Mexico Missions with Bruce and Paula

I SURRENDER

Who does that? Who has surrendered all? JESUS! We can sing as many songs as we like about Surrender but we never will. If we did, churches would be debt free, missionaries would have enough, budgets wouldn't need to exist, widows, orphans and orphanages would all be provided for.

Last Sunday we were given the opportunity to share with the congregation at Moraine Valley Church during Pastor Pat's message from Ecclesiasties chapter 2. EVERYTHING IS MEANINGLESS. I'll try to put a link, but you can get it from thier website. Our testimony about a surrendered life and how God worked in our life to Surrender "Some" not all. We always hold something back. We all do.

It was great to see old friends and make new one at our pizza party after church. We were able to share about what has been going on in the ministry. Funding of the Melodys Orphanage was a topic covered as well. Funding Melodys is expensive and God has provided for 7 years through generous donors.

Our month long trip back to Illinois ended Monday as we packed the car and headed down the road. Tears 😢 flowed as we kissed Lea and Kristin goodbye. That's part of the Surrender, leaving family to pursue the call of God. But that doesn't make it any easier!!.

COME ONE, COME ALL

On Sunday July 31st at Moraine Valley Church in Palos Heights, We will be sharing our testimony during Pastor Pat's message. The service time is at 9:30. Immediately following the service you are invited to join us in the Chapel on the south side of the building for pizza and a time of updating everyone on Melodys Orphanage and the other happenings of the ministry. We hope to see you there, and please RSVP me at 708 528 4622 so we can get enough 🍕. If you'd like to bring a dessert feel free. We hope to see you there.

FAMILY TIME IS INDEED FUN TIME

A quick stop in Horse Cave Kentucky to visit Shawn And Carla Estes on our way to spend time with the family in Monticello Indiana camping and enjoying everything surrounding the 4th of July before heading to Frankfort Illinois where we've been for the last couple of weeks.

For everyone who gets to spend time with family more frequently, cherish the moments. We only get to see the kids and grandchildren a couple times a year, so it's really special for us.

We've been able to see a few friends and partners in ministry at Moraine Valley Church the last couple Sundays. I'll get the pleasure of giving my testimony at church on the 31st and look forward to that. We are hoping to have the opportunity to meet with people after that service to share about the ministry down in Mexico 🇲🇽.

Lea is such a big girl and we've taken her to church with us and will be taking her to Vacation Bible school all this week to learn more about God's love ❤️ for us.

We're heading to LaHarpe Illinois next Saturday for a few days to visit some friends and partners before coming back to Moraine for the 31st. We are hoping to share about the needs of Melodys Orphanage and raise some support for the 16 kids currently in their care. The current funding runs out soon with no commitment to continue the support as of yet, but we do and always will trust God to provide.

We will be heading back to Texas on the 1st of August, a couple of weeks before Lea starts first grade on the 17th. It would be nice to stay for that milestone and if God allows, maybe we will. It's soo hot in Texas, it might be something to consider.

As always, we so appreciate your prayer support and financial support as we continue to walk by faith providing, food, clothes, and support for those in need that we come in contact with.

SABBATICAL, WE ALL NEED ONE

This past week, the Pastor of LaHarpe Christian Church Nate, brought his wife Liz and thier two kids Madi and Eli to spend some time meeting the needs of the people in Mexico 🇲🇽 as part of his time away from the pulpit. Even though we step away from," ministry " we never stop ministering.

They arrived last Thursday night and Friday we took the 100 shoe box gifts that thier church had put together, along with beans, rice and cases of bibles. Saturday we held the monthly food outreach and handed out the boxes to the kids. Jaime Mayorga from Melodys Orphanage came and led worship as Nate and I played the guitar 🎸. They had a great time giving out the gifts and the food as each family passed through the Community Center.

Pastor Felipe brought us fried fish from Tampico, Mx for lunch. Pastor Joel drove 4 hours just to get the bottled water we donated to him as his Community in Monterrey is out of water.

We took Nate and his family to Melodys Orphanage to deliver gifts to the kids there, and yes, we ate again. We drove to Progresso Mexico to get a few souvenirs and meds. Sunday church in McAllen, followed by some pool time for the kids. Yesterday was Padre Island day. Not my cup of tea, but the onshore breeze was refreshing. They leave today to continue thier time off. We sure enjoyed our time together, getting to know them better, and really appreciate the support that LaHarpe Christian Church sends every month.

We all need time away to refresh, and need to take that time, free from the guilt that often accompanies Pastors and Missionaries when we take time off. Jesus often stepped away from ministry to pray, and just get away.

