Mexico Missions with Bruce and Paula

GOD ALWAYS HAS PEOPLE TO HELP THOSE IN NEED

2012-01-29T07:39:00.003-06:00

Friday, George and Bonnie brought several winter servants that live and serve at the Rio Grande Bible Institute to come and help us finish the house we have been building for the "Twins" in Reynosa. We had a lot of work to do, but as the old saying goes, " many hands makes little work". We had the rafters and the roof on before lunch and the porch, trim and finishing touches were all done by 3:30. We shared the Love of Christ with the family in a very practical way, by meeting their needs. The group from RGBI shared about how they love to come to Texas and serve, instead of Wasting their lives playing shuffle board, square dancing and finding a cheap place to eat. They understand that giving of themselves, for the benefit of others, is what God created them to do. We had an informal dedication so the family could sleep in the new house, until next week, when we hope to have some people from Church join us and have an official dedication. We bought them two new beds so they didn't have to sleep on the floor until next week. and we will bring everything from curtains to diapers to bless the family even more, before Victor carries his bride across the threshold of their new home. While we were building the house, Paula and the girls prepared 150 bags of food for yesterdays outreach. Again George and Bonnie showed up at our house at 7:00 am with two more people, Stan and His wife that are training and learning Spanish at RGBI to become Missionaries to a Spanish speaking Nation. We headed back to Mexico to hand out the food and juice boxes for the kids, along with notebooks, pens and paper for the older kids in school. We sang praises to God and had a brief message before all 158 families recieved their food and headed home. George and Stan handed out suckers to all the kids as they left. A few families stayed behind for prayer, one women has cancer, another had asked for prayer for her entire family that is sick with the flu. On the down side of ministry to the poor, we had bought a house back from a family that needed to move and we moved a single Mom in there to live as long as she needed, rent free and we heard yesterday, that she sold the house to someone else. Even though it wasn't her house to sell and after all the help we had given her, we couldn't help but feel used by her. Oh well God knows! Caleb had His fourth birthday last week and we had a "Cars" pinata made for him and Paula made Chicken and mole'. We didn't get home until 4 in the afternoon and then Rick and Diane took us out to dinner. I had to go and meet the POWER team in Hidalgo, Tx at 11 o'clock last night to pick up over 300 bibles and tracts they had for me. They have spent two weeks ministering all along the border. Google POWER MINISTRIES and see the great things they do. Today they have a carnival at an orphanage in Reynosa for the kids.

2012-01-28T21:14:00.000-06:00

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TEMPERAL VS ETERNAL

2012-01-28T06:28:00.002-06:00

Just where is it that we find our meaning and purpose in this life? What drives you? What gets you out of bed everyday? Where do you want to spend your retirement years, and what will you do when you get there? How much is enough when God asks you to give money to help a poor family? How much time do we spend at the feet of Jesus? How much time do I spend waiting in line at the border crossing praying? How is your so called life going? How are these little babies we just built a house for going to survive in the colonia? How is it, I get so caught up in busyness that I don't take special time with my wife? How is it that after we shared the gospel with the family that helped us all week we didn't close the deal and left? I don't know why I put all these questions in here and I could ask a thousand more, but the one of the most important questions I could ask is DO YOU KNOW HIM? I mean really know Him? As Paul asked, and the power of His Resurrection?

EVERY DAY OF YOUR LIFE, ALAN

2012-01-25T21:32:00.003-06:00

Have you ever gone to work and the work you planned on doing was already done? Well, without a group to help us build the "TWINS" house, I got to the colonia around ten this morning, thinking about just cutting some of the wood for the walls and maybe assembling the rafters and then a few people from Calvary were going to help on Thursday and Friday. Lo and behold, Carmelo and 3 other guys, from the colonia, had two walls up, the rafters all assembled, and the family next door was busy painting the wood while Elizabeth took care of the twins. God showed up! I strapped on my tool belt and before long, all four walls were up and I was saying my goodbyes, because Rick Caywood was with me and had to go pick up a load of rice and bring some back to the warehouse before he heads to El Paso with a half a load of rice and a half a load of beans tomorrow.Rick really wanted to see the colonia where God has placed us for the last four years and where most of the beans and rice he and his partners donate goes. The sign on our Ministry House reads " EVERYDAY HOLDS THE POSSIBILITY OF A MIRACLE" (Thanks Georgia) and today was one of those days. If all goes well, we might be able to dedicate the house on Saturday, but we would sure like to invite some people from our church that made this MIRACLE HOUSE happen, so we might give them the house and dedicate it next week. We stopped at least ten times driving thru the colonia to hand out bags of rice and corn that were supposed to be handed out on Saturday, but maybe God provided their miracle today as well. Last night, we had 12 missionaries come over for dinner. Two bush pilots, a flight instructor and his wife, a missions trucker, the directors of Mexico Missions Phil and Marrianne, the Balmers, part time/ full time missionaries, two missionaries on this side of the border, and us. If I'd known we were going to have a missions conference, I would have called a few more. The stories were unending and we all shared a little bit about how God moved us to where we all were and how faithful God is. All of us are humbled at how God provides for all of our ministries, so why not adopt a missionary this week and be part of what God is doing around the world? If serving Jesus on this side of heaven is so absolutely awesome, what will heaven be like?

2012-01-25T19:51:00.000-06:00

GOD IS OUR STRENGTH

2012-01-24T06:03:00.002-06:00

You know you have had a full day, when you rush to meet a concrete truck in Mexico in the morning, and then get a call that another load of beans will be arriving at your house in the afternoon, followed by a wonderful dinner and some very welcomed guests. The foundation is poured and the family is painting the wood with some help from the neighbors. Rick and Diane Balmer from the Carpenters Crew have set up their fifth wheel camper trailer in our yard, and will be here for at least a month before their teams arrive at the end of Feb. They are always such a blessing to have around and they are a tremendous help to us, and Dianes' Mom is staying in our camper for a few weeks( we have room inside, but Francis likes the feel of camping). We returned in time to unload some of the beans before Gator Carter of Big Heart Orphanage in Reynosa came by and stayed for dinner. We had taken up an offering for him last week and hadn't had the chance to give it to him, so he came for the money and left with a full stomach as well. He lost a son to suicide a year ago and had a kidney transplant 6 weeks ago, so don't complain about the little trail you find yourself in, it could be worse! He has such a great faith and God has really done a wonderful thing through these tests of faith. More beans in the warehouse and Ricks new truck is sitting in our yard right now. Rick Balmer and me will go with Rick Caywood to San Benito in the new rig to drop off some beans at the Curves warehouse and Phillip has some new donated mattresses for us to give away. We hope to back before noon and go to Mexico and start cutting the wood for the "twins' house. Being so busy is really quite invigorating, kingdom work always gives us strength as we see God doing so many different things at once, and as long as we say YES. we get blessed.

2012-01-23T20:39:00.000-06:00

CALVARYS' HEART TO MEET NEEDS BEYOND THE BORDER

2012-01-22T13:23:00.002-06:00

When the Cross Seekers ABF class told us they were applying for a matching amount of the two thousand dollars they had raised, from the Radical Matching Fund Project, Paula and I started the process of seeking a family to receive Gods wonderful provision of a new house. We met Victor and Elizabeth last month, when we handed out food and gifts at our monthly outreach in the Colonia Nopalera in Reynosa, MX. They have a 13 year old daughter Estrella, a ten year old Aracili, a son Ray who is five and two precious twins Jose' Alejandro and Jose' Alberto who are two months old. I call them Jos A and Jos B. The whole family lives in a 1 room house, no bigger than a king size bed and a little storage space for their stuff. They are absolutely ecstatic about the new house. We will have more pictures to share this week when we build the house, Thursday and Friday. If anyone is interested in coming to Reynosa and helping in the building of this house , please call or E-mail. All skill levels are welcome. Scroll through older posts to see other projects we have been involved in as we seek to live radically before our King. I spent Friday with about 90 men from all over the country at a bible school in Matamoros, Mx as the Power Ministry team moves from town to town along the border with various building and ministry projects, being the hands and feet of Jesus, touching lives wherever they go, including mine. Thanks Guys for the invite.

