both St. Louis, and Oklahoma, and a few hours with Pete’s Cherokee language helper that he worked with back in the fall of 2009 when finishing up the linguistics program. We also stopped in the middle at the Missionary Training Center for New Tribes Mission. Pete had the privilege of sharing during the chapel time, and we talked at a few student small groups as well. It was incredible to be able to challenge the students sitting in the very chairs where we were just 2.5 years ago.

Now back in Mexico we have been packing and saying goodbye to friends we have made here in Chihuahua before we begin our trip south to the state of Durango to begin working among the Nahuatl in the village of Las Moras. Tomorrow, Monday we will be packing both our truck and our co-worker’s truck with all of our belongings and making the 7 hour drive to the city of Durango. There we will meet and do some planning with our co-workers, Tom & Teresa Elkins, Rachel, and Katie and begin our move into Las Moras.

Traveling in to the tribe.

This new life change is incredibly exciting for us, and without a doubt we know God is placing us there at just His right timing and all we want is to become vessels in His hands.

Thank you for praying for us and supporting us, we would not be here without your encouragement, it is amazing to know that you are all on your knees for the Lord to work in the hearts of the Nahuatl. We have a confident hope and peace that His work will be done. “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

Please check out the “Pray” page on the blog for updated prayer requests!  Also, we have some exciting news regarding how you can be apart of bringing clean water to the village of Las Moras. Check out this post for more details. http://www.ntm.org/wp/rachel_chapman/

The First Half

Tomorrow marks the end of the first half of our trip back to the states. Time has passed so quickly, and we haven’t quite felt like we have caught our breath or had much to time to just sit back and relax. However, we knew this trip would be a busy one, but at the same time the business has brought us new perspective and a new excitement about getting back to Mexico and beginning the work among the Nahuatl.

Here is a bit of a summary of what our August has looked like!

Upon arriving in Wisconsin on August 2nd, we piled back into the car along with Liesl’s parents and traveled to Reading, PA where we were privileged to celebrate with Mark and Jamie Farran as they united together in marriage.

For the wedding we stayed at a gorgeous house on the lake. Thanks to the wonderful hospitality of the Ridderhoffs.

Enjoying the porch for reading in the morning.

Pete performed the wedding ceremony as Mark and him were buddies in Bible School and we have some fun memories with Mark at the missionary training as well. Mark and Jamie, God’s blessings to you guys and you begin His adventure for you together!

Pete performing the wedding ceremony. (sorry for the dark photo)

Us with the new Mr. & Mrs. Mark Farran

On the way back from Pennsylvania we were able to meet up with a bunch of Liesl’s extended family that drove down from Detroit. We enjoyed a fabulous few hours of fellowship and catching up with one another over a delicious meal. Enjoyed seeing all of you!

Some of the family posing on the street corner in Toledo.

It was hard to take a picture of everyone...but here is Aunt Gail, cousin Don and his daughter Taylor.

Just the two of us.

Once back in Wisconsin we hit the ground running. Such began our schedule of visiting and meeting with many of you our friends, family, supporters, and partners in ministry. It was such an encouragement to us to see your excitement and desire to see the Nahuatl reached with the gospel! You have blessed us greatly, and we are recharged and encouraged to continue pressing on towards the goal of seeing the Nahuatl not only reached with the gospel, but also saved and brought to a knowledge of the grace the Lord has shown them.

In between meeting and visiting with our prayer and financial partners we also ventured off to Iowa to celebrate with Matt & Tara as they united in marriage. We love you both!

Matt & Tara looking very serious about this marriage thing.

Waiting for Matt and Tara to exit the church!

We were also able to visit with alot of friends that we have not seen in a very long time.

My good friend Deb.

And Joy, my trendy photographer friend.

Even though we were traveling and visiting, there was time made for family. Liesl’s Grandma came up to visit us from Fort Lauderdale, and spent an entire week with us. She got to meet many of you, and we spent some time with Liesl’s brothers and their families as well.

Brunch before the Madison Farmers Market

Our little niece Madeline.

Everyone getting seated for the family barbecue.

Alice & Tessa, the Mom and sis-in-law.

Pete with our newest niece, Elaina.

Uncle Pete helping Maddie put together her new puzzle of Mexico.

