Mexico Missions with Bruce and Paula

A WASHINGTON TEAMS GIFT OF A HOUSE

Imagine looking at the concrete floor where one day you'll be able to put your bed surrounded by four walls and a roof that doesn't leak. Amelia and Trinidad were bursting with joy when we showed up last week to start building thier answer to prayer. We had been gone for over three weeks, so the foundation had been sitting there empty on thier lot for over a month.We opened the day with prayer and before long one wall was up, then the second, as the painting team tried to stay ahead of the carpentry crew. The sky grew dark and it poured for about an hour. We took refuge under the International Bridge and ate lunch while it rained. We managed to get one more wall up in between rain delays and called it day and churned our way thru the now muddy road toward home. The second day took us to the point of only needing the roof metal and windows to finish. We decided to finish and decorate, and dedicate the house on the third day because Trinidad would not be there the next day. While the team finished the house, Pastor Victor grilled up chicken, sausage, jalepenos and onions on our grill. We had our fill of good food and gathered around the house. As Victor prayed for the family, Joy filled the hearts of the family and the tears of that joy overflowed to many of us as we handed them the keys and they entered thier new home. Thanks to a great team for changing the life of a family for time and eternity.

Cruse photos

Benito Juarez Orphanage

After the funeral and luncheon we took the team to an orphanage to share a message at their church service and give out backpacks with school supplies. The group of 14 interacted with the kids, did face painting,balloons and then we fed them hot dogs and sloppy joes. Monday we started building the house for Trinidad and Amelia. We were going strong after a late start when it started to rain. The lot is next to the international bridge, so we were able to seek refuge under it until it stopped. We had three rain delays but still managed to get three walls up so it was a good first day and we should finish easily on wed.

A TEARFUL GOODBYE TO ELIEL

We called Carmello from the airport in Miami to see how things were going in the colonia and were told that Eliel, Pastor Victors 19 year old son had lost the battle with cancer and has now experienced victory over death and rests in the arms of Jesus. We arrived at the funeral home in Reynosa Saturday the day we got home from our missions trip, to visit with the family, what a sad reuniuon. We hadn't seen Victor for quite a while as they had been in Monterrey in the hospital with Eliel. The funeral was Sunday and the team that just arrived from Washington to build a house put together a luncheon for the family and friends at Pastor Victors church in the colonia and I know they really appreciated that act of kindness. We ask that you would join us in prayer for the family and that the cost of a funeral would be provided.

TEN THOUSAND BAHAMIAN SOULS

We still can't believe what God did in the Bahama's this week. As we boarded the Carnival Cruise Ship Imagination, we could not imagine that three days from now we would stand in awe as the commitment to Christ cards were totaled and ten thousand four hundred men , women and children accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior on two islands in theBahamas. We watched as God opened doors to share the Gospel in almost every public and private school on Grand Bahama and Nassau Islands. With over 1800 saints on the ship, we invaded the islands to capture hearts for Christ. As Paula and I sit here in Miami waiting to catch our flight home the weeks activities are fading to memories but the follow up work in the Bahamas is just begining, as the local Pastors and leaders take each name and follow up on them. The concert on Wed in Nassau brought over 30,000 locals to here about the Love of God and to worship with all of us from the states.Paula , me and 6 other staff members from Sons of Salvation as well as some very dear locals made all the transportation needs go off with out a hitch. We handed out packpacks and school supplies to over 2000 kids of all ages. Tony Evans gave a great message and invitation at the concert. Music by Larnell Harris, Sonic Flood,Mary- Mary, The Crabb Family and many others was spectacular. We cleaned up the whole park after wards and hauled a lot of garbage to the dumpster. A sixteen hour day that left us exhausted and excited!!! To those of you that partner with us, a great big THANK YOU, great is your reward.

HIS STORY IN OUR LIVES

We moved to the TX/MX border in the Fall of '07 from Chicago, IL. We had been coming to Reynosa on short-term missions trips for over 10 years. Each time we left a little bit more of our hearts behind. Thru the circumstances of life Paula and I both agreed that now is the time to do that which gave us meaning and purpose in life. So we sold our home and came to the Rio Grand Valley at the southern most point of Texas. We have since joined with Mexico Missions Inc. to assist them with their childrens backpack programs in Mexico. Our mission is to reach the poorest of the poor in Mexico. We build homes, offer food and clothing to those in need, but most importantly we share the love and hope that is found in our Lord Jesus Christ. Living radical lives has expanded our vision and ministry from feeding hundreds of families to thousands.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP US REACH OUT TO THOSE IN NEED

Our ministry is totally supported by people like you.Since we did not raise our needed support before entering the mission field we continue to walk by faith that God will speak to the hearts of those of you reading our blog and joining us on short term trips to Mexico to help us help our brothers and sisters in Reynosa. If you would like to contribute to us personally, sponsor a child to attend school, give to the building of a home for a needy family, or even have us facilitate a food outreach, contact us via E-mail or send checks made out to MEXICO MISSIONS INC. and mail to our new address, P.O. Box 68 San Juan, Tx. 78589. If you would like to support us personally, put B&P in the memo column. If you would like to sponsor a specific outreach, list that as well in the memo column. All gifts are tax deductable. Child school sponsorship $400.00 per year per child, a newly designed home can be built with some help from the people in Mx. for a gift of $3800.00 or any portion thereof until enough money is raised to build one. Many houses could just use new roofing and some other fixes to make them more habitable. God Bless You as you give.