Oregon Update

Yes, it's true.  We really did move from Mexico to Milwaukie, Oregon. At the last minute, there was a change in our plans.  My son David, made the difficult choice to come with us to Oregon due to lack of employment options.  His heart is still very much in Mexico.  Please pray for him to find work here in Oregon, as he prepares to pursue a career in heavy equipment engineering.  I'm very proud of David for making a difficult decision in order to pursue his dream of living in Mexico one day.  Once he has his training and apprenticeship, he hopes that he can land a job close to the border so that he can return "home" to Mexico.

Tyler is doing very well here.  He's enjoying getting to know the area and making friends at our new church home, Waterfront Foursquare Church.  He's already helping in the sound and tech ministries and will soon be helping in the children's ministry as well.  Today, he applied for his first job and hopes to work on getting his driver's license!

All three of us joined with our new church family and others in community to clean and help a local high school.  It was a blessing to be able to get to know people better and meet new people, but....the best part was when people saw us helping when we didn't have any students at the school.  We really had no connection to it at all.  We were just willing and looking for a way to put our faith into action.  

My sons worked much harder than I did at the high school.  I was so proud of them for jumping in to help in a new place, where we knew so few people. 

I'm doing well here.  It's a blessing to be able to live with my long time friends, Judy and Reese Mayo.  God is directing my steps daily.  I've been taking my time looking at the community, different ministries to the homeless and social services in the area.  I would appreciate your prayers in looking for a job for myself.  I'm deciding between a job that would allow me to serve in the community or a job with flexible hours so that I can pursue helping in the community after hours.  Not quite sure what that even looks like, but that's where I'm at.

I continue to think of Door of Faith Orphanage and Dios Me Ve ministries.  It was very hard to leave, not knowing when and if the Lord will allow me to return.  I sure hope He does.  I really miss my dear friends in Mexico.  

I am also pursuing ideas to still help my friends in Mexico while living up here in Oregon.  It would have to be in a different capacity, but I think there's still a way I can help.  Please join me in prayer about the following:

- Collecting donations for Dios Me Ve for purchasing food only.  Since I am no longer living in Mexico, I need to have a way to get funds to a Mexican grocery shopper, that loves Jesus and would like to help. I think I have that already. I also have a Paypal account that people can donate through. I'm looking at fundraising as much as passing the financial blessings.

- Door of Faith Orphanage is in great financial need due to several needs that occurred in the same week.  If you would like to learn more about Door of Faith go to www.dofo.org and you'll get updated on the current needs.

- There are other ministries that could use help too.  Maybe God wants me to network and help them all.  Not sure.  Please pray.

So, there you have it.  Please pray as we continue to follow Jesus daily.

Robin 

A New Season

It's hard to know where to begin. God has been incredibly generous to me and my sons with the ministries he's allowed us to be a apart of since coming to Mexico September 18, 2009.  We started serving at Door of Faith Orphanage. In time, like many of the volunteers of Door of Faith, God gave us opportunity to be involved in ministry outside of Door of Faith.  This speaks well of the generous and grace filled leadership of Door of Faith; a ministry that not only serves the children of the orphanage, but the community around them and sends out to other ministries with their blessing.

A few years ago, I believe the Lord lead me to help in  ministry with my friends Hector and Maribel Gonzales in colony 89; an impoverished, violent, drug addicted and forgotten colony.  The ministry of Dios Me Ve (God Sees Me), was begun as we worked together to reach the lost and forgotten people of colony 89.  What started with door to door groceries delivered to the hungry, grew to blankets, mattresses, jackets and uniforms for school being given to those in need. Before long we were feeding over 180 families twice a month with groceries, passing out shoes and clothing for the children and even rebuilding a few homes that had burned down due to fires.  From there, Dios Me Ve ministries began to change and to grow even more.  Property was purchased, a building was built on the property by our friends from Calvary Chapel of Apple Valley and Bible and English classes began.

