PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW

   Our 10 day, 2100 mile trip to the mountains of Chihuahua was a trip that the kids from Melodys Orphanage will never forget. We hope it was life changing 🙏 for them. The first day was a 16 hour drive to San Jacinto, Chihuahua where Jaime and Rosalba were missionaries many years ago. They knew many from there and so this is where we called home for the next 8 days. 

   19 people stayed on cots in Pastor Ezekiels church, while Sergio and I got beds around the corner at some friends house. No heat, but lots if blankets kept us warm at night. Snow fell the first night and the kids from Melodys Orphanage had never seen snow before. 

   Sara Vargas flew in from North Carolina to hold kids programs every day. She is such a blessing to everyone. We went to a YWAM camp in Creel where all the beans,rice and gift boxes, blankets,and health kits were. We organized them all for each days outreaches. 

   Wednesday,  Thursday,  Friday and Saturday we traveled to remote villages to preach the Gospel and bless the adults and children will various gifts. Each day left a little time to sight see. Copper Canyon is Mexicos Grand Canyon and the views are awesome. 

   Several stops along the road where we saw kids, allowed us the opportunity to give out more shoe box gifts and bless the parents with food. Easter Sunday started with devotions of 3 Psalms and 3 chapters from Joshua. We then went back to Copper Canyon to get one last look from inside the park and buy some souvenirs.

  Monday we got a late start, dropped Sara off at the airport 3 hours away and then drove another 10 hours and spent the night at Big Heart Orphanage in the mountains near Saltillo. A great week ☺️ 🙌 😊 and a great time with the kids from Melodys Orphanage. 

   

MARCH MADNESS

  I didn't post anything in February,  not that it was without mentioning.  Our daughter paid for our airfare to come to Illinois for Leas 8th birthday. But that was a bonus, the real reason was to dog sit the following week when they were on a cruise. 2 puppies, a mom 🐕,  a cat and several fish to keep alive. We did it!!! I was warm enough to golf a few times. Not bad for February. 

    Attending Moraine Valley Church for 3 Sundays was a real blessing.  So many new faces there, that came from Pastor Don's old church.

   While we were gone a load of beans and rice was delivered and Jaime from Melodys Orphanage came and helped Rick Balmer unload it. Jaime loaded up a lot of beans, rice,  blankets, health kits, and other stuff to cross to Mexico and send to the mountains of Chihuahua where we will be heading to on the 25th of March. We will be attending outreaches for 4 days and holding medical clini

cs with Kayla and Fernando from the orphanage. They both graduated from medical school and are now doctors. 

   Paula had an MRI on her knee while in Illinois and her doctor here said she has 3 issues and non required immediate surgery,  so it's a wait and see.

   Last Saturday was our monthly food outreach and Pastor Juan brought tons of fruit and vegetables to give out. 😋 

JANUARY...GONE!

  Time sure flies by. January has come and gone sooo fast. Our monthly food outreach January 6th on Kings Day brought over 100 families to worship, hear Jaimes message, and receive some much needed food. We held another on Feb 3rd and just as many came then. 

   Power ministry came a few weeks ago and built 2 walls on the open ends of the Community Center porch during one warm day followed by the coldest Temps of the season. It was in the 30s with wind chills in the 20s. The Net Menders is coming Wednesday to paint what Power built.

   Paula's sewing class is cranking out the quilts, so many thanks to those who purchase them and keep the girls working. Paula has some major knee pain and we're waiting for her appointment for an MRI. She has seen an orthopedic doctor in McAllen. 

   We have bought 200 blankets over the past month and plan to take some to the mountains of Chihuahua next month while some have been given out at the dump in Reynosa already. 

   Paula and I are heading to Chicago this week for Leas 8th birthday party and then spend a few weeks there. We look forward to seeing everyone, but not looking forward to the cold temps. 😕 

   We are saddened by the loss of our cat Taku. He was 17 years old and lived in the colonia his entire life. He will be missed!

  We celebrated Melissas birthday last week.

ANOTHER YEAR GONE BY

  A few days after Christmas,  Ricky Carroll brought a group from Alabama and  Bob Smoot brought a group from Oklahoma to hand out the shoe boxes, stuffed animals,  bibles, clothes,  backpacks and the Love of Jesus. The first event was at Macarios church where 300 kids came. 

   The following day we invited everyone in Nopalera to join us at the Community Center at 10 am. The place was packed!! Jaime Mayorga came to lead us in  worshiping the Lord. Saul came with his organ, and I picked up the guitar for the first time in a while. An anointing fell as we sang and Jaime and I preached. Many came forward for prayer and one 21 year old girl surrendered her life to Christ. 

   After the service had ended, everyone came through the Community Center for their gifts. Men, women and children all got gifts. We then loaded up more gifts and headed to Another colonia, where hundreds more people were waiting for us to arrive. Another opportunity to share the gospel with the boys in one line and girls in another. A great day indeed!!!!

