WE'RE BACK AND BUSY

  Even though we are back in Texas, our hearts are still with family and friends in Illinois. Celebrating with our kids Kristin's 40th birthday was a highlight of our trip. Kelly flew in and several of Kristin's friends joined us at a concert.

  Being able to see many of our supporters at Moraine Valley Church for two Sundays was special. On our way home we stopped by Mary Lous for lunch and then 4 days in Carthage Illinois to visit with some friends there and join in the harvest of their crops for a day. Thanks Rick and Diane Balmer for the hospitality. 

  Melodys Orphanage has started to move everything from Reynosa to the Orphanage in Matamoros.  Paula and I brought our trailer over yesterday and helped move all the A\C units two freezers, mattresses, and many other things. We didn't get home until 9pm last night. 

  The Power Ministry scout out team is at the border bringing beans and rice to the many ministries they support including us. We will take them to the new orphanage tomorrow morning to check out possible work projects in the future. 

 It's good to be back and seeing everyone again. The border is so out of control down here and only a couple bridges are open after 4pm to return home. 

  Thanks for the prayers and support and funding for the orphanage which Let The Children Come Ministries is in the process of raising support for Jaime Mayorga and the kids. Support for the orphanage needs to go through this Ministry not Mexico Missions.  LTCCM. is run by the Grennell family 17600 Pecan Ln Tinley Park IL.  Gracias 

MELODYS IS MOVING

The process of moving Melodys Orphanage to Angel's of God is going to take some time, but it's well worth it. 

WAIT, WE THOUGHT YOU WERE DONE WITH US.

NO, NO, NO!!! Can't you see, I'm doing a new thing. I sooo love the way God directs our lives to fulfill His purposes. When Paula and I flew back home a few weeks ago, for a eye injection 💉 appt and a few other things we needed to take care of before returning to Illinois this Wed. 

  We've been seeking God's guidance for the future of the ministry.  Since we're not building houses anymore our focus has been helping Melodys Orphanage and continuing with our food outreaches. Great news from Melodys Orphanage. An existing children's home in the country is looking for someone to take it over. They called Jaime on a recommendation from another Orphanage.  Jaime and Rosalba met with the people from Angel's of God Orphanage in Matamoros Mexico. What a wonderful facility. We have been there twice so far and are really excited about moving forward with the transition. 30 acres of land, on site school and staff, several buildings and dorms. 80 sheep, a deep water well and filtration system. 

 So our new marching orders from the Lord seem to be to re engage the body of believers we know to help us support this Orphanage. It's going to take over 10 thousand dollars a month to sustain it. Covid-19 has crushed all the missions work in Mexico and Orphanages have been abandoned since Covid-19 from work teams and financial support. 

  We have a meeting at the orphanage today with the current director, Jaime, and Rocky who has been helping this Orphanage for years through work teams and support. Please be praying about how much your willing to give monthly to support the orphanage. Don't pray "if" you should, but "how" you should.

CAMPING 🏕 FUN

We finally got out of Texas and headed to Kentucky where Shawn and Carla Estes live after moving from Mexico 🇲🇽. We attended church with them and then we golfed. They had a roof project that needed to be done so we tore the existing roof off and hoped to put the new one on before the rain but it poured for several hours before we could even start. We covered what we could inside, mostly Shawn's tools. Mathew and I put the new roof on the next morning. Nothing like putting a black metal roof on in summer. It was hot and I was exhausted.  We stayed another day, toured a local underground cave and golfed again. We so enjoyed our stay there.

  We headed to our daughter Kristin's place at Shafer Lake in Indiana. Paula and I set up camp at a local campground and spent the next few days there swimming and again, a round of golf ⛳, and the huge amusement park there kept us busy. So much fun enjoying our time with Kris, Larry and Lea. We left in time Sunday morning to make it to Moraine Valley Church for the service and the church picnic. We set up the camper in Kristin and Larry's yard where they had an electric hookup installed 😀. 

