Mexico Missions with Bruce and Paula

WE'RE BACK AND READY FOR CHRISTMAS

We arrived back in Texas on Wednesday night and were amazed to find out that the entire truck load of toys had been unloaded and everything was already in Mexico. Wow!!! We came home thinking we would have to spend several days getting over 3000 shoe box gifts and backpacks across. Once again, God provided the perfect people, trailers and vans to get it all across.

Our outreaches are scheduled for December 28th, 29th and 30th. Ricky Carroll will bring his team from Alabama on the 27th. Handful of Purpose collected all the gift boxes and backpacks.

Normally this season, Phil, Marianne and us would head to Puebla Mexico to give out backpacks, toys, and many other things. This year however, we donated the funds to buy the 2000 gifts and put the outreach into the hands of some faithful servants, and we can all stay home for Christmas.

Tomorrow we'll have our Christmas party in the Community Center in Reynosa. All the people that help with the ministry will be there, as well as Paula's sewing class. The 21st is our Sunday School Class party and once again, the class is buying gifts for the children at Melodys Orphanage.

BURRR ITS COLD HERE

Paula and I have been braving the cold for the last week. Highs 25, Lows 15 degrees. These Texans cant handle it anymore.Thanksgiving was great, our family and Paula's family joined us at our townhouse in Dyer Indiana. Kelly was here from Colorado, glad to have missed a 2 foot snowfall.

We head home tomorrow and a truckload of toys arrives today in Texas. The Lord has provided a group of people to get it unloaded. We're so thankful for those that help us. 4000 shoe box gifts, 600 backpacks, and whatever else they have loaded on the truck, will make for a Merry Christmas for the kids in Mexico.

It's been a good time here and sad at the same time. Our good friend and supporter of the ministry for many years is in the hospital. Prayers for a complete healing!!

We are still in need of many people to join us in support of Melodys Orphanage. So people often say they'll pray about helping, but why??? Just help the orphans, the poor, and the widows.

ITS THE HOLIDAY SEASON???

Did this year go fast or what?? The election is over, America dogged a huge spiritual bullet. 🙏 Does the prayers of the Saints make a difference?? I'd like to think so!!! 🤔. No, I know so!

We head to Chicago today, for a few weeks, to spend Thanksgiving with family.

The appeal we have made to some people to join us in support of Melodys Orphanage has a few new supporters. We still need many more to get them funded. Our goal was 100 people to give $50.00 a month. We've gotten 5 so far!! Would you prayfully consider joining us in support of Melodys Orphanage?? There are several ways to donate, both through a 501C3 and directly to the Orphanage without the deduction. Call me for information on how you can help. 708 528 4622 or email me brucehepburn@yahoo.com.

ITS BEEN A WHILE

Sorry about the delay in posting something. We drove back to Texas and held our monthly food outreach in the colonia as soon as we got home. It was raining pretty hard so I didn't attend, but Paula was there and a lot of people came.

We visited the orphanage several times, Power Ministry scout out trip was here a couple weeks ago. I spent a day with them visiting different missionaries they support. They stopped by Melodys Orphanage to see the place. They're not building anything down here next year, just focusing on evangelism this trip. We did stop by Kaleo International Ministry in Reynosa and El Fugon for tacos.

The kids at Melodys Orphanage are doing great, we're not sure how many people will be supporting them as we try to get it funded. One supporter that has been very generous thru the past will no longer be able to support Melodys and that leaves a huge need every month, but God is and always has provided for them.

I spent the last few days power washing our trailer and concrete, it sure looks nice!! Paula and I will be coming back north for Thanksgiving through early December. We need to get back to Texas to unload thousands of children's shoe box gifts from Handfull of Purpose and get them across the border for Handfuls Christmas programs December 27th 28th and 29th.

I'm hoping to get a newsletter out soon, so stay tuned!! Thanks for the prayers and support 🙏 🙌 ❤️

THANK YOU MORAINE VALLEY CHURCH

Paula and I have moved into our townhouse in Dyer Indiana. It seems it's 30 minutes away from everything. Our family, our church, our friends.

Last Sunday we were featured in the churches missionary spotlight and then we hosted a pizza party which gave us a chance to share in more detail about our ministry. About 50 people came, and another 20 or so picked up our info packet. So a huge thank you to the staff at Moraine Valley Church that made it all work out.

Well be heading back to Texas in a few weeks, maybe sooner to receive another load of beans, to vote in a very important election, to hold our food outreach on the 5th of October. A medical team is heading to Saltillo on the 12th, the Power Ministry scout out trip is in October as well. We're trusting God for some help from Power to help on a second story on Melodys Orphanage.

