I'M CONVINCED THAT THE MORE YOU GIVE, THE MORE GOD GIVES YOU IN RETURN GOD IS FAITHFULL

Giving is such a hard subject to discuss with people. I know our Pastor would love to just share the principles over and over until the body really understood what the JOY of giving, and the promises of of God to those that give are. Our church here is really getting slammed by the amount given every week under the budget. Sometimes as much as 50% under budget. Our missions committee had to make some tough decisions and as a result, cut us off as well as several other missionaries that our church supported. Now at first we were a little shocked and hurt for that matter,that we would get cut off completely. After all, we supply all the beans and rice that the church gives out at their monthly outreach to the poor. But a deeper realization came to mind, the church is filled with unbelievers!!! Yea that's right, It's the unbelieving heart and their failure to trust God that keeps people from enjoying the pleasure of sharing in Gods work around the world. One man from our church that knew we got cut off asked us how much we were getting, because he would like to donate that amount every month to make up for the loss. I told him it was 3 thousand dollars a month and you should have seen his face. I quickly assured him that it was only a couple hundred a month and he JOYFULLY  wrote me a check for that amount. So you see God knows, God cares, and God is able. We didn't feel like we lost a supporter when our church stopped supporting us, we think that the church lost the opportunity to position itself to prosper, because Proverbs 19 vs 17 says " he who gives to the poor lends to the Lord and the Lord will repay him for his service to the poor.
   As you can see in this picture, this Pastor and his family came for a little bit of food for his church, and I blew them away by filling their truck to overflowing with more than they dreamed of getting. Yesterday while we were in Mexico, we met a few families that need a house and we talked and prayed with them about that possibility, I also visited Pastor Jaimes building in Downtown Reynosa where they are  turning an old house into an orphanage. It need a lot of work, but the city gave them the property, so I'll try and get one or two teams next year to help out there. I also visited a new church that has only walls, and needs a roof. ( so much to do, so little time ) Paulas a bit under the weather just as I was for a few days, something stomach related is going around.
   THANKS FOR ALL THE PRAYERS AND SUPPORT, IT REALLY IS AN AWESOME ADVENTURE WE ARE ON AND WE HOPE YOU FEEL AS MUCH A PART OF IT AS YOU ARE.

HE WHO IS FAITHFUL TO THE END WILL BE REWARDED

As we spent the last week getting enough food across the border for yesterdays outreach, there were a few times that I asked myself if it was really worth the effort? We see so many ministries start something and then after a short period of time, when the excitement wears off and it becomes just another thing to "do", it fades away into a story of " hey do you remember when we used to such and such for the Lord"? We get that way every once in a while. Yesterday was no exception. We have been doing the community food outreach every month for seven years. And for seven years we have experienced a lot of what we think Jesus experienced and experiences still every day, the Joy of being obedient to your Father, while you are reviled in the eyes of some of those you minister to. We love love love it!!!  Yesterday  Paula and I figured it out while sitting in line on the bridge coming home. It's the suffering we must endure until the end. Not the serving part, we love serving the people, it's the being reviled by some that you try to help that hurts, like our "job" is to serve them. But we laughed and thanked God for the opportunity to " suffer" a little bit for his names sake.
   Enough babbling, yesterday was great, 300 people came for food, we worshiped our Great and Awesome God in song, and Jaime shared from the book of James about prayer, I shared a bit about pressing through in prayer and not quitting to pray because someone you prayed for healing dies. The girls had a great time with the clothes outreach, and I was able to help a family move all their stuff from one house to another, as well as deliver a bed to the family who's house is pictured on this page. Pretty sad little house that leaks every where, has a dirt floor and no windows. I'll try to save it for a team coming next year, but they'll probably have a house before then.

CAN YOU SPELL ROAD TRIP?

     Many many years ago the Morris family from Lockport, IL would join us and many others on missions trips with Strategic Alliance to build houses in Mexico. Well Jimmy Jr who was 12 or 13 at the time along with his brother Dan, who was 5 at the time, bought this bus for a Pastor/ Missionary in Belize. They drove it to our house to leave it here until they return in a month or so to make the long trip to Belize. I will get the paper work done before they return to make the hassle at the border in Mx less, we hope! Any how, I'm kinda planning on joining them on the journey and I have asked Carmelo if he would like to go. I'm thinking of towing our car behind the bus or just driving along with them. Phil and Marianne are making the trip to Chiapas about the same time, so we will have a four vehicle convoy, which would be best for traveling so far. Pray for wisdom as we decide what to do.
    Last Saturday, the Power Team paid a visit to us in search of projects for their teams next year. We don't have anything pressing but we had few building needs. We enjoy their company, but they are always against the time bandit and can never stay very long because they have many other ministries to visit while on their scout out trip. So we had lunch and they were heading on to another ministry visit.
    The biggest news of the week was Jonah asking Emily to marry him while over in the colonia. They are from Alabama and met while here on a missions trip a few years ago with Roy and Rebeccas Ministry. We returned to our house for a little bit and by the time we returned to Roys,  Jonah already popped the question, So Congrats to them and that makes four weddings that we know of that have been birthed by two people meeting and falling in love on a missions trip to Mexico. So if you want to find a mate..... You know what to do! When you get involved with what God is doing, He will get involved with what your doing and give you the desires of your heart.
 We spent all day Tuesday , Tuesday night and yesterday in Mexico. I was sick and after we took the kids to school,  I went to a doctor in mexico, and she gave me a couple prescriptions. While at the doctors,it started  raining so hard the streets were flooded in no time. It was pretty nasty and I didn't think the van would make of out the colonia,so we spent the night.