  We were able to a few if our support team at church, and we had dinner with a couple one night and I golfed with 7 guys from church. Now we are in Wisconsin camping with some of the family and thier friends.  All tole, I think there's about 40 of us here for the weekend  at a Yogi 🐻  park. Lots to do here.

  On a sad note, a friend of ours has dementia and Alzeimer and Paula has been spending a few days a week with her. Her husband has asked that Paula stay with her next week as well because she really enjoys Paula's company so our trip to western Illinois will have to wait until we return next month.

  That's about all I can share right now, I think it time to take the kids to Yogi Bear lagoon. 😆 🤣 😂 😹. 

WE ARE TRYING!!!!!

Normally by this time in the year, we are in Illinois enjoying time with family and friends.  The camper is loaded and ready and we are as well. But the delay is one of concern for Paula's health. Even though she feels fine, our cardiologist has some concern about some blockage that might need to be addressed before we travel. Following a CT SCAN last week and no urgency to act, a follow up appointment is tomorrow and then we'll see what happens next. We're trusting God for a good report. 

  Two birthdays 🎂last week at Melodys Orphanage, Gil, pronounced Hill, turned 4 and Jaimes son Andres turned 16. We drove over for both parties 🥳, who wouldn't? 

  A load of pinto beans was donated to the ministry last week and arrived on Wed. Unloading was not a joyful experience because it is hot hot hot 🔥here. Thanks to Semco Corp for allowing us to store the beans there and helping unload. Thanks to a few people and Power Ministry for helping with the trucking costs. With fuel being much more expensive 😩 it has almost doubled the cost for transportation from Idaho to here. But God Provides. 

  The border situation is a mess as I'm sure you have heard. We see it first hand, and trust me, your not seeing it as a true humanitarian crisis it really is. In Mexico, thousands of people from all over the world are being held up by cartels until they can pay them to get them across. Yesterday Andres told me of a friend of ours that has helped us build houses, paid the cartel over 5000 dollars to get him to Houston where he's been promised a job paying over 1000 dollars a week. That's 10 times more than he earned in Mexico. 

  Your generosity keeps us keeping on. Things are so much different since China unleashed the virus on the world. We continue to watch God provide us with the resources to meet the needs of the orphanages

and the colonia. We have a few trips planned into the interior of Mexico 🇲🇽 when we return Lord Willing!!

24 YEARS, WHERE DID THE TIME GO?

Paula and I went on our first missions trip to Reynosa, Mexico 🇲🇽 shortly after we got married.  Who knew that we would spend the next 24 years serving there. It's been 15 years since we moved close to the border. 250 families have been provided with a new home, Melodys Orphanage has 15 children living under thier roof in peace and security.  Millions of meals have passed through our hands, thousands of bibles,, and hopefully we have impacted the lives of the people we've had the privilege to serve.

   Today Paula and I celebrate our 24th anniversary. We're 24 years into a lifetime of adventures with God leading and directing our lives. We're trusting God for wisdom as to what's next. Covid-19 has canceled groups coming to serve in Mexico.  The border is a complete mess, violence is higher than recent years, it's sad to see it all unfolding, but it all has to happen.  God is preparing His bride for His Glorious coming, and I hope all that read this are ready!!!

  We spent the second week of July with our gracious hosts Roger and Paulette in Hilton Head S.C. Thier support for the orphanage, us, and many other great causes is so awesome. When you live to give, God will give you more to give.

  Thanks to all that live to support our ministry.  We are using the support we receive to continue providing the poor with food, clothes,  and many other needs that arise. We are praying about selling the house we live in and get something much smaller. We have already secured a facility to store and distribute food from, so ministry can continue, and at no charge!

   Before we left for SC we gave Melodys Orphanage enough money to take the entire family on a vacation to the mountains in Mexico. They rented a house with enough room, a pool, and an atmosphere of a retreat setting. We will see them all today when we take them some much needed clothes dressers and other things.