2012-01-21T20:05:00.000-06:00

Power team ministry in Action

Helping Cecilio to finish his home

Home in progress

2012-01-21T20:01:00.001-06:00

Filling the new foundation before the concrete arrives

The twins and parents

MORE YESES GETS GOD TO BLESS US

2012-01-17T20:51:00.002-06:00

It only took a few people to say YES to get the addition built on our Ministry House in the colonia. When Alan and Lynnea said YES, we were well under way to get the whole addition built while they were here. As Paula finished up painting the inside today, Carmelo and I were taking the cement blocks for the foundation to Victor and Elizabeth's lot, where we will build the house provided by a family that said YES and a matching fund from our church. We also took several different sizes of diapers to some needy families, including Elizabeth's twin boys. A solar system was paid for by some people at church that said YES to Jesus to get involved with our efforts helping the poor, so I purchased and delivered the kit to a very grateful man named Pablo, who volunteered to help us build the house next week for Victor and Elizabeth. We also told the local tea totalers, or Barrachos ( drunks) that we would be helping Cecilio and buy the materials to finish the block house that he had been building for quite some time. They are all friends and will help build it. It was a real joy to bless these "outcasts" with building materials and a solar power system. They couldn't believe that God would bless them so abundantly, but isn't that just like Jesus to want to express his love for these guys and provide for them. We ended the day giving out several bags of corn and large cans of fruit and a few water barrels on the way out of the colonia.

All the outside of the addition to the ministry home is done

2012-01-17T20:01:00.000-06:00

THE YES GETS BLESSED

2012-01-12T14:27:00.002-06:00

Now I don't care what God tells you to do, or how crazy or radical it seems, just do it. This morning we had a whole group of people here that are personally involved in feeding the poor, and we all realize how truly blessed we are to be part of Gods plan to feed the hungry. You see, Jesus could send down food from heaven right now and end world hunger, just like He provided for the Israelites in the desert for forty years. But He has mandated everyone that calls themselves a "Christian" to feed them, thereby getting the Glory from our obedience. When the disciples told Jesus that the multitudes, that were on hand to hear Jesus speak were needing food, Jesus told the disciples " You feed them". They said it would take a whole years wages to feed such a crowd, when a boy full of faith stepped up and said I have 5 loaves of bread and two fish, and Jesus blessed it and there was plenty to feed everyone. The boy said YES with all he had and Jesus blessed it. A farmer named Joe Warner in Onida, South Dakota said YES to God and now we have a warehouse full of beans and corn, Green Thumb Commodities bagging company in Oldham S.D. said YES to God and all the beans are bagged and stacked on pallets, Rick Caywood Ministries said Yes to God and we drove almost three thousand miles in His truck to get the beans with money provided by people that said YES from Michigan to pay for the fuel. Rusty and Teresa Ruppert own the Wildlife Inn in Taylor Nebraska and said Yes to Jesus when asked to give me back half of the nights room rent because we help the poor and they love Jesus too. When faithful people send our ministry checks to support our work here they are all saying YES LORD. Everyone that has anything to do with feeding the poor ,WILL BE BLESSED, that is Gods promise, and God is NOT a man that He should lie. Just while eating breakfast before unloading the beans, Paula shared about an orphanage that was hurting financially and now we have several thousand dollars to bless them with because we said YES. Why would NO be an option when we see God do so much with our YES!!! WITHOUT FAITH, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD, AND FAITH WITHOUT ACTION IS DEAD.God bless everyone that had a part in this years drive for the beans. 150 bags have already gone out the door to an orphanage and feeding program in Reynosa. Rick left after we unloaded his truck and he's headed home to buy a brand new semi tractor that will cost another YES man 150 thousand dollars. There is someone coming to look at our other house for sale today and I pray that they say YES, so we can YES to whatever Jesus would have us to do with the money from the sale. YES LORD YES LORD YES YES LORD, have you ever sung that in church? Have you ever said YES LORD to whatever He asks, no matter the cost? It is such a trip, and truly does bring unspeakable joy when you do and nothing compares to saying YES.

2012-01-12T11:51:00.000-06:00

Unloading the beans

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ROAD TRIP WITH GREAT REWARDS

2012-01-10T21:23:00.003-06:00

I have to admit, I love to travel and especially I love to drive, but this week of 3000 miles sitting in the jump seat of a truck has been a real challenge. Sitting there unable to get behind the wheel of Ricks big rig was boring to say the least, but the scenery and weather has been fantastic. We arrived Monday morning at Green Thumb Seed Company where they had bagged up the beans that Joe Warner brought them last month to donate to our ministry and had us loaded in less than an hour with 600 bags of pinto beans and an extra 133 bags of black beans that someone else had donated after hearing of our ministry and the need to feed the poor and orphans in Mexico. So after loading the beans, we headed for Joe's house about 150 miles west of Oldham, S.D. where we loaded the beans. Joe gave me directions , one of which was you come to this gravel road and go west on it approx 18 miles, yea 18 miles on a gravel road with Ricks nice clean truck. It wasn't too bad though, and it was sure worth the ride to meet our hero grower and donor of the beans Joe Warner and His wife Barb. The temperature climbed to 62 degrees in the middle of South Dakota in January and we were loving it. We had lunch at Joe and Barbs and then loaded up three totes full of corn that we will drop off at a friend of Rick in Waco, and he will grind and bag it for us. Blessing after Blessing flows when we say YES LORD !! Rick has been praying about getting another truck for his ever growing ministry transporting donated food and other things, and while we where in S.D. someone called and asked Him "how much will a new truck cost" and Rick told Him about $150,000.00 dollars not pesos, and the caller told him to go ahead and get what he wants and He'll pay for it. Wow and Wow again. God causes people to be good to us AMEN. Well we are in Texas with about 550 mile to go and we had to shutter down for the night, So Adios

Thank you to all of you that prayed for our blog

2012-01-07T20:18:00.002-06:00

Thanks to Gods mercy our computer is working now, for a long time I was not able to put pictures in the blog, but thanks to God and your payers I am able to do it now, so enjoyed all the pictures, and I promise I will try to keep up with it. Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!

3 different places of food distribution

2012-01-07T20:14:00.001-06:00

A pastor and his family getting beans to give away

Our ministry in the colonia gave lots of food for the new years

Friends missionaries getting ready to do a food outreach

Food & the world of GOD sharring

2012-01-07T20:07:00.000-06:00

The kids are helping getting the food ready for distribution

We are finaly adding to our ministry home in MX

2012-01-07T19:59:00.000-06:00

early Christmas presents from IL

2012-01-07T19:55:00.000-06:00

Christmas Gifts

2012-01-07T19:49:00.000-06:00

South Dakota, the beans place

2012-01-07T19:24:00.001-06:00

PARTING IS INDEED SUCH SWEET SOROW

2012-01-05T19:41:00.002-06:00

The time Alan and Lynnea have been here has gone way to fast, but we sure did accomplish a lot. The Ministry House is all under roof, the windows are all in, and everything is painted. This new space will be invaluable to us, and will allow us to minister to people on an individual and family basis with our own space. Carmelo and Johnny were a great help in the building of this blessing from God, as well as Alan and Lynnea. There is still a lot to do, but it will have to wait, because I leave tomorrow for South Dakota to get the beans and corn donated. They see all that needs to be done and would love to stay for a month, but Alan has to go to work on Monday. So anyone that needs to get away from the cold, COME ON DOWN!!! We always need help. Pray for my travels to S. D. and for Paula as I leave her for awhile for the second time in a month.

