A MERRY CHRISTMAS INDEED

  Even though we were not able to spend the Holidays with our family,  our Mexican/ Texas family filled the void. It was a huge undertaking to prepare hundreds of gifts for the families in the colonia. Thankfully we had 150 shoe box gifts donated. About 90 girls and 60 boy gifts. We purchased eight hundred soccer balls for different events, we needed one hundred for today. Paula rolled up 120 towel sets, complete with a shirt and 5 new masks. Andres, Goya, and Dulce helped prepare 150 bags of food. Beans, rice,  oil. Sugar, and a can of jalapeños. 120 bags of mixed candy for the kids. All was ready by Thursday. 

  Christmas Eve day we went to the colonia for a few hours and the stopped at Melodys Orphanage.  Macedonio was preparing a gourmet dinner for Jaime and his immediate family. All the orphanage children went to be with family for Christmas. What a feast!!! We sang a few songs, exchanged a few gifts and each of us shared a 2020 Thanksgiving story.

  Christmas day was another day of feasting as Bob Brown, and Herb and Carol Moering joined us for dinner. Today, Saturday,  we headed to Mexico 🇲🇽 for our annual Christmas celebration in the colonia. We split the colonia into 2 shifts to keep social distancing in place. About 50 families came for shift 1. We sang a couple songs Feliz Navidad,  and Te Doy Gloria. Jaime gave an emotional Christmas message while some servants brought coffee and cake to everyone. 

  Everyone passed through the community center,  got thier food, a coat, and thier gifts, and then we repeated the whole process for the next families. Whew!!!! It was a total team effort to make it all happen, and that includes all of our supporters, without whom none of this would be possible. 

  Paula brought out leftovers from Christmas dinner, and we experienced a miracle of loaves and fishes as 32 people had a full plate of food. We're tired, but refreshed and thankful. 

PLAN B, A HUGE SUCCESS

  After the big event at the baseball park was canceled,  Jaime and the team planned the events at several churches around Reynosa. We joined them yesterday for 2 of the 3 outreaches. First we decorated and loaded up the truck,  vans, and cars and drove through town to our first church. Everyone sprang into action and set up the tables, chairs, and all the toys and food they had prepared on the street where the Pastor had permission to close the street.It got pretty warm as the people surrounding the church came and sat down. 

  There was a clown making balloons for the kids as we waited for the Evangelist/ Ventriloquist to start the program. The kids were all engaged as he gave his message. Though Clay and I didn't understand everything,  the laughs and applause were all we needed. Clay and I were in charge of giving out the soccer balls as the kids all came through the line with their hands full of food, gifts, cupcakes, and a juice box. A great time indeed. The team is holding 2 more events today. 

  Today we attended a Church in Alamo, TX and the Pastor was familiar with Moraine Valley Church and knew the former Pastor  Bill Johnson, it's a small world after all.

  In the event I dont post again before Christmas,  we want to wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas and trusting God for a Healthy and Happy New Year. The prayers and support we receive is still so overwhelming and we are truly grateful for your partnership. 

   I had to put the picture of our beautiful granddaughters,  G.G, GABBY, AND LEA. We will miss being with them this Christmas. 

DRIVING MY LIFE AWAY

  In the last 7 days, we have made the round trip drive to Norman, OK. Two times. I need some extensive dental work and a friend of Phil and Marianne Chains wants to help. I had some of the needed surgery done Tuesday. One extraction,  and 4 implant posts installed. Not much pain, thank God. Enough about me!

  We have been busy crossing gifts, coats,  rice, and bibles for the outreaches scheduled for this Saturday and next Saturday. The big event this Saturday was supposed to be at the huge baseball stadium in Reynosa.  But Covid-19 crushes that plan. Jaime Mayorga Melodys Orphanage has plan B in effect. We purchased 1000 soccer ⚽️ balls, 400 dolls, blankets, and have rice and beans for the adults. 

  We wanted to go to Illinois for Christmas 🎄  but again, Covid screwed that up. We got most of our Christmas cards and newsletter mailed out. If we forgot anyone,  don't be offended,  just rejoice in the Christmas season.  I'll, try to attach the newsletter on the blog here this week.  If not, it basically says MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A BETTER 2021.

SO MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR

Its so cliche,  but so true. Thanking God for all of your blessings. As we sat around our Thanksgiving feast,  we all gave thanks for something. We had a smaller than usual gathering,  Shawn and Carla Estes,  thier daughter Madison and Iker her 2 month old son pronounced Eeker, Sergio and Gabriel. The girls cooked while Shawn and I golfed. We made up 4 plates of everything and Shawn and I drove around and blessed people on the street with a meal.

  Over the last few weeks, God has provided us with 100 thousand pounds of beans and rice. 40 thousand pounds has already been taken to Mexico. Power Ministry delivered beans and rice, Hope Development gave us 2 truck loads of beans. It has been an incredible time of blessings inspite of Covid-19.

  The orphanages have been the biggest beneficiary of God's provision into our lives, as we have been blessed enough to donate thousands of dollars to thier building projects. I remember when giving 100 dollars was a stretch for me, then 1000 dollars was a huge step of faith, writing a check for $10,000.00 to an Orphanage was beyond anything I could have imagined doing, and yet there was another instruction from the Holy Spirit. Jesus said not the hearers, but the doers of God's Word are the blessed ones. So, being Thankful for all of your support that makes it possible for us to be doers. People that do, are enabling us to do, which results in Thanksgiving to God.

