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

AMIGOS

Marcelino, Jaime and Nagro.

Smoke was coming from the back of the church when we drove up Friday. Then we saw men back there moving around. We were surprised to see Marcelino and two others chopping, raking and burning piles of weeds and brush on the north side of the church.

We had agreed to meet Marcelino there at noon, but evidently he had been there awhile and was already hard at work. And he brought helpers. He had brought his stepson Jaime and another young man from the neighborhood.  This was beyond what we expected and it was a pleasant surprise.

Lloyd had asked Marcelino to help find and repair the water line coming into the church. After several years, the faucet had been taken out and the exact location lost. Water was leaking badly at the base of the wall. Since Marcelino helped install the original pipes, he would be the best person to help make these repairs. Meanwhile the back yard was beginning to look much better, cleaner and less overgrown with thorny mesquite trees.

It was good to see Jaime, who had spent the last two years in a United States prison. We never knew exactly why he was incarcerated, but assumed it was because he had illegally crossed the Rio Grande River and got into trouble. He is now 21 years old and much taller than when we last saw him. Jaime worked energetically, obviously glad to be there. He had missed his family.

Marcelino dug in the mud and easily found the water line. Lloyd had brought pipe and fittings and between the two of them, they soon had the leak fixed. Meanwhile Jaime and his friend Nagro kept chopping and cleaning and burning. The property is large and gets quickly covered in deep vegetation. Besides being unsightly, it invites snakes and other varmints to come up close and personal! Once Pastor Gerardo encountered a hissing snake inside their bathroom!

New faucets were installed and repairs made in less than an hour.

Roman also came to visit us Friday. When he found out we were replacing fixtures and doing repairs, he volunteered quickly. We had all the necessary parts and tools, so within an hour he had fixed things in the bathroom. It was refreshing to hear him say he loved to do these things for the Lord. Since he made it clear he didn’t want to be paid for his work, we loaded him down with lots of food for his family. Roman has a wife and three small children to take care of. His newest child is only two weeks old. 

Roman gets around the neighborhood on his bike, and because roads are so rough, this is probably the best and fastest mode of travel. He loaded all the cereal, powdered milk, baby food, cornmeal and rice into a huge trash bag and tied it to his handlebars. He made quite a picture going up the lane with his treasures.

Roman on his bike with a bag of food.

We feel grateful and honored to have the help of these capable young men in Mexico. They are our amigos, friends and even feel like family. They are ones who help us carry the load of maintaining the building and the grounds. And everything we’re doing right now will prepare the church and the parsonage for new pastors who will be here soon. 

“I love the temple where you live and where your glory shines.” Psalm 26:8 CEV

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS PARTY!

Pretty little girl who lives close to the church.

Laughing, playing, eating, opening treats, what else could we want for Christmas! It was wild at first, the auditorium was filled with overactive and excited boys and girls from all around the church in Nuevo Progreso. We were having a party!

Our visiting pastor, Brother Oliver, easily brought order to the scrambling bunch and soon had them sitting quietly while he slowly told the old story of the meaning of Christmas. He first asked their names one by one and later questioned them about the story. Many were very familiar with the facts, of Mary and Joseph and their trip to Bethlehem. Even though they were too excited to sit still, they quickly absorbed the meaning and the truth of the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ on that very first Christmas day.

Azucena and Dulce served the food.

A table was set up outside the kitchen door where Azucena and her daughter Dulce could get ready to serve the food. Smallest ones first and in an orderly line, they were each served their favorite food - hot dogs, macaroni and cheese, cookies and coolaid! Most of them needed help carrying so much, but before long most of them had found a place to sit. We could see several come back for seconds, so it was a good thing we had more than enough for everyone.

Brother Oliver helped with the hot dogs.

“What would you like on your hot dog?” each one was asked. And many times the answer was, “mayonaise!” In the United States we prefer mustard and sometimes ketchup on our hot dogs, but Mexican children like mayonnaise. Thankfully we had mayonnaise in the kitchen. Even Brother Oliver pitched in and helped serve the crowd of hungry children.

Gifts were given to everyone.

When things settled down again somewhat, we lined everyone up in two lines, boys in one and girls in another, smallest ones first. There were treat bags for everyone containing stuffed animals, trinkets, candy, little cars and trucks, little dolls for the girls and other goodies.  That was an especially fun time, watching their faces as most of them couldn’t resist opening their bag on the spot.

Jesus is the oldest of 10 children in one family near the church.

There were some very pleased children playing together after so much excitement and fun. One family nearest the church has 10 children. Jesus, the oldest, wanted to stay cool, but he definitely enjoyed the activities and the atmosphere that was created at the church. Families like this one are the reason for the church being there on the eastern edge of Nuevo Progreso.

Almost too much excitement for this one.

What did you get for Christmas?

Before the party Lloyd and I stopped at Apolinar’s house and picked up Esteban, Javier and Cynthia. These three little ones came running out of the house crying, “Abuelo! Abuela!” (Grandpa, Grandma!) They readily climbed into our Jeep and were our guests at the Christmas party. We aren’t strangers to them and we are honored to be considered part of their family.

Esteban holding Cynthia before the party. Cynthia is 4 years old.

We drove home across an almost deserted international bridge knowing the party had been a success. For ages the story has been told of the birth of Jesus and there have been countless celebrations of that event all over the world. And now we have told that story once again to a whole new generation.

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9

A DOG'S TALE

Lloyd made a bed for Pelon and gave him a toy.

This is about a small white dog that is holding fast to the only home he’s ever known, Bethesda Church of God in Nuevo Progreso, Mexico.  There’s an important lesson in this, one we should all learn. The Lord teaches us great things through the humble animals.

Pelon (Baldy) had to be left behind when Pastor Gerardo and Miriam moved away. They lovingly found a new home for Pelon with friends of the church in a neighborhood not far away. But before long Pelon escaped his new home and quickly made his way back to the church. It was his place of refuge and safety.

Pelon didn’t know if anyone would ever return to the empty church. He didn’t know if he would be fed or loved again. Regardless of all this, he refused to leave the church. He was faithful and committed without knowing he would ever receive anything in return.

When we arrived at the church in November, Pelon greeted us like an old friend. Since we had always carried dog food and fed him in the past, he got all excited. Pelon was able to jump into the church through a window opening and had been sleeping inside on a cushion.  Lloyd fixed him a bed in a sheltered corner, gave him an old blanket and pillow along with a stuffed teddy bear. He curled up immediately after eating and went to sleep.

Since Pelon greets us every time we go to the church, we’re calling him the Guardian of the Church.  He’s a presence around the building and he gives the illusion of someone living there. In fact, we’re beginning to see him as a symbol of God’s protection there. He may not look aggressive and mean curled up with his teddy bear, but who knows what impression he gives to strangers who trespass.

This is a great picture of being faithful even when it seems useless.  Pelon waited at the church for someone to return and he did not give up. Even if he didn’t seem to benefit from waiting, he could not be enticed to leave. Pelon’s commitment to the church is wholehearted. Can we say the same ourselves? Do we wait, still expecting the Lord’s return even when years go by and things remain the same? Or do we wait, saying that if we do not receive what we want, we’ll go somewhere else. Is the church our refuge? Could you be called a guardian of the church?

Pelon doesn't look threatening with his toy.

But this is the way we see Pelon guarding the church!

For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. Psalm 91:11