THE WEDDING MARCH WILL PLAY TODAY
Yesterday, many people lent a hand to get the Community Center ready for to days wedding at 4pm. Just as we finished setting up the chairs and Paula and Ruthy had made all the final adjustments to Carmelas wedding dress, the sky's grew dark and the winds blew. Paula and I jumped in the truck to get out of the colonia before the sky opened up. When we got to the blacktop, it rained so hard, the wipers couldn't keep up. The roads flooded in minuets and the wind on the bridge had everyone driving very slow. Several roads were closed as we tried to get home. Massive flooding as torrential rains dumped about 3 inches in less than an hour. Surely we thought they would cancel the wedding today, because who's going to walk through the mud in the colonia to attend a wedding? Well they say "it's on". Bummer. I'll post pictures of the mud stained wedding dress later.
WE COULDN'T DO ANY OF THIS WITHOUT YOUR GIFTS THANK YOU!!!!!!
We have been so terribly busy the last few weeks, it's been hard to get a handle on everything that is going on. We finally got everything out of Angie and the kids house, the women from church cleaned it from top to bottom and I got the last of things out of the garage today. Now I just need to get all this stuff across the border and into the hands of the people that Angie wanted to bless. It is surreal to know that they are gone. We pray Gods comfort and favor be on them as they start their life in S.C. They forgot a whole bunch of camping equipment, so I think Paula and I will take a little detour through South Carolina on our way to Chicago next month.
We had our monthly food and clothing outreach last Saturday and as usual, it was awesome. I turned the microphone over to some ladies that wanted to testify about Gods provision and goodness. They had us all in tears as they told their stories. There were 160 families and 200 kids that came for food. It really doesn't get any better than meeting at the community center, out of the sun and with plenty of room for every one to sit. It had been a long hot summer, I think we are 45 days in a row over 100 degrees. Carmelo is out of school for a few weeks and gave the message to the people. Many came for prayer that needed a touch of the Masters Hand.
This Saturday, we will have our very first wedding and reception at the Community Center, when Zacharias and Carmela get hitched. Tommy and Blanca were supposed to as well, but they didn't meet with Pastor Victor except twice, and Victor asked them to wait until they completed the marriage course. They have been shacking up for five years, so a couple more months is not going to be the end of the world, OR WILL IT?
So as far as the "ice bucket challenge" goes, I think it has been an incredible way to raise awareness of ALS and raise funds, I wish I would have thought about it first. I did the challenge, but I said "crap" while the video was still running and Paula wouldn't let me post it. But I gotta say, My donation went to help the poor, because where your treasure is your heart will be also, and our hearts beat to help the poor, so sorry ALS.
We had our monthly food and clothing outreach last Saturday and as usual, it was awesome. I turned the microphone over to some ladies that wanted to testify about Gods provision and goodness. They had us all in tears as they told their stories. There were 160 families and 200 kids that came for food. It really doesn't get any better than meeting at the community center, out of the sun and with plenty of room for every one to sit. It had been a long hot summer, I think we are 45 days in a row over 100 degrees. Carmelo is out of school for a few weeks and gave the message to the people. Many came for prayer that needed a touch of the Masters Hand.
This Saturday, we will have our very first wedding and reception at the Community Center, when Zacharias and Carmela get hitched. Tommy and Blanca were supposed to as well, but they didn't meet with Pastor Victor except twice, and Victor asked them to wait until they completed the marriage course. They have been shacking up for five years, so a couple more months is not going to be the end of the world, OR WILL IT?
So as far as the "ice bucket challenge" goes, I think it has been an incredible way to raise awareness of ALS and raise funds, I wish I would have thought about it first. I did the challenge, but I said "crap" while the video was still running and Paula wouldn't let me post it. But I gotta say, My donation went to help the poor, because where your treasure is your heart will be also, and our hearts beat to help the poor, so sorry ALS.
TRUCK LOADING DAY AND SO MUCH MORE
I picked up the rental truck last night at Penske and loaded some stuff up in the truck that we had at our house. This morning I arrived at Angies and several people had already staged everything on the lawn to be put into the truck. Within 3 hours, every thing was loaded and by 1:30 the truck was headed for South Carolina without me. Ron and David from our church said they would handle the driving, besides, three men in a bench seat for 1300 miles not so fun. We all gathered around in a huge circle and prayed before every one left. I've gotta go back over and help load the trailer that Angie and the kids will pull. They won't leave until tomorrow sometime. We miss them already and the joy they have been to us.Some of our ministry friends have sent money to help them get on with their life without their father and husband, and it really touches Angies heart to know that people care, even if they don't know them, so thank you from them.