   Paula and I couldn't make it to midnight on New Years Eve.  We went to the Clubhouse in our park, for a bite to eat and meet some people from the park. 10 o'clock we were in bed.

  Thanks to everybody that prays for us and the ministry, and those that support us financially. We are really thankful for each of you.  HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

  Paula and I just returned from a 10 day trip to Central Mexico.  San Jose Del Rincon to be exact. 1600 miles round trip in 2 vans to bring Christmas to 2000 + kids. Phil and Marianne Chain have been doing the Christmas backpacks gifts for years. We have been going with them for the last several years. Chiapas Mexico,  Puebla Mexico, San Rincon Mexico this year. 4 events in 4 days with the local church doing all the planning and set up at each event. 

   The hotel we stayed at had no heat to quell the 36 degree night Temps, and only spotty hot water powered by solar only. We made the best of it, and it was only blocks from Pastor Jorges church and home where we ate breakfast and dinner. 

   Several of us attended church at an outdoor Baptist Church in Michoacan, Mexico near the Monarch Butterflies wintering spot. A bright sunny day, but no time to make the trek up the mountain to get to them. It takes a few hours, but we've been there before.

  Several people accepted Christ during the programs. Paula and Marianne were sharing the Gospel as they fitted many with reading glasses and praying with them. The young people were presenting the Gospel in drama, song, puppets, skits and of course the giving of gifts to every child. A great week!!!

   We try sending out Christmas cards before we left, if we missed you we are sorry. Consider this your Christmas Card. I put this on Facebook to thank everyone for your prayers and support, we really appreciate it.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

THE BLESSINGS ARE ALREADY FLOWING

  Last Thursday a 53 foot semi trailer arrived with 3500 shoe box gifts, 500 backpacks full of toys and health kits, clothes, and even some shoes. There was also hundreds of bibles, boxes full of shoes, clothes, sewing materials, sewing machines,  a pulpit for Pastor Joel. It took only a few hours to unload it all. 

  After unloading, we loaded up two trailers, 3 vans and a pick up truck and crossed into Mexico 🇲🇽.  The Favor of the Lord was with us. We picked up Ricky Carroll and Jay at the airport on the way to Mexico.  Ricky is a Pastor and head of Handful of Purpose Ministries. He and his wife Theresa organize and collect all these gifts to distribute to several partners in Mexico. Some has already been given to Pastors that drive long distance to get them. The bulk of the gifts will be handed out personally when they return after Christmas. 

   Paula and I will be heading 12 hours south into Mexico with Phil and Marianne Chain with our van full to bless over 2000 kids with backpacks, toys, candy, and The Story of Jesus kids booklets. Beans, rice and other food will be given to each family. Jaime Mayorga Melodys Orphanage and a few other people will be coming down to join us for the outreaches scheduled for the 18th thru the 21st. Phil's partners from different states in Mexico will join us as well with doctors, dentists,  shoe shiners, hair stylists, evangelism will take place at each event.

   It's always a busy time of year for most of us, so we pray that this season will be different and more meaningful to us all as we anticipate the return of our Lord and Savior. Thanks to all for your continued prayers and support for all the outreaches.

   Our house finally sold and we have moved into our manufactured home. It's big 3 bedroom 2 baths, and we're trying hard to downsize to fit everything, after moving from the ministry house. 

   If your reading this, send me a text 708 528 4622, because I don't know if anyone even reads this. 

JOYCE MEYER CONFERENCE/ MENS GOLF

Last weekend Paula and 2 other friends attended the 3 day conference in San Antonio. They were completely full by the end. We golfed two of the 3 days and had a good time as well. 

  We finally got our new patio cover 

last week. It's only been destroyed since April. It looks great. The insurance company sent us our depreciation money they held until the work was completed. 

   Power ministry was here last week on thier scout out trip to pray about future building projects for next year. Our only project is to close in the east and west walls of the area we hold our food outreaches. 

   Paula continues making quilts two days a week and our monthly food outreach has been held every month for 16 years. 

   We are settling into our new home in Alamo TX.  Downsizing is a pain!! We need to eliminate more stuff. The new owners of the ministry house in San Juan are willing to let us park vehicles there, and use the warehouse to store food and the stuff we haven't gotten rid of yet. 

  Our plan is continuing our food distribution and spend time in Illinois during the hot summers in Texas. This year was brutal down here. 120 days 100 degrees or higher.

  Melodys Orphanage also moved this summer into a temporary house until a permanent residence is found or built. At the end of October they loose 40% of thier support, which leaves Paula and I and some of our supporters as the only support. Please pray 🙏 for continued provision for them. 

   We head to Illinois on Thursday to attend a special event for some very special people. We also get to attend a breakfast at Leas school, which will be a highlight 😉.  We purchased 500 soccer balls for this years backpack and Christmas gift outreach 14 hours into Mexico this December.