FOREVER GOD IS FAITHFULL

2012-01-03T20:07:00.002-06:00

I love it when God just shows up, don't you? Yesterday our friends Alice and Eldon from the U. P. of Michigan came over. After they and their friends in Michigan read our blog about our need to buy the fuel to transport another load of donated beans from Warner Farms in South Dakota, they presented us with a check for $1700.00 towards the $2000.00 needed to make the run. Alice said that another check was coming to make up the difference. All from someone reading our blogsite! I often think I put all this stuff on the blog and it goes mostly unnoticed, but why should I doubt Gods ability to get the message out. Anyhow, I leave here on Friday with Alan and Lynnea, as they head home to Chicago, they will drop me off in Waco Texas and Rick Caywood and I will two man it up to South Dakota in His semi truck and trailer. It seems God has it all worked out huh? Joe has 30,000 lbs of pinto beans, 6,000 lbs of black beans, and as much corn as we can fill out the truck with to reach the max weight for the rig. I'm down to 20 bags of beans in the warehouse, and they will be gone before I get back. We are making great progress on our addition to the Ministry Center in Mx. and I was right, yesterdays rafter cuts and angles, had us all scratching our heads and deciphering. We gotter done though and now I need to find the same kind of roofing panels so they all match. We are still trying to get Alan and Lynnea to stay, like, forever and help us help the poor, so pray for them as they make this decision. Alan doesn't want to leave until he beats me at golf and todays attempt fell short again, and after we work all day tomorrow on the house in Mx, he'll try again Thursday. Should I let him win? Sorry no photos, Paula is having a hard time getting them to load.

NEW YEAR, NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE

2012-01-01T08:57:00.002-06:00

Is it just me or did 2011 last only a few months? I can't believe we just ushered in 2012 last night. The series on the History channel this week is all about the 2012 prophecy's. It is interesting and I can't wait to see how it plays out. This week Alan and I have been building our addition on our Missions House in Mx. and we are half done. It is challenging my brain to figure out the totally different angles and dimensions, oh well, it will work out. Yesterday we had 15 people come with us to help hand out food and gifts in the colonia for the last time in 2011. David Lara brought 7 of his 10 kids, that have knitted hundreds of hats for the kids in Mx this year and also have given lots of their toys and clothes to them as well, so it was special to have them give the hats out and see where they were going. One of Davids workers brought his wife and their 5 kids and George and Bonnie, from church, came again. We are so grateful for the help, because it usually is a zoo when we try to do everything ourselves, from giving the message to handing out everything and trying to do it in an orderly fashion, so the extra hands were a real blessing. We gave out 152 big bags of food, hundreds of coloring books, crayons and hygiene kits. A friend gave us hundreds of gift bags for the women as well as razors for the men in line. We had a great time and also met the family that we are going to build our next house for with a donation from a family at church, and the matching grant fund from church making up the difference. She has five kids and a set of one month old twins. They live in a one room house no bigger than the size of a king size bed and this family of seven, sleeps on that one bed. We have been waiting on God to show us the next family to receive a house, and yesterday, we all agreed that this was Gods choice, not ours. The kids visiting from the states, took their turns looking inside the tiny house and were amazed at level of poverty, this family lived in. GIVE THANKS TO GOD TODAY FOR WHAT YOU HAVE, AND THEN GIVE SOME OF IT AWAY!! HAPPY NEW YEAR

2011-12-30T21:30:00.000-06:00

2011-12-30T21:28:00.000-06:00

TIME WELL SPENT IN CHICAGO

2011-12-29T07:27:00.002-06:00

The few days in Chicago with Family and friends was a promise to my kids that I would be with them for Christmas. After 15 years of being on the mission field every Christmas, spending time with Kristin and Kelly this year was awesome. Even though Alan and I left Chicago after church and breakfast on Christmas Day, I had a great time, even though Paula was not here with me. Kelly and Ryan had to fly back to Denver in the afternoon and Kristin had to work on Christmas, so Alan and I left with a full trailer, and arrived home 22 hours after leaving, played a round of golf that afternoon and for the last few days have been extending the ministry center in Mexico. We have a group staying at our place, working in Reynosa with another Missionary, building a community center not far from us. With only Alan and Lyneaa here, it is the smallest group from home to come over the Christmas break, so we have a lot of work to do to prepare to feed the colonia and give out gifts on Saturday. I received a call from Joe Warner in South Dakota, that the beans and corn that He is donating again this year, are ready to be picked up. We are accepting donations to pay for the fuel to drive up there in two weeks.

OBSTACLES OR OPPORTUNITIES???

2011-12-20T08:29:00.002-06:00

We haven't been able to enter the colonia for several days because of the rain turning the road into an impassible field of mud because of the trenching we did last month to install the water lines. Yesterday we called Carmelo and had him pick us up at the entrance, using our four wheel drive truck. It was indeed a slippery and even dangerous drive. We loaded up the blankets and different things we brought in the 4wd and headed in. It was terrible and to make things worse, Roy has a team wanting to build a house for a family near the entrance, but the wood is a mile in. Well, Omaro hooked onto Roys trailer, loaded it up with the wood and made His way to the site, where the family was excited about their Christmas gift from Jesus... A New House. I thought about overcoming these obstacles to make this house happen, no matter what, and called a guy with a backhoe and paid Him to come with some loads of caliche' ( a mix of dirt and rock that doesn't turn to mud when wet), and do his best to fix the road. It's going to cost over a thousand dollars to make it passable again, but it will be worth it and will last a long time. I'm off to Chicago today and it's not going to be a very merry Christmas without Paula, but Lynnea is flying down here Friday, and Me and Alan will make the drive to Texas on Christmas Day.

SO HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE?

2011-12-16T18:19:00.002-06:00

It was in August when a few friends and me put up the $10,000.00 needed to buy and send a load of rice to famine struck Somalia where hundreds of kids die every day from starvation. I had been getting updates every so often and you've heard the expression " a slow boat to China" well this was a slow boat to Somalia. It arrived this week, after two months at sea and needing to transfer the whole load from a huge ocean liner to a smaller vessel capable of fitting in the tiny port in Bossasso, Somalia. I don't know how many children died waiting for this rice, but I sure am blessed knowing that many more will live as result of its' arrival. I sure would like to send more food to those dying children, so I'm putting my faith to the test again and trusting God for another Ten Grand to do it again. If I can have Paula add the link to the e- mail with the whole story, I'll do that, but it sure is cool to know it got there. Thank You Lord!!!

IT WORKS!!!!!

2011-12-15T19:08:00.003-06:00

Faith really works! Have you experienced it lately? Have you put it out there to be tested. Sure you did, you sat down in a chair today didn't you? You turned the key in your ignition on your car didn't you? And you probably did it without even praying didn't you? PAGAN. No, faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. I can't see God working all things out for good, but He does. I can't imagine praying that my chair will hold me up if I sit in it. I just believe and sit, period. Some days I get a little discouraged as my cold seems to drag on forever, and now Paula has what I had,only worse. The rain last weekend kept us out of the colonia all week because of the mud a foot deep. But today we got a phone call from a Pastor in Mx that has permission to pass a load of stuff into Mexico, and the van has been loaded with 200 coats, hundreds of blankets, pillows, and about a thousand pounds of beans. I loaded it in the van last week just waiting on God to provide a way to get it all into MX. I hate taking a little at a time, I like full van loads and Gods Favor. So I waited upon the Lord and He did it. We only stayed in the colonia for a while, Paula is pretty sick, but while we were there, we blessed a couple of families with a few hundred dollars to aid them in their travels to visit family in Southern Mexico for the first time in several years. So we blessed a few families with much needed money and our mailbox had a few donations in it today as a result of our Christmas newsletter. Give and it shall be given to you!