We knew you would all want another close up of Elaina so here you go. She is sweet!

August 28th we had the opportunity to share about the Nahuatl at Walnut Hill Bible Church in Baraboo. Also Pete was given the privilege and responsibility of preaching and shared a message from 2 Corinthians with the congregation there. It was such a blessing to see so many of you who support and pray for us. It excited us to share what we believe God wants to do through Walnut Hill to reach the Nahuatl and we are blessed that you are excited to be a part of that!

Sharing about the Nahuatl. Liesl's part is to pray that Pete doesn't make any mistakes. haha

Pete also dedicated our newest niece, Elaina Muscanero, during the 3rd service at Walnut Hill that same Sunday! It sure has been a busy time.

Pete dedicating Elaina with her parents and the church family.

Pete praying over the little bundle.

Now we are heading out on the road again to Waukesha, WI. We will be sharing this Sunday, September 4th at Crosswalk Church in Waukesha, the service begins at 10:15am. We will also be sharing more in depth about the Nahuatl people and the ministry we will be beginning among them, during the Sunday School hour which begins at 9:00am. Anyone and everyone is welcome to come!

Thank you all for your love, support, and prayers! Our trip has been wonderful so far, and please pray that God would give us the strength and wisdom as we embark on the second half of our time here in Wisconsin. We are looking forward to seeing all of your our dear friends in the Milwaukee area, please contact us so we can get together with you if we have not already contacted you!  (peter_hypki@ntm.org)

Also,  please check out our partner with us and pray pages as they have been recently updated. And a Happy September to everyone!

Coming Home

Tomorrow we embark on the 34 hour drive from our home here in Chihuahua to our home base in Wisconsin. We have finished what we are praying will be our last language evaluation in Spanish, and this past week enjoyed the fellowship of our co-workers at our annual missions conference.

The next step is coming to Wisconsin for about 7 weeks and cannot wait to share with all of you, our supporters and friends, about our plans for the upcoming months and into the future. Our schedule is filling up fast, but we would love to see any and all of you that we can. During our time in Wisconsin we will be speaking in a few different churches. Below I have included the dates, so if you are in the area you can come and hear about what God is doing in Mexico, and among the Nahuatl people, which is the tribal group we are hoping to work with for many years to come.

A rough schedule of where we will be:

August 28th – Walnut Hill Bible Church, Baraboo, WI (3 services 8:00am, 9:30am, 11:00am)

September 4th – Crosswalk Church, Waukesha, WI (10:15am)

If you would like to schedule a time to get together with us, or if you have any questions about our visit you can email us at: peter_hypki@ntm.org

We are looking forward to seeing everyone and sharing about God’s faithfulness in our lives!

No Bake Cookies…the healthy way

Lately we have been invited over to dinner ALOT! Our church here in Chihuahua knows that we will be finishing up the Spanish program soon, and they want to spend as much time with us as possible before we make our move to the mountains. Of course, I’m not complaining, not only do I get a night off of cooking, but we have shared some delicious Mexican cuisine and priceless fellowship with dear friends who we know will continue to battle on the front lines with us in prayer as we seek to reach the Nahuatl people with the gospel.

However, my Momma taught me right, which means whenever we are invited over I always offer to bring something. The answer is sometimes, “you don’t have to…”, but more often is “you could bring a dessert if you want?” This is because, American dessert is very different from Mexican dessert….and Mexicans love American desserts. But, one thing I don’t love is baking in 100 degree heat, which is what we live in here in Chihuahua during the months of June-August. A situation like this calls for some creativity. What could I make with simple ingredients, that was not only slightly healthy but also delicious and “no bake.” I came up with these.

We call them…Balls from Heaven (maybe they need a better name)

1/4 cup natural peanut butter (creamy)

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup wheat germ

1/2 cup raw oats

1/4 cup bakers unsweetened chocolate (chopped)

1/4 cup flax seeds (these give Ammmazing crunch)

Cook the peanut butter and honey over low heat until melted and blended. Then add the rest of the ingredients, mix well. Put the mixture in the freezer, until cool enough to roll into balls. Store balls in the refrigerator, if you don’t eat them all straight out of the bowl. Makes about 12 balls.

