LONG TIME BETWEEN POSTS

  Sorry it's been a while since the last post. We have been on the road for a few weeks, and are heading home to be home next week for graduations in Mexico. 
  It's been quite a trip so far and much has happened. The check engine light came on in Oklahoma and we stopped at a Chevy dealer in Oklahoma and the light code was a transmission issue. We continued to Chicago and went to a Ford dealer that services RVs. The trans was shot!!! Only 37,000 miles, what!!!. You never know how vehicles are treated before you get them. A used trans was 32hundred, a new one was 42 hundred installed. Ouch!!! But God, oh how I love to tell God stories. A church from North Carolina that has come on several missions trips with us offered to pay the bill!!! What??? How great is that? We only had to pay the tax, and car rental for the last week.
  We attended Holly and Gedney wedding last Saturday in western Illinois.  Saw a few friends and partners of the ministry while there. We left the wedding early to drive back to Chicago to attend Mark Grennells baptism. Mark flew Jaime into town to assist in the baptism. We were able to play a few rounds of golf with them Monday and Tuesday.
  We leave Chicago tomorrow morning and head to Missouri to camp with the family for a few days before heading home.
  Andres, Goyita, Sergio and China are continuing the ministry while we're gone. A delivery of 6 skids if rice got delivered today after we got a donation to buy some rice. It's been brutally hot back home and quite cool up here. 128 heat index the other day, while we enjoy the 70s here.
  We'll have our monthly food outreach and garage sale next Saturday. 5 Saturday's in June, so we held two this month. 
  Thanks for the prayers and support that keep us keeping on.  Blessings to all.

GOD'S WILL BE DONE

  We always look forward to the monthly food outreach and this month was no exception.  We delayed the outreach 1 week to accommodate a group from Bastrop TX. They wanted to attend and couldn't come until June 1st. No problem,  we always enjoy having teams come and help. They raised an amazing amount of money to help with the cost. We bought soccer balls, dolls, and other gifts for every man, woman and child in the colonia. They also bought several quilts from the sewing class.
  Our time in the colonia is in God's hands and we continue to seek the will  God as to our future there. As long as God keeps providing for the various outreaches we will consider that as God's will. Provision has always been our fleece as to what we are to continue doing. Keeping the needs of orphanages met is a "new" priority.  A donation to drill a new well at Big Heart Orphanage in the mountains was given to us and should cover a lot of the cost. An anonymous gift bought us 15,000 pounds of rice. #GODPROVIDES.
  Andres and Goyita have moved into the house next to the Community Center.  The violence in the area they lived was getting more frequent so they made the move while we were gone last week.  We'll be building a block wall and installing a gate.
  We'll be traveling north in a while for a,few weeks, to spend a week camping with the family in Missouri, which we are looking forward to.

 

A FEW DAYS AT BIG HEART ORPHANAGE, A FEW IN CABO

  Last Friday, Paula, Andres, his wife Gregoria, and their grandson Jr., headed to Big Heart Orphanage in the mountains with a van load of building materials and personal things of Shawn and Carla Estes.  We came to help with a foundation that needs to be built for a group coming in June. We're going to start building a few houses there for small groups or families to stay in when they come to serve. They're a little bigger than we have built in the colonia, and will have block walls instead of wood. We worked a bit Friday and finished forming it Sat. The concrete truck could not deliver until Mon.  Too bad, because we had to leave Sunday to attend a wedding for my cousin Tim and Anna in Cabo San Lucas. We flew out of Monterey Mexico and will return Monday.  The wedding on the beach was beautiful and we were so glad we were able to attend. We missed two funerals of their family last year, and couldn't say no to a wedding.
   We have never been here and it is really nice, so we decided to stay a few extra days. Sergio and China have been holding down the fort at home, loading up different ministries with beans from the warehouse.  We're out of rice for now and only have beans and bibles, of which Pastor Felipe took and distributed a lot if each in Chiapas Mexico.   We're ready to come home, we actually had to do some laundry when we decided to stay a few extra days, Lol.
   Thanks for the prayers and support,  and Happy Birthday Lee!

