Duggins Family e-update May-Nov. 2021

The entire Duggins Family at the Indy homestead.

We remain grateful for the many blessings that we have experienced over the last few months.  We arrived in Indiana on May 5 and immediately arranged for our first vaccination for COVID.

Then it was to work!  We arranged for several appointments with potential new partnering congregations in Tennessee and Atlanta and over the next two weeks were traveling to those appointments.  We also had been invited to do two presentations about the Cell Church strategy (a church based on small groups) which we have used over the last 25 years in the Mexico church planting ministry.  We returned to Indiana and arranged for the second vaccination.

Pat "Naomi" Rumler went home to be with Christ on August 28, 2021

This summer, though filled with a lot of activity and ministry, was also a time of concern for Dee and her entire family.  Mom Rumler’s physical and mental health had deteriorated quite a bit during the COVID lockdowns.  Visitation by family had been impossible for a good portion of that time and when things did open up some, there were still major limitations on those visits.  When visits were possible, Dee would try to visit twice a week for several hours.  In mid-August, during a conference at the memory care unit it was obvious that these medical health care workers considered Mom was in her last phase and they suggested that the family consider working with a hospice group which was done.  We were scheduled to return to Mexico on August 24, but canceled those plans.

​On early Saturday morning, August 28, Mom Rumler went home in her sleep.  That afternoon we went with Dee’s sisters to make the arrangements for the funeral. The service was planned for that following Tuesday, August 31.   Eric had the privilage to do the funeral service and the grave site service, since mom’s pastor in Anderson was already involved with a funeral at the same time. 

We are grateful for many notes and other expressions of love after Mom’s homecoming.  Thanks so much!

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The next week, we began to look at our return to Mexico and made reservations for September 7.   Over the last couple of days we have been resettling back into the house, reconnecting to Internet (looking for passwords, etc.).  Dee is getting all the schooling material together, which was a lot of the weight in the suitcases for our return.  Dee will be continuing to teach grandson, Eric several of his subjects.  She actually started in Indiana by Zoom but now will be with him in-person at the Alvarado house.

​The month of September will be full.   We will be doing our coaching time, now also in-person and the two Administrative meetings for the two church plants here in Queretaro.   We will also continue our contacts with New International affiliates.  On September 17, we will have the blessing to be at the first anniversary of the Anchor Church here in Queretaro.   And we will be at the party of the La Viña Church in celebration of Mexican Independence on Wednesday evening of September 15.  

Dr. Noemi Perez Went home on September 8, 2021

We got back to Queretaro to also receive some very sad news the day after we arrived.  Dr. Noemi Perez, a faithful and dynamic member of the Jubilee Church in Pachuca went home after a sever case of COVID.  Her mother preceded her by just a few days. 

​Noemi was a major blessing to the ministry in Pachuca and especially to the Jubilee church. She was also our personal doctor while we were in Pachuca.  She was a devoted follower of Jesus and will be missed by many in Mexico!

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COVID has been a major challenge in Mexico and as is happening in the United States there has been a new wave in Mexico of the other COVID variants.  So far, the Queretaro government has not increased limitations that affect the Churches but there are growing concerns that those limitations may be coming.   

We will return to the United States on October 5 and very quickly begin a drive to Fort Myers for the annual Regional Directors Meetings at the home offices of New International.   Those go for a week and then we are staying on in Fort Myers to observe the new affiliate orientation into the following week.  We have possibly three new affiliates joining our region that will be at that orientation.   We also hope to make a couple of church contacts visits during those two weeks. 

Returning to Indy at the end of October, we will be there for only about two weeks before we travel to Richmond, Virginia for the iCOM (International Conference on Missions).   The whole IMPACTOLatino team will be at this year’s conference since IMPACTO is one of five missions being presented for special recognition.  We will be representing Latina American church planting.  Also, the IMPACTOLatino Board of Advisors will be meeting on November 20 in Richmond.

​Returning home to Indy, we will have Thanksgiving with family in Indiana and plans are presently to return to Queretaro on November 30.  Tentative plans are that we will be in Mexico until the first few days of April, 2022.

Coming Events:
15 Sept / Noche Mexicana at La Viña Church.
17 Sept / First Anniversary Celebration for the Anchor Church.
5 Oct / Return to Indy.
8-23 Oct / Regional Directors Meetings and New Afíliate Orientation
16-23 Nov / iCOM and IMPACTOLatino Board of Advisors Meeting in Richmond, VA
24 Nov. / Thanks-giving
30 Nov. / Return to Queretaro.

Prayer Requests:

• -Praise: We were blessed by so many during the homecoming of Mom Rumler.  We especially were blessed by the unity and love of Dee’s two sisters as they worked together the last days and the arrangements for the funeral celebration.
• -Pray for the Jubillee Church family at the loss of Dr. Noemi.   She was a counselor and cell pastor that brought a deep understand of commitment and knowledge of the Bible and Christian life to the church family.  
• -Be praying for Andrew as he begins to retool and look at his next phase in life.  
• -Be praying for a friend and colleague, Vicki Syverson.  We worked with Vicki and Greg for many years in Pachuca.  Vicki was just diagnosed with a tumor in her femur.  She returned to the United States to get more tests and to look into treatments.
• -Be praying for our fund-raising efforts for the new churches.  We are waiting on decisions for potential additions to the support base for the Anchor Church here in Queretaro.  We are also beginning the process to look for partners for the newest church plant projected for Merida, Yucatan in the Fall of 2022.  Pray for us that our Lord is leading in each phone call and personal visit.