AN ANOMALY?

Pastor Gerardo's 1996 Ford Explorer.  It has been dependable for many years.

The dictionary says an anomaly is something that deviates from what is standard, normal, or expected.  It's an oddity, a  peculiarity, an abnormality or an irregularity.  It's something strange or unusual.  The dictionary says a miracle is an event that is not explainable by natural or scientific laws.  Here is what happened to Pastor Gerardo and his family near the beginning of the new year.  Needless to say, they were shocked and amazed but very grateful!

After having driven their car as usual for several days, taking their children to school, visiting the sick and taking care of all the other things on their busy schedule, they knew it was past time to stop for gas.  The gas gauge in the car no longer functions, but they knew that many days had passed since they had last put gas in the tank.  The question was whether or not they would make it to the only station in town without running out of gas.

Relieved to reach the station in time, their oldest son Gerson jumped out of the car to take charge of filling the tank.  He came back to the open window with a puzzled look on his face, telling them there was something wrong.  The pump would not work.

After a few minutes of standing there trying to figure out what could be wrong, they took a flashlight and looked down into the tank.  It was already full!

IN MEMORY OF JOSÉ PILAR, Husband of Gabriele

José Pilar at church last May in Nuevo Progreso.

José Pilar passed away January 15, 2015, less than thirty days after the loss of his wife Gabriele.  Residents of Rio Bravo, they had been married over fifty years.

Pastor Gerardo spent time talking with José and Gabriele after church.

Before Gabriele passed away, José accepted Jesus Christ into his heart and repented of his sins.  Even though they lost both of their parents, the family is rejoicing because they know they are together forever in Heaven.

José and Gabriele's family are members of the church in Nuevo Progreso.  They are in need of our prayers during this very difficult time.

"I give you peace that only I can give."   John 14:27 

FRANCISCO AND ANNA

Francisco and Anna and their children at the Christmas Party.

We met Francisco, Anna and their four children at our annual childrens' Christmas Celebration in Nuevo Progreso.  They enthusiastically invited us to join them for a combined Christmas and birthday celebration at their home on Christmas day.  Directions were given to their house and we promised to join them for their small fiesta.

Francisco and Anna at their house on Christmas day.

Christas day was cold and blustery, but the weather didn't stop the family plans for barbecued chicken.  When we arrived and greeted Francisco and Anna and several children who decided to join their family, we were given chairs up close to the house.  We were somewhat sheltered from the strong gusty wind that threatened to extinguish the all important fire being prepared to roast the chicken.  Francisco and Anna scurried around making their preparations while we visited a little with the children.  There were many trips made to the little corner store, not much more than a booth on the street, and we could see that the family had some concerns about the still uncooked chicken.  Their barbecue grill consisted of an old tire rim fitted with a circular wire top which looked suspiciously like the front of an old electric fan.  But it would have been perfect for their needs except that any heat from the fire was blown away.

The family in front of their little Christmas tree on the side of their house.

We left them with the promise to return in a couple of hours, giving them time to complete their preparations without the added stress of people watching them.  And when we returned, they proudly served us beautifully cooked and seasoned chicken along with perfectly cooked rice.  It was an extremely good meal.

Their youngest little boy proudly quoted a scripture for us.  They are proud of him.

The children love to go to school, but an education in Mexico is a challenge because of expenses.  The children are required to wear uniforms and are charged a fee for each semester.  Additionally, each child must pay for his or her drinking water.  For a family such as this one, it's a major challenge to keep all their children in school.  We were shown their oldest son's report card which had excellent grades on it.  Their youngest son proudly gave us a demonstration of his knowledge of the Bible - quoting one of his favorite scriptures.

Francisco and Anna made it clear that the main reason for inviting us to join them was to get to know us better and to share with us.  Francisco who works in the fields has no work until spring.  They live in a borrowed home since they lost their home in a fire.  They cannot receive help from the government because all their identification papers were lost in that fire.  But they asked nothing from us but to visit them often and be their friends.

We were humbled and blessed by this special family in Nuevo Progreso.  And when we go to visit them again, we'll take food, warm sweaters and blankets that we know they need.

Don't forget to mention Francisco and Anna in your prayers.  This is a happy little family who all seem to love the Lord.  Their main goal seems to be to raise their children with a good education and a knowledge of the Bible.

GIFTS TO HELP HILDA

Hilda had a big smile on her face while checking out the gifts sent to her for her business of selling food.

Hilda received some very thoughtful gifts from new friends in Minnesota to help her in her little business of selling food to the truck traffic.  Dennis and Cheryl Conlow were moved by the story about how she works so hard to support her little family.  The Conlow family sent her a large gift of coffee, a thermos, nice coffee cups with lids, a colorful apron and some bright kitchen towels.  Best of all, they sent her a little note of encouragement with the promise to pray for her.

Hilda hugged the encouraging note from the Conlow family.  It was written in Spanish and in English.

Hilda cooks half of the night and at 6:00 am rides her three wheeled bicycle cart loaded with food including hot coffee and fragrant creamed oatmeal out to where sometimes hundreds of huge trucks are lined up along the gravel road.  The trucks are suspended, waiting to be inspected before they can enter the states; and they have such a long wait that the imprisoned drivers make a good clientele for food deliveries.  There are many people who take advantage of these "captive customers."  Depending on the time of year, trucks filled with fresh produce from the fields can stretch out the entire length of the truck road that circles the east side of Nuevo Progreso.  And that means many impatient, hungry and thirsty drivers.  Hilda uses her skills as a good cook to take advantage of this ready made opportunity.

Hilda displays some of the nice things she received, including sturdy to-go cups with lids.

There still has been no word about her missing son.  Hilda is faithful to attend church services and stays encouraged among her friends.  And it really helped her to know that people from the far away state of Minnesota care and are praying for her.  Hilda sends her thanks to all of you for your prayers!

"Therefore comfort each other and edify one another." 1 Thessalonians 5:11 NKJV

WORDS FOR THE NEW YEAR

Pastor Gerardo Estrada and his family,
From left to right - Gerson, Nahum, Esly, Dana and Miriam Estrada.

"Go inside and lock the doors my people.  Hide there for a little while until the Lord is no longer angry."  Isaiah 26:20

"The Lord has put us in a secure place, under His protection.  We must have courage to face the days ahead.  2015, experts say, will be a difficult year.  There's a new open door before us.

Do we want to enter 2015 with the same problems and sins we had in 2014?  Or do we want change?

What is significant about a door?  What about when a door is locked?  What do we need?  KEYS!  Many people will try to unlock the door to the new year with the wrong keys.  Many superstitions are involved, such as watching out for black cats.  These are wrong ideas and wrong keys.  Only the Word of God can provide the right key to open the door.  Jesus is the door.  He will bring us peace, harmony, joy and emotional healing.

How good is your character?  This is very important because God has His eye on us.  How do we act in a crisis?  Do we glorify God?  Every day we need to lift up God.  He is molding us through pain so we will produce the right fruit.  We must produce the fruit of the spirit and not of the flesh, false things that are mentioned in Galatians 5:19.  People who worship idols, do witchcraft, are jealous, angry, selfish, troublesome, drunken and those other things mentioned will not share in the blessings of God's kingdom.

We must seek after the fruit of the spirit mentioned in Galatians chapter 5.  We should be loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, gentle and self controlled.

This new door is significant and filled with opportunities.  Let's pray together that we will enter this new year and face these new opportunities with courage.'

Pastor Gerardo Estrada
From a sermon preached December 30, 2014
in Nuevo Progreso, Mexico
Translated from Spanish