My last blog I mentioned the need for transportation for the two loads of beans we are going to buy from North Dakota. TRUSTING GOD TO PROVIDE, PRICELESS. IT'S A DONE DEAL! Sometimes I just stand amazed at how God provides and other times, I just expect it and then stand amazed.
My last blog I mentioned the need for transportation for the two loads of beans we are going to buy from North Dakota. TRUSTING GOD TO PROVIDE, PRICELESS. IT'S A DONE DEAL! Sometimes I just stand amazed at how God provides and other times, I just expect it and then stand amazed.
GOD KNOWS, GOD SEES AND YES GOD CARES
I don't know how Davids death and Angie and the kids moving back to South Carolina is working all things out together for good, but it is. I don't see God turning the sorrow into gladness yet, but He is. I don't see the beauty being made out of the ashes of the family torn apart by cancer, but there is. WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THINGS THROUGH OUR EYES OF FAITH, NOT SIGHT!!." The Word of God says" are the words we need to speak. Proclaim the promises of Gods Word over our life. over our circumstances, over our hurts and pain, over our family, our finances, our sickness, our children, our ministries. We need to allow faith to rise up and defeat the giants in our life. So let the redeemed of the Lord SAY SO.
We have been busy all week helping the Laras pack and get rid of stuff. While Paula has helped pack stuff at the house, I have tried to sell the tools and vehicles they won't be taking with them. Well praise the Lord, Rick and Loren brought us 5 skids of heater meals from Waco for our ministry, and the cash to buy Angies truck. That was the most valuable truck and will help a lot. Another friend came by the same day and bought the next most valuable truck( pray that Angie finds the title) and also most of the tools we are selling for them. I've been a little stressed trying to figure out what to do with all this stuff and God brought the right people at the right time. I'm going to buy the oldest truck that isn't worth much and give it to Sergio, who keeps all our vehicles running and has fixed all the trucks for Angie before we sold them. He also takes beans and rice from us and feeds about two hundred families every weekend in a town about a hundred miles into Mexico. So I felt led to bless Him who blesses us and the poor.
We will load up the truck on Tuesday and leave for S.C. on Thursday. We don't know if we will fly back or rent a car and drive, whatever is cheaper! Paula will need to stay home because our monthly food distribution in Mexico is Saturday and the following Saturday, we have two weddings to get prepare for.
We have been busy all week helping the Laras pack and get rid of stuff. While Paula has helped pack stuff at the house, I have tried to sell the tools and vehicles they won't be taking with them. Well praise the Lord, Rick and Loren brought us 5 skids of heater meals from Waco for our ministry, and the cash to buy Angies truck. That was the most valuable truck and will help a lot. Another friend came by the same day and bought the next most valuable truck( pray that Angie finds the title) and also most of the tools we are selling for them. I've been a little stressed trying to figure out what to do with all this stuff and God brought the right people at the right time. I'm going to buy the oldest truck that isn't worth much and give it to Sergio, who keeps all our vehicles running and has fixed all the trucks for Angie before we sold them. He also takes beans and rice from us and feeds about two hundred families every weekend in a town about a hundred miles into Mexico. So I felt led to bless Him who blesses us and the poor.
We will load up the truck on Tuesday and leave for S.C. on Thursday. We don't know if we will fly back or rent a car and drive, whatever is cheaper! Paula will need to stay home because our monthly food distribution in Mexico is Saturday and the following Saturday, we have two weddings to get prepare for.
THERE IS POWER IN BELIEVING THAT THE BEST IS YET TO COME
I'm not a name it and claim it guy, and I would never demand God to "do" something for me. I do however take God at his word and when the Word tells me something, I either have to believe it or reject it. A few days ago I was in one of those funky faithless moments. Going through all of Davids tools and storage units trying to figure out what to do with everything. Seeing Angie and the kids packing boxes and all of their belongings up to move back to Angies parents house in South Carolina, with her 11 children because for whatever reason God chose to allow David to die. I then sat and read some Psalms and there is nothing new under the sun. King David wrote so honestly and faithfully there in the midst of extreme anguish and God gave me great comfort in knowing that God is doing something way beyond what we can see and "ALL THINGS WILL WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD".
