The Big Announcement!

Here is a copy of the social post we shared in mid February 2025.

YES, IT IS TRUE. . . WE ARE MOVING TO MEXICO!

Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord? I will go, Lord, if You lead me.

Starting in July, Pat and I we will be serving as co-directors of Arbol de Vida Training Center at Give Ye Them to Eat (GYTTE) in Puebla, Mexico. Founded as a social outreach project of the Methodist Church of Mexico to combat hunger and poverty in the rural sector, GYTTE uses people-centered approaches to increase the understanding of impoverished families in rural Mexico.

While the administration part of our work will take place in Puebla, a lot of our time will be spent in about 2 ½ hours south in a town called Tlancualpican. The Training Center features an experiential teaching farm that is maintained for agricultural and livestock production to improve family nutrition and increase family income. Additionally, people are trained in environmentally-sound livestock management practices and by selling income-producing animals at a subsidized price to those in need of quality livestock. GYTTE also works with dairy goats and a tilapia farm.

There is also a learning center that equips village women as volunteer workers for community-based, primary health care focused on preventative health measures. Additionally, the AWARE Program provides educational and work experiences for Mexican and international visitors, volunteers, and teams, raising awareness of the needs of rural Mexico and offering opportunities for service in response to hunger and poverty. This is a 70-acre experiential learning center that accommodates 11 full time employees, and dormitories for up to 60 people to live while training and/or completing a mission project.

We will also be the liaisons and hosts to mission teams, and hope you will add us to your calendar!

Pat and I have been discerning this call to be global missionaries as a pathway to retirement for almost 15 years and have been guided by the scripture of 1 Peter 4:10 “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”

Fun fact: Puebla, MX is the 4th largest city in the country and is known as the Gastro Capital of Mexico! So, for our foodie friends, this is a place you will want to add to your travel list. Located about 2 ½ hours from Mexico City in the center of the country, beaches are about 2ish hours away both on the east and west coast.

Puebla is also home to beautiful landscapes like the Popocatépetl volcano, making it an excellent base for hiking and adventure. The city averages about 77 degrees during the day, while the farm can top 90 degrees during the daytime highs. Sounds pretty great, if you ask us!

As for our Spanish, we are working on it! Our first 6 weeks will be spent living with a family for Spanish immersion. During that time we will also be buying a car and finding a place to live.

We are excited, honored, and a little apprehensive to follow God’s call to connect with others through shared experiences and learning.

We are literally selling/giving away everything that we have and will start this adventure with a carload of suitcases!

We can think of no better way to round out Pat’s call to ministry and my career in philanthropy than by serving as Global Missionaries for the United Methodist Church.

Mas Amor Por Favor – More Love Please!