DOCTORS- CARPENTERS AND CLOWNS OH MY!

Last week, Paula helped our Missions partners in the colonia with a medical clinic, where they saw over two hundred people come through the door for anything from a headache to prostate problems. Blood screens were done to check for diabetes and over a ton of wax was removed from one child's ears. Just kidding. The doctors were very grateful to Paula and her medical knowledge and her Spanish. Our old friend Dan Castro made the trip with them and spent the week catching up with all the friends he made while living here. Chuck Rice aka Charlie the Clown arrived last Thursday and Larry Peterson drove from Arizona and arrived Friday and we had one heck of a storm to follow up behind the great hail storm last month. Charlie helped Scott in Mexico and did a Clown show in Reynosa one day. Larry and I drove the R.V. to Harlingen Saturday and picked up Dave, Karen, Alan and Lyneaa and the team for this last week was complete. We Built Rosas house in two days complete. It is nice to have carpenters come down and use their skills to help those in need. We have had a great time and a lot of laughs, they have also blessed us with many little projects around the house on this side as well. Paula and I have not taken one picture all week with Karen here, so we'll get photos on today or tomorrow. We dedicated the house yesterday, and as always, we were the blessed ones by being the givers. Rosa made some great mole' and chicken, I think the whole colonia knows that Martin loves mole'. Dave, Alan and I put six windows in a ladies house from church that the hail storm smashed and Larry and Chuck put some awesome ceiling fans outside under our porch complete with lights and remotes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MEETING THE NEED

Our faithful partners in the colonia Carmelo and Ruth have always expressed a desire to visit Carmelos family in Southern Mx. Carmelo hasn't seen his Mom in 10 years and Ruth has never met her Mother in Law, and Mimi and Caleb have never met their Grandparents, so we bought them all bus tickets to make the 24 hour drive. They returned last Friday full of joy and gratitude for the blessing. They had a great time and took some awesome pictures of the beauty of the area. It really blessed us to make it happen for them and it just affirms the fact that God wants to always use us to be a blessing to others, no matter the cost. Carmelo and I will start a foundation today for a single Mom and her two children that have no house. Their father and husband fell victim to the violence in Mx. A few of our faithful friends from Moraine Valley Church in the Chicago area will be here at the end of the week, and we look forward to a great week with them. Larry Peterson is also making the drive from Az. to join us. I remember the good ole days when there were as many as 60 people that would come to Mexico and build houses, but the numbers have sure dwindled since 2007. We have to rejoice in the fact that we have built almost 100 homes despite the small groups in 4 years. Please pray for the family that wants to buy our house in Pharr, that they sell their house quickly and buy ours. We took the house off the market several months ago and have been trusting God to bring a buyer, and as always God has a plan.

THE IMPERFECT STORM

Two weeks ago a huge hail and thunderstorm destroyed thousands of roofs, cars, windows, store fronts and killed thousands of birds nesting in the trees when the storm hit. I have been doing some roof estimates for a friend and getting his crew some much needed work. Two weeks ago they were thinking about moving to find some work and now they are working twelve hour days. The storm blessed those needing work and yet the devastation and hardship caused by the storm is a trial for those it effected. We just had small hail at our house, but in McAllen just a few miles west, the storm just sat there and pummeled the area for over an hour. A few people from church has David doing their roofs and windows.

TIME, MORE PRECIOUS AS WE AGE

I spent the better part of last week in Colorado visiting Kelly and Ryan at their place in Breckenridge up in the mountains. Although most of the surface snow is melted, the ski hills are still busy even in the warmth of spring. A few more weeks and most of the resorts will close down. Kelly and I stayed at a friends condo up on the mountain and had some awesome Daddy/Daughter time. Tears fill my eyes even now as I type this. We prayed, and talked and cried and shared with each other and even took a 400 mile one day road trip to visit the sand dunes in southern Colorado. Just me and Kelly. While the dunes were cool to see, the time we spent driving there and back was better. The kids hit a little bump in the road as life seemed to push their relationship with Jesus to the back burner and Ryans Dad Jim and I dropped everything and went to them to see if we could help. All I know about this life is that Jesus is the answer to all of life's questions and all we could do is point them to the only ONE that could meet every need and fill every void,JESUS CHRIST, THE PRINCE OF PEACE, THE KING OF GLORY, THE GOD OF ALL CREATION, OUR HEALER, OUR PROVIDER, OUR LIFE, OUR COUNSELOR,OUR REDEEMER,OUR FRIEND, AND OUR SAVIOR AND SO MUCH MORE. We left on Thursday and as we drove to the airport I couldn.t help but to Thank God that He has given our Kids the opportunity to be all God wants them to be and to fulfill their God ordained destiny, as they learn to keep God first place in their life and everything else will flow from Gods hand into their life. Our God is indeed the God of second, third and even fourth chances. How about you? Do you need another chance with God? I know I left there committed to seek God more than I have and to expect God to show up and do great things as I do. I had left my truck and trailer at the airport in San Antonio and upon returning there, I drove 3 hours north to pick up about 5000 pounds of food grade corn to feed the hungry,that had been put in 5 gallon buckets and then drove all night to get home to see my bride.A great time In Colorado and time well spent with part of the family, I'd say it was a priceless time!