CHILDREN OF THE DUMP

Children playing in a pile of caliche gravel at the city dump in Matamoros, Mexico.

The city dump outside Matamoros was an enormous place with mountains of smoldering trash rising over the landscape.  Birds constantly hovered over those mountains and flocked around the garbage that always lined the perimeter.  People were also around the heaps of trash as they dug through the discarded items looking for things they could recycle for a few coins.  In fact there was a small colonia situated at the base of the dump and it was called Colonia Bermuda.

Many families lived in Colonia Bermuda. There were lots of children who lived there and played there.  Even though the surface of the ground was littered with glittering broken glass, they ran barefoot between their dwellings laughing and playing.  It didn’t seem to matter to them, life was peaceful at the dump.

We found the city dump one day when we were driving around looking for people who needed  Bibles, food and clothing.  And we were attracted to the people we met there along with their beautiful but dirty children.  Soon we were making regular trips to the city dump.  We saw that there was no electricity or running water into Colonia Bermuda, so we also took candles and matches as gifts. These were very much appreciated because when the sun went down it was dark inside their makeshift dwellings.

The picture above is one of our favorite families.  Maria and her 10 children.  I'm holding Baby Maria.

We always prayed for the sick, and because of the polution there were always sick people. Many babies were born deformed or brain damaged from the continual smoke from the refuse. Our hearts went out to these people, and many times we wondered what circumstances brought people to this lowest of places to live.  We did learn that migrants from the south often found themselves stranded at the border. But they could always camp out for awhile on the edges of Colonia Bermuda.

One season we took a group with us each week to visit the city dump. On these occasions we would all gather in a central place, usually near the tiny Catholic chapel near the entrance to the colonia. The leader of the colonia, Miguel, would ring the bell and everyone would come running.  Actually there was no bell - Miguel would strike a tall empty metal LP gas tank and it sounded exactly like the most beautiful bell from the top of a cathedral!  And for a time that’s what we thought we were hearing!

Someone would light a bonfire, one of our group would bring out a large metal container for popcorn. Someone else brought from our vehicle either hot chocolate or some other drink. Then we all gathered around in the light of the fire while we visited together, sang and prayed together and had a time of worship.  These visits to the dump were great times for us to share God’s love to the men, women and children who lived in the humblest of places and in the poorest conditions.  But we all enjoyed these times, the people of Colonia Bermuda gave back to us with their love.  We’ll never forget the children playing in the moonlight, running up and down the dirt roads while the bonfire lit up their surroundings.

David was playing with two long sticks.

There were always things to play with at the dump, children found old broken toys in the piles. But besides that, there were sticks, old pieces of board, old bottles, all sorts of unusual castaway things that were interesting. And to our dismay, they also found things to eat!  Once we watched as toddlers passed around and drank from an old bottle of hot sauce they’d found in the dump.

One family in particular had many children who were all filled with personality. We grew attached to David and his little sister Maria.  They would run to us and want to be held. There were 10 children in that family.

We met one young couple whose baby was born with problems. The 18 month old infant had some type of paralysis and he was always very stiff in my arms.  Baby Ricardo died that winter, leaving the young parents and the grandmother devastated. The baby was another victim of the polluted smoke and fumes from the city dump.

Above, I'm holding Baby Ricardo a short time before his death. His young mother stands nearby with Lloyd.

Several years have passed since those visits to Matamoros city dump.  We understand conditions have changed in that area and that Colonia Bermuda no longer exists at the foot of the mountain of trash. New regulations between the United States and Mexico have quelled some of the smoke that drifted northward across the Rio Grande River and into Brownsville, Texas.  But we often wonder what became of little David and Maria and all the others who were our friends in Colonia Bermuda.

But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 19:14

DUSTY ROADS AND LOST CHURCHES

Winding, dusty road going across the mountains in Mexico.

Someone once said we were always driving down some dusty road looking for a lost church. And that really describes our activities in Mexico for many years. Having Spanish Bibles to give away  to churches, we found ourselves in a dilemma.  There was no directory of churches in Mexico! We couldn’t punch an address into our GPS and be guided right to our destination. Sometimes it was even hard for us to find the town we were looking for with a map.  So we would load up our Jeep, pray for guidance and start off in one direction or another, always driving down a long, winding dusty road looking for a church.

Once we actually forded the Rio Grande River at a shallow spot because we had heard there was a small town on the other side. There was no bridge across the river and the only way to access the town was through the water.  After crossing the river, we drove almost 20 miles on rocky roads before reaching the town. The only way we knew there really was a town ahead was the fact that there were telephone poles and electricity wires leading the way across the hills.

Small town across the river. The only signs of life along the 20 mile long road were the poles and lines taking electricity to the isolated place.

When we reached a town, we’d drive up one street and down another scanning the side of the road for anything that resembled a church. Sometimes all we saw was a small sign, or painted words over the door saying “IGLESIA” which is Spanish for “church,” or TEMPLO. There weren’t steeples or tall spires or stained glass windows that beckoned to us, but mostly humble little buildings that had been designated a house of worship.  So it really was a challenge for us to drive down those roads and it was very satisfying when we would actually stumble across a church.

