Journals
Posted on March 27, 2026 Life giving water — Spring Update from Matos in Mexico
Author Image Luis and Sarah Matos
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Update at a glance
  • BIG NEWS! This might be old news to some, but we are thrilled to share that our family is growing. Baby Boy Matos is arriving in July 2026!
  • Luis finished his year of intense language learning at the language school at the end of January.
  • Sarah finished her two week intensive language and cultural learning in February.
  • Our Area Director, Adalia, came and visited us!
  • Talita Cumi Girls Clubs are thriving and expanding.
  • A new ministry project for Luis is in the works!
  • COBAMI leadership workshops provide monthly training to local church leaders and pastors.
  • We are applying for residency at the Mexican Consulate in the United States this Summer.

Life giving water
Spring is here! Beautiful colors and new life. Oaxaca recently had a holiday called Día de la Samaritana (Samaritan Day). The holiday takes place on the fourth Friday of Lent remembering when Jesus asked the Samaritan woman at the well for some water in John 4. Originally it was a holiday only celebrated by the Catholic church but now the whole city participates to embrace the Oaxacan culture of hospitality by providing free Oaxacan traditional waters. Everyone brings their own cup and stands in line to receive delicious flavored water. Schools, churches, businesses and government offices have beautiful booths out front and the women serving are dressed in typical dress from the different Oaxacan ethnic groups.

In the gospel of John, Jesus has this deep theological conversation with this Samaritan woman. Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life (John 4:13, NIV).” This encounter changed her life and she left the well to share the Good News. She became the first missionary as many Samaritans from her hometown believed in Jesus because of her living testimony (John 4:39).

We are honored to witness and hear stories of similar encounters of how God’s Spirit is welling up in others and people are coming to faith in Christ and becoming missionaries. Which always reminds us of our own first encounter with Jesus and how we continue to seek Jesus at work in the world around us.

The following are two ways we have seen God’s living water bring life back into people and communities; through Talita Cumi and COBAMI Regional Leadership Trainings.

A 9-year-old girl suffered the loss of her parents, first her mother to suicide and her father to an illness the following year. Her significant loss and trauma caused her to not talk and lost her ability to comprehend. God showed up through her next-door neighbor who happens to be a Talita Cumi mentor. She invited her to be part of her girls club. God’s life giving waters is restoring her and transforming her life. She now participates in conversations and attends club weekly. We pray that God keeps shaping her little heart, mind, and soul as she continues to be discipled by the mentor and heal from her loss. Talita Cumi has been a life source for her to laugh, play, and grow in God’s love. Please pray for this little girl and all the other girls part of Talita Cumi.

COBAMI equips local leaders within the network of churches to share the Gospel. This year we have twenty four women and men signed up for monthly leadership workshops. Last month we gathered with the group of leaders to participate in the workshop. They were vulnerable in their sharing and we learned from one another, we cried and prayed for one another. This allows leaders and pastors to build community and connection, find encouragement in each other, and for their own spiritual growth. Sarah was invited to teach a workshop with Noemi in May on the Old Testament. Please pray for us as we begin to prepare for this class. Pray for the leaders who have enrolled in these monthly classes for two years. May God’s Spirit refresh their lives and ministry.
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Leadership training workshop Director of COBAMI, Pastor Jaime and his wife Noemi with Adalia, Sarah, Luis and Nora.
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Pictures above of our outing to drink Oaxacan waters during Día de la Samaritana. It was a fun unique cultural experience we were glad to share with Adalia

Future projects and Family Update

It was a blessing to have our Area Director, Adalia, visit us in our home for a few days. One thing we love about IM is how we feel supported as Global Servants by our Area Director and the greater IM family. Adalia came to see how we were doing physically and spiritually with our transition this past year. It was great timing because our language study year has ended and we are beginning to work together with our ministry partners on community development projects. We met with COBAMI director and his wife Noemi (who is one of the Talita Cumi coordinators) to hear how we as IM Global Servants and IM can collaborate together in ministry projects they want to begin. We are in the early stages of planning and logistics and are excited to share more as it develops. Also, Talita Cumi clubs are expanding! There are three communities/churches who COBAMI believe can reach more girls through Talita Cumi. Sarah and the coordinator team is working to visit the churches and train women to begin new clubs in the Fall. Please pray for all the logistics and planning that needs to take place over the coming months for us and our partners.

Family updates

We have moved into a new house in the city closer to our ministry partners, schools, and the main roads to get to the churches we work with. We were recommended a moving company by our former neighbors and it was so impressive to watch their Tetris skills to getting all of our furniture in their moving truck (see picture below). We are grateful for a larger space as our family is growing and allowing us to host our ministry partners over for a meal to continue to build community here.

We are looking forward to welcoming our baby boy in July and Nora is super excited to be a big sister. You may remember that when we moved to Oaxaca we came on tourist visas (meaning we are required to leave the country every six months). We have started the process of gathering all the paperwork we need to apply and obtain residency. Our current visa expires in May therefore we need to exit Mexico. This is one of the main reasons we have decided to give birth in the WA instead of in Oaxaca so that our whole family will have the same kind of visa needed to keep living and serving here. Other big reasons are to have the support of family and being able to have the birth be done in English in case any emergencies arise. We talked it over in length with our Area Director, IM leadership, COBAMI and we have been approved to leave the country for a short period of time to give birth and get our immigration paperwork processed within a Mexican consulate in the US (the paperwork cannot be completed within Mexico). We have had our apostilled birth certificates and marriage certificate officially translated that is needed for our visa appointment. Please be praying that we will be able to schedule an appointment before the birth so we can get further in our process. Pray that we we will receive the visas and passport for Baby Boy without any delays and hiccups. We have ministry responsibilities here to take care of in Oaxaca, so although we will be in WA for a short period of time (June to early Oct) our ministry and work will be taken place remotely before baby arrives as well as after maternity leave. Thank you for your prayers and your support for us and the ministry!

May you have a blessed Easter!

With love,

The Matos Family
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