Planting, Watering and God Makes it Grow

"So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have on e purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor." 1 Corinthians 3:7-8

We have been visiting the river colony almost 2 months and already we are beginning to see people coming to us for prayer. Today, was the first time, to my knowledge that we passed out some fliers with Bible verses on them with the dispensas of food. After everyone present was taken care of, we noticed that some either had come back or waited so they could request prayer. We have not shared the gospel to this point. But the precious people of this colony are recognizing that we are Christians by our love.

Before we gave out food, Hector addressed the people. He told them that the food that we brought would last them 2 maybe 3 days at the most, but we also have something that would last for eternity. Then he stopped and started helping us dispense the food. It was strange, I thought, but I'm learning that Hector is a fisher of men. He puts "bait" out all the time and then watches to see who is hungry.

Today we prayed with a lady Suzy for the second time. The first time we met her she had informed us that she had found her son buried in the river colony. She was still grieving and asked us to pray for her. When she came today, she told us how hungry she was for more of God and that she was a Christian, but didn't know the Bible that well yet. She was asking if we could help her with a group of people that she had been gathering in her home to learn about God. Apparently, she was learning along with the people she was having over.

After talking with her, Hector presented me with a challenge. He asked if I'd like to help teach the Bible to a group of ladies. My response was not what I had expected. Think about it. I don't speak Spanish fluently by any stretch of the words. I just learned this lady's name is Suzy and now I'm being asked if I'd be willing to teach the Bible to a group of ladies. My response was "what day? What day does she want the class ? Let me check with DJ and at the orphanage and see what I can do."

I'm trying so hard not to try and figure out how something is going to work out. Everything in me wants to see if I can pull something off before I say "yes". God's kingdom is upside down. I'm learning also that the weaker I am, the stronger He is. The less I can "pull off" in my own strength, skills, or talents, the more glory He receives. I am in over my head and never has my life been so exciting and full of joy. It will be interesting to see where the LORD takes me in this adventure.

After that encounter, the two sisters, Noemi and Alejandra that I've mentioned before came to us. Noemi asked us if we would pray for her family. Apparently her mother's health was being affected by the way the siblings were treating each other. If you remember past blogs about these two sisters, they had told us that their mother was a Christian and that they had been taught about Jesus, but were not living for Him. Now Noemi was very concerned for her mother's health. Apparently she had had a heart attack because of the stress in relationships in the family.

Again, Hector was used by the LORD to speak to these girls. He talked to them for a while and then I told them my testimony of God's provision in my life. Through Hector interpreting for me, I shared how God had provided for me time and time again, but that was not the reason I was there. Nor was I there to tell them that God would take away their problems. I told them how I was convinced God loved me, and that God had a place prepared for me in heaven. I was there to let the colony know that God loved them. I told them how they already knew that they needed to put their trust in God. They were trying to solve their own problems and meet their own needs when God was waiting for them to trust Him. After I was done, Hector continued with telling them that they needed to look for God with all their heart. We could pray for them, but they needed to pray themselves. Noemi asked what time Hector's church started. And before I knew it, Hector was telling these sisters that we were going to start a Bible class and would they be interested.

Before we left I met one more lady today. Her name was Maria and she had waited a long time to talk to us. She wasn't asking for prayer, but for a baby over sewing machine. I thought that was an odd request until she explained that her house had been robbed and someone took her machine. She was wondering if we could purchase one for her in the states and then she would purchase it from us. So, now I will be looking for a Baby Over sewing machine. I asked her to bring a sample of boys pants that she new how to sew the next time we came back in 2 weeks. She said for a top and pants she charged 50 pesos. That's not even $5! I asked if she would be interested in teaching ladies how to sew. She wasn't interested for the mere fact that then she would be losing business if she taught others. So then I told her I might be interested in buying some pants from her. I got to thinking. If we gave this lady too much business, maybe she would consider teaching someone else to help her keep up with a blessed sewing business.

Learning to Pray First

Yesterday, I a thought about taking dispensas to the river colony, I have to admit I was nervous. All I could think about was how I had only planned for 50 dispensas and just a few days ago, my list grew to 140 families. I started asking people to pray that we would have enough dispensas. I was thinking more dispensas, but God had different plans.