If you give them a try let me know. I hope you like them as much as we and our friends have!

The Hardest Thing I’ve Ever Done

This last week Pete and I were on the outskirts of the city hiking with our pup, Radley. The sun had almost gone down, and it was so…quiet. One thing that I love about being married to Pete is that we don’t always have to talk. Times we’ve spent together, even in utter silence are times that I treasure.

Our silly puppy, Radley.

As we clambered up one of the rocky slopes I was thinking about how good it felt to have an hour free from study. I felt liberated, almost like someone had taken a heavy burden off of my back, at least for a little while. I was a little puzzled as to why I felt this way, but then I realized that in my 29 years of life I can honestly say that learning Spanish is the hardest thing that I have ever done! We have lived here in Mexico for just short of 1 1/2 years and through all the grammar classes, home study, conversation time with people, drilling verbs, listening to recordings, and transcribing there haven’t been alot of moments where I’ve felt like…”Yeah, I can do this.” There have been alot more moments of, “What am I thinking…I can’t do this.” You see, I’m not a “gifted” language learner. I learn at an average pace, I must put in the work to get the results.  And that’s when it struck me;  I’m constantly scared that I’m not going to be able to speak Spanish at the level in which I need to speak it, and go through each day riding on this wave of fear that pushes me to study harder, and spend more time with people and push, and push, and push….but at the end of the day the reality is truly, that I cannot do it, but it is Christ in me who can.

God did not call me here to Mexico because I am the perfect person for the job. He did not bring Pete and I here because we are both amazing language learners (well…Pete kind of is) and I’m sure God knew that. God did not lead us here after 4 years of training because He thought “Okay, yep now they are ready to live in the middle of nowhere, they are strong enough to make it.” No, it is not because of any of these things that we are here. It is because we were, and still are living stones, selected out of the mucky brook by Christ Himself. He wanted to use us, here in Mexico, to make our lives a sweet sacrifice to His name and for His glory. 1 Peter 2:4-5 says, “And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is ^[i]choice and precious in the sight of God, ⁵ you also, as living stones, ^[j]are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

I am learning something as I walk through this truth day by day, trying to understand it more. I am learning that God’s timing is perfect, and His plan for me is so much greater than anything I could have imagined or created for myself. Yet, it doesn’t always mean that I will be naturally be good at it. That I will enjoy every moment of the journey, that I won’t struggle or be discouraged, or scared, or wonder if I can do it or not. That isn’t a perk of following Jesus. However, through the times of pain, there is true fulfillment as I seek His face. And in the discouragement, failure, and fear that I walk through I get the amazing privilege of knowing Him on a deeper level than I ever could have experienced before. I learn to know Him as Father, the one who comforts me (Is. 49:13, 2 Cor. 1:3, 2 Cor. 7:6), the Word of Life that revives my soul (Ps.119:50), my strength and shield in whom I can trust (Ps. 28:7, 29:11), my protector through my faith in Him through all the trials and storms of life and my perfector when He comes again (1 Peter 1:3-9).

There is no where else, no matter how challenging, where I would rather be, than here in Mexico, in the mighty hands of my Jesus.

A Trip to Las Moras, and Some Very Exciting News

The last words you may have heard from us were that we were going “off the grid.” Well, that is exactly where we have been for the last three weeks. We have been away from technology, the internet, and the bustling life of the city. Instead we have been enjoying the tranquil creation in central Mexico. Sound nice? It was, but it was also rustic, fun, challenging, encouraging, and eye-opening.

Our trip was filled with all sorts of experiences, from loading and unloading over 1,400 adobe bricks that weighed about 25 lbs each, to cleaning tribal homes, cooking with solar power, using an outhouse, bathing and doing laundry in the local creek, visiting and getting to know the Nahuatl families that live in the area, performing basic first aid, assisting in a week-long dental clinic for the people in the area, and spending time with the team that is working and living there in Las Moras.

It is a rugged, beautiful location, hard to reach, and not even accessible for four months of each year.  Yet, the people there work, raise their children, visit, plant gardens, and live with the same basic needs we do, and one overarching need that has brought the team there – their need to know  the God who loves them.

