Mexico Missions with Bruce and Paula

A COUPLE WEEKS BACK TO ILLINOIS

After Saturdays food and celebration outreach, we started getting ready to fly to Chicago for Leas dance recital. But first we had our first Cinco de Mayo pot luck at our parks clubhouse. It was a great success. Lots of people came tha we hadn't met.

We flew to Chicago on Wednesday and enjoyed being with Kristin and Lea. It was also nice to stay at our place in Dyer, Indiana. The dance recital was very nice, which was also a great way to spend my birthday.

Sunday we were able to attend Moraine Valley Church. It was so great to see everyone. So many new faces there. Tammie gave a great Mothers Day message from Psalm 139. We then drove to Kristin and Larry's lake house to take a boat ride to the local Mexican restaurant where we could dock the boat.

Golf with the boys on Monday for my birthday. A nice day and great fellowship. The weather took a turn and it was so cold on Saturday following another 9 holes with the Bosis. A very rare dust storm blew in after golf.

A few more of Leas games in the cold, a presentation at her school the day we flew home. Her report was on Helene Rubinstein. Now we're home in the heat.

ANOTHER GREAT OUTREACH

Saturday. We celebrated the Day of the Child, Mothers Day, Father's Day, and also my birthday. It was a great time of worship, and the Word. Tamales were provided for everyone. The kids sang a few songs after thier Bible lesson.

Everyone got gifts. Even me. Thanks to all that support the ministry. Today we head to Melodys Orphanage with all the leftovers from yesterday's Cinco de Mayo celebration at our park in Alamo.

Tomorrow we head to Illinois for a few weeks, hope to see our friends while there.

ITS GREAT TO BE BACK IN THE COLONIA

After our visit to Kelly in Cerritos Mexico, we held our monthly food outreach and it was great. Seeing everyone and playing the guitar with Saul leading us in worship. We took over hundreds of boxes of mini muffins, beans, various other things to give away.

We also celebrated Paula's birthday again, since we weren't here last week. Lots of laughs and good times.

Our years of storing our beans and many other things at Semco might be over! I went there on Tuesday to get some beans only to find new owners 🙄. I explained who I was and what we do. The new owners helped me load up some beans to get us by until things can be worked out. Our prayer is that they will continue allowing us to use the facility. We might need to purchase our own fork lift if need be. God is Good and holds our future in his hands.

We attended Raquenels quincenera last week. What a joy that was to be part of this. Melodys Orphanage dodged a bullet by not being affected by the floods a couple weeks ago.

FOOD OUTREACHES AND FUN

Since we got back from San Antonio, we have been busy gathering food and distributing food. A few rounds of golf with the people in our park, and a St Paddy's Day parade in the park.

Today we find ourselves in the Baja of California visiting our daughter Kelly. Paula and her share a birthday so we thought we'd go and see where she calls home now in Cerritos, Mexico 🇲🇽.

We have had some great times getting to see the area Kelly lives in, had some great food, enjoyed a church service Sunday, some beach time, and watched Kelly surf, play sand volleyball and we even sand a few karaoke songs last night. It's a wonderful way of living here. NO WORRIES.

Today we golf, tomorrow a sunset whale watch cruise, more golf and then head home. A great birthday celebration for the family. We miss having Kristin, Larry and Lea here, they would love it!!

KRISTIN AND LEA CAME TO VISIT

Paula and I drove up to San Antonio last weekend to spend a few days with Kristin and Lea. The only direct flight arrived Sunday afternoon. Paula and I went to Cornerstone Church with our friends Juvenal and Benita before the airport.

We picked the kids up after church and left our luggage at the hotel and made our way to the Rainforest Cafe on the Riverwalk. Free dinner at the hotel, swim time in the indoor pool, and then bed.

Monday was free breakfast then Legoland, Build a Bear, and Aqualand. Lots of walking but fun! Check out of hotel and head to Juvenal and Benitas house for dinner and two nights.

Tuesday we went to the Zoo and walked miles again. I went to get the car about a mile away and found a young lady struggling to change a tire near my car. It took a few minutes to change it and she was so thankful for the help. Back to the house for some delicious Brisket 😋, and then off to the movie Muffasa. The whole theater was ours.

We left for the Tower of America Wed morning and went to the top when it opened. The cold front arrived and it was very cold 🥶. 21 degrees. We took the kids to the airport and made the 4 hour drive home. It's cold, rainy and windy here for a few days. 80s next Wednesday.

DO NOT TRAVEL???

February has been a little crazy on the border since Donald Trump has been closing off access to our country. Our State Department has issued a "DO NOT TRAVEL" order to the State of Tamalipas, which includes Reynosa, Rio Bravo, Matamoros and other cities along the border.

I have not gone to Reynosa since January 20th because I knew the cartels would go crazy as the border gets closed. Paula continues to go and several people have been helping to keep things going. I'm not afraid to go to Reynosa, I'm just honoring my families wishes. We still go to Melodys Orphanage in Progresso and we're so glad they are there and out of Reynosa.

Our daughter Kristin and Lea are coming to San Antonio this weekend and we'll get to celebrate Leas 9th birthday which was on the 11th. We'll spend a few days there with them and enjoy the time if only for a few days.

JANUARY, A BUSY MONTH

Although January started out with a road trip to Phoenix, it ends with a short trip to Melodys Orphanage today. Rick and Diane Balmer are here from Illinois and will bless the kids with pizza today for lunch.

We experienced a severe cold 🥶 front last week. Below freezing Temps killed most of our plants and everyone else's as well. We took blankets to Mexico to give to anybody that needed one.

Paula went to Mexico to hold our monthly food outreach and was without electricity while her and China stayed overnight. No power in the morning, so Sergio and I stayed home and met the girls in Nuevo Progresso at Melodys Orphanage for lunch.

We have reconsidered our plans to drive 15 hours into Mexico to visit Paula's family. The new Trump administration has declared the cartels terrorist organizations and we think it best to keep a low profile for the near future.

A huge thanks to all that have supported us and the ministry. We got all the giving statements mailed out and we're always amazed at God's Favor by providing for us.

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.