You see, when we arrived, many of the people that had received dispensas on Thursday weren't even waiting in line for anything. So, we got all the way up to #134 on our list before running out of food. We added more people to the list and I even had some time to play with the little kids for awhile.

Kings Day

Last Thursday was a holiday in Mexico called Kings Day. It's in celebration of the kings that came to visit the baby Jesus. It's a tradition to receive still another present on this day. As I was preparing gifts for our 100 plus kids at the orphanage, I received a phone call from my friend Hector.

Hector had a friend, Mike McDonald, that was on his way with family and friends to pass out toys, beanies, gloves, socks, clothes and food to the people living in the river colony. Hector asked if I would join them with my list of names of the people that were on our list to receive dispensas. I came with my little list not knowing what was about to happen.

As four cars followed Hector to the river colony, I noticed that Hector once again was taking us the back way in. As we climbed a muddy dirt hill, our friend Mike got stuck in the mud. The people living nearby jumped up to help and attached Mike's car to Hector's truck, Hector was able to easily pull him up out of the mud.

I was next to cross the mud. I hesitated at first, but then I remembered that my car was all wheel drive. I remembered back to when I had purchased this particular car that I had decided that I wouldn't be needing all wheel drive, but that the car just happened to come with it. When I went up the hill I had no problem at all. I smiled and thought to myself, "God knew before me that I would need that all wheel drive today."

When we arrived at "our spot" to set up, I was overwhelmed with the crowd that was waiting for us. It was about 200 or 300 people. This was more than I had expected or planned for. I actually had to honk my horn to get people to let me park my car. It was scary yet exciting all at the same time.

The children were lined up to receive their toys in one area and I helped with dispensing food, beanies, gloves, and clothes in another area. The family that came to help brought a generous amount of things to give away. By the end of the day, my list of 35 families grew to 140!

It was a very long day, but a good day. During that long day, I was able to meet one of the family members that had just lost their home to a fire a few weeks ago. Also, Hector and I prayed with a mother at her request. She had found her adult son buried in the colony and was grieving the loss of her son. It was difficult not to be able to communicate how sorry I was for her loss, but I was glad that with Hector's help we were able to pray with her.

Our First River Colony Event

We seem to call it an event when we set up and people come to us. So, with that definition I can say we had our first "event". Four cars and ten friends came together and made a difference in the lives of some precious people that live in the river colony of Ensenda.

The afternoon started with numerous prayers for the rain to be held back until the end of the event. (Amazing how we didn't have a drop until we were done. ) As we followed Hector to the colony, I noticed that he was taking us through the back road. It was very bumpy and narrow, with lots of turns. I couldn't figure out what he was doing until I saw him roll down his window and talk to a little boy. Maribel informed me that he was telling the little boy that we had toys. Well that's all it took to get a line going. That little boy ran and told every other kid he could find and soon we had our crowd.

It was wonderful the way the people that we're starting to get to know us came up to us and some even helped us get set up. One little girl, Irma, remembered me and came running up to me and gave me a big hug. (That was priceless.)

I talked with one of the young mom's that we've been trying to help. Her name is Noemi. She is pregnant and has a 2 year old girl named Genesis. She informed us that her 17 year old sister Alejandra and her 1 year old daughter Tabita had just moved out. She was now living alone and not sure what she was going to do with her sister not living with her anymore. She has no way to go to work if she found work, because she needs to watch her daughter. Then I got an idea. I remembered that Kate Logan had brought down some looms to teach me and the girls at the orphanage how to make beanies. I asked Noemi would she like to learn to make beanies. I told her she could learn how to make them and maybe she could sell them to earn some money. She was very interested and then her relative standing next to her was listening and interested also. So, I think we may have our first beanie class starting in a week or two!

Because of the your generosity we gave away 40 dispensas, tons of toys and clothes. Thanks to all that sent prayers, money, clothes, and toys to make this first event, of many to come, successful.

Starting tonight, a dorm mom, a handful of girls at the orphanage and myself are starting to make beanies for the our new friends. They are glad to help and some of them will be coming with me to Ensenada to teach our friends in the river colony how to make them as well. It's all about relationships. Who would have ever thought that God could take the skill of making a beanie and bring people together. It's just a new tool to present the gospel. I love it!