August-November 2021
Dear friends,
Once again time has flown by at an incredible pace. We can hardly believe that we are approaching the end of the year! Our goal to send out blog updates once a month has not been achievable during this last season. While we are happy to be busy, we are hoping this next year will afford more time for communication with all of you.
We so wish we could reach out to each one of you to share our hearts and hear yours. For now we will have to rely on this medium to share what the Lord is doing in us and through us.
Some really great news – the kids’ residency was approved and we are now able to stay without worrying about making trips out of the country to stay legal. All we can say is Hallelujah!! What an ordeal! A huge “thank you” to everyone who prayed through the process and encouraged us along the way.
Here are some snapshots of these last few months.
Family News
When you’re just too sandy to even be allowed in to shower.
Ben and Steve, the trade school director, made a trip to Morelia to bring some former staff members their furniture and other items. A good time of bonding with 18 hours in the truck.
Both girls had birthdays in October. They are growing like crazy and both goofballs.
We were able to donate soccer nets to our local kids’ team here in Cacalote. Because of your faithful giving we have been able to sow into communities nearby and build relationships. Thank you!
Every year the Spanish school students get together for Thanksgiving. It was quite a crew this year!
Check this out! (Video via button above) The base flooded after several days of heavy rain… the high water made it impossible for school to start on time (the benches under the round tree are where students usually wait). Damage was thankfully minimal, but many of the men from the base as well as men from town had to dig out a trench to drain it out. Picture a bathtub draining out and you’ll get the picture!
Norah and her friend Nissy. Our house has become a pretty busy hangout for kids and young people. It’s not uncommon to have 20 or more kids here playing mafia on the porch or hide and seek in the dark.
Everything’s better with friends. Pepe has been a huge help and support in the team ministry but also a good friend personally.
Teams
We received our first team from within Mexico. They came from a ministry school in Queretaro. Here they are praying over Andrés and Ale, the overseers for the food and cafeteria at the base. They may be the hardest workers we know! Please pray for them as they manage huge responsibilities.
The team from Queretaro helps run a clinic outreach in Loma Bonita. Members took vitals, ran pharmacy, did a kids’ program, and prayed for patients. One of their members is a doctor, so she was able to also give consults.
Ladies from St. James Church in Tulsa, OK, help sort out and bag medicine for the outreaches. It’s a real help!
Patients waiting to be seen at the pop-up clinic in Juquila
Interacting with kids during the outreach programs is often a favorite with team members.
The team from St. James in Tulsa. They were involved in many ministries at the base and in the villages. So thankful they came!
Click the button above to see a summary of a team ministry from Gateway Church in Texas. They keep sending quality teams!
Other Ministry
We have the privilege of continuing to come alongside the discipleship process of the schools on the base. Baptism is an important step in the lives of these students.
One of the earlier projects is stools made out of pine. Students learn how to do this and then sell them for an income.
Ben built a nine-square set for the multigrade students. He’s the best gym teacher ever.
Another station involved carrying one of the kindergarteners blindfolded through an obstacle course, guided only by their teams voices.
This was the typical result after!
Some of the more advanced carpentry students are trusted with projects involving better wood. Here Emmanuel sands down a plank of perota for a table.
Sometimes we have to shoo off some cattle to use the basketball court!
As part of a sports tournament (Amazing Race style) multigrade students had to squeeze lemons and drink a certain amount of juice to advance to the next station. So fun!
The last station was to form a pyramid to complete the race.
We continue visiting churches in the Roca Blanca network to provide support to the leadership. This is the service in Santa Cruz, about 2 hours from here.
Upcoming Projects
Our Multigrade school is growing. That’s wonderful news! However we are out of space. We have already had to turn away a number of students because there just isn’t any room for them. We are planning on building a second floor on this building to create more classrooms so we can accept more students.
As you can see the classes are cramped and very full. The school is a major way in which we educate children in the faith and equip them with skills to succeed in life. If you feel the Lord leading you to help with this project please contact us. Part of the funding is in place but we are awaiting further support. Thanks!
Another really exciting project is a kitchen and seating area for a church in San Martín. They regularly prepare meals for the church as well as the community, which truthfully needs the support. The women of the church take turns using their kitchens to prep the food, but then it all must be carried to the church. Dishes are washed in the yard with a hose. A team from Gateway Church will be coming in March to complete this project and various others. We are so thrilled that we can support the amazing work they’re doing with a kitchen!
