Ministering Across the Border - 3 houses, 100s of lives…

Thanks so much for your prayers & support.  We had a great trip.  We built 3 houses as planned & got back about midnight last night.  We all got down to Laredo Sunday night.  Jerry & Tammie Jones left after Sunday School.  The rest of us, Charlie, Val Rowe, Keith Burgi, Kathy Sibley, Jeff Ostwinkle and his sons, Brandon & Kyle left from Charlie’s house at 12:30 pm.  We arrived in Laredo at 7:30 pm and checked in at the Red Roof Inn.  Greg Koinm (a member of our church that went with us in October, but recently moved to Galveston) met us in Laredo.

DAY 1:  We crossed the border about 7:30 am and went to the first job sight.  We finished the first house (#223) about 3:30 pm and drove back.  It took us 1 hour & 45 minutes to cross the bridge back into the US.

DAY 2:  Jerry, Tammie, Kathy, Val & I met Martha (Sam Webb’s former employee that bought his Pro Cuts) at her shop at 7:30 am and drove over.  I rode with Jerry & Tammie.  Kathy & Val rode with Martha.  Our vehicle was stopped at the border.  Jerry showed the guard our letter from the church Ed had prepared.  The guard read the letter, walked to the back, opened the back door, looked in a few boxes, and let us go.  The boxes were filled with items donated by people in the church to be taken to the orphanage.

We went to Sorianos (like a Wal Mart) and purchased food, cleaning items, detergent, formula, etc. for the orphanage.  We went to the special needs school first and dropped off books, supplies, copying paper, cooking oil and toilet paper.  They gave us a tour, since this was Tammie & Jerry’s first visit.  They indicated they need a computer.

We next went to the small orphanage.  It is run by Juanita.  They currently have 12 children living there.  Juanita seems like a very loving, caring hands-on person.  We were very impressed with her.  She was very appreciative for what we brought.  She said she feeds about 30 people from the neighborhood every weekend.  She indicated she wants to do VBS this summer when the children are out of school.  She would like materials and activities if we could help her.  She showed us they were out of propane for cooking and hot water and did not have money to pay the truck to come out and fill the tank.  I gave her $100 to buy propane.  She said she would give us a receipt from the truck next trip.

We then went to the big orphanage.  Mama Lapita was not there.  We left the food, supplies, books, training materials, back packs, school supplies, toys, coats, and caps. We toured the entire facility and played football, soccer & basketball with the children.  We saw the small children in the nursery.  Kathy got to spend time with Jonathan (a baby we saw in October that was born premature).  She even changed his tiny diaper.  We gave all the children bananas & grapes.

We went on to the Bible Institute run by Idelfonso Martinez.  We gave him a box of toiletries for the students and a box of training materials.  He had 7 students in training.  He introduced us to them.  He gave us a tour & he & his wife prayed for us.  Jerry Jones prayed for them & their ministry.

We joined the others at the building site about noon and helped them finish the 2nd house by 3 pm.  We dedicated the house & prayed for the family.  The couple has 5 children of their own & 4 they have taken in.  We went to the 3rd site and completed the floor & 2 walls.  We worked until about 6:30 and crossed the border at 7:15 pm.

DAY 3:  We crossed at 7:30 am and went to the 1st house & dedicated it and prayed for the family.  We went by the 2 houses we built in October & left Family Bibles Charlie had bought.  We also presented Bibles to all three of the families on this trip.  We completed the 3rd house about 1:30 pm.  We dedicated it and prayed for the family.  It was a mother & 2 boys.  Their house had burned to the ground.  She said she was saved in 1993 but had never been baptized.  She indicated she wanted to be baptized.  Charlie took up a collection and gave David $100 to give to her.

A lady came by & wanted us to go pray for a man down the road that had a skin condition on his head.  We went as a group with David and prayed for him.  We left him the food we had left from our trip.

We crossed the border about 4:30 pm & got back to Keller at midnight.It was an awesome trip.  No injuries.  The Lord was truly at work.  We were all blessed.  A lot of people were helped.  The trip truly brought glory to God.  We are all looking forward to the next trip.We will be going back April 19-21.  We will be taking over 20 bicycles & computers.Our next building trip is in October.  I think the 2nd or 3rd week.  Charlie is firming it up with David.  We are thinking about building 4 houses then.Thanks again for your continued prayers.

Steven