FUN, FOOD, AND THE WORD OF GOD

In between groups, Project Fortify Ministries asked us to host a Vacation Bible School for the kids in the colonia. They had a team from Arkansas that had the desire to hold the 3 day event. The last two days brought over 100 kids each day to participate. It's been such a blessing. Today we close it out and we're trusting God to move in their tender hearts at the closing ceremony.
Naples Christian Church arrives Saturday and we'll be building our 20th house of the year. We will be staying at Big Heart Orphanage for 3 nights and at the Community Center the last two days. It's Naples first trip here and we look forward to working with them.
We will drive the team up to San Antonio next Saturday and continue on our annual trek up to Illinois. We're not really sure about our schedule yet, surprise, surprise!!! A few days is the Laharpe Illinois area visiting our friends and partners there. A pizza party at Morraine Valley Church on either the 20th or the 27th of July at 1pm. Stay tuned. We need to return home earlier than usual to host a group from Iowa over the Labor Day week.
The warehouse is full once again, thanks to Joe and Barb Warner and Rick Caywood Ministries for hauling the 46 thousand pounds of pinto beans from their farm in South Dakota. Travis Caywood made the long haul up to S.D. from Waco, Tx to S.D. and then down here. What a blessing they have been to us and the many ministries they serve.

WHAT A PLEASANT BREAK FROM THE HEAT

Saturday, Paula, Phil and Marianne and I loaded up the van with 1000 lbs of rice and 1200 lbs of beans and headed for those in need 600 miles south in Mazahua, Mexico. We drove 10 hours and caught up to the Garcia family in Queretaro. They took us to a local food market for supper. We arrived at Jorges church the next morning and caught the end of the service. We unloaded the beans and rice and joined some of the members for lunch, and looked at a potential building project for April.
We then spent the next three days in Puebla, buying food for another ministry. It killed me buying beans and rice when I have tons in the warehouse. But we could only haul so much in the van. Next time, I'm taking a trailer full. Pastor Jose took us downtown for supper, and a walk through the Plaza. Beautiful architecture abounded.
We went to market to buy colourful flower pots to bring home, played a round of golf and started back home. The temperature was in the 70's the whole time, what a nice change from the 100's.
Paula and I celebrated our 20th anniversary while driving home, yippie!!! No really we enjoyed a nice dinner and spent the night in Saltillo, Mexico about 4 hours from home. We arrived in the colonia just before noon, and Jaime and his family brought us lunch to celebrate our anniversary. Such good friends!!!
Thanks to all for the support of the ministry, that makes it possible for us to reach even further into Mexico, feeding the poor.

MAN IT'S QUIET AROUND HERE

Saying goodbye to the team from Sunset Presbyterian Church yesterday was a hard thing to do, as it is with all the great teams God sends to join us on mission. Our last few days we're filled with the joy of attending graduation ceremonies and an after party as well. What a joy to watch the kids grow up and move to the next level of education.
We have one more graduation ceremony tomorrow with the family that Christ Central Church built two weeks ago. 8am at a hotel downtown.
So it's quiet around here, but Paula got all the laundry done, and the house is clean and ready for the next team at the end of the month. I washed two vehicles in the rain yesterday, my way of conservation! But before we took the team to the airport, Scott and Joanna took us all out to breakfast. What a blessing they have been to a lot of the team's that have come. It's their way of supporting the ministry, and it saves Paula from fixing another meal.
Lots of PRAYER needs today at our awesome Sunday school class. Many brothers and sisters are being attacked physically and need prayer. We head to Central Mexico Friday, loaded up with food and clothes and bibles to the same area we went to in April. Now why wouldn't we take some time off and relax for a few days? Because people are hungry down there!

GOD IS ON THE MOVE, HALLELUJAH

Physically, building two houses back to back in hundred degree temps, takes its toll on our aging bodies. But spiritually, man, it's a mountain top view of kingdom living. Yesterday 7 more people came to a point if trusting Christ as the only way to heaven.
Two youth groups from different denominations used by God to love on strangers from a different nation, culture, language. Paula and I are so honored to be part of God's plan to reach these precious souls. Sunset Presbyterian Church came and gave of themselves, and it made an eternal difference in the Gonzales families Household. Pastor Rick sprinkled each of them with a water baptism and prayed over each of them. A GREAT DAY INDEED!
Today we join the colonia in celebration of the High school graduates. Tomorrow we join the grade school graduates in their celebration. A very full and Fruitful week, month, year,and for that matter, 10 year's of ministry here in Reynosa. Thank you all for your support. It's clear that God's not finished with us yet. We head to Central Mexico next week with beans and rice to share with those in the mountains of Central Mexico. Hopefully much cooler there.