On a different front, Roy Busby, the other missionary that many of you have met that works along the canal in Reynosa, had a heart attack in the colonia while building a house on Monday. Roy and 4 guys were working and Roy didn't feel good all day and one of the guys was a tech from a hospital in McAllen and took him back across the border only to find that his "widow maker " artery to his heart was almost 100% blocked. They put a stint in and He's doing great. Now the challenge is to get him to relax and heal, that will be a bigger miracle than him surviving the heart attack.
We're almost out of beans down here and I was thinking about calling someone that has some and He actually called me yesterday wondering if we would be able to buy one truck load for about $7000.00 and He would pay for the other. So pray for us that God would provide, not only the funds to buy the beans, but also for transportation that could run as high as $6000.00 for both loads up in North Dakota. So I always wonder if I should call the people that have told us that " if we ever needed anything, just call " or should I just relax and trust that God knows and can speak to the hearts of the people that can and want to help. I think I'll relax and trust!!!
On a different front, Roy Busby, the other missionary that many of you have met that works along the canal in Reynosa, had a heart attack in the colonia while building a house on Monday. Roy and 4 guys were working and Roy didn't feel good all day and one of the guys was a tech from a hospital in McAllen and took him back across the border only to find that his "widow maker " artery to his heart was almost 100% blocked. They put a stint in and He's doing great. Now the challenge is to get him to relax and heal, that will be a bigger miracle than him surviving the heart attack.
We're almost out of beans down here and I was thinking about calling someone that has some and He actually called me yesterday wondering if we would be able to buy one truck load for about $7000.00 and He would pay for the other. So pray for us that God would provide, not only the funds to buy the beans, but also for transportation that could run as high as $6000.00 for both loads up in North Dakota. So I always wonder if I should call the people that have told us that " if we ever needed anything, just call " or should I just relax and trust that God knows and can speak to the hearts of the people that can and want to help. I think I'll relax and trust!!!
NICKY, THESE GUYS NAILED IT 100 PERCENT
The kids have left, the house was built, the family was happy and all of us were so blessed this last week. The Revolution Youth Group from Moraine Valley Church was an absolute joy to serve along side of. 100 plus degree temps everyday and not one complaint. Many first timers on a missions trip and everyone got along. A team of remarkable leaders, Mike, Jessica, Nathan and Nicky kept us all focused during work time and fun time. Jesus was glorified by these young servants 100 percent, as they built a home for a family in three days. Very few had any kind of experience building anything before this and thanks to Carmelo, Lee, and Johnny, they provided the patience needed to teach them. So another house was built and many many lives were changed, including mine. I will never be scared of high schoolers again. THEY ROCK!!!!
FAREWELL TO ONE FRIEND AND HELLO TO MANY NEW FRIENDS
Monday was a very sad day as we laid my friend David Lara to rest. Not knowing what tomoorow holds for his family left behind musters mixed emotions. God is still Good and God is able. The applause of heaven sounded as David breathed his last. Echos of "well done my good and faithful servant" were heard. 11 children and a grieving wife are left to carry on their journey of faith and trust in a God that comforts us in all our afflictions. The family will look back and one day understand Gods purpose, but it will take time.
The same day we laid David to rest we welcomed the youth group from Moraine Valley Church, The Revolution, is what they call themselves. They have started a Revolution in their church and now in the colonia in mexico as they surrender themselves to service to their King! A late start after Paula and I returned from the funeral in the heat of the day saw 16 teens and 4 leaders get after the task that God had given them. Build a house in three days, and watch God change them. We are almost done after two days of hard work in the 100 degree plus temps. These kids are awesome and we are excited to see what God does in the last two days in Mexico. We will get some pics up, but these twelve hour days make it hard to get photos loaded. Visit us on facebook, bruce martin hepburn, or paula hepburn. Gotta go it's time to eat. Be Blessed and keep praying for us
The same day we laid David to rest we welcomed the youth group from Moraine Valley Church, The Revolution, is what they call themselves. They have started a Revolution in their church and now in the colonia in mexico as they surrender themselves to service to their King! A late start after Paula and I returned from the funeral in the heat of the day saw 16 teens and 4 leaders get after the task that God had given them. Build a house in three days, and watch God change them. We are almost done after two days of hard work in the 100 degree plus temps. These kids are awesome and we are excited to see what God does in the last two days in Mexico. We will get some pics up, but these twelve hour days make it hard to get photos loaded. Visit us on facebook, bruce martin hepburn, or paula hepburn. Gotta go it's time to eat. Be Blessed and keep praying for us
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