VERONICA

As we drove near the bus station in Nuevo Progreso, we saw a little group of people sitting on the curb.  There were two older women wrapped in blankets despite the heat; along with two young women and three babies. Lloyd pulled over to the curb and I got out to ask them where they lived. Immediately one of the older women held out her hands and asked for food. We handed them bags of food while I asked one of the young women whose name was Veronica where they live.  She replied that they have no home. "Where do you go at night?" I asked, and she said, "here and there, wherever we can find shelter." She then told us they are from the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca. They left Oaxaca because of severe flooding and the very poor economy.

It hurt us to think of this whole family on the move during the day without a place of shelter. They have no place to cook their food, no beds and no roof over their heads.  Veronica said her man sells hand woven bags in the market area, but most of the tourists are gone and he doesn't sell many.  Meanwhile they walk up and down the side street and the little money they have is spent on food that doesn't require cooking.

We urged Veronica to talk with Pastor Gerardo and Miriam about their problem. Immediately she said they had talked with three pastors already who weren't interested in helping them.  There's a possibility our church could help them in some way. Mainly now they need prayer and encouragement, they need to hear about Jesus and the story of salvation. They need hope. The women were happy to receive the scripture booklets we gave them along with our promise to pray for their needs. Please remember Veronica and her family and the many others who are homeless and hungry in Mexico.

This is Nachita, another street person from Nuevo Progreso.  She walks the streets every day begging for food.  Her home is a long distance from town, so she loves for us to take her back to her house in our Jeep.