One of the most exciting parts of the trip actually came after the trip, when the team invited us to join them in the work  there in Las Moras.  We were excited to accept their invitation, and are pleased to announce that we are the newest members of the Las Moras team.  We still have to finish Spanish study here in Chihuahua, and plan to take a few weeks in August and September to travel to the States and share what our new work will look like.  But we’re excited to be part of the team, and can’t wait to get back out to Las Moras and work with the team toward reaching the Nahuatl people in their own language.

There will be more details to come later, but for now, we hope you enjoy these pictures of our trip:

The first stop on the way to Las Moras was in the city where the team is currently basing out of

Out to eat with the team the first night

A view from the mountain road. Over 1,000 curves in five hours is part of the reason some of us got sick

Stopping for lunch along the mountain road

Stopped along a construction site for the new road they are building through the mountains

Finally arrived at the coast - the second stop on the trip out to Las Moras. One night to recharge, then hit the road again.

Walking to dinner on the beach. It was great to see water after living in the desert for the past year and a half!

Back on the road - we hit a bit of a roadblock as we hit the dirt road to Las Moras.

A bulldozer had to clear rocks out of the road so we could continue.

We stopped for lunch just before a spot on the road that is often impassable.

Rocks weren't the only thing in the road on the way to Las Moras. Good thing we had a machete and a hatchet.

Sunrise in Las Moras. May is one of the driest months of the year, but there was still a bit of standing water in some of the creeks.

One morning, Rachel took us on a hike up one of the hills around the village.

A priest set this cross up during the village's celebrations of Semana Santa (Easter) a few years ago.

Katie and Rachel's house. (The two single ladies on the tribal team)

These drying adobes are some of the 1500 adobes we moved indoors to protect from the coming rainy season. The two already built missionaries' homes in Las Moras, and the one remaining to be built, are built with over 2,000 of these adobe bricks - each weighing 25 lbs or so. The Nahuatl people of the community made every brick used in the building.

Teresa, Katie, and I in the kitchen.

One of the little Nahuatl girls.

These young girls in the village liked to have pictures taken of them.

Las Moras sits on a mesa overlooking a canyon.

Pete and Tom trying hard to get the satellite working so the team can have internet.

One day we hiked to a nearby village, and Pete and I took some pictures out on one of the cliffs.

Nahuatl baby being rocked to sleep in a hammock.

A few Nahautl men led us to the edge of the canyon behind their house to catch a beautiful view.

The village is close enough to the coast that some tropical plants, like this banana plant, grow.

Our second week in Las Moras, we put on a dental clinic for the people in town and the surrounding villages. Here Pete assists on one of the 20 root canals they did.

Randy, the other dentist, and Tom assisting.

The local laundromat - Liesl doing our laundry on a rock down by the creek.

We also bathed down at the creek. One day a few of the girls in the village came down to chat with Katie and I and gave us braids in our hair.

We spent a number of mornings in the week before the dental clinic visiting some of the Nahuatl families in the village and letting them know about the upcoming clinic

The outhouse we used for the entire trip.

One of the missionaries' neighbors made some beautiful tablecloths and runners. I was purchasing this one from her, since it had a flower in my favorite color - orange.

On our way out of the tribe we stopped at this beautiful river to eat some lunch.

Catching a cup of coffee on the coast before continuing the long drive home

We had a great view as we crossed the mountains on our way home!

Walking by faith

We have to say we’re a little embarrassed because we haven’t updated in 2 months now. Yes, we’ve been busy, but not too busy to update… so, finally here it is.

I almost don’t know where to start…let’s see, last we shared with you was something of a photo tour of our tribal trip, hope you enjoyed it. It was an experience we will never forget! We truly saw God at work in another culture, and it was amazing to see their hunger for the word of God. But wow, tribal work will definitely be exhausting as the Tepehuan people were coming to visit at the missionary’s home constantly throughout the day, to talk, eat with them, and often go through Bible lessons. The ministry can only be done through the strength we have in Lord.

When we arrived back home to Chihuahua, we had about 3 weeks of dealing with broken pipes in our home because of a spell of the coldest weather Chihuahua has seen in over 50 years – a solid three days below freezing!  We did not have water in our house for 3 weeks, and no hot water for over a month. Luckily the gym where we workout is about two miles from our house and has nice hot showers.

