Another family desperate for a home
their bedding is all wet
roof made out of clothing
their home now
Everyday Counts
While we didn't build anything physically today, but we did start building a new relationship with a family that will be getting a house in October when a group from Seattle comes all the way to Reynosa to change the life of that family. We also ordered the cement and over 500 cinder blocks for Antonio and Yolanda as we prepare to build their new house on Sat. We drove to Pastor Juans to visit for a bit, he was traveling around Mexico all month preaching in different states in Mx and we just wanted to see how his trip went.
Desperate for Gods Touch
We have all been praying for a miracle in the life of Eliel, Pastor Victors 18 year old son who has a cancerous tumor on his face. He has been in the hospital in Monterrey 3 hrs from his home and family. Victor and his wife Erica switch places every week or so. Victor was getting ready to leave yesterday as he shared with Paula, how the doctors aren't sure about his recovery I could hear his voice crack and tears flooded his eyes. He said they think he might die unless God touches him. We wept as we gathered around him and prayed for a miracle. They need blood at the hospital, so Victor, Carmello, Beto and Obed are going to give blood in Monterrey. We dropped them off at a friends that would be able to drive them there. I wanted to go but my tourist visa was at home and you need that to travel beyond the border towns in Mx. Please Pray for them today.
Huge needs require huge sacrifices
I haven't felt this overwhelmed since we have been here.I'm not tired or burned out, just overwhelmed. Paula and I are the only ever present missionaries here in Nopaleta.It seems every day someone new comes to us and asks if we could help them and thier family. We see people living in such deplorable conditions and the more rain we receive here the worse the conditions get. Elva, the colonia president, took us down the road today to visit a women with 5 kids,no husband, and a house that leaks everwhere. We told her that we don't build these houses,God does, thru the sacrifices of his children that know and understand that everything they own belongs to him and we just prayed that provision would come soon. We already have several families waiting for the blessing that others have received and this is just one more of litterally hundreds of families that have tremendous needs here. The mosquitoes are eating everyone up at night. The road was so bad today I got stuck twice. I needed to drop off some metal roofing at Alejandros house past the bridge and my front tire slide into a big hole and we just barely got it out. We finally got thru the mud to Clemente's new house, to drop off his door and to finish a few things. He is putting the cement smooth coat on the cinder blocks and it looks great. Antonio, Yolanda and little Carlos live in Flores De Mayo Colonia across the little bridge and we stopped there to let them know that we should be starting their house soon. Yolanda had no shoes and bare footed. Paula took off her shoes and gave them to her, she held them up to her muddy feet and tears filled her eyes as she said gracias. Antonio grabbed his cement finishing tools and we dropped him off at Clemente's to help him finish his house so that Clemente will help him build his next week.We went back the long way around to avoid the mud and had a bite to eat at Carmello and Ruth's house. Her folks were there and brought some Vera Cruz tomales. Pastor Victor is going back to Monterrey to relieve his wife Erica at the hospital where Eliel continues to get treatment for his cancer. It's been a real trial for them so please continue to pray for him and many others that are batteling cancer including my aunt Dor. God Bless and Good Day. Would you as you have time, let us know who you are, we have no idea who's reading our blog unless you let us know.Paula's E mail is on this page, mine is brucehepburn@yahoo.com Adios
PRETTY IN PINK
Paula and I bought 25 pieces of fried chicken and headed across the border to share a meal with some friends. When we got to the colonia Carmen was fixing all the girls hair.Today is a special day for a girl who turns 15. A coming out party of sorts. All the girls looked so pretty, you forget your in a place with no running water or electricity and everything seems just as normal as in the U.S. As some of the girls walked thru the colonia, Paula stopped them and took thier picture. We were not dressed for such a formal affair, but they asked if we could come and take some pictures. The church was decorated, as well as the car they drove away in. Victors brother Nahum blessed her in a message and prayer. They had her house decorated about a mile down the road as well.Carmello and I gave thier dog FiFi a much needed bath. Lisa gave me some flea stuff and dog shampoo I hope it works. We stopped by Clementes house, but only the kids were there. The kids slept in thier new house on thier own thin mat last night. It was probably the first time in a long time they didn't sleep on the same bed with someone in the family. There are 7 people in the family and only 2 beds in thier make shift house, now they have plenty more room even though the house isn't finished yet. We are so blessed to be doing this, I told Paula yesterday that I still can't believe we are here, it's like being on a short term mission trip for the rest of our lives because every day is different. Carmello and Beto ordered a pick up truck on the internet and it came across the border today and it needs a lot of body work, but they say they can fix it and make some money. I need to buy them a fender,bumper and tail light, everything else they will fix and I find that amazing. That truck is really smashed up in the front and side. You can click on the pictures to enlarge them. ADIOS FOR NOW
It takes a team to change a families life.
Paula got the painting crew started as Beto,Raul, and me started cutting the rafters and the top wall plates. Clemente had all the forms for the cement wall off and we started installing the rafters and roof purlins as soon as they were painted. Carmello, Ruth and Caleb brought us lunch, so we took a break, gave thanks and had a great lunch. It was really hot and I hadn't planned on getting as far as we did, but the rafters are all up and we're ready for the roof. We were there over 8 hours and we were all overdone by the sun. Scott Raul and I went over today and put the roof on in about 1 1/2 hours. We were soaked with sweat, it was really humid this morning and 90 degrees by 10oclock. We stopped at Carmellos to see the door he stained for Clemente's house, it looks awsome. Clemente has to put a smooth coat of cement over the blocks and could take a week or so, so we'll start another house next week and come back and finish Clementes later. As we drive thru the colonia we see such tremendous needs for better houses for so many families, and as God provides, we'll build them all one. We are so gratefull for the people in the colonias that help us minister to the needs of the people here, we couldn't do it without their help. I found out today that the end loader that eas spread all that fill on the road, never showed up, so all our friends shoveled all that fill by hand that night. They earned the money i was willing to pay a machine to do. They did manage to collect 30 or 40 dollars from the cars going thru. Adios for now and we'll see you in Chicago from sept 24th to oct 5th. We are looking forward to that trip. It's our oldest daughter Kristins birthday the 25th and Kelly and Ryan are coming in also I think. I can't wait to see them, it's been to long.
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