6 months

In 3 days it will mark the 6 month mark for our family being here in La Mision, Mexico serving at Door of Faith Orphanage. I have learned so much in 6 months. Some things that I've learned are too difficult for me to find the words, but it has all been good.

I feel a little bit like Paul in Philippians when he talks about being content in everything, but perhaps the verse that best describes me right now is "And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from His glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19 Because God has taken such great care of me I am confident that He will take care of my friends, family in the states as well as my new friends and family in Mexico.

I have learned and experienced things that I really didn't think were going to be a part of my adventure down here. For instance, I've learned that it is possible to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit speak to my heart even though I am surrounded with people praying or speaking in Spanish.

I've also learned how important it is to encourage missionaries. I have been amazed how far a simply word of encouragement goes here. Missionaries need to know that they're being prayed for, held accountable, and called every now and then. (Or at least emailed.) Some serve without support from others. Others serve with all they have until it runs out. Some serve even though great difficulty is going on back home.

I think of all the missionaries here, I am one of the most supported. I know that people "have my back" in prayer. All that support allows me to encourage others.

Last but not least, I've learned that unless you have a strong walk with Jesus, love His Word and His Church, you will not last very long in a foreign land. You need the fellowship of others and fellowship with Jesus. You need to humble yourself everyday and remember that you came to serve and not be served.

God is With Us

Wow! It's been way too long since my last blog. It tells you how busy I've been.

It's already been two weeks since I went to a leadership conference at Saddleback with my friends from Green Valley. It was great to see my church family during the day and then spend some evenings with my Mom.

I learned a lot that week. It started with some testing of my faith and some careful listening to God's voice. On our way to the states, my van got a flat tire. I was still in Mexico, about 20 minutes north of the orphanage. Having car trouble was one of my greatest fears when I came to Mexico. God is his great mercy allowed me to have a flat in an area where I could easily pull over. My son Tyler was with me and is always encouraging to have with me in these situations. I called a friend at the orphanage to send David and his friend Julian to come to our rescue and they did. They changed my tire to my spare and I was good to go.

My greatest fear had been overcome. Practicing the presence of Jesus, acknowledging Him wherever I find myself, has brought me great peace. It's a great feeling to have God confirm His promise to never leave us or forsake us. He is always with us; even on the side of the road in Mexico.

When we arrived at my Mom's we rested a little and then took Tyler to see his Aunt Becky and Uncle Tony. He would stay there for the week so he could work on his school work using their internet service and get to know his Aunt and Uncle a little more. I stayed at my Mom's. While turning in for the night I began to pray about going to the conference on my spare tire. I had been told in Mexico that I was good to go, but when I got to the states I was being advised not to travel on my spare. I knew I needed to use my ATM to get some money for the replacement of the back two tires. I had been unable to use my card because it was being converted according to the bank. So, I decided that if I still couldn't use it that I would not go straight to the conference on my spare, but that I would wait for the bank to open, get the funds and then tires. After purchasing my tires I was on my way to the conference. Suddenly it began to pour rain harder than I'd seen it in a long time. Much to my surprise, my windshield wipers actually buckled and bowed. They quit working. I pulled of the freeway safely and asked the LORD to help me get the wipers fixed. When I looked in the sky, the rain was moving away from the conference and back towards my Mom's house. I bent the wipers back in shape enough to make them work and get to the conference.

On the way to the conference I couldn't help but think about what God was sparing me from. Had I missed an accident by this 4 hour delay. Perhaps is was a test in perseverance, or my response to inconvenience. Whatever the reason, I did sense that God had spared me from something that I may never know. Sometimes, many times, we may never understand the reason for God's delays. I have learned to trust Him. I am so convinced that God is with us, that if we'll acknowledge His presence throughout our day it gives opportunity for Him to speak to us and build our faith in Him, Emmanuel; God is with us.

Heidi and Baby David

Wonderful church service this morning. It was amazing to me what people would drive through to get to church service today, but we stilled gathered together today. After much help on Friday from many of the people of our congregation spending hours of of talking buckets of water out of the kitchen and medical clinic of the church, we were able to meet.

Heidi and baby David were also in the service today. I've been wanting to bring them food for a few days, but was unable because of the storm. I brought the food with me, but found out that I could only get to their home by walking there. So, we agreed to meet at the local school at 3pm and she would walk with us to her home.

My friend Lauren and I drove to the local school where we were greeted by Heidi holding her baby and a little girl that was living with her also. We carried the food down the road and then down a dirt hill. At the bottom of the hill was a huge lake of water that the rains from the storm had left. It was only yards away from Heidi's humble home. Her home was very humble, but at least she had a portion of someones house to live in. She explained that she was able to live there for another month, but that usually it takes almost 2 months for them to pay for one months rent. After this month she wasn't sure if they'd be out looking again or not. Her husband was away working wherever he could to see how much money he could make. In the mean time, his daughter from a previous marriage was brought back to live with him.

After spending some time talking with Heidi in her home, I asked Lauren to ask her much it was to rent the house for the month. It was about $60 dollars. Actually a little less. My heart broke for her. She wanted to work to help bring in some money, but how could she with a 2 month old baby completely dependent on her, plus she now had a little girl living with her as well. Her food would have to come from people that new her need. Her little baby didn't look completely healthy to me. I wondered if he was getting enough to eat.

In the next two days I will be on a quest for diapers, Infamil, powered milk for the little girl and other staples that can keep because Heidi has no refrigerator. Lauren invited her family over to the orphanage Tuesday night for dinner at her house. It will be hard to take Heidi back to her home after her dinner, but we are learning to give what we have to give as the LORD provides.

As the LORD provides support for our family, anything extra will be going to help people like Heidi, or the breakfast ministry in Tijuana, or however else the LORD directs. We are just vessels for God to give through. All of my needs are met when I need them. As the LORD moves on the hearts of people to send support, it is exciting to see that it's usually the same time that an unknown need comes up. God is so faithful.

So Many Needs

Yesterday afternoon our third storm of the week came through. There's a river that now flows through the orphanage. You can see the waterfall flowing for the mesa behind the orphanage. It's quite a sight. It runs through the center of the orphanage across the road and into the fields.

In the afternoon, Lauren and Becca asked if I would like to go deliver some food to a family down the road. We had to walk because the roads are not accessible by car due to mud. It wasn't too far down the road when we came to a little grandma and grandpa huddled in the rain around a small fire. They had some wood boards blocking the wind and a small pot on the fire. She was so grateful for us coming and gave us all hugs. She told us that she didn't know how she was going to make tortillas with the wind and rain. I was blown away. This lady had no complaints. In fact she kept saying that Jesus was with her.

I learned a lot in that short moment. This couple sleeps in a van at night and during the day they herd goats. "It's not even close to what I picture myself doing at their age," I thought. "I wonder how old they really are." My friend Lauren guessed them to be just a few years older than I . Not sure how much she was joking.

There are so many needs here in La Mision. It could easily get overwhelming, but for the comfort of knowing that the Holy Spirit directs us to who He wants us to help and how to do it. Recently I heard that a young lady Heidi was in need of food for her and her baby David. Heidi is a girl that we held a baby shower for when I first arrive at DOFO. She found the LORD as her savior a few weeks after the baby shower and soon after that had her baby dedicated to the LORD. Now, because of lack of income, her husband has left to look for work and her and her baby have no food. I fixed some soup that I'd like to take to her, but I can't reach her by car right now. I may be walking a mile for Jesus this afternoon. I can't bare the thought that a young mom with a little baby is huddled in a tiny shell of a house not able to nurse her baby because she has no food for herself.

This story is sure to continue in flowing blogs.