DOES GOD DESERVE OUR BEST?

2011-12-12T10:39:00.002-06:00

Saturday, A friend David Lara, had his company Christmas party at our house and all 22 of the kids bagged up over 200 one gallon bags of rice for the people in Mexico. Some of the kids asked about the little nylon backpacks we had, filled with toys for the kids in the colonia, so I asked them if they would like to help some poor kids with Christmas gifts. I gave them the instruction to give them something they valued and not just junk they don't play with anymore. After looking a little sad at first, their faces lit up when they started thinking about what they could give. Yesterday, David and Angie brought back the backpacks filled the best they had. There were even a few American Dolls that I guess are not cheap. They gave of their best, what else should we do? One of the kids even gave us the money they were saving for something. They wanted more backpacks to fill. CAUTION! GIVING CAN BECOME ADDICTING! I hope they will come with us to give the backpacks out on the 31st of Dec. So if your thinking of doing something for the poor this Season, why not give your very best. Instead of buying yourself new shoes and giving your old ones, give the new ones! Give a new jacket verses the one you always hated anyhow. God gave us His best when He gave us His Son Jesus Christ as a sacrifice for our sins, so that we could live life differently.

GODS' SUPPLY IS ENDLESS

2011-12-06T21:10:00.002-06:00

Sunday after church, we had breakfast with George and Bonnie, they volunteer at Rio Grande Bible Institute in Edinburg. They asked for some beans and rice for an outreach at an orphanage and colonia in Reynosa, so we filled up zip lock bags with all the rice we had and about 20 bags of beans. Today, Dave and Joyce White that use to own this place, brought us a tote filled with 2000 lbs of rice. God knows exactly what we need and when we need it. Most times, we have to give everything we have been given before God will fill us up again. We are down to 150 bags of beans and that could all go out the door in a month and then I'll get to write again about Gods wonderful timing. So if your at the point where you really need God to show up and do something... your almost there. Follow the instruction the Holy Spirit gives you and watch. I heard a guy say on t. v. yesterday say " nothing leaves heaven, until something leaves our hand" God always responds to our faith, not our need. We filled their truck with all we had, knowing God was going to give us more. If we hoard it and hang on to it, that's all we'll have, but if we sow it, God guarantees a harvest.

NEW HOME

2011-12-05T19:36:00.001-06:00

Food for new colonias in Mexico

New home owners

IT WAS LOST AND NOW IT IS FOUND

2011-12-04T08:33:00.002-06:00

Paula spent hours on the computer trying to recover our lost files and wa la she opened a file and found all of our ministry contacts and info on a different file. I had been fretting having to go back through every copy of every check donated over the last year and re-entering everything. Now all I have to do is enter everything from the last two months, I still hate computers, but Love my wife. It made getting our year end news letter out much easier, with names and addresses. Last week Roy had a team from their home town Lifepoint Church build a home in the colonia, and when they were done with that, they spent several hours helping us finish a house a family started building themselves and couldn't finish. I caught a cold and have not been to energetic for a few days, and now it seems Paula is getting it too. We have been collecting bibles for Phil, Marianne and Daniel to take to Oaxaca, Puebla and Tuxclan Guiteriez in the mountains of Southern Mexico. Wes got me several hundred and I picked up 200 from a ministry in Mission last week, and hopefully our church will get the several hundred they ordered by next week. All told, we should have at least 500 bibles ready to go, and maybe 1000. We filled about 50 backpacks with donated toys, coloring books and hygiene items the other day and need to fill at least 200 more by Christmas. We are getting a permit next week to pass a whole van load of coats, blankets, and beans into Mexico. Praise the Lord!

OH HAPPY DAY

2011-11-28T19:05:00.002-06:00

When the Internet is not working for several days, it is really a pain, so HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!! We started last week with a small business seminar at a huge church in Reynosa, put on by the men from Austin that do ministry in the colonia we work in. It was a great event with several businesses from Reynosa represented. From hair salons, bakeries, oil well equipment and service company, dentists, designers to mention a few. It was good to rub elbows with middle class Mexicans and see their struggles doing business in a place where success brings risk. We really enjoyed the three days there and made some new friends. Thanksgiving Day was spent at home as David and Angie brought their ten, yea, ten kids over for dinner, along with Roy and Rebecca and their three kids and their dog Tex. Naturally we ate till we were stuffed and a Pastor and His wife from Mexico made it time before all the food was gone. While we were stuffing our faces, the group from Austin installed about 1500 meters of water line and the job of laying the water lines is complete. HALLELUJAH!!! One more tank and tower to stand up and IT IS FINISHED! Some of the Austin team helped us bag up food for Saturdays food outreach and they were a great help, but the prayer they offered up after we were done was the best part. Saturday morning Dave and Sharon Sachs brought their granddaughter Kelly over and they helped us give out the food and juice boxes. Dave and Sharon are the directors of Melody Lane Christian Renewal Camp where Paula and I along with the Kincaids lived for several months when we first arrived in Texas 4 years ago, 4 years, can you believe it? Pastor Bassilio gave a message about Gods Grace and Mercy and 5 people accepted Christ as their Savior. We gave out a case of Bibles and tons of clothes and several men volunteered to help with the water lines after I promised more beans and rice to all that would help. The last few days I have been trying to lay my hands on as many bibles as possible for Phil and Marianne to take down to Southern Mexico next month, I have about three hundred and hope to get a few hundred more. What a privilege to be part of Gods plan to get the Word into as many hands as possible around the world. The load of rice we sent to Somalia made it to it's destination and should be being distributed this week. PRAISE THE LORD!! There is so much going on, it's hard to put it all on the blog, so you'll just have to come here and see for yourself. As always, we pray Gods Favor over your life, as you share in our ministry, BE BLESSED, BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS, BE OF GOOD CHEER.

5 more souls will go to heaven

2011-11-28T15:11:00.001-06:00

Food and things outreach

Still working in the process of getting water to the people

2011-11-28T15:07:00.000-06:00

Conference in Reynosa

Thanksgiven dinner

REVOLUTION DAY

2011-11-21T05:16:00.002-06:00

Mimi and Caleb joined the other students at school to celebrate Mexicos equivalent to our Revolutionary war. Carmelo made them wooden rifles and bullet vests. One kid at school had a toy AK 47 which reminded us of the intense violence there. We put two roofs on houses that needed them and had a piniata for the kids while Olga was here from Chicago that she wanted to bless them with. Leonardo, Maria and their daughter Nadia were excited to see the roof installed, they had the walls up for their new house for several months, but could not afford to finish the roof. We were able to share Christ with Leonardo and a bible given with instructions to read the book of John will hopefully bring him to faith in the CHRISTOS. Last week I helped Roy build a house in another colonia on the other side of town that many families that have been displaced by floods or the closing down of the colonia they lived in have moved into. It's a little better in that it has water and electricity and it could very well be our next area we build in after we are done in Nopelera. We met with the Missions Committee at church on Wed and are praying for favor from God for some much needed monthly support, were not getting any younger and health insurance is something we would probably like to get. I personally like the " FAITH IN GOD "method of healing our tired bodies and often read Isaiah 58 where God promises that if you spend your life on helping the poor, your healing will quickly come. I still pray for God to heal our Desk top computer, that has lost all of our files. Today we are going to attend a small business seminar in Reynosa put on by the people from Austin that work in the colonia and sponsor many projects for the people there. It's a three day work shop, but I'm pretty sure it's only a one day er for us. While the group from Austin is here they will be installing the rest of the water pipe in the colonia and the only one more tower to be built and it is finished.