To date, there are over 12 Bible studies either in homes or in the Dios Me Ve building. Gang members that used to earn colony 89 it's dark reputation are now beginning to follow Christ and giving back to their community. The colony is changing as the children, parents and youth gather to learn  of  God's love for them through faithfulness to the study of the Bible.

After much prayer, the Lord has made it clear that it's time for a new season in our lives. It is now time for us to return to the states for the next step in our faith journey. In mid April, My son Tyler and I will be headed to Milwaukie, Oregon while my eldest son, David is remaining in Mexico.  We wish to thank you for your all of your encouragement, prayers and financial support.  I would like to ask you to prayerfully consider sending the personal support that you've sent in the past to enable my family to serve in Mexico, to the ministry of Dios Me Ve or personally to Hector and Maribel. If this is something that God would lead you to do, please write out your tax deductible donation and send your support to:

Calvary Chapel of Apple Valley
13601 Del Mar Rd.
Apple Valley, Ca, 92308

Designate it to Dios Me Ve or Hector and Maribel Gonzales.

By sending your support through this local fellowship, you will receive a tax deduction.

Please continue to pray for and support this wonderful work of God.  I've seen with my own eyes what God can do through the teaching of His word to the most hardened of hearts. I've seen with my own eyes the response to the pure gospel; changed attitudes and countenances, hope restored and lives redeemed and given purpose.

Where He leads I will follow,

Robin Schmidt

The Next Step in the Schmidt Family Adventure

I have some news to share with you concerning the LORD's plan for me and my two sons.  As most of you know, we have been living at Door of Faith Orphanage in La Mision, BC Mexico.  I have to say it's been one of the best experiences of my life.  It's been an opportunity of living out what I've always said I believed.  It's also been a great experience for my sons to learn and see first hand what it means to living a simple life of service and experiencing the fulfillment of knowing that their lives are making a difference in the lives of others.

For many months, I have felt prompted to pray for what the LORD would ask of us next.  It's been made abundantly clear to me that we're remaining in Mexico still for quite a while.  There's still plenty of work that God has for us to do.  

I don't know all the reasons why, but I have felt that God has lead me and my sons to rent a home in La Mision near the orphanage.  We will live very close to the orphanage and still very involved in serving there.  I will continue to work with Lynette on celebrating birthdays and corresponding with sponsors of our kids.  I still will be helping with running errands and picking up supplies for the orphanage.

I will also continue to work in Ensenada with Dios Me Ve Ministries.  We will continue to show the love of God to the poor in the colony Ochenta Nueve through bimonthly groceries, events for the children and classes for the adults.

So, "why the change in residence?" you might ask.  I am not absolutely sure.  Practically speaking I can see how it might enable me to be a little more flexible in schedule, or a little larger to store the things that God sends to the people in Ensenada.  I know that I would like to have a vegetable garden to help with the food for Ensenada as well.  I also have thoughts of how I may be able to help some of our kids at the orphanage that have special learning needs and...  I also realize that God's ways are higher than mine.  I can make plans, but it's the LORD's plans that will prevail.  I am confident that God knows why I am to move, so I've put my trust is in Him. 

Please continue to pray for us.  We love serving here in Mexico and plan on staying until the LORD tells us otherwise.

Visit with Mom

Recently I had the privilege of having a quick visit with my Mom.  The older I get the more I see her influence in my life.  At the age of 82 she still brings the "elderly" to church, visits those in the need and hosts a Bible study.  I can call on her for prayer any time.  She even collects designated items for Door of Faith Orphanage, in La Mision Mexico and needed items for Dios Me Ve Ministries in Ensenada.  

I really have been blessed.  I have experienced the joy of serving most of my life because of my parents daily modeling that it's better to give than receive. It's funny when she talks about me slowing down or taking a break.  It's foreign to me because she didn't model much of that.  I've mostly seen her give, serve, pray and testify all my life of the goodness and blessings of God.  As far as I'm concerned, my mother has been part of an early reward of me trying to follow in her footsteps.