LORD WE LIFT YOUR NAME ON HIGH!

It was a cool clear night crowned by a beautiful sunset on La Noche Buena, The Good Night.

The air was cool and the sky was clear and bright with stars. Here and there we heard the popping of firecrackers as people celebrated La Noche Buena, The Good Night. The smells of bonfires, charcoal and roasting meat drifted through the air along with the sounds of music from almost every house. It was Christmas Eve and a time of worshipping together at the church in Nuevo Progreso.

After we sang several worship songs, Apolinar once again gave his testimony of how he was healed and brought back to life after three weeks in a coma. Looking calm and confident, he walked to the platform with his two year old son trailing after him. The burn scars from his near electrocution were not visible because of his heavy jacket. It was a great moment for this man whose life was completely changed. He later said having his sons Javier and Esteban and his stepson Julio with him at church was his reward.  

Apolinar gave his testimony again how he has recovered from his near fatal accident.  His little boy Javier sat next to him on the altar.

After the lengthy service, some were still singing and playing their guitars while the women brought out heavy kettles of hot soup, crispy tostados, shredded cabbage and slices of fragrant key limes. Cups of Coke and Pepsi are always welcome and make good companions to Mexican food. Even the smallest children sat at attention while being served the steaming bowls of posole. We continued to worship the Lord through fellowship and the sharing of a meal.

These three amigos weren't ready to quit singing at the end of the service.



At the end of the festivities all the children lined up to receive very nice gifts courtesy of a church in Mercedes, Texas. For many of the children in Nuevo Progreso these are the only Christmas presents they will receive.

Even the children sat at attention before steaming bowls of posole.

"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."  Luke 2:13 & 14.




This beautiful little girl received a nice Christmas gift.

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS, LITTLE GIRLS!

Eva and her three little girls.

Ivone, Samanta and Alexandra were delighted to receive huge bright and colorful Christmas bags of gifts from the Hopkins family in Iowa! These little girls and their mother Eva and father Joel live next to the church in Nuevo Progreso. It was a delight for us to deliver these big gifts to such special little girls.

Eva and Joel have both been ill and while Joel is improving a little, Eva still suffers a lot from pain and discomfort. The family really needs prayer.

Receiving these nice Christmas gifts brightened their day. It's a blessing for them to know that people care about them and are praying, even as far away as Iowa!

"For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding."
Colossians 1:9

PRESENTED TO THE LORD

Flor is six months old.

Three little girls were "presented to the Lord," in Nuevo Progreso Sunday December 16, 2013. Mary took her Baby Jesus to the temple when he was only eight days old. The Book of Luke says that Joseph and Mary "brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord."

Jaqueline is 3 months old.

Several members of the three families were there as witnesses and they proudly signed Certificates of Presentation for the occasion. Pastor Gerardo officiated at the ceremony which consisted of songs and prayers for each little girl. He spoke to the parents and extended families about the children being a gift from God, and he emphasized their responsibility in seeing that these children walk in the ways of the Lord. It was a solemn and special time and one that was taken very seriously by everyone. These little ones may not remember this occasion, but their families vowed together never to forget that Flor, Jaqueline and Gloria were given back to the Lord.

Gloria is 6 years old.

Luke 2:22 "And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord."

Pastor Gerardo prayed over each little girl and gave the family a Certificate of Dedication.

Miriam, Pastor Gerardo's wife, assisted at the presentation ceremony.

CHILDREN OF THE KINGDOM

Javier enjoys a cup of coffee heavily laced with milk and sugar.

Javier and Esteban are Apolinar's little boys. They have three brothers and two step-sisters. We enjoy visiting these special children. It's fun to see them run to meet us when we drive up in the Jeep.

Javier who is between two and three years old is very small in stature for his age. Always happy, he loves to play outside even when it's cold. On the day this picture was taken, Javier had on numerous layers of clothing including a hood to cover his neck and ears.

Esteban started to kindergarten this year and loves to play soccer. Apolinar explained to us that Mexico likes to use good sportsmen as examples and they encourage champions. Esteban was recently proclaimed soccer champion of the kindergarten and was privileged to receive a large trophy for winning against other schools in Nuevo Progreso. The picture shows Esteban proudly holding his reward. The trophy now stands in the school classroom where he attends.

Apolinar and Carla are proud of all their children, but these two little ones are special to Apolinar. After Apolinar's serious accident and near death over a year ago, he feels that God allowed him to return to his life in order to take care of them. Once again able to work and support his family, Apolinar said he comes home for lunch every day so he can spend time playing with Javier and Esteban.

"Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18:3  

Esteban holds a picture of himself with the big school trophy he won playing soccer.

OPEN DOORS CAN CHANGE LIVES!

We met Sadie walking alone on the road to El Rosario.

She was walking along the road in the middle of nowhere, carrying an old pink backpack. We first saw her on the edge of Nuevo Progreso when we drove east toward the new settlement of San Francisco. Later on our return we saw her again, this time she had lost one shoe wading through a patch of slimy, gripping mud. She was working the stubborn shoe loose from at least six inches of the brown stuff, grinning and babbling all the while. Had she walked all that distance from town? Did she have a need so great that she had to make such a long trip on foot? What was her story.

Lloyd stopped the Jeep and asked her where she lived. We could make out the words El Rosario, which is a small place past San Francisco. That was still quite a distance for her to travel on foot. It could have been another two miles to where she said she lived. "Should we take her home?" he asked.

In the past we've made many new friends by offering them rides home. In this way we can see where they live and what help they might need. It's another open door. And we've learned that open doors can change lives, and of course prayer is the key. I asked the happy little woman for her name and found she was hard of hearing. Finally she mumbled something unintelligible. Then I asked if she would write her name in my notebook. But the road was so rough that the name she wrote was not clear. It looked like Sadie, so that's who she'll be to us.

It was difficult to find where she lived, she enjoyed riding in the Jeep so much that she missed her turn into El Rosario. Backtracking, she finally saw something familiar and we pulled over and helped her out of the Jeep. We gave her some small blankets, some beans and something to drink and told her we'd bring her some good shoes for walking. Still mumbling and grinning, she made her way down the lane.

Friendly young men cutting firewood along the road told us that no matter what the weather, the old woman made that same long trek to Nuevo Progreso and back every day!

"Behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it." Revelation 3:8