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Waiting for their home to be complete

Caleb a 3 year old boy helping

Bruce and Carmelo putting the roof on the new home

A GREAT EVENT TO BLESS THE MULTITUDES

2011-11-05T11:29:00.002-05:00

It finally came to pass, the tower and water tank are standing tall in the colonia. As we headed home across the bridge last night, I looked over my right shoulder and the tower and tank are by far the highest things in view. It will always be a constant reminder of the GOODNESS OF GOD every time we head into Mexico and look to our left as we approach the colonia. Everyone that had a part in funding this can rejoice with us, It wouldn't happen without your help. We had three churches, and several individuals donate specifically for this huge need in the colonia. We purchased all the steel, pipe lines and spickets, the huge 2500 gallon tank was donated by the local water supply company, Comapa in Reynosa. It had been sitting for years without being used, so we talked them into donating it to us, and quite possibly another one that is not being used. I hauled it in my donated pick-up truck and spent a few hours yesterday inside of it scrubbing the walls with soap with Andrews help. There is still some work to be done, like connecting all the pipes, but renting the crane and getting it upright was crucial this week, because Tom needs his welder back in Austin, so Muchas Gracias to all that helped bring this to pass, you know who you are, and God Bless You!!! The last tower and tank will be started this month and we should have water to every family within reach, by Christmas.

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GIVE THANKS, FOR THE LORD IS GOOD!!!!

2011-11-02T08:16:00.002-05:00

While we still work through the computer problems, some of the info has been recovered, but we can't open them. Oh well, give thanks in all circumstances. Herb and Carol from church came over last Friday and we bagged enough beans for 150 families. Saturday we gave out the food in the colonia and exactly 150 families came. A Pastor friend, Pedro, came and preached for a while on unity and reconciliation before we offered our first communion in the colonia. We invited everyone that was a believer to stay after we handed out the food and everyone seemed to want to partake in the cup and the bread, but after the food was gone, they were gone. Only about 25 or 30 people stayed for prayer and communion. I shared with everyone after we ate and drank, that Jesus had the same problem or blessing. When He taught about denying self and living for God, He turned and asked, "where are all the people" and the disciples answered that His teaching about surrender and sacrifice was hard and they all left. If God has everything in our life worked out for good, than why worry. Today, we need to find a crane and get the tower up on its' legs. The guys in Austin need their welder back, so pray for a crane. Dave brought 2000 pounds of rice for us to give away yesterday, and we were able to give another ministry 5000 lbs of beans that they needed.

2011-10-30T06:35:00.002-05:00

Last Saturday was Dianas Quincinera held at Pastor Proconos church. After the service was a fiesta at thier house in the colonia. Sunday I went back to the colonia to lyllend a hand welding the water tower together before Scott and Tom headed back to Austin. Wes and Ruben did the welding as Carmelo and I just held the sides up until welds could be made. Steel is very expensive in Mx. we spent over two thousand dollars on the steel alone to build the tower and next week we'll get the huge water storage tank and weld a strap to hold it on the tower so we can stand it all up at once with a crane. Thanks to all of you that helped fund this awesome project that will bless many families for many years. Jesus started by challenging us to give a cup of cold water in His Name, but we can and should do much more than the minimum that God asks of our lives. One cup is the starting point for everyone to DO something. Radical lives go far beyond the minimum, so again, we have to thank our partners for living radically before the King.

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I HATE THE TECH AGE !!!!!

2011-10-25T07:20:00.002-05:00

Last Thursday we took our computer to a company that was going to backup our data, clean junk out and re-install our data, and poof, everything was gone. All ouR data, our mailing and supporters info, personal files, everything gone. I knew I should have done everything on a leger in my own handwriting, just like I do with all of our ministry expenses. I hate computers, and don't trust them, IT IS THE BEAST OF REVELATION. On the good side of life, we bought the materials for the water tower and Scott and Tom drove down from Austin and we welded it all together on Sunday on site and we hope to attatch the tank and stand it up this week along with another tank and tower that have been donated by the Reynosa water company. It's in another colonia and we'll have to dissasemble it and truck it over to the colonia, rent a crane to stand it and the other one up on the same day. Roy and Rebecca are back and they brought us our 12,000 watt propane generator to power our house in Mx , if we ever build it, otherwise we might hook it up at our house on this side and if a hurricane ever wipes out power, we'll have back up.

A BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY UNDER SIEGE

2011-10-20T12:50:00.003-05:00

Our drive to Paulas Moms was uneventful and we encountered no problems traveling on the roads in Mexico. We left with Phil and Mary, the directors of Mexico Missions and followed them to San Lois Potosi and spent the night in a Holiday in there. A 6 hour drive to Tejupilco from there and we arrived at about 3 in the afternoon. We saw many military convoys and Federal Police road blocks insuring the safe travel of the general public. Paulas' Mom was so happy to see us and the time there was a blessing to us and them. We gave out several tracts and bibles to many family members and being able to pray with many of them was a real joy. The whole area there was greener than we ever saw it before because of a lot of rain and the mountain passes we drove through were breath taking. We wish we could have stayed longer 4 days of driving and only four days there, next time we'll plan ahead instead of a last minuete trip. We prayed and cried over Mom before we left. I don't understand why God keeps her around but I'm not supposed to. 94 years on this Earth and she still cares about and prays for all of the family. We stayed at the same hotel on the way home and saw thousands of soldiers driving north toward the border towns. Maybe an end to the Cartel siege on Mexico will end soon. We stopped in the colonia on our way home to see Carmelo and Ruth and to drop off all the plants we brought back. Two Pastors came yesterday for food and medical supplies for thier congregations in Mexico.

ROAD TRIP, FEAR OR FAITH

2011-10-11T06:26:00.002-05:00

We are leaving this morning to visit Paulas Mom about 800 miles south of here in Mexico. Phil and Mary from Mx. Missions are here and driving to Vera Cruz, Mx and we thought it best to convoy with them. They have thousands of bible tracks and we have cases of bibles to give out. A last minuet decision to go with them usually means God is up to something spectacular so we'll just go by faith and not fear travel in Mx.

NO PHOTOS, BUT A LOT OF WORK LAST WEEK

2011-10-09T21:59:00.002-05:00

So often we forget the camera or just forget to take pictures while doing different things in Mexico, but rest assured, we were very busy all week. Carmelo and Brawlio started a foundation for Pedro, we helped a single Mom with a baby crib, blankets,and food for her family. We bought a few bikes for men that needed transport to get to work. Bob Georgia and Mike drove from Houston to do some prep work for their November outreach to the whole valley, where thousands will attend and hear the gospel. Today, the POWER TEAM, which stands for purposeful outreach with eternal results, came to check out our work in the colonia and possibly join with us with some work projects while their teams are in the area early next year. We toured the colonia and then had lunch at La Differente' in Reynosa with Dave, Mark, Bob, David, Carmelo, Ruth and of course Caleb and Mimi. It was a real joy to hear of all the work they do along the border, from Del Rio to Matamoras. when we understand what Gods call is on our life, then there is no need to fear what the results of doing the will of God is verses hearing it, and not doing it! We also want to rejoice at the home-going of Naomi Block this past week, she is the Mom of a good friend from church, and Dan said she had 14 worship songs picked out for her funeral.