  Pastor Jaime Mayorga from Melodys Orphanage is holding a huge event December 19th in the Baseball Stadium in Reynosa to bless the children of Mexico. We have ordered 1000 soccer balls, and plan to buy 1000 dolls. We're hoping for more than 2000 kids.

 Its always a joy to be part of God's plan to be a blessing to others. Thanks for joining us in God's work. 

MILES OF BLESSINGS

After being home for only 2 days, Phil and Marianne arrived from Oklahoma to join us on a trip to Puebla to deliver,  food, bibles, blankets, bibles and hundreds of coats.

  We drove to the Orphanage in the mountains and spent the night there. Phil and Marianne hadn't been there,  so we gave them the tour of all that's going on there. The drive south took us 8 hours further into Mexico 🇲🇽 and we spent the night in San Juan del Ricon south of Qeretaro. 2 hours to Jorge and Selena church in Masahua. We unloaded everything in the van except for a couple cases of bibles for Pastor Jose. We toured the house they are building and will help with $ to complete it. Off to Puebla. 

  We drove 5 hours to the Holiday Inn in Puebla.  The people there love to see Phil and Marianne.  They usually stay there for several weeks in the summer doing ministry but Covid-19 crushes more ministry.  We filled the van at Sam's Club in Puebla with beans and rice, and took the food to Pastor Joses house. We took José and his family out to lunch at a Brazilian Steak House at a great restaurant near them. We said our goodbyes and drove 10 hours towards home the next morning. 

  Hundreds of families will be blessed by our trip despite the 2000 miles of driving that burned lots of gas. We love traveling in Mexico and being a blessing to those in need. Today we go to Mexico to bag up 2000 lbs of beans Andres picked up yesterday from a partner who we gave a truck load of beans to, and he crossed it to Mexico. I'll be crossing a pallet of rice today as well. 

  Shawn and Carla are staying with us until they load thier trailer and head back to Kentucky. God has called them there after serving in Mexico for over 15 years. Be praying for them as they transition. 

HERE, THERE, EVERYWHERE

The last several weeks, have been lots of miles and lots of smiles. We drove non stop to Gadsden,  Alabama and spent some time with Wayne and Diane Kelly. Played a round of golf ⛳,  well a round and a half. Left there and had breakfast with Tim Morgan from Power Ministry.  After leaving there, I got very sick and went to a emergency care in Anderson,  SC. I was extremely dehydrated and in excruciating pain. 

 A drive to Spartanburg to visit Angie Lara and the kids. They made us supper and because of my condition we left after a few hours. We drove to Hilton Head the next morning and I was feeling better after drinking lots of water. 

  8 wonderful days spent with Roger and Paulette at their house near the ocean. A few rounds of golf, glorious meals, and wonderful fellowship. We left there for Hickory,  N.C. to spend a few days with our friends from Hulls Grove Baptist Church. A scenic drive to the mountains after lunch with, Ernie,  Susan. Lori and Gavin. Sunday morning we went to Church in Hulls Grove and were able to share about the new ministry with 3 orphanages. 

 We left there and drove to Alan and Linnea Wells in Tennessee. Spent the night, had breakfast and hit the road again. Got home last Tuesday and went to Mexico Thursday to prepare for Saturdays food outreach. 100 family's were given food, then Sergio and I drove to the mountains ⛰ to visit the orphanage. Spent 2 days, got home yesterday,  packed the van up today because Phil and Marianne Chain came and were heading to Puebla Mexico tomorrow to deliver, food, coats, bibles, and $. A stop at the orphanage in the mountains tomorrow to pick up what we dropped off the other day.  Lots of miles!!!!!

  We trust for a God for a safe trip as we travel through Mexico 🇲🇽,  and for a favorable outcome of this election. We are so grateful for all of your prayers and support for the ministry God has given us.  GRACIAS AND GOD BLESS YOU 🙏. 

THE MOUNTAINS CALLED AGAIN

 

A good friend and supporter of our ministry as well as Big Heart Orphanage called and asked me to take him and his wife out to visit Gator and Deanna at the Casa Hogar la Montana in Ramos Arizpe. We were just there a few days ago,  but we're always willing to take anyone who wants to go. We picked up Marty and Denise Moore Saturday morning 🌄 and arrived by noon.

  There was a missions team from Reynosa there mixing concrete,  painting and helping out. The kids were all gone to visit family for the weekend for the first time since March, and we surely missed seeing them, but it gave the staff a much needed break.

  Marty and Denise were impressed by the orphanage situated on over 30 acres. We gave them the tour of the facility and joined the team for lunch. The building projects are progressing well,  the Bobcat has done its job and the foundation for the bathrooms and kids dorm rooms is almost ready to be formed and poured.

  Gator and Deanna took the 4 of us out to dinner in Saltillo Saturday night. A temperature check and hand sanitizer greeted us at the door, even a foot sanitizer was in place to step on. We enjoyed the food, but our conversations were drowned out by some loud live music 🎶 😪.  Oh well, we're all old and would have rather talked than listen to music. 😆. 

  We drove back home Sunday morning and had a 2 hour wait on the bridge to return to the US. Paula and I returned to Mexico today after buying 250 dollars worth of diapers for the stranded families in Mexico trying to get to the US. Its not going to happen any time soon, and they have no money to go back where they came from.  So 😥. 

   Lunch at Melodys Orphanage on our way out of Mexico,  always a treat. Jaime and Rosalba took all the kids at the orphanage away for the weekend to a rental house near the mountains. The first time since march that the younger kids have been out of the orphanage due to covid. They showed us the science project that they're working on, growing things from seeds.