Read: Psalm 34:1-10
Fear the Lord, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing. (v. 9 NIV)
Manuel was one of the first Tzeltal school teachers and taught in remote villages. He was one of the few Tzeltals who received a monthly paycheck at that time.
As time passed, Manuel and his wife Juana had eight children. What had once been enough money was no longer enough. Juana related how God had daily provided for them: “There were days when I had enough corn only for the morning tortillas, with none for the evening meal. Then, someone would come by the house selling corn, and I would have corn in time to boil it and make the evening tortillas. Other times I would be out of beans, or coffee, or sugar. Someone would come to sell me what I needed.
“There were times when the children needed clothes or medicine, and the teaching salary would not be enough. But my husband knew how to work with cowhide. In the evenings he would make sandals, belts and machete holders. Just when we had a need, someone would come to buy something my husband had made.
“We never had extras in our home. We never had it in advance of when we needed it, but God always supplied what we needed when we needed it. Our God is a good God!” she said with a smile. —Helen Hofman
As you pray, thank our loving Father for supplying your needs, and reflect on the ways that God has provided for you.
About the Author
Helen Hofman is a retired missionary. She and her husband Sam worked with the Tzeltal and Tojolabal Indians of Chiapas, Mexico for more than forty years. In their work, they helped set up a Bible School to train the Tzeltals, taught in the Bible School, prepared Sunday School materials, textbooks, hymnals and audiovisuals. They also coordinated the translation of the Amatenango Tzeltal New Testament and the revision of the highland Tzeltal Bible.