OLD EYES WITH RENEWED CLARITY

2011-09-29T21:48:00.003-05:00

When Clara came to get food for her family on Saturday, I told her that a friend named Earnest from North Carolina was sending her a bible and she got excited. I explained that it was not the large print that she wanted, but we had a whole box of reading glasses that she and many other people could choose from, and My bible with small print came alive as she donned her new glasses. The bible arrived on Monday and we took it to Clara on Tuesday as we drove through the colonia checking on the guys installing the new water lines. We started taking the water barrels, that Brad Noyes gave us last week in San Antonio, over to the colonia and Omero has a list of those that need them. The trailer we took to S. A. is Roy Days from Illinois and sure comes in handy, I'm going to hate taking it back to him, so I'm trusting God for the $7000.00 Roy said he would sell it to me for.The goal is to get every family at least two barrels, so they can store enough water for a few days. I might have to ask Brad for one more load of barrels to meet the need.The pressure from the well, all the way to the end where we have lines, is still good enough for now until we get the next tower and 10,000 gallon tank built. We are grateful to the men digging the trench by hand and it's good to see them eager to help which frees up some extra money to extend the water lines even further. We give their families lots of beans and rice for their labor. Today we stayed home and cleaned the warehouse and sorted clothes which was good because two Pastors from Mexico stopped by to get beans and tomorrow we trade another ministry two pallets of beans for two pallets of hominy that's used to make pasole', a Mexican soup. Kristin and Kelly,our two girls, drove from Chgo to Denver while Kris had some time off from work and a break from going to the nursing home everyday to visit Grandma. I was going to fly up and visit them and see the changing Aspen trees in Colorado, but we spent so much time searching for low airfare it just didn't work out. So I'm booking my one way flight to Chicago for Christmas this week.

2011-09-29T19:19:00.000-05:00

NEW BIBLE

TEAM WORK

2011-09-29T19:16:00.000-05:00

BLESSINGS FOR OBEDIENCE

2011-09-25T07:43:00.003-05:00

We invited David Garcia and His Family to come and bless us with a few worship songs on Saturday when we give out food to the colonia, and he also had a message for the people from Deuteronomy 28 about the blessings of God flowing into the lives of those who would obey the Word of God. Loving God and loving your neighbor were the only Commandments we need to follow to receive Gods' blessings. How hard is that? Well, in every day life it's not so easy, but He shared about the little things they could do to exhibit love. Just sharing the water hose from the new water lines, filling your neighbors barrels even if they are not there on the day water is flowing to their house. David use to be the one turning the valves for different areas and it became a real trial for him and his family because people would become angry at Him when water didn't come on their day. Now Omaro has that responsibility and He works very long hours every day helping out. Yesterday George and Bonnie joined us to help give out all the food and juice boxes. Again we rejoiced at what God does to provide for the people in Mexico. As we waited for 9:00 o'clock to give out the food, and as people rummaged thru clothes and shoes we invited anyone who needed prayer to gather in one area, and several came with needs that only God can meet. We gave a double portion of food to all the families that helped dig the trench for the water line this last week. Many volunteers hand dug over a half a mile long trench and installed the water lines, saving us the money for renting a back-hoe. Now we can build tower 2 to get more water to more people. Thanks to all that have been a part of this much needed water project. We know there is blessing for giving a cup of water in the Name of Jesus, can you imagine the blessing for giving a whole well of water?

Gettting food and other items

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more ways to get water to the people

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GOD CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE, IN A DAY

2011-09-15T21:09:00.002-05:00

On Mondays blog, there is a shack of a house that we moved a family of 6 out of and into a house we built a few years ago. Yesterday, there was a single Mom with four kids moving their stuff into that house as we drove by. We stopped and talked to her about the conditions they were going to be living in, and Virginia said that it was better than where they had just come from. I couldn't imagine that this house that is ready to fall down was better. We put all of their belongings into my truck, and took them to an empty house that we had just bought, that Roy and Rebecca built and paid half of the purchase price to reclaim it. We paid the owner the other half and had one of the girls climb through the window to unlock the door. Smiles filled their faces as they saw the inside. complete with a loft for the kids to share. As we prayed with them I shared how God took them from rags to riches, figurativly speaking, in one day. It's life changing for these families to get these simple houses. We returned later with a whole bunch of stuff for Virginia and her kids. EVERYTHING they owned fit in the back of my pick-up truck. One bed, a mattress,two suitcases of clothes,three more bags of clothes, one cooking pot, and a little box of toys. We all have way to much "stuff" don't we? Today we attended a celebration of Mexicos Independence from Spain at a local school. All the girls were dressed in traditional Mexican dresses and looked so cute. Carmelo finished sanding the top of our van and painted it today, no more rust! Tomorrow, 3 more loads of fill for the road before it rains again. I rented a back-hoe for four hours to spread it all. Off to San Antonio on Saturday to pick up donated plastic drums for the people to store water in from an old friend from Chicago that cleans and recycles the drums. We have bought several of these drums for people over the years and now, just like the beans in the warehouse, God is providing drums for free. Beans, Rice, Clothes, Drums,Money, all the things we sow into the lives of others, we reap. The other day, God put it on my heart to give another missionary family some money and two days later, I found the exact same amount of money in my cup holder in my truck! BELIEVE IT---- OR NOT!

JUST PASSING THROUGH,

2011-09-12T18:20:00.002-05:00

A Mexican Pastor named Willie is the director for the United Methodist Churches in Northern Mexico and we have know Him for about six months. He called and asked if a team from United Methodist of Ardmore Oklahoma could spend the night, on their way to Rio Bravo Mx. They had been driving all day, so Paula fixed them a spaghetti dinner and we were glad to spend some time with them. They are spending several days in Mx, with some outreach and work projects planned. We moved two families into their new houses over the last few days. These are houses we have built and purchased when the families moved. It's kind of a recycling program we do now, so the houses don't sit empty. They can live there as long as they want, but if they move, the house is given to another family in need. We think we have every child that wants to go to school registered. It takes a lot of work with all the follow up and paperwork. 28 or 30 children was the last count, but we continue to look for more as we drive through the colonia. Today, The Way of the Cross Mission from Harlingen Tx. came for beans and left here with 200 bags, about 10 thousand pounds. We used to drive there and get food from them to hand out in Mx when we first moved here, now God has us supplying the suppliers.PRAISE THE LORD! Pastor Francisco came today to get some beans and rice to take all the way to Oahacca Mx about 20 hours away.

