DIVINE APPOINTMENTS AND CONNECTIONS

THE TWO AMIGOS WITH THE HUGE SMILES ARE ME AND DR. HENRY FUENTES. DR FUENTES IS THE DIVINE APPOINTMENT IN MY LIFE TO FIX MY TORN KNEE. WE ARE HERMANOS IN CHRIST AND I AM FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR HIS GENEROSITY, PROVIDING MY SURGICAL NEEDS AT NO COST. I'M STILL OVERWHELMED WHEN I THINK OF WHAT HE AND PROVINA ST. JOES HOSPITAL DID FOR ME. I PRAY, I WILL NEVER DOUBT GOD AGAIN. I LIKE TO THINK OF MYSELF AS A MAN OF FAITH, AND NOW, GOD IS TAKING ME TO THE NEXT LEVEL OF TRUSTING HIM. I HAD MY STITCHES OUT YESTERDAY AND STILL NO PAIN! I WILL CONTINUE TO DO THE THERAPY ON MY OWN UNTIL IT"S BETTER. WE SPENT THE WEEKEND WITH THE CARPENTERS CREW MISSIONS TEAM IN LAHARPE, IL. OUR GRACIOUS HOSTS DIANE AND RICK BALMER INVITED US TO VISIT THEM AND SPEAK AT THEIR CHURCH. WE ENJOYED AN AWESOME CONCERT SAT. AT THIS 108 YEAR OLD OPERA HOUSE TO HELP THEM RAISE FUNDS FOR THE HOUSES THEY WILL COME AND BUILD IN REYNOSA NEXT YEAR. IT WAS A GREAT NIGHT AND THEN FOLLOWING DAY I SHARED THE MESSAGE AT THEIR CHURCH, FOLLOWED BY A POT LUCK LUNCH, A FOUR HOUR BREAK AND THEN ANOTHER POT LUCK DINNER WITH MANY OF THE PEOPLE THAT CAME WITH THEM TO REYNOSA THIS YEAR AND BUILT THREE HOUSES. WHAT A JOY TO SEE SEVERAL CHURCHES WORKING TOGETHER TO HELP THE POOR IN MX. AND WE ARE HUMBLED TO SERVE WITH THEM. THANKS FOR YOUR HOSPITALITY... A HURRICANE IS BERRING DOWN ON SOUTH TEXAS AND REYNOSA AS I WRITE THIS, SO PLEASE BE IN PRAYER FOR EVERYONE.

A DAY OF GREAT BLESSING

Yesterday Paula and I had to be at St. Joe's Provina Hospital in Joliet at 6:00 am for the surgery on my knee. The opportunities God gave us to share about Gods provision making the surgery possible were many. Our Pastor and good friend Pat Peglow from Moraine Valley Church met us there and we spent some time in Gods word and prayer before they rolled me away to get my knee fixed, so we can continue our work building homes in Mexico for the poor. The surgery took an hour and a half and by 10:30 we were on our way home. No pain at all and I woke up refreshed and ready for coffee. As I write this, I still have no pain at all thanks to the prayers of the Saints. I met with several men Tues night and we prayed for my surgery as well as my friend Lens' knee that has had some complications after his knee scope. We had the opportunity to pray with and for all the nurses on the day surgery floor before we left. We met so many nice people in such a short time, so Thanks St Joe for your kindness and service to humanity.

IN THE PRESENCE OF THE ALMIGHTY ONE

After a short battle with cancer, my good friend and brother Rich is face to face with Jesus. He fought the good fight of faith, and he won!!! The picture of Rich, his wife Jean, Paula and me while we visited him in the hospital is the last time we spent some time together. The angels carried him home a few days later and today, we put his earth suit in the ground with thunderous applause from family and friends. It's hard to let go of someone that has impacted so many lives. He served his God well in many places in the U.S., Peru, and with us in Mexico several times. We lost one of Gods best to cancer, but his death has been swallowed up in victory and he wins! So we came to here to celebrate a few marriages and God allowed us to celebrate the homecoming of one of his saints. ADIOS AMIGO, SEE YA SOON! God has blessed us so much while we've been here and all the running around will end next week with my knee surgery. We were blessed to visit and speak at my child hood church Palos United Methodist Church last Sunday and spoke to several people that remembered my family. The work we do in Mexico was the focus of our message, but I couldn't help but mention the impact the church has on young hearts. We hope to attend another service there before we leave.

GODS PLAN vs OUR PLAN

After I had an MRI on my knee in Mexico and knew that I had a tear in my meniscus our trip to Chgo was going to be the rest my knee would need to possibly get better, BUT GOD, I love those words BUT GOD has provided surgery and all the costs associated with it, absolutely free!!! Yea that's right, FREE. All services have been donated, because of what we do in Mexico to help others in need. The fact that we don't have health insurance has been a concern to us lately as we get older, but the choice to carry health insurance or feed the 200 families that depend on us to provide food for them once a month had us making the better choice to feed those in need and trust God to provide health care for us and boy has He provided. I can't sleep much as my head and my heart sings praise. A totally unbelievable week with the surgery gift and some divine appointments to make it all possible. WHO AM I THAT GOD SHOULD BE MIND FULL OF ME? I am his child and oh how he loves me, and oh how he loves you too!! Surgery is June 23rd at 9 am. God has some divine appointments for me I am sure, the doctors, nurses, staff and all at St Josephs Hospital in Joliet, Il that have blessed me beyond measure. MUCHAS GRACIAS

WHEN DOES HEALING COME????

After being here one week and seeing our good friend Rich battle his cancer we ask God, when does healing come? The answer that speakes to my heart over and over is, when God says so. So I wrestle with what place our prayers have in petitioning the Father in the name of Jesus, by the power he has given us to ask and recieve. Ah but never the less, not my will, but thy will o Lord. Submission to Gods will no matter what is still the answer to all our prayers and God promises to work out all things for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose. We will know one day the good worked out of the suffering we have to endure sometimes and so will Rich and Jean. Hospital to Hospice is what they are contemplating in the midst of the storm, sending Rich home to die with massive pain meds! Is that Gods plan for this great man of God? Please join me in prayer for Rich and Jean and if the ultimate healing comes than Praise God, and if physical healing comes, Praise God.