Love working together
As you can see our lives have been very full! Our hearts are just as full when we think of you and your prayers and support. THANK YOU. For you praying friends, here are some points for prayer:
- Strength and energy as we fill several roles. For team coordination especially, since it is the bulk of our work. We are praying for support in the form of helpers sometime this next year.
- We continue trying to make friends here. To be honest it has been a struggle. Most everyone here is already established in their relationships. It can be hard to “break in”. Please pray for deep fruitful relationships so we can mutually sustain each other in the Lord.
- Pray for wisdom regarding our vehicle. It has served us very well, but we are discovering that doing most any kind of repair on a hybrid vehicle here is a hard and expensive process. Hybrids are almost never even seen in our area of Mexico, and finding parts and someone who can work on it is nigh impossible. We are considering looking for a different car. Would you pray with us about this?
We love and appreciate you. Reach out anytime, and as always, you are always very welcome to come see us!
With love,
Ben and Hannah (and kidlets)
Love this! Thanks for the updates, Clarks! We think of you often and we are excited to see what the next year holds for you all!
Thanks for praying!! Hope you guys are doing well. Maybe 2022 has a Johnson visit in it? 😀 Talk soon.
Continuing to pray for you, as always. Thank you for this update and all the great photos!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ A heart of love for each one of you ?
Ah, Ben and Hannah. Still among our favorites. Praying for those connected, authentic and fruitful friendships and that all your hearts would be sustained by the goodness of God.
We were just talking about you guys this week! Still some of our favorites too. Thanks for praying for relationships. It has been hard. And we know we’ll never find anybody quite like the Smiths. Love you all.
Thanks Mom. We love you too!!
The pictures show so much variety and depth of your work and life there. They mad eye miss you a lot, but were good reminders to pray for you and all you are doing. Much love and hugs to you all!!
Oh we miss you too Marnie! You’re such an encourager. <3 Thanks for praying. Means more than you know. Love ya.
Wow! What an exciting story and view of what you guys are doing. Praying for you. Rich
Thanks Rich!
So great to hear from you!! What alot of work you are doing for the Kingdom! And you always put so much effort into your updates! Be blessed and encouraged!
Thank you Lynda! <3
Thanks for the update! I just read this out loud while Sam and I are in the car together. Hugs to you all!
Love you both so much! Recently put out the Snyder/Clark ornament on the tree and gave thanks for such friends.
Great news on the visas for your children! You have been busy indeed. Enjoyed reading the update and seeing all the fabulous photos! May God continue to bless you, your family and your ministry. You remain in our prayers. Love Maura
Hi Maura! We owe you several emails! Your notes are really so appreciated and meaningful. <3 Love to all the Hackenmuellers!
You guys Rock! Amazing love for Jesus and His people. Great update!
Miss you guys! Come home soon!
Great news about the visas for your kids! Thanks for another great update and all the fabulous pictures. You have been busy indeed! May the Lord continue to bless you, your family and your ministry. Wishing you all a blessed Advent season. Love you, Maura
Best newsletter yet! Way to go! To God be the glory!
Thanks Andrew! And yes, and amen.
Praying for you is such a joy. Thanks for the newsletter and wonderful pictures. I am a really visual person so this is great. May God continue to dwell with you and you dwell with Him. John 15–as you dwell in Him the fruit comes.
Blessings forever,
Ken and Sharon
Thank you for the encouragement and the consistent prayer. What a blessing. So glad you enjoy the updates!
I always love your updates and all the photos! Praying for you guys! And may you have a Merry Christmas!
You too Alyssa!! <3
Blessings to you Ben and Hannah and your family. Look what the Lord has done in and through you. Praying for you, Love, Bonnie and Mike Connolly
Thank you for your prayers! <3
I like the newsletter! Prayer!! If I prayed for another hybrid car to enter the area, will it create enough of a vacuum for a local certified technician? 😀
I doubt it! Ha ha
Thanks for your recent email / photos. We a amazed how many different facets of ministry are going on in / through one place!
Way to go! keep up the good work!
A special Hi to Ben & Hannah from Gary & Margie
Thank you!! Yes, we are busy but it is all good work, so we are thankful. <3 Merry Christmas!
Finally was able to read the whole thing 😉 love you and miss you. But hey Paul filled out passport applications for us yesterday!!! Yay for travel in our future. Praying for you always and praising with you in answered prayers too. Hallelujah for the kids’ residency!! Love you
Wooo! Passports are a must. 🙂 Love you too!