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Their kitchen

plywood beds

7 plus 1

New home for this family

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New people in Nopalera

Inside of their home

We got them a bed,food and more

New family of 8 in Nopalera

WAAAAAAATER

2011-09-06T20:59:00.003-05:00

Water, that was the very first word that Helen Keller spoke.What a joy to see that freshly dug trench for the water lines! The backhoes sure made the job a lot easier for the team from Austin and those people from the colonia that lent a helping hand. While I was running back and forth in the colonia, Paula, Theresa, Esther and Rosie were holding a kids bible club and craft time at Pastor Victors Church. Pedro, Valerie and Deborah led worship. They are some new friends that serve about 200 miles south of the border and are on their time out of Mexico to renew their visas. 35 years of surrender and 8 children raised in Mx. What a story they have, and it's been fun getting to know them. With our warehouse full of beans, Pedro loaded His truck up the other day to take them home with them. After the children were done with the bible club, we lined them all up again and bought them all a freeze pop or Bonice as they are called in Mexico. 500 pesos was the final tally after all the kids and moms got one. Our monthly Pastors meeting was in the afternoon, under the International Bridge, so after eating tamales at Pastor Victors, we ate again at the meeting. I think we have given out most of the backpacks and school supplies that have been donated. We have been stopping the school buses and checking to see if any kids needed them and then they would pick one. Today we were checking the new water lines and came across a new family in the colonia, The Zapata Family. They made this pathetic little house with no door, a tarp for one wall, 1/2 sheets a plywood for another and they slept on a little piece of foam on the bare ground, full of ants, rats, fleas and God knows what else makes its way in there at night. We went to town, bought a bed and filled the truck up with a lot of different things to make life a LITTLE easier. Food, clothes, candles,blankets,sheets,a table and a Bible. It's almost hard to tell them that God Loves them when they have to live like this, but I told them, that God wants them to bloom and grow right where He has planted them. This is Gods will for their life. How do I know? Because if it was not Gods will, IT WOULD BE DIFFERENT!! We took David and Luzmar to lunch today. They live in the solar powered house and run the water Ministry for the group from Austin. They are from Gueretteno Mx and were hired to support the groups from Austins efforts and make disciples. The water thing has really hindered the disciple making thing, so Omaro handles the water thing now and that frees them up to make disciples. Maybe a trip to San Antonio Wed or Thurs to pick up donated water barrels that are much needed for people to store water in.

TODAY WAS A VERY BUSY DAY, MANY PROJECTS!

2011-09-03T21:56:00.001-05:00

KIDS BIBLE PROGRAM

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GOD IS BLESSING MANY THE KIDS

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GRAB A SHOVEL, LET'S DIG

2011-09-01T19:17:00.002-05:00

The long awaited extension of the water line to where we will build the next 30 foot water tower with a 10,000 gallon capacity will begin tomorrow. The ROHI group from Austin will be laying the pipe past the Pharr Bridge to Pastor Proconos church where the footing for the tower is in the ground already. Two backhoes will be digging and breaking through solid rock to extend water service to about 75 more families. The team will come back when time permits, to install the tower and tank that some generous hearts from Illinois surrendered their wallets to Jesus, to make it all possible. It amazes me how generous people are when asked to help meet the needs of the poor. SOME PEOPLE JUST GET IT!! Well, I can't believe that we have given out over 75,000 pounds of beans since moving into the new place with the warehouse. I do believe God had a plan for this place. Jon from Valley Baptist Retreat Center took 123 bags of beans off my hands today and that will help make room for another 500 bags due here on Saturday. ( That's 50,000 lbs of beans in the last three weeks!!!!) This sowing and reaping principal really blows my mind. and the great news is , that it will blow yours too, if you test God and see if He doesn't throw open the windows of Heaven and pour out such a blessing that you will need a warehouse also! A new Pastor from Reynosa came today and we filled up His truck with beans, rice and clothing. Rick Caywood is the trucking missionary that brings all the beans and rice at no charge, but we always find a way to give Him a gift to pay for fuel. Check out His web site www.rcmcc.org and get blessed by blessing His valuable ministry with a online gift. He'll be here Sat with the beans. I cut the grass at both houses today, and I'm beat--- good night.

BACKPACKS, BEANS AND RICE

2011-08-29T08:14:00.004-05:00

The matching fund from our church has doubled the number of backpacks filled and distributed to 80. This has been a huge blessing to the children that don't have a backpack to carry their school supplies and books. Friday it rained so hard in the colonia, that we had to take the four wheel drive truck home because of the mud. Today we will buy several loads of caliche' and with the help of some men from the colonia, we can eliminate the mud effect from rain. Because of the rain and mud, the turnout for the monthly food distribution and garage sale was about 30% down. Normally there are 175 families that come and Sat. there were only 115. George came from our church and gave his testimony about how God has transformed His life through the Resurrection Power of Christ. Saturday night our ABF class from church came and after some great food, we bagged up hundreds of pounds of beans and rice. The kids always have a great time, knowing that this food will feed hungry kids. David and Joyce White came from Oklahoma and brought us 2000lbs of rice in a bulk bin, which makes bagging much easier, Gracias David. The rice that we purchased for Somalia, is on its way. The group that handles the shipping had to re bag all 42,500 lbs into ten pound bags, which makes distribution easier in Somalia. PLEASE PRAY THAT THE FOOD GETS INTO THE RIGHT HANDS!! GOD IS GREATER THAN ANY OPPOSITION FORCES IN SOMALIA AND IS ABLE TO DO THAT WHICH WE HAVE ENTRUSTED TO HIM.

We got 50 backpacks plus a lot of school supplies with the matching fund from Calvary Church

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Rosita has a new pair of shoes and a new backpack

Trinity ABF helping to get food and backpacks ready

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August food outreach

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GET IN LINE, GOD IS ABOUT TO BLESS YOU!!

2011-08-23T09:35:00.002-05:00

Have you ever heard that? In America we take almost everything we have for granted, when in reality, we have been told to get in line to be a blessing to others. The blessing continues to be in giving, not in the getting. Saturday we told about four families in the colonia, to come for school supplies supplied by one of the ABF (adult bible fellowship) classes at Calvary Baptist in Mc Allen where we attend. They shared the invite to everyone else and within an hour, hundreds of kids were IN LINE for paper, pens, backpacks,, glue, pencils, and anything else we had.We prayed over them first and asked God to give them learning hearts and to give the teachers wisdom. The last Mom in line was one of those Divine moments. She had her little girl with her who was mentally retarded and that gave us the opportunity to pray for her. When we started saying the name of Jesus, her smile just filled her face, SHE KNOWS HER SAVIOR. Wyman from Precious Seed Ministries came on Sat night to fill his van with beans and rice for the poor in Alton, Tx. where he has weekly outreaches. Yesterday we built and repaired several benches at an outdoor pavilion where weekly bible studies are held in a colonia outside of Rio Bravo. Many people there have accepted Christ as Savior and are hungry for Gods Word. We have been meaning to repair the benches for the people and finally got around to it. After the bench repairs we went to IZI CLUB in Rio Bravo and bought 180 litres of cooking oil, 400 pounds of sugar, 300 juice boxes and bags for the food outreach on Saturday. We will bag up the beans and rice Thursday or Friday and have more school supplies for the kids because of a matching grant fund at church which has approved our ABFs' labor of love for the kids as a qualifying project. PRAISE THE LORD! We will buy and fill another forty backpacks. The truckload of rice, destined for Somalia has been inspected and should be at the port in Mississippi today or tomorrow, so please pray that this load would get into the proper hands for distribution.THANKS TO ALL OUR PARTNERS WHO MAKE EVERYTHING WE DO POSSIBLE.

2011-08-22T20:46:00.000-05:00

Share God's blessing with other missionaries

Shopping for the needed food items to feed 160 families

Building benches for and outside worship place

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New shoes

Thank you Calvary Church

New backpacks and school supplies

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Calvary Church ABF class project

2011-08-21T16:36:00.000-05:00

Backpacks and school supplies

Together with God,we can accomplish more!

