FROM CHILD TO MOM IN 8 YEARS

Eight years ago, Moraine Valley Church built a house for Hugo, Theresa and their kids, Jacqueline, Margarita, Hugo Jr and Alejandro. Yesterday we joined most of the family at the dedication of Jacquelines house. She is 18 years old, and her and her boyfriend Brandon have a 2 year old, Alexa.
A group that cancelled their trip missed out on a great moment, but it's appropriate that Moraine Valley Churches faithful donors made it possible. We were blessed with the funds to build a few houses, and since the group that cancelled their trip, will be rescheduling their trip in the spring of 2018, should the Lord tarry until then.
So the Johnson Family helped build Saturday, and Shawn and Mathew from Fortify Ministries helped Monday, and we dedicated it yesterday. After we put the finishing touches on the house yesterday morning, Paula and her sewing class were getting things ready to decorate the house.
The message and invitation we're given by Jaime, and I shared about God's relentless pursuit of them. The blessings they have received as a family should be enough to move their hearts towards a relationship with Christ. We're holding out hope for them. Shawn and Carla Estes joined the dedication and Shawn prayed for the family as we all gathered around them.
More wood is getting delivered tomorrow and we'll be building our 23rd house of the year!!

FAITH OR FEAR? SERVE OR BE SERVED? GIVE OR HOARD?

So many choices, so little time! As Satan, the enemy of our soul, wreaks havoc all over the world, we all have basic choices to make to overcome the wiles of the devil. At the same time, Jesus prays that our faith would fail not. God's greatest desire is to be trusted and His heart breaks when we doubt His Word, His Presence, His Plan.
Phil and Marianne Chain just returned from Oaxaca Mexico where the 8.1 Earthquake left thousands of homes destroyed. They experienced the front lines of people in dire need of basics. Food, shelter. They bought $1000.00 dollars worth of tarps to provide shelter for those with condemned houses. Floods have devastated the area as well. The needs will continue and we will continue to help as we are able. To date, Mexico Missions has provided over 15 thousand dollars of aid to the Region, and we thank God for the privilege of serving those in need.
The Johnson Family from Yukon Oklahoma is here and are staying at Big Heart Orphanage. We worked on a house we bought in the colonia, painting, installing Windows, and fixing the doors. We will be giving it to a family in the near future. Yesterday we worked at the orphanage all day, and today we will start building a house in the colonia. The group scheduled to come next week cancelled their trip. The Violence in Reynosa has been an issue lately. We have been more cautious about our schedule and are always getting info from friends. Again, Satan knows his time is short. Keep us and the ministry in prayer as we continue to walk by Faith and not by sight.

BRINGING HOPE TO THE HURTING

Thank you so much for supporting the ministry, it's such an honor to hope to those in need. While we are busy building houses and helping the poor on the border, Phil and Marianne Chain are in Oaxaca, Mexico with our trailer taking food, and supplies to help those that have been devastated by the earthquakes. Today they will reach the villages and start distributing the aid.
They are needing building materials to start rebuilding. A group of young people have built a complete house for 1/3rd of what we build houses for. Our initial commitment is for 10 houses. As God provides, we will provide the funds to build more. We will have pictures to share when available.
Phil and Marianne filled up another trailer at Sam's Club in Oaxaca. $3000.00 guys a lot of food. $1000 was spent on tarps. Pray for them as they minister to hundreds of families.
Our last couple days with Hulls Grove Baptist Church had us at 2 orphanages, and assisting Shawn and Carla Estes, Fortify Ministries, feeding and ministering in the garbage dump.
We built a house for Hugo and Theresa 8 years ago. Their daughter Jacqueline in now grown, married and has a two year old Alexis. A group from Big Heart Orphanage wanted to build a house with us, and next week, this family will have a home.

TWO IS BETTER THAN ONE

Since my last post, we have dedicated two houses with great joy. 8 people have gotten saved, plus 25 more at last Saturday's outreach at the Community Center. Hulls Grove Baptist Church arrived Saturday morning and we headed to the colonia for a week of non stop ministry.
Andres and Victor had 3 walls up by the time we arrived. The food outreach was awesome with worship and the Word. Hearts we're changed with a message provided by a visitor from Big Heart Orphanage. Sunday we attended church at Melodys Orphanage and then celebrated Rosalbas birthday. Monday and Tuesday we built in hot and humid conditions. We dedicated this afternoon.
Phil and Marianne Chain drove down to take more food and supplies to Southern Mexico. We filled their van and our trailer with 2 tons of beans and rice. That makes over 50 thousand pounds of food we have sent to areas in the U.S. and Mexico to disaster areas. Thanks to those of you that support the ministry, we are indeed making a difference in the lives of those in need.
Tomorrow we visit Children's Haven and Big Heart Orphanages with the team.

