AMAZINGLY, ANOTHER HEALING!

Another healing took place just a few days ago in Nuevo Progreso! This time it was Miriam who prayed for a woman with a large cyst or growth on her hand. It has grown worse and the doctor wanted to operate. The woman also had some female problems that had taken all her strength. She refused the operation saying she wanted God to heal her hand. Her husband wasn't a Christian and was always drunk and she wanted him to see that God was taking care of her.
Miriam prayed that the growth would dry up and immediately the thing on the woman's hand broke open and drained. At the same time she started getting her strength back.
The woman is very pleased because her husband has witnessed the power of God. Pastor Gerardo and Miriam continue to say that God is visiting them in a special way.

CHILDREN'S TABLES & BENCHES

The Sunday School now has two eight foot long wooden tables and four eight foot benches to accommodate a lot of children. Walter LeGette measured and cut the pieces at our house and he and Lloyd took them to the church in our van. These tables and benches are made to last with heavy braces and supports. This was one of the items on our "wish" list. The benches will also serve adults who come for services; and the plan is to construct more benches in the future.

One screen door was purchased and reinforced with an extra guard at the bottom, but there wasn't time to finish that project. This and some other things remain to be finished.

Many thanks go to Walter LeGette for his week of hard work at the church.

WALTER LEGETTE

Walter LeGette from Bethalto, Illinois spent a week with us fulfilling some of the items on our "wish" list. He accomplished a lot but also experienced the frustrations we encounter such as getting materials across the border. It took several trips to get the lumber to the church without having difficulties with customs. Walter said he also felt frustration with the language barrier and at times he used sign language and even whistling to give directions. Rene, a young man who spends a lot of time with Pastor Gerardo, loved using Walter's tools. At every opportunity Walter let him drill in screws and measure boards. Even with limited communications, there seemed to be an understanding between them. Jorge Lopez, another pastor from Nuevo Progreso, spent one day helping. Together they made quick work constructing two dividers or partitions to give Gerson and Nahum their own room. Dana and Esly now have their own private space too. In the picture Rene is helping Walter put up a partition.

SHOOTING IN NUEVO PROGRESO!

Shots rang out again in Nuevo Progreso last week and when it was over two men were pronounced dead. Both were drug cartel members at war with each other. The Mexican news stations mentioned the event briefly but it was heard no where else. The only evidence of violence was the renewed presence of the Mexican military on the street that day. Tourists were unaware of the activity and even the border patrol agent on duty at the bridge was surprised to hear the news when we came back across the border.
On March 6 a woman police officer was shot and killed in Piedras Negras, a border town across from Eagle Pass, Texas. There is still a battle being fought on the streets in Mexico!

SPIRITUAL BATTLES

We've had lots of rain, but not a flooding event. Even so, when we got to the church in Nuevo Progreso we could see foamy liquid by the building and small ponds forming. Someone had once again opened the valve on the lagoon to our north and allowed blackwater to flow into our neighborhood. People living nearby are extremely angry and ready to fight. Managers of the lagoon were forbidden to ever again open the valve and flood the space between the fields. A neighborhood leader closed the valve and then he went to the local officials with a warning. "One more time the unhealthy blackwater is purposely poured out around people's homes and we will go directly to Ciudad Victoria, the state capital!"
This warning was severe and officials were upset at COMAPA, the environmental protection agency, investigating the problem. The people surrounding our church vowed to keep a watch on the water valve to make sure it stays closed. This battle has been going on for many years and it's time for it to end. The people are tired of being ignored and taken advantage of. This battle has always been a spiritual one against the building of the church.

CHURCH NEWS

The women of the church in Nuevo Progreso meet each Saturday to teach the children to crochet and weave. The kids all love this activity; and thanks to people who have donated balls of yarn, they can all participate.

A fund raising program is beginning and members have been asked to each bring a concrete block to build an outdoor grill. With everyone sharing expenses, they plan to grill chicken and pork and deliver plates of food to various places in town. They'll serve meat, potatoes, rice and tortillas and the money will be used for needs of the church. Three of the church leaders along with Pastor Gerardo plan to go to the bank and open an account specifically for the church. This will give the people more confidence in the affairs of the church.

Every day some of the women spend time at the church planting seeds and small fruit trees. The women in the picture brought their buckets to water seedlings. They want to beautify the place and provide a harvest for everyone. Lloyd promised to bring a variety of seeds and some fruit trees we started in buckets.

Pastor Gerardo says, "When the people work for the church, they feel more like it belongs to them."

QUINCEANERA

Nancy is now fifteen years old! She celebrated her Quinceanera last Saturday, her fifteenth birthday or her debut. A quinceanera is very important to Spanish girls. Sometimes the girls wear lavish gowns and have dances and live music. Nancy wanted just a few friends to her house for dinner with no extra frills. Nancy was four years old when we first met her and her parents near the church in Nuevo Progreso. Nancy's sister Nayeli created a beautiful hairdo for her with crisp glossy curls that reached almost to her waist.