MELODYS ORPHANAGE UPDATE

The last several months have been a very stressful time for Jaime, Rosalba and the kids. After moving out of Angel's of God Orphanage that we all thought was the answer to prayer, they moved just a mile away to an old Orphanage that had been vacant for 3years. I knew of the facility and the ministry that owned it, and the owner agreed to let them live there for several months until they could find a new facility.

Long story short, they have moved back to their original place in Reynosa upon the owner of that property encouraging them to do so. We met a Pastor that has possession of a property that has plenty of room to build Melodys a new building or remodel an existing building. Several aand cres and a huge playground on site. We won't be moving forward with this until they have possession of legal papers giving them ownership of the property.

We held our monthly food outreach May 28th and met the needs of 100 families or so. This month we will have the pleasure of having Nate and Liz and their kids herch re. Nate pastors LaHarpe Christian Church and they wanted to finish thier sabbatical on a missions trip. Thier church has been a huge supporter of ours and before Covid sent teams every year to build houses and relationships with us and the people in the colonia. I believe that they are bringing hundreds of shoe box gifts that the people have donated.

I cant seem to access all my photos to show pictures of the facility in Reynosa, ill work on that. Thats for the prayers and support.

ICE CREAM YOU SCREAM, WE ALL SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM

What's it like in the colonia when it's 95 to 102 degrees? Well Friday it was quite cool thanks to Bastrop Christian Church. They came to Mexico to bless the kids at Big Heart Orphanage for a few days, but also wanted to bless the people in the colonia with and Ice cream social event.

Families and kids came to get out of the heat and fill up on various flavors of ice cream with several different toppings. Jaime brought the kids from Melodys Orphanage as well. A hours drive for ice cream? You bet!

Yesterday New Life Family Church bagged up almost 2 tons of beans for thier local food outreaches. We gave them beans, and they gave us a pallet of bibles. I call it the " great exchange". We will attend church there this morning and look forward to meeting some like minded people.

I bought 6 doors yesterday and took them to Big Heart Orphanage in Reynosa and Gator will take them to the Orphanage in the mountains where the building of the new dorms is in its final phase. PTL.

65 ARE YOU KIDDING ME????

They say that life begins at 65. Whew, I made it! I don't think of it as an age to retire, we'll maybe I do, I just put 4 new ones on my van that has taken us on over 100 thousand miles of missions adventures throughout Mexico 🇲🇽.

Paula's sewing class threw me a surprise birthday party along with Andres and his family, and a few other friends. They decorated and cooked some of my favorites. Chicken and Mole, Passole, Tres Leches, Chocolate Flan, and coffee. Andres and his family gave me a ⌚️ watch to keep me from always asking" Que Hora Es?

Thanks for the birthday wishes and texts. We met a brother in Christ the other day who wants to exchange a pallet of beans for a pallet of bibles. An answer to Prayers for sure. We've crossed lots of beans and rice to help with the rising food costs. The poor suffer the most during these times.

I would be remiss if I failed to wish all the Moms, a Happy Belated Mother's Day. Thank you for choosing life!

HIS STORY IN OUR LIVES

We moved to the TX/MX border in the Fall of '07 from Chicago, IL. We had been coming to Reynosa on short-term missions trips for over 10 years. Each time we left a little bit more of our hearts behind. Thru the circumstances of life Paula and I both agreed that now is the time to do that which gave us meaning and purpose in life. So we sold our home and came to the Rio Grand Valley at the southern most point of Texas. We have since joined with Mexico Missions Inc. to assist them with their childrens backpack programs in Mexico. Our mission is to reach the poorest of the poor in Mexico. We build homes, offer food and clothing to those in need, but most importantly we share the love and hope that is found in our Lord Jesus Christ. Living radical lives has expanded our vision and ministry from feeding hundreds of families to thousands.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP US REACH OUT TO THOSE IN NEED

Our ministry is totally supported by people like you.Since we did not raise our needed support before entering the mission field we continue to walk by faith that God will speak to the hearts of those of you reading our blog and joining us on short term trips to Mexico to help us help our brothers and sisters in Reynosa. If you would like to contribute to us personally, sponsor a child to attend school, give to the building of a home for a needy family, or even have us facilitate a food outreach, contact us via E-mail or send checks made out to MEXICO MISSIONS INC. and mail to our new address, P.O. Box 68 San Juan, Tx. 78589. If you would like to support us personally, put B&P in the memo column. If you would like to sponsor a specific outreach, list that as well in the memo column. All gifts are tax deductable. Child school sponsorship $400.00 per year per child, a newly designed home can be built with some help from the people in Mx. for a gift of $3800.00 or any portion thereof until enough money is raised to build one. Many houses could just use new roofing and some other fixes to make them more habitable. God Bless You as you give.