FOOD TO SHARE

Our country has had some disasters this year and there are lots of people who need things like food, blankets and medicine.  In Mexico there are people who live in extreme poverty all of the time. There are many who find it necessary to beg for their next meal. To them a pound of pinto beans can be a treasure and they will stand in line gladly to receive other staple food items for their families.

Way of the Cross warehouse.

Every winter we collect supplies of beans and rice to distribute in the poorest areas of Nuevo Progreso. There are several colonias (neighborhoods) where people live in very humble one room houses that have been built for them by missionaries.  There are other dwellings that are barely more than shacks with dirt floors. Some have no running water or indoor plumbing. Their only way to heat their homes is with open fires and the only way to cool them is to open a door or a window.

Yesterday we made our first monthly visit to the Way of the Cross warehouse in Harlingen, Texas where they give out food for distribution in Mexico and in Spanish colonias on this side of the border. We left the warehouse with our Jeep loaded with bottled water, baby food, corn meal, and dried fruit. Now the job will be to open and package these items for individual families. 

It's a heavy job lifting large cases of food and water.

They gave us five cases of Vita-Meal rice and lentil mix, which is a product from Feed the Children. The mix is fortified with vitamins and minerals designed to be as nutritious as possible. It’s a “stand alone” food item that will sustain children even if they have nothing else to eat.

Next month we’ll make the 25 mile trip to Harlingen, Texas again to replenish our food supplies. Food distribution is an important part of our ministry. It’s difficult to talk to people about the Lord when they are hungry.

“But don’t forget to help others and to share your possessions with them. This too is like offering a sacrifice that pleases God.”  Hebrews 13:16 CEV

AFTERGLOW

The sun set as the church service ended in Nuevo Progreso.

We’re a church without a pastor, but not for long. Somewhere there is someone the Lord has to lead the church forward in Nuevo Progreso. Meanwhile, the Church of God makes sure there is an interim pastor behind the pulpit each Sunday evening. This week we welcomed Pastor Oliver from Rio Bravo and he brought his two little girls - Dulce and Estefania. Pastor Oliver spoke about the importance of having the Holy Spirit within us to give us boldness to speak God’s word.

After the service, we all gathered around to visit and fellowship. Fellowship binds us together and is a very important part of any church. It helps make us a family.

The rich smell of coffee drifted into the auditorium. Azucena and Catalina helped bring out the large coffee urn, sugar and cream and all the other necessary items. Alejandro brought in a huge container of atole, a mixture that tasted like thickened strawberry milk, and a tray of cookies. In this relaxed atmosphere, we talked about plans for the future.

Brother Oliver is standing at the far right with his daughter Dulce. Lloyd is talking with Sister Catalina and her brother.

Soon we had established a workday for Wednesday. Several of us planned to meet and begin cleaning out the rooms in the parsonage making it ready for the future. We planned a huge bonfire to do away with anything that couldn’t be used. Enthusiasm was high and volunteers were eager to be more involved.

Azucena and Catalina set out the coffee service.

Even a small stray puppy had a good time during the afterglow. The tiny little black and brown dog slipped in unnoticed during the service and went to sleep under a bench. A small white dog called Pela is in residence at the building. We call him the guardian of the church because he seems to stand watch at the front gate. Lloyd took a large container of dog kibble for him and a dish that’s all his own. It feels good to know that a dog is always present at the building during the week when there are no activities there.

Estafania made friends with the puppy.

It was good to see the children happily coloring in their books while we talked and drank our coffee and atole. Soon they too were standing at the serving table wanting their cups of atole and their cookies. 

Children active at their favorite pastime.

There certainly was a glow at the church, a real glow!  The sun began to set just as the service was dismissed and Brother Oliver pronounced the benediction over us. Rays of the setting sun came through the windows forming large bright patterns on the walls behind the pulpit. It was a perfect illustration of what we call an afterglow, that time of fellowship after spending time with God!

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!  Psalm 133:1

CHURCH NEWS FROM MEXICO

Our arrival in south Texas on the Mexican border November 13, 2017.

Every year we go back to Illinois for the summer to rest and regroup, leaving the church in Nuevo Progreso in good hands. Late this summer our Pastor Gerardo Estrada sent us word that he was resigning from the church and was returning to his former home in Nayarit, Mexico.  Gerardo’s father, a pastor in Mexico, passed away in June. Gerardo had been asked to take his father’s place in that church. We will greatly miss Pastor Gerardo, his wife Miriam and their four children: Gerson, Nahum, Dana and Esly. They pastored the church in Nuevo Progreso almost 10 years and they had worked hard. They were multi-talented, spirit filled and well educated people. We pray they will succeed in their new assignment.

Pastor Feernando Colorado with his 2 children.

Pastor Gerardo placed the church in the hands of the northeast district of the Church of God, Superintendent Fernando Colorado who pastors a church in Reynosa.  And every Sunday evening since that time, Pastor Colorado and a small crew of volunteers have arrived at the church to maintain the grounds and conduct a church service.

Several families remained faithful to the church, although some drifted away. We had no idea what we would find when we first went across the border to the church.

It was chilly and windy when we drove over the rough unpaved roads through Colonia Jardin (the Garden) to the eastern side of town.  This is one of the poorest areas of Nuevo Progreso. The last row of little dwellings before reaching the farmer’s plowed fields led us to the place where the Lord had directed us to build a church.  When we drove over the hill we immediately saw men with machetes hacking away at weeds on the south side of the building. There was lush green grass in the front and east side and the building didn’t look abandoned.

Lush green grass surrounded the building. Everything looked well maintained.

Pastor Fernando greeted us and explained that friends from the church in Reynosa came an hour or so early each Sunday to do things around the building. Everything looked well kept and inviting. Soon Sister Catalina arrived and after lots of hugs and enthusiastic greetings, she and her son Nicholas and his wife brought out their brooms and buckets of water to sweep and wash down the pews that had accumulated a lot of dust during the week. There was sugar cane “snow” on the floor. When nearby sugar cane fields are burned off, black ash drifts through the air to fall like black snow to decorate everything.  The men and women made quick work of the place, readying it for church.

Pastor Fernando led us in some worship songs and then preached a short sermon. He then asked everyone to bring at least one other person next Sunday. One volunteer from Reynosa works in a bakery. He brought along a small bag of freshly baked rolls and pan dulce (sweet bread) that we all shared before leaving the church. Lloyd and I promised that next Sunday there would be coffee to go along with his promise of more cinnamon flavored rolls.

The church in Nuevo Progreso, Bethesda Tabernacle, remains firm and stable even without a pastor. Until a pastor is appointed for this mission outreach, we are confident that the work will continue with God’s blessings. It was evident that the people were taking over responsibility for their church. This is the goal for our mission, that one day we can leave the work in their hands.

Catalina cleaned the furniture before church began.

Another lady swept Texas black "snow" from the floor.

“Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.”  Psalm 2:12