The next challenge would be to find the pastor or someone in charge where we could leave Spanish Bibles, Sunday School literature and gospel tracts. Many times these churches would be locked up with signs posted giving service times. Rarely did the pastor live on the premises, but once in a while a neighbor would give us directions to the pastor’s home. A few times in our years of travel we came across a church that was actually in the midst of a service. It was a special privilege to distribute Bibles directly to these small and friendly congregations.

Very humble church made from cardboard and wooden pallets outside of Ciudad Acuna in Coahuila.

It was always a surprise to these churches when we stopped to visit and share with them. There was no way to contact them, no appointments were made.  The common question was, “How did you find us? How did you know we were here?”  It was clear to all of us that we were guided divinely.

Church along the Gulf side of Mexico.

The matter of denomination wasn’t important to us. If we found a church and they would accept our gift of Bibles, we were glad. We carried mostly New Testaments, but also some full Bibles. Only once that we remember did a church decline our offer because their denomination used a different version of the Bible.

Over the years we drove through almost every state in Mexico with Spanish Bibles. And we distributed approximately 10,000 Bibles and many cartons of Sunday School materials directly to the churches.  We didn’t have a directory of churches or a list that we could use to help us. But we had something much better. We had God’s  Global Positioning System (GPS) to guide us.

You said to me,
“I will point out the road
    that you should follow.
I will be your teacher
    and watch over you.  Psalm 32:8 CEV

WHAT WOULD YOU DO FOR GOD IF YOU KNEW YOU COULDN'T FAIL?

Sign in someone's back yard.

We saw the above sign in someone’s yard one year and it really caught our attention.  We’ve had many opportunities and open doors during our times in Mexico, some of which seemed impossible at the time.  But what if we were guaranteed we couldn’t fail?

One open door was making periodic visits to the drug and alcohol rehab center in Rio Bravo, Mexico. We’d often take large containers of food or Spanish Bibles and gospel tracts.  One evening we showed the Jesus Film to approximately 100 young people.  This was a great opportunity, but at first it was intimidating, especially at night.

One wet and windy day when we delivered powdered milk, pinto beans and canned vegetables to the center, we met a man named Javier who had recently been deported to Mexico from the United States. Javier told us that they had been extremely low on food and supplies, but he know that God would not fail them.  He knew there was a special blessing on the way.

Later Javier told us he had been a member of the Mexican mafia who didn’t want to hear anything about God. His brother had also been in the mafia, but he had come to know Jesus personally and wanted Javier to know Him too. He had called Javier in prison but Javier had cursed him and hung up. Later that very night Javier’s brother was executed by the mafia.

Javier received a letter from his brother that had been written before his death and suddenly it all made sense to him. With a broken heart he prayed, knowing he’d never see his brother again. “Please let me see my brother one more time!” Later while standing in a crowded room he had a vision of an open door and he heard his brother’s voice speaking to him. “I’m so glad!” his brother cried.  And Javier has remained faithful to the Lord.

Later Javier was asked to speak to the children in the nearby elementary school about his experience. He said, “We need to reach the children while they are very young.”

A few years after this, the rehab center was closed permanently because of threats from the mafia. We’re glad we had the opportunity to meet Javier and the others in Rio Bravo when there was still an open door.

"Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest."  Joshua 1:9

IN MEMORY OF RAMON ESTRADA ROMERO

Ramon Estrada Romero

Pastor Gerardo's father - Ramon Estrada Romero - passed away June 29, 2017 in Nayarit, Mexico.  Ramon Romero was a pastor and an evangelist in Mexico and leaves behind his wife and a large family of children and grandchildren.  Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,

Because the Lord has anointed Me

To preach good tidings to the poor;

He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives,

And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,

And the day of vengeance of our God;

To comfort all who mourn,

3 

To console those who mourn in Zion,

To give them beauty for ashes,

The oil of joy for mourning,

The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;

That they may be called trees of righteousness,

The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.

Isaiah 61:1-3  NKJV

CALM IN THE STORM

Pastor Gerardo's car in Nuevo Progreso.

Sunday night it seemed like we lived the sermon Pastor Gerardo had just preached from Mark 4:38 & 39.  The disciples were in a boat with Jesus in a storm. Gerardo kept emphasizing that if Jesus is in the boat with us, there’s no need to fear. He’s always in control.

As soon as we arrived at the church that night in Nuevo Progreso, Miriam, Dana and Gerson came in exhausted from walking. They had run out of gas several blocks from home. Church started a little late and there weren’t many there. But the sermon was very encouraging.

After church and a time of visiting, we took Gerardo to get gas for his car. We went to the car to get his gas can and then went straight to the only gas station in town.  On the way back, it wasn’t until we got near some houses that Gerardo noticed it looked really dark.  The lights were evidently off all over town.   We’d just been to the station and when we had left the church all the lights were still on. Now there was no power in Nuevo Progreso. Then in the darkness of the Jeep we heard Gerardo say “God is good.”  We had gotten the much needed gas moments before the station was blacked out!  And earlier the lights had been on until church had been dismissed! Then we heard him say, “God is in control.”