 

THE NEW NORMAL

 First and foremost,  Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms. Trying to adjust our eating habits, and at the same time find time for exercise is a challenge to say the least. We are trying to form new habits in these areas, so thanks for the prayers and encouraging words.
  Although we're not building many houses lately,  our food distribution to many different ministries remains a priority.  The needs are seemingly increasing.  Rick Caywood ministries delivered 16 thousand pounds of beans last week along with 3 pallets of drinks and juice boxes.  He also threw in a pallet of adult diapers which we have a need for. Not for me and Paula Lol.
  Melodys Orphanage is flourishing with the bustle of a packed house. The kids are so blessed to have such a loving home. Jaime and his family do such a fantastic job.  They really love the kids, and it shows. We continue to be their main source of support and could definitely use more partners to join in the joy of providing for them. We continue to trust God and He always supplies. Just put Melodys in the memo column and it'll be designated for the orphanage.
  We celebrated Mother's day with Paula's sewing class last Thursday and threw in a little celebration for my birthday as well. Sunday we celebrated with our Sunday school class and then again in Mexico at the orphanage.
 Today I purchased the siding for the addition we built last summer in Donna TX. With no groups coming, I'll have to pay someone to install the siding and finish the job. God told me that I needed to finish it for the family. So building continues inspire of no teams to help. We're more than willing and the needs are abundant on this side of the border if anyone wants to put steam together and come.

 

THE PROBLEMS YOU SOLVE YOU FOR OTHERS

  I heard that in a message, that the problems you solve for others, determines your success. Lawyers make much more than landscapers. Pilots make more than those handling baggage. So, what problems are we willing to solve for others?
  Last Saturday we held our monthly food outreach and I was able to thank everyone for their prayers. My cardiologist told me that my heart attack was attributed to diabetes.  I have not addressed that fact to the extent I needed to. So I asked everyone at the outreach " who is neglecting health issues because if money"? Several people raised their hand and told me the medicine they needed but couldn't afford.  We took their name, phone number and the meds they needed, and went to the pharmacy and bought everyone the meds they needed. Expensive but worth every penny. One sixteen year old girl, Sonia came up to us after the despensa and expressed her desire to know Christ. What a joy to pray with her. We built her family a house 3 or for years ago.
  We spent the night at Melodys Orphanage in Reynosa the other night. We met another couple there that brought pizza and gifts to the kids. We brought them a big box of Legos. They enjoyed the pizza and gifts and made some cool stuff.
  We enjoyed breakfast with Jaime, Rosalba  and Macedonio before heading to the colonia for Paula's sewing class. We arrived to a colonia with no electricity.  Several hours later it came back on. Andres is almost done with the tile in the house next door.
  Pastor Felipe came and loaded up his van with beans rice and bibles going to Chiapas this week. He makes the trip every month to bless the poor people in the mountains and we give him all we can each month, including money for gas and repairs to His van.
  Thanks for the continued prayers and support that allow us the privilege of serving those in need.

TRUSTING NOT TRYING

  I'm guessing it's quite normal to have some what of a pity party after going through a traumatic experience such as a heart attack. I guess I've been there a little lately. But in God's Word there is hope, encouragement, life, healing. There is now renewed hope. I feel great, my doc says I'm fine, the meds are working, so it is well with my soul and my health.
  The extraordinary bills from the hospitals, helicopter ride, doctors, surgeons, are to put it mildly, crazy!!!! Over $210,000.00!!! But I heard the other day on some Christian station, "GOD'S WILL, GOD'S BILL." Don't worry about your life, money, future. God has it all. Whew! That's good news!
  Last Tuesday we dedicated the house the guys in Mexico built for Miranda and her husband Ponce along with their baby Leila. We have built a house for 4 generations of that family over the years. That's what really moves my heart. It was a great celebration and a great job the guys did building it.
  Paula and I both went to a cardiologist Wednesday and we both need to take better care of ourselves.  We can't serve others if we're not doing what the doc said to us 3 years ago. He prescribed golf for my rehabilitation. Walking is the best exercise, so I might as well chase a ball as I walk.
  Tomorrow we have our monthly food outreach and I'll be able to thank everyone in the Colonia for the prayers on news of my heart attack . We thank all of you as well. I received so many texts and posts on social media.  It's kinda funny how an easy text or post replaced cards like the old days. I think I got 3 get well cards and hundreds of messages on social media. The Times have changed.

TWO WEEKS POST OP. FEELING GREAT

  With all that's transpired since my heart attack two weeks ago, I feel great. We are in Chicago until tomorrow watching Lea while Kristin and Larry we're out of town. Thanks for all the prayers and texts, it's a great encouragement to know your thought of.
  Sunday morning we headed to church in a freaky snow storm that lasted all day. Church was anointed as a always. We took Pastor Pat to lunch after church. It's always great to catch up with him when we're in town.
  Saturday we took a ll the kids to a park district event in doors. Face painting, jumping rides. We did all that after I went to the men's breakfast and prayer time. We were able to see a few friends while in town, but mostly Lea time.
  We head home tomorrow , the guys are busy building a house in the colonia, we got word from the orphanage in the mountains that the well has run dry. If need be, I'll be raising money for drilling a new one. Water is critical to the orphanage. No city water available.
  Can't wait to get home and started on rehab. I'm not one to sit around for too long. Thanks for the prayers and support.