Yesterday was the last Saturday of the month and for 7 straight years, every month, we hold our food, clothes and worship outreach in the colonia. It seems to get a little easier to pull it all together every month, with the help of some new volunteers from Paulas sewing class. They bag beans and rice and come and organize everything the day before the outreach. Many come early now and help set up the chairs and sound equipment. Vendors line up on the street to sell their goods. Some have tamales, others have coffee and donuts for sale, other have ice raspas(sno cones). It's called the Community Center because we want the community to come and fellowship with each other.
Pastor Jesus, who is new Pastor in the colonia has taken over Pastor Proconos church. Procono is almost 90 and is slowing down a little. Jesus gave the message after David and Luzma led us in worship.I brought my new guitar and joined in on a few songs. Pastor joined in the efforts to wake the people up from their slumber and get after God. Time is short and his passion was to bring a call of repentance and restoration to the people from the book of Eziekiel. Many came forward to accept Christ as Savior when the Pastor made an alter call. Some came for salvation, others for prayer. The great thuing was that God was moving in the hearts of some. While others were just there for the food.
The outreach brought 140 families together and this month we gave them a double portion of beans and rice because we won't be there next month. It will give Ruth and Lucy a break as well. We never like to leave for such a long time, but we love to visit those that are part of the ministry. So the kids got juice and a box of Frosted Flakes, my fav, Sugar and tomato paste was given to each family as well.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIMI, AND WELCOME BACK RUIZ FAMILY
Today our adopted granddaughter Mimi turned 9 along with her cousin Becky. They were both born on the same day only hours apart, so we celebrated both of their birthdays today with another grand feast, tres leches that Paula made and of course a pinata. The girls were all dressed up and full of joy as they opened their presents and then blew out the candles on the cake. Many of you wished her a happy birthday and we passed those well wishes on to her.
Lucky for Enrique Ruiz, his sons Nehamia, Daniel and Isaiah and his Father Estaban when they chose to stop by on their way back to Chicago from Gerratero, MX. They spent then night last night and then came to the colonia to see things after their 5 year absence. They built a couple houses some years back and just had to visit the colonia. Well no one comes here without being put to work, so they helped us bag up some beans and load them into Pastor Salas car. We also took them down to the family that we are building a house for next week. It had rained really hard this morning, so we took the big truck over with four wheel drive. While on the way to deliver the roofing, we encountered some very deep mud. No problem, I'll just switch to 4X4 mode and cruise right through,NOT!! It's not working. Man was I slinging some mud trying to out of that situation, and had a few more scary moments before we made it out. Don't know what s wrong, but something might have been disconnected with the trans work. We made it back to our place in the colonia just in time for the great meal Ruthy had made.
I had bought several beds for Pastor Jaime' because he ministers in a colonia that flooded really bad last week and many people lost all their stuff, so were trying to help out as much as we can. A dry bed is a good start to getting your life back together after a flood. I'll get more as soon as the company makes them.
Lucky for Enrique Ruiz, his sons Nehamia, Daniel and Isaiah and his Father Estaban when they chose to stop by on their way back to Chicago from Gerratero, MX. They spent then night last night and then came to the colonia to see things after their 5 year absence. They built a couple houses some years back and just had to visit the colonia. Well no one comes here without being put to work, so they helped us bag up some beans and load them into Pastor Salas car. We also took them down to the family that we are building a house for next week. It had rained really hard this morning, so we took the big truck over with four wheel drive. While on the way to deliver the roofing, we encountered some very deep mud. No problem, I'll just switch to 4X4 mode and cruise right through,NOT!! It's not working. Man was I slinging some mud trying to out of that situation, and had a few more scary moments before we made it out. Don't know what s wrong, but something might have been disconnected with the trans work. We made it back to our place in the colonia just in time for the great meal Ruthy had made.
I had bought several beds for Pastor Jaime' because he ministers in a colonia that flooded really bad last week and many people lost all their stuff, so were trying to help out as much as we can. A dry bed is a good start to getting your life back together after a flood. I'll get more as soon as the company makes them.
WE'RE CRANKING OUT QUILTS AND CASAS (houses)
Paulas sewing class every Tuesday continues cranking out one quilt after another. They all put so much effort and pride into each quilt. They are really knitting deeper relationships with each other every time they get together. They also bagged up over three hundred bags of rice for our "double dispensa" this Saturday, since we won't be here next month.# annualroadtrip.
We started the foundation on Areseles house yesterday. Well I should say the guys got started on the foundation. I showed up later when the load of wood came. It was very hot yesterday, so I brought the pop up shade down to the site. After unloading all the wood, the oldest child Madi and I started cutting some studs for the walls, while Imena, Sophia and the neighbor played with empty water bottles. I took pictures yesterday, but most of them were of the kids, and I realized AGAIN that's it's not about the house, It's about the people. So were grateful to some Facebook friends that saw the picture of Aresele and her kids and have thus far donated $1300 toward the building of the house. They are so cute after all, and who could resist those faces?
Enrique Ruiz is a friend from Chicago, and him and some of his family are coming back from Gerretaro MX which is about 10 or 12 hours south of here. They helped a Missionary family move there from Chicago to start ministering to the poor there. Enrique and his family were here 4 or 5 years ago and built a couple of houses with the Shongs . We experienced one of the coldest days Mexcio when the temperature dropped thirty degrees in about an hour. Anyhow, they said they would stop by here tonight and would like to go to the colonia tomorrow and visit for a while.
So this is our 4th house this month, which is a new record of building without a team here to help. All Mexicans, all the time. We are grateful for the donations that enable us to continue building houses even when there is no team from the U.S. here.
A note to anyone that cares, We will be having our annual pizza party at Moraine Valley Church in Palos Heights Il on June 28th at 1pm to 3 or 4 in the Chapel. All are welcome and if you want to bring something, feel free.RSVP please for a head count. We always have a great time seeing everyone and sharing whats going on in our ministry.
We started the foundation on Areseles house yesterday. Well I should say the guys got started on the foundation. I showed up later when the load of wood came. It was very hot yesterday, so I brought the pop up shade down to the site. After unloading all the wood, the oldest child Madi and I started cutting some studs for the walls, while Imena, Sophia and the neighbor played with empty water bottles. I took pictures yesterday, but most of them were of the kids, and I realized AGAIN that's it's not about the house, It's about the people. So were grateful to some Facebook friends that saw the picture of Aresele and her kids and have thus far donated $1300 toward the building of the house. They are so cute after all, and who could resist those faces?
Enrique Ruiz is a friend from Chicago, and him and some of his family are coming back from Gerretaro MX which is about 10 or 12 hours south of here. They helped a Missionary family move there from Chicago to start ministering to the poor there. Enrique and his family were here 4 or 5 years ago and built a couple of houses with the Shongs . We experienced one of the coldest days Mexcio when the temperature dropped thirty degrees in about an hour. Anyhow, they said they would stop by here tonight and would like to go to the colonia tomorrow and visit for a while.
So this is our 4th house this month, which is a new record of building without a team here to help. All Mexicans, all the time. We are grateful for the donations that enable us to continue building houses even when there is no team from the U.S. here.
A note to anyone that cares, We will be having our annual pizza party at Moraine Valley Church in Palos Heights Il on June 28th at 1pm to 3 or 4 in the Chapel. All are welcome and if you want to bring something, feel free.RSVP please for a head count. We always have a great time seeing everyone and sharing whats going on in our ministry.
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