Pastor Gerardo and family after church on a Sunday night.

Only car headlights and people with flashlights could be seen as we followed Gerardo back to the church. Miriam and the kids were huddled in the doorway waiting for him. Miriam told us they heard the power was out all over the area, including the enormous city of Reynosa 25 miles away.

When we pulled away from the church in the darkness, a huge flash of lightning lit up the sky, but there was no thunder. Gerardo had just preached about a sudden storm described in the 4th chapter of Mark. Driving back to the border through dark streets we wondered if the bridge would be closed because the power was out. It was a relief to see lights inside the toll booth. The officers at the bridge had no idea why lights were out, but they said a big storm was headed our way.

Setting sun in Weslaco. Everything was calm and dry.

When we got to our home in Weslaco, everything was quiet and dry. Any storms in the area had faded away, but the evening news told us what had happened.  Strong winds had hit Laredo, Texas which is about 160 miles west on the border. Power had been cut off in that city and many others, including Reynosa.  Huge trucks were turned over and the international bridge at Laredo was closed due to heavy damage. The news confirmed that electricity was out all along the northern part of the state in Mexico and that included Nuevo Progreso.

The next morning we saw there had been a soft gentle rain during the night. Our area really needed the rain, but we were glad we didn’t have the strong storms.  Electricity was out for almost 24 hours in Nuevo Progreso.

UPDATE TO THE ABOVE:

Three people accepted Jesus as Savior under Pastor Gerardo's ministry during the recent drama and chaos in Nuevo Progreso.

“Jesus was in the back of the boat with his head on a pillow, and he was asleep. His disciples woke him and said, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re about to drown?”  Jesus got up and ordered the wind and the waves to be quiet. The wind stopped, and everything was calm.  Jesus asked his disciples, “Why were you afraid? Don’t you have any faith?”   
Mark 4:38 & 39 CEV

DISCIPLING OTHERS

Jose Luis conducting Sunday evening church service.

 One of the most important parts of Christian work is discipling others.  If we can influence someone else to live for the Lord and follow His way, we will have lasting rewards.

A disciple is one who accepts and assists in spreading the doctrines of another. He’s one who gives full loyalty and support to another. He follows in the footsteps of another and patterns himself after him.  He’s someone who helps to spread the teachings of a famous person, such as the 12 men who were sent out to spread the teachings of Jesus Christ.

José Luis is becoming a disciple in Bethesda Church of God in Nuevo Progreso, Mexico.  Pastor Gerardo is teaching him to become a leader in the church.

Recently in a Sunday evening service, José Luis testified that he feels God calling him and his family into missionary and evangelistic work.  He’s not sure where he will be going; and until he knows for sure, he will remain at the church, learning and assisting wherever he can.  José Luis and his wife and little girls live 15 miles away in Rio Bravo.  He said the long drive to church in Nuevo Progreso is worth the effort because he is learning so much from Pastor Gerardo. Viviana, his wife, is preparing for when God opens a door for them in ministry.  Until that time, she and José Luis both have full time jobs and spend their free time with their families.

Viviana had a Mother's Day poem to share Sunday evening.

José Luis has been given the responsibility of opening each Sunday evening service with prayer. He is in charge of that special time in the service where people in the congregation are encouraged to participate by singing a special song, reading a favorite scripture or testifying to answered prayer.  This is excellent experience for José Luis. And lately he is learning to practice another very important leadership role: praying for people who come to the altar.

We’re proud of José Luis for having the courage to step behind the pulpit and begin exercising his faith. These soft spoken and humble people are being taken out of their comfort zones to answer the call.

“Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” Matthew 7:20

BLUE TREES

The Jacaranda Tree in bloom.

The Jacaranda tree is a flowering tree native to tropical regions of Mexico, Central America, South America, Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica and the Bahamas.  It has recently become common in Africa and Australia. We call it the "blue tree."

The name Jacaranda means fragrant, and parts of the tree are used in dyeing and in medicine. The tree ranges in size from a shrub to 100 feet tall. Producing blue hanging flowers in May, the tree then has oval seed pods containing numerous slender seeds.

It's a delight in May to see the outline of a blue tree along the roads of southern Texas and in Mexico. The blue color is very delicate, a mixture of light blue and purple, and sometimes it only shows up in brilliant sunshine.  At other times when we see a blue tree in the distance, we've wondered if our eyes are deceiving us.  Could that be a blue tree?  Is there such a thing as a blue tree?

Mexico has trees of many colors.  On one of our trips into the interior of Mexico we counted the different colors of large trees.  There were red flowering trees, yellow, white, pink and many other exotic combinations.  In fact, the Poinsetta is a tree native to Mexico.  And it is a very dramatic and beautiful tree.

A Poinsetta tree in Mexico. Photo from file.

We enjoy the variety of trees and plants here on the Mexican border in south Texas. We're learning that what we see may seem unlikely and impossible, but God created a world that is very interesting and diverse. It's an enriching experience.

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."  Genesis 1:1