July 2023
Hello from Minnesota!
I (Hannah) and kids have been here to begin our first furlough since July 1st. Ben will join us on the 15th, and we can’t wait! This change of scenery and pace is sorely needed. We are excited to connect with family and friends, and of course find time for a little rest.
This is our first update in quite a while, and it’s simply because we have been completely underwater! As you know, Finney was born last August, and it turns out that having a newborn (and four others!) and simultaneously hosting teams and continuing our normal ministry rhythm has been incredibly demanding and busy. We haven’t had much time to do anything else!
We’d like to update you now on our family and ministry. We can’t possibly cover everything in one update, but hope to give you an idea of what we’ve been up to.
Family News
Our biggest family news since our last update is obviously the miraculous arrival of Finney Abraham. He was born last August at 34 weeks.
Pastors Duane and Sue Kershner, the founders of Roca Blanca, meet little Finney. (right)
Here are some other family pics from the last number of months! The Lord has sustained and kept us in his love in this wild and busy season.
Norah turned 7!
Cooper, Sage, and Finn made up the Holy Family in their school’s Christmas play.
We got to go see Andy and Jessie (Ben’s brother and sister-in-law, and dear friends) near Guadalajara for Christmas. It was such a great time together. Between us and their family of 12, we made quite a group!
Field Day at the kids’ school. They got a little messy.
Sage turned 13. Another teenager in the house, and she’s wonderful!
All the guys got Vikings shirts for Christmas. A little taste of Minnesota.
Farmer Norah scrapes the bottom of the barrel to get feed for our hens.
Ben, Hannah, and Finney made a one-week trip to MN in April to attend a conference for the Fellowship of Christian Assemblies. Our flights were delayed several times until we were finally re-routed two days after our original flights. Ben and Finney were a little tired after all the changes!
Ministry Update
The Lord has been growing the team ministry at Roca Blanca by leaps and bounds. Ben is currently hosting team #34 since March of 2021. This has been an enormous blessing to the base and more importantly to the people of Oaxaca. We have had teams doing all kinds of ministry: Food distribution, prayer ministry, helping with the clinic at outreaches, construction, gardening, kids ministry, youth ministry… all kinds of things. We love hosting teams and are so thankful to see not only the lasting impact here but also the immense changes we see in the teams that come and experience this kind of service. God is good.
Ben has also been working extensively with construction and facilities maintenance and improvements around the base. This involves not only physical labor but coordination with workers, buying materials, planning the work and so on. It has been a huge undertaking but it’s already reaping benefits in ministry here on the base. Please pray for funding to keep coming for these important projects. More is needed and that means more funds for materials and workers. Thank you!
Ben also continues with his work teaching carpentry at the trade school. His students are learning this skill to help them earn a living while they reach their communities with the Gospel. It’s exciting to see them progressing.
Children’s outreach
Women carry firewood down the mountain
Carpentry students practice what they’ve learned
Prayer over a young man in our community who is wheelchair bound
Ministry support and encouragement for a Roca Blanca church
A church service is held outside of a home. These precious believers gather wherever they can to worship.
Handing out donated eyeglasses with a clinic outreach
Construction of a new church in Puerto Angel, about 2 hours from us.
Corn is a staple and central part of the Mexican diet
Prayer for patients at a clinic outreach after they’ve seen the doctor
Food pack distribution, sharing the love of Christ.
Pastors Rigoberto and Carmelita are dear friends. They are working in a very difficult area and face many challenges. Please pray for them as the Lord brings them to mind!
This team from Texas worked hard and were an immense blessing.
New believers are baptized in the ocean
A Minnesotan team poured a concrete pad/ramp for this young man, who previously had no access to his own home without a serious effort to get him in the house.
Prayer with a family who received a food pack
Children in our town of Cacalote received Operation Christmas Child boxes. We had the privilege of helping to distribute them.
Ben’s carpentry class made this table and benches for a church up the mountain from us.
A medical intake in an Afro-Mexican town, La Boquilla, which has been a recent focus for outreach.
A fairly typical home in our communities.
River baptisms with new brothers and sisters
The nearly completed new prayer house. Ben has worked hard on this project. It has a much greater capacity for people who come and receive prayer, and has been a need at the base for a long time.
A mobile pharmacy. Patients are waiting outside to receive their meds after a consult.
All in all it has been a fruitful and important time. THANK YOU for your support and interest.
Can we share some needs with you? We have had some challenges with our personal expenses in these last months. The changes in the dollar have meant that we receive less pesos to your support dollar – when we first came we were getting about 22 pesos per dollar, and we’re currently getting 16. This makes a big difference! We also have more expenses with Finney being added to the family.
We have an urgent need for a vehicle from July 15th-August 15th. We need it to visit churches where we will share about our work and the vision for Oaxaca. If you have a lead on a van that will work for us, please let us know!
Will you pray with us for our needs and the needs of the ministry to be met? And if you’re interested in supporting us, check out the “Support” tab on the site. Thank you!
Blessings and love from the Clarks to you! May Jesus be glorified in us all.
This is magnificent. God’s blessings are with you all. May His wisdom guide you the rest of the way
Amen! Thank you Lee!
What a great webpage! Thanks for the updates on Finney. Praise God that all went well!
Thanks for all the information and pictures of your mission outreach.
Yes, we’re so thankful for the way the Lord took care of us. See you soon!
Very glad to hear hear from you all and to know family are doing fine. Many blessings you and the ministry is going well too!!
Thanks! <3
Very encouraging report!! May God continue to bless and keep you always!
We look forward to seeing you very soon!!
Ken and Sharon
Thank you!