We don't know if we've met the hundred people who will donate at least $50.00 a month to fund the orphanage. God has and always will provide 🙏.

We're coming back north in November to spend the holidays with our family. We're so grateful for Sergio, China, Pastor Juan and his people from his church, Jaime and all the other people who have been helping in our absence distributing food, and gathering donations to hand out.

A WHIRLWIND WEEK

After spending a few days at Lake Shaffer for Labor Day, we closed on the townhouse Tuesday afternoon and our kids, Rich Arrigo, and Ron Shong were there waiting to unload the trailer, truck and Suburban. What a huge help they were. We didn't have any other furniture except the dinning room. Lots of bins and other stuff stored at a friend's place in Griffith, Indiana was moved that day. Rich and Ron's wives came and helped Paula clean.

Our daughter Kelly arranged to have all the carpets cleaned the next day, and the bedroom set and couch were delivered Friday. Buying a mattress in a box delayed sleeping there 3 more days, as it expanded to the proper size. 😴

We're in our new home now and stand amazed at God's Goodness. Our realtor slid a check to Paula at closing to help Melodys Orphanage in Progresso Mexico 🇲🇽. You talk about divine appointments!!

The ministry in Mexico 🇲🇽 is going along quite well with Sergio and China running things, Juan,Saul, his family and the girls in Paula's sewing class are helping out.

This Sunday at Moraine Valley Church we will be featured on the Missionary Moment at the 10 o'clock service followed by a meet and greet and then a 🍕 pizza luncheon in room 116. The address of the church is 6300 W 127th St Palos Heights, IL. We hope to see you there!! I've copied our newsletter and ways to donate directly to the Orphanage if you are led.

NEW BEGINNING

Paula and I purchased a townhouse in Dyer Indiana and will close in September. The ministry will continue helping the poor in Mexico as well as in the Chicago area. We're not retired from ministry, just spending more time up north in the summer months without imposing on family and friends to house us while up there.

We will be having a meet and greet time at Moraine Valley Church, Sunday the 15th of September after the 10:00 new service time. We're hoping to have a pizza party at noon, but haven't gotten confirmation yet. We look forward to sharing about the ministry and the opportunity for you to join in support of Melodys Orphanage in Progresso Mexico.

Our monthly food outreach has helped the families in the colonia for 18 years. We have watched the kids grow and start families of their own. Sergio, China, Pastor Juan, Pastor Jaime Mayorga and many others who help, will continue the outreaches while we're gone.

The new orphanage has been transformed by the hard work of Jaime and all the kids. They have made the kitchen larger, added a bathroom, built an addition, and made it their home. Our goal is to divest ourselves from being the sole fundraiser for Melodys and get people to donate $50.00 monthly

directly to the Orphanage which will make their monthly budget.

You can call me or email me if you want to help fund the orphanage and I can get you the information on how to do it. They have a Zelle account, cash app, pay pal, and venmo. My email is brucehepburn@yahoo.com, phone 708-528-4622.

HIS STORY IN OUR LIVES

We moved to the TX/MX border in the Fall of '07 from Chicago, IL. We had been coming to Reynosa on short-term missions trips for over 10 years. Each time we left a little bit more of our hearts behind. Thru the circumstances of life Paula and I both agreed that now is the time to do that which gave us meaning and purpose in life. So we sold our home and came to the Rio Grand Valley at the southern most point of Texas. We have since joined with Mexico Missions Inc. to assist them with their childrens backpack programs in Mexico. Our mission is to reach the poorest of the poor in Mexico. We build homes, offer food and clothing to those in need, but most importantly we share the love and hope that is found in our Lord Jesus Christ. Living radical lives has expanded our vision and ministry from feeding hundreds of families to thousands.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP US REACH OUT TO THOSE IN NEED

Our ministry is totally supported by people like you.Since we did not raise our needed support before entering the mission field we continue to walk by faith that God will speak to the hearts of those of you reading our blog and joining us on short term trips to Mexico to help us help our brothers and sisters in Reynosa. If you would like to contribute to us personally, sponsor a child to attend school, give to the building of a home for a needy family, or even have us facilitate a food outreach, contact us via E-mail or send checks made out to MEXICO MISSIONS INC. and mail to our new address, P.O. Box 68 San Juan, Tx. 78589. If you would like to support us personally, put B&P in the memo column. If you would like to sponsor a specific outreach, list that as well in the memo column. All gifts are tax deductable. Child school sponsorship $400.00 per year per child, a newly designed home can be built with some help from the people in Mx. for a gift of $3800.00 or any portion thereof until enough money is raised to build one. Many houses could just use new roofing and some other fixes to make them more habitable. God Bless You as you give.