I CAN'T SEEM TO EMPTY THE STOREHOUSE

Last week I put forth the challenge to empty your barns. I called several ministries to come and get some beans and rice. Several came and the storehouse was getting low, and then another earthquake hit in Mexico. I KNEW the need for food would be there, so I ordered an entire truck load of rice for $8400.00. I thought I was just emptying the storehouse, not the bank account. But when God tells you to do something, you might as well just do it. So I donated half of the load of rice to fill out a truck with half a load of donated beans.
A Call from another missionary with great needs in Morelas Mexico, put God on display, when he arranged free transportation into the affected areas of Mexico. Travis Caywood delivered the load to the Pastor that is handling the distribution. Travis returned to rice mill to pick up the other half of the load we bought, returned to His warehouse in Waco and filled the trailer up with beans and delivered them to us yesterday. Now my storehouse is full once again. YOU CAN'T OUTGIVE GOD, I DOUBLE DOG DARE YOU TO TRY!
We attended a Rosh Hashanah service last night, as they prepare for the Fall Feasts. It was really awesome as the Shofer was blown, as people danced and waved banners.
We also bought a house we built several years ago with Dave and Lonnie Siirtila from the U.P. of Michigan. It has been empty for several months, so we bought back a house we paid to build, doesn't make sense, but there is a family of 7 with no house, sleeping on one mattress in someone else's house. We bought them all new beds, replaced the door, and ordered a few new windows. They have been putting a fresh coat of paint on the house, and we'll have a decorating and dedication time on Saturday.

HAVE YOU EMPTIED YOUR BARNS?

What kind of question is that? We all have barns. Jesus called them storehouse. It's where we keep "our" stuff. Garage, shed, rental space, bank, safety deposit box. Heck, we have a huge shed with enough beans and rice to feed 1 million meals. Since hurricanes Harvey and Irma and now Jose have destroyed people's stuff. There was a huge earthquake in Mexico at the same time as the U.S. was dealing with the hurricanes. Why don't they name earthquakes? Probably because there's too many.
I say all that because I'm trying to get rid of stuff. We've sent money to relief efforts in the U.S. and sent thousands of dollars to fellow servants in Mexico to buy food and medicine. We just received 2000 pairs of shoes from someone we don't even know from Washington. 7 pallets if shoes, sitting in the warehouse as we wait for a permit to cross them into Mexico. Tomorrow Travis Caywood is bringing a load if beans and rice to send to the earthquake area in Mexico. The beans are free, but we had to buy the rice. Another 4K for the rice. We need favor from the govt to cross a whole semi load. We're hoping to travel to Oaxaca in November. Phil and Marianne and I several others will be joining us.
Relief efforts are quite different from the relief efforts here. Corruption and greed sometimes motivate people. Oh wait, it happens here also!!! Human nature. We're trusting God to work out the details.
Yesterday was Mexican Independence Day. We joined our friends in Mexico to celebrate with them. Sergio completed Paula's cabinets at the Community Center. Now Sergio needs to build some for Melodys Orphanage in the laundry room.
So we're busy trying to "unload" stuff. Food, clothes, shoes, money, at a time when people are hoarding. So try it, "unload" and feel the freedom!!!

WAVE AFTER WAVE OF DESTRUCTION

Fires burning thousands of acres in the Northwest, Harvey, Irma, Katia,and another behind Irma. A true test of the resolve of Americans. Just heard of a huge earthquack in Chiapas Mexico. I don't want to make apocalyptic predictions, but the seas and earth are raging. Was the Solar eclipse A sign? Is September 23rd another sign? Stayed tuned!!!!!
Tyson, Amber,and Chuck left yesterday after "spending" themselves on behalf of the poor. Another family has a new home, after a joyous dedication celebration. Prayers and songs, and the Word of God were part of the celebration. We dodged some heavy rains while building the house. It's always a joy to host teams and get some help.
We continue to witness the generosity of our friends in the Chicago area as people that came to the pizza party are still donating to the ministry. I sat overwhelmed and praised God for his goodness toward the ministry as I processed the deposit. We are inviting you to come and build a house without the need to raise the money to build it. JUST COME! We have the funds to build! Pastor Alberto came yesterday and we filled his car with beans and rice.