Pastor Victor's Daughter

2011-08-21T16:28:00.001-05:00

Future quinceanera

present quinceanera

10 more years we will have 8 quinceaneras

IT IS" AWE" FULL TO DO WHAT WE DO

2011-08-17T08:43:00.003-05:00

Everyday leaves us standing in AWE of God as we watch Him do amazing things. I really believe that expecting God to do amazing things in our life is why He does. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen, and I would add, until they manifest themselves. While we were in Chicago, we had Raul who stays at our house, give out beans and rice to the Pastors that come. Well, the supply had been diminished to only one skid of rice and one skid of beans. A few men had matched our challenge to help us send a truck load of rice to Somalia and as a result of that obedience, We had 500- 50 pound bags of beans given to us last Sunday! I really want to know how God has blessed the other people that donated to the rice for Somalia Outreach, because God sure didn't wait very long to give back to us , pressed down and overflowing. A$2500.00 seed for the poor in Somalia, brought a harvest of $15000.00 worth of beans to give to the poor in Mexico. Hmmm, I believe Luke 6 vs 38 is the LIVING WORD OF GOD with tremendous promises. We spent yesterday getting papers from families for school registration and Paula and Rebecca went to the school with the papers and the money donated for the kids to go to school and registered several children and had a great visit with the principal and she told us, she wants every kid in school and that money should not hinder them from attending. But the problem is paying for the bus, when the families don't have the money, and that's what keeps them from going. We are prepared to give all that we possibly can to pay for the bus for these kids. Sowing works with rice and beans, and I know it will work with bus fare! Annae looked beautiful for her Quincinera Sat night. The fiesta was awesome and about 200 people were there. Friday night, one of our Sunday School classes bought and filled over 30 backpacks for the kids in Reynosa, and many bought shoes from the imprints of their feet Paula had made.

RE-CALCULATING---RE-CALCULATING

2011-08-13T06:31:00.002-05:00

Do you have one? A talking GPS. I bought one the other day in Osage Beach Missouri on our way home. This thing almost got thrown out the window the first day. I didn't want to listen the constant re-calculating voice every time I made a wrong turn. How many times a day do we get off track or change our plans and God has to constantly re- calculate to get us back on track? People know that I change my mind every ten or fifteen minutes and the trip home was no exception. Just take my little trailer home, or stop in Laharpe and pick up Roys huge trailer and fill it up. Well, we stopped in Laharpe and before we knew it, Roy had us emptying our trailer into His trailer, and then putting our trailer inside His trailer and filling our trailer back up with stuff donated by a nursing home that was in the Carpenters Crew trailer. CONFUSED, welcome to my world. Call me and I'll tell you all about it. We finally got on the road after we had supper with Roy and Carla Day, so here we are a 32 foot R.V. with a 20foot 102 inch wide trailer way over loaded in the front cruising down the back roads of America, I LOVE IT.!!! All went well for the most part on the trip home, except the generator quit on us a few times while it was well over 100 degrees. We stopped at Phil and Marianne Chains in Noble Oklahoma to get some paper work done as we re-calculate our vision for misssions in Mexico. We have been working with them with their backpack program for the kids in Mx. and will now run our funding and support through their Ministry. We spent the night there and got back on the road about noon on Wed. We dropped a bike off in San Antonio on our way through and picked up some gifts for Pastor Victors Daughter Anna. Her Quincinera is today at 3;30. Rick Caywood has his big rig backed up to the ware house as I speak with some more beans. Him and I had a rough day yesterday with vehicle problems, we had a brake caliper almost burn the van up and he had tire and coolant problems with his semi. Oh well what part of ALL don't we understand. It was great to get to the colonia after the repairs on the van, if only for a few hours.

CARPENTERS CREW REUNION and RADICAL GIVING

2011-08-05T12:46:00.003-05:00

Last weekend we drove to LaHarpe, Il to spend the weekend with everyone on the Carpenters Crew, that bless us and the people in Mexico every year with willing hands and open hearts. Last year they built three houses and also helped us move into our new diggs. This year they plan to build at least three houses, and if Roy has anything to say about it, they will build four. Two pot luck food gatherings and fellowship with a group of believers that actually DO the Word when it comes to helping the poor. We filled our borrowed van with baseball bats, gloves, helmets, balls and dozens of umbrellas for the people in Nopelera. We left behind a trailer load of blankets, sheets, pillows and other items donated by a local nursing home that closed. We will travel back through La Harpe on Monday and unload our trailer into Roy Days' larger trailer with all the items we left behind and head for home. Thank you everyone for the generous donations for us and the water towers we will build upon our return, we have been GRACED AGAIN, the towers are all paid for. Wednesday I played golf with all my buddies and after golf we met at a fine Italian restaurant and enjoyed a great meal. While we were talking, I reflected on the day and the hundreds of dollars our generous host had just spent to bless us, I gave thanks to the Lord that He has given us ALL things to enjoy and the days activities were part of ALL. There is no room for guilt in a life that serves the Lord, and the table was full of men that serve the Lord faithfully and are very generous to the ministry God has entrusted us with, and to many other ministries as well. For whatever reason, that has become clear since then, I challenged the guys to join with me in buying a full truck load of rice and sending it overseas to a famine filled land with starving children. I said I was in for $2500 and needed three more equal donations to buy and ship the entire 42,000 lbs of rice that will make over 250,000 meals, maybe more. Well, it's a done deal!!!! Praise the Lord and the load will be on the way next week. Imagine that, spontaneous acts of generosity breaking out throughout the Body of Christ with reckless abandon for our own shellfish needs to meet the needs of starving people in Somalia. WOW WHAT A CONCEPT!!! I called Rick Caywood, my brother from another Mother, on Thursday who gets me rice and beans when we need them, and I could hear His jaw hit the ground when I called and told him that me and my friends wanted to buy a load of rice and feed the hungry. Someone had called Him around the same time we were surrendering our wallets to Christ, literally begging for a load of rice to help the suffering in Somalia. DO YOU THINK GOD CAN RAISE MONEY FOR A HUGE NEED OUTSIDE OF A COMMITTEE???

2011-07-27T11:35:00.000-05:00

Long, Long! bridge

I love all the green

and other colors

Thank God for friends and family in Christ

Trip to U.P. Michigan

2011-07-27T11:31:00.000-05:00

2011-07-27T11:27:00.000-05:00

Uncle George 95Th Birthday

Great to get together with friends

ROLLING BLESSINGS

2011-07-26T09:49:00.002-05:00

It seems everywhere we go we are so blessed by the kindness and generosity of so many different people. With all the dinners and gatherings we have blessed by, we continue to enjoy our stay up here, but are starting to long for the life God has given us in Texas and Mexico. The last four days had us on a road trip to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to visit our good friends there and co-laborors in Christ with their ever expanding ministry to the poor in Mexico. The air is clean and the stars filled the sky at night. We even took a Finish Sauna, pronounce sowna! One day 85 degrees, the next had a digging out warmer clothes with a high of 60. Dave and Lonnie Siirtola opened up their home and hearts to us and organized a desert to share about Mexico. So thanks guys for a short but great visit. Next time, a whole week in the U.P. because it's tranquil and our phones didn't have a signal.

MISSING ALL MY FRIENDS IN MEXICO

2011-07-04T16:37:00.002-05:00

Just seeing Paulas' post of the celebrations in the colonia makes me feel homesick. Although it is nice and cool here in Chicago, and seeing friends and family has been great, I miss my wife! It really isn't good that man should be alone. My uncle Georges 90th birthday party was last Saturday and I was able to see many relatives that I haven't seen in years. Last Sunday Pastor Pat interviewed me about Paulas and my faith and our leaving everything in Chicago to answer Gods call to help the poor. He called me a champion of faith, I like to think of it as being obedient, with much trepidation. Now that we have been there almost four years, the trepidation has all but waned. He has made our calling and election absolutely sure. It's easy to visit where we came from, knowing that there is no opportunity to return. It has been great to spend time with our daughter Kristin and visit Grandma in the nursing nursing home as she recovers from her stroke. An old friends father passed away and they had a memorial service the other day, and it was reassuring to know that they all know Christ.