DINNER ON THE GROUNDS

Roman roasting chicken at the church.

Roman Robles is a happy young man, doing what he loves to do. He’s barbecuing chicken for all of us at the church in Nuevo Progreso. 

Once a month this small group of people likes to have a dinner to celebrate all the birthdays occurring in that month. And it’s a great way to get better acquainted with each other.  Also, new people were invited to the dinner this time, there were two new couples attending and several of their children.

The weather was cool but nice, so several people sat outside watching the sun go down. Children played while their parents visited. Every family of the church was represented, there was a great turnout for this celebration.

Some people sat outside in the sunshine waiting for the chicken to be finished.

Maria and Fredrico, Florencio’s relatives, came to the church for the first time. Before dinner we heard a sermon from the book of Acts about believing the promises of God when we pray. Maria and Fredrico have a desperate need right now that we all prayed about with them. 

Brenda, who attended the church several years ago, came to church with her new husband Reymundo. They promised to return again next Sunday. 

It was good for the church to reach out to these new families who have huge needs in their lives. We need to continue to reach out into the community and bring in the lost.

"For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."  Luke 19:10

PABLO

Pablo

Pablo often joins us at the church when we’re there to work and clean the parsonage. Some days he’s the only one who shows up to help.

Pablo is ten years old and he lives up the road from the church. He’s a hard worker, saying he loves to work in God’s house. He first came to us one day to ask if there was work for him to do. Since that time, he comes when he sees the Jeep pass his house. And he always says he works only for God and not for money.  That is amazing because he hasn't yet been to church.

Today Pablo arrived seconds after we did, wanting to help us carry in things we’d brought with us. Then he burned the trash and helped Lloyd unload lumber from the top of the Jeep. Always quick to obey, Pablo did some other tasks, allowing us to address more important things. He’s a great helper!

When it was time for coffee and sandwiches, Pablo ate with us. He speaks only rapid Spanish, but we find it easy to communicate with him. He likes our American sandwiches and also likes hot coffee with lots of cream and sugar.

When it was time to leave, we rewarded Pablo with some boxes of cereal and a colorful blanket. He happily ran home with his treasures only to return in a few minutes to help some more. His last request was for us to give him a ride in the Jeep back to his house. I took the opportunity to go in and meet Pablo’s mother and invite her to church on Sunday. While there, I admired her little garden that was full of neat rows of cilantro.  Later in the Spring we’ll see that she has lots of garden seeds for a bigger garden.

Pablo is a faithful helper at the church and we appreciate him. Meanwhile, we will continue to encourage him to learn more about the God we serve.

"Whether therefore we eat, or drink, or whatsoever we do, do all to the glory of God." 
1 Corinthians 10:31

LITTLE LUPITA

Lupita

Lupita is a happy little woman who walks the streets of Nuevo Progreso in search of food. She lives at least a mile east in a little settlement called El Rosario, which is near the Rio Grande River.  Amazingly, she walks from El Rosario to Nuevo Progreso every day!

Lupita doesn't know her age or where she is from originally. She lives in a small leanto near a family that watches over her the best they can. She's always smiling, mumbling or singing as she searches trash cans for whatever she can find.

More than once we've taken Lupita back to El Rosario in our Jeep when we've seen her trudging along the old dirt road. And always when we see her we give her all the food she can carry.

Yesterday we saw Lupita on a side street in Nuevo Progreso. She had on the same clothes she had on last year and carried the same old worn canvas bag that probably contains all her belongings. It's not certain that she understands us when we greet her, but she gratefully accepts our gifts, stuffing them into her bag to carry home later. She mumbles "gracias, gracias." and then she shuffles off on her mission.

Lupita's life is a simple one - making her daily trek to a place full of tourists and a lot of activity. Then she returns to her shelter at night where she is all alone. But she's a tough one and doesn't seem to resent her lot in life. She seems content.

We pray for little Lupita, for the Lord's protection on her and for the strength she needs to continue her daily walks to and from El Rosario.


"Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth." Psalm 71:9 KJV

INDISPENSABLE

Interim Pastor Oliver from Rio Bravo.

Indispensable, essential, required, of great importance, absolutely necessary. That’s what each person is in the church, the Body of Christ.  Pastor Oliver spoke to us from 1 Corinthians Chapter 12 at a special New Year’s Eve service at the church in Nuevo Progreso.  That each person is indispensable is especially true now while the church is in transition.

Some of the group ready to eat.

The women of the church surprised us later when they brought in steaming kettles of traditional tamales, hand made and fresh.

Catalina with grandson Alan.

Every family was represented at the special service, including baby Alan and several other children.

Roman with his two children.

It was very encouraging to see everyone working together as a family in the church New Year’s Eve. It gives us renewed hope for the future. The church building itself sits on a solid, strong and deep foundation. And we know that the people in the church now form an equally strong spiritual foundation we can continue to build on.

“For the body is not one member, but many.” 1 Corinthians 12:14 AKJV