However, in March we had our 2^nd Spanish Evaluation, and are now both in the third level of language learning called Capable Level. This level has three sub levels low, mid, and high. Pete is in Capable Mid, and I am just beginning Capable Low. They would like us to reach Capable High before moving out to a tribal location. I am right on track for how many hours of study I have put in studying and Pete is actually ahead of the average language learning schedule.

Studying away

We are now going even deeper in our Spanish study, spending more time with helpers, talking, recording different cultural events, re-listening to them, and practicing speaking through events with our helpers. Though we are both feeling more comfortable everyday with our comprehension and speaking abilities in Spanish we can definitely still use prayers in this area. Both Pete and I have good days and bad days speaking, so at times it is discouraging, but as always God is always faithful.

Valentines Date!

Our involvement in our church here has increased as well. We are now arriving early each Sunday to practice with and play with the Worship Team, and are helping with special events. For instance, two Sundays ago, at our pastor’s request, we had a Missions Focus Sunday, where the four of us missionary couples in the church put together missions-focused Sunday Schools for all ages, and did the main service preaching time as well. The purpose of the Missions Sunday was to bring more awareness for cross-cultural missions work to the Mexican Church and our church specifically. The goal was not just to broaden their view of missions, but to encourage each member to be pray that God would raise up cross-cultural missionaries within their congregation. This includes being prepared to do what it takes to support those missionaries to take the Gospel where there are those who have never heard it. The service went well and we all enjoyed a delicious Mexican comida afterwards.

Pete speaks at church

This last Sunday, Pete spoke at church for the first time in Spanish. He did  a lot of preparation on his message, and worked with one of our language helpers to fine-tune his Spanish so that each church member could better understand it. As we drove to church that morning we prayed that the Lord would use his message to touch the lives of each person in the way that would most draw them to Himself. As Pete finished speaking from John 3:28-30, there were a couple women in tears, and they were excited to take what he had shared and apply it to their lives.  Many others gave encouraging compliments on how Pete’s Spanish had progressed. He did very well.  I was also impressed and I’m supposed to be Pete’s biggest critic, right?

We also have struggled through a hard time this last week, as our sweet puppy, Murphy contracted a serious virus and would not eat or drink for almost a week. We worked with our veterinarian here to strengthen Murphy and help him fight the virus, but his system would not kick in and fight it. Last Tuesday night he began to hemorrhage from his intestines and we had no choice but to put him down. It was a very sad week. However, God is constantly teaching us about how strong we are in Him. Murphy was just a pet, but as many of you know, when you have pets they have special pet places in your family, so life indeed feels different without them. And being this far from home, it sounds funny, but he felt more like family because, well, we don’t have family here.  I truly believe when things like this happen the devil wants to use it to discourage us. But the day after Murphy died, I read 1 Corinthians 4 and it was filled with amazing truth that I needed. In verse 15 Paul writes “As God’s grace reaches more and more people there will be great thanksgiving and God will receive more and more glory.” Then in verse 16 and 17 “That is why we never give up…our spirits are being renewed everyday. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long, yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!” Knowing that our reason for being here in Mexico, for struggling to learn another language and build meaningful relationships, our reason for living so far away from family and those that we love is because there are those who have not heard the Gospel, are dying without hope, and for this we are not pushed down, crushed, or destroyed, for this reason we never give up: to bring glory to our Lord who is faithful, even in the trials that we experience; big or small.

As we focus on this truth throughout the next month, we thought we’d share it with you as well. Hopefully God can use what we have experienced these last two months and what we’ve learned from His Word to encourage you.  Also, we want you to know how much your prayers, gifts, letters, and encouragement mean to us, especially as we go through hard times like this that threaten to take our focus away from what is important. We could not be here serving our Lord without you all; you truly are a huge part of the work. We would love to hear your prayer requests as well as what God has been teaching you, send us an email anytime at: peter_hypki@ntm.org

Also, look forward to another tribal trip update as we have a trip scheduled to another tribal location on May 2nd!  We’ll spend a little over a week out there as we consider working in that location as well.  Here’s a few pictures as a preview!!

Thank you all for reading this “wordy” post. We promise not to wait as long to update you next time.