Back in the world

I really need to apologize for not updating my blog lately, but Fred and I have had the "Texas crud" (a respiratory infection) that really got a hold of us for about 3-1/2 weeks. We finally went to the doctor last week, and after a shot, 4 prescriptions, and $100.00 later, we eventually got it conquered this week!!! Quite a few people here (Winter Texans) have had it also. The fact that the weather was wet, muggy, and moldy did not help either.

We had so many happenings that I actually was relieved when this part of February was over!!! Although everything blessed by God's grace, we were extremely busy, busy, busy as well as not feeling well.

Our church board sponsored a piano concert early February as a thank you from our musicians. Last year we had a fund drive to purchase a new piano for our church services, The musicians did all the leg work, investigating and presented the congregation with a proposal for a new piano which was figured to take about a year to raise funds for. Needless to say, God intervened, and we acquired the funds in 3 weeks!!!
We have awesome musicians here at the park, so very talented and willing to share their talents.

Our 5 very talented, gifted musicians - do they look nervous?

a thank you for the piano

Vera Welty, our choir director and musician - she also graces us with special vocal music

a full house

two church board members preparing punch for the reception

As a benefit fund raiser for Children's Haven a dinner concert was held, given by Gordy and Debbie Wenzel from Branson, Mo. Debbie and Gordy are wonderful supporters of CHI, and donated their time as well as all the proceeds from CD sales that evening to CHI (CD sales amounted to $700!!).  When God is involved in any situation, wonderful things happen. The event was held at our park (graciously donated for free by Barbara Hamel, manager) and catered by an amazing group. We were served on real china with real glass goblets. The meal was wonderful, and we felt like royalty being served and waited upon. The servers performed like clockwork, almost a choreagraphed production,  serving 299 people and attending to our every need. It was a great success, affording CHI a clear profit of $4800.00. PTL. 


tables set for the special evening - real china!




a very competent catering service



servers working diligently to keep us fed

Gordy and Debbie Wenzel - if you get a chance to see them in Branson, it is well worth you time

Another event this past month (I told you this was a busy month) was the 50th anniversary celebration at our park. All of those couples who have been married 50 years this year were honored with a very special celebration, complete with cake and punch. It seems everything revolves around food here in S. Texas. The service was so very well done thanks to narrator, Dorothy Miller, the musicians, Chaplain Dennis Maloney and Anne (Minnie Pearl) Fleck.

one of our honored couples, Stan and Betty Wilkens (Stan is  our church board treasurer as well as worship leader, and Betty is one of our talented musicians)

a beautiful cake made by one of our park residents

Don and Kay Schmidtknect, another honored couple and our wonderful next door neighbors

Anne Minnie Pearl Fleck entertaining us with "How to Keep a Man". The seven honored couples were featured on stage after entering through a golden arch (not McDonald's).

Even with all of these happenings, there are at least three more events that took place this past month!! The Lord gave us the strength and perserverance to see them through, even in our somewhat weakened condition!!! Someway, we were able to accomplish the things He presented to us, albiet collapsing every night. Perhaps that is why it took us so long to recoup. We give all the priase and glory to Him for the success of everthing we do in His name. When we say,"I'm too tired", God says, "I will give you rest".     Matthew 11:28-30    Amen to that.

Hopefully, I will fill you in on all the accomplishments for this month within the week. God's blessings and grace on you until then.

chocolate, chocolate, chocolate!!!

One really fun event in the past two weeks was the Children's Haven International  (CHI) Chocolicious Extravaganza and style show. CHI does not have one large donor or patron, so they have to raise funds with many smaller events. This one took place at our park here in the Valley and was ever so much fun. CHI volunteers modeled clothes that are available at the resale shop in Pharr, Texas. These clothes are all name brands, excellent to new condition and very reasonably priced. After the first part of the style show, everyone was invited to the chocolate fountain, where they could dip fruits and pretzels i n the flowing fountain of rich chocolate. There were so many different ways to do this - my favorite was a piece of pineapple and a banana - tasted like a banana split without the ice cream. Also available were tiny chocolate
cupcakes. Those in attendance returned many times to the fountain. Our park was surely energized the rest of the afternoon!!! After they had their fill of chocolate, there were chocolate goodies for sale - cookies and candies made by the CHI volunteers. While all of this was digesting, the second half of the style show was presented, including a full length mink coat modeled by our director, Betsy Chacon, for the special price of $100!!!!! What a deal. No one here took advantage of it, as the weather does not permit wearing mink coats! The style show was stolen by volunteer Larry, as he modeled a beautifully cut suit and red shirt. Amid many catcalls and whistles, his wife informed us that he was not for sale!

Betsy with two of the three fur coats available to purchase

Kerm with the homemade cookies cookies and candy for sale

some ladies shopping early to get the best deals

Josephina, a lovely  volunteer model

Larry, the star of the show, modeling his golf outfit

ladies at the fountain (as opposed to the well)

more chocolate treats

Betsy, in the full length gorgeous mink coat

Larry, in the infamous suit and shirt

CHI is in the middle of a few building projects. One of the most recent is the remodeling of a shed at the office in Pharr into a new conference room, as the older conference is being remodeled into more space for the thrift shop. This remodeling only took about 2 weeks with the help of all the volunteers. It is so nice and big, allowing for not only meetings, but luncheons as well.

remodeld shed - how wonderful it looks

Another project was headed up by POWER, a group of volunteers from across the United States who join together to work on building projects throughout Northern Mexico. They arrive in Reynosa to build the addition onto the auditorium at the refuge there. In one afternoon they accomplished this! They returned a few days later and finished the project. Our hats off to them for all of their service.

POWER project

While traveling one day in Reynosa, Mexico, we saw a funeral procession on the road. It consisted of a hearse, one car, and this pick-up, carrying the flowers. Quite different from the funeral processions here in the States.

While at the refuge (RIN) we again were allowed to have lunch with the children and sample some of Maria's wonderful cooking. This time we were treated to picadillya, a meat and vegetable dish just oozing with Mexican flavor, and cooked rice, the Mexican way.

beef picadillya

flavorfull rice

these 3 boys are 3 of the 4 newest kids at the refuge

the great room in a casa

Whew!!

Our lives been totally hectic since my last post. We both have the Texas crud - an illness that comes around every year here in S Texas - it passes around the park faster than a juicy piece of gossip!! Sort of a congestion in most people, some get flu symptoms, aches, sore throat, cough, you name it. We have had it over a week now - some days we feel good, then all of a sudden it whacks you again. Luckily, we have had only coughs some congestion, and exhaustion. Praying for this week to be better.

I promised you pictures of a group of us delivering quilts to the colonias. It was such a heartwarming experience. This weekend turned colder so they were just in time! We delivered 70 quilts to a smaller colonia - if the volunteers from Helping Hands manage to make more then that next year, we may deliver them to larger areas. The homes in these pictures seem fairly well cared for - the reason being that they have been updated by many volunteers - a project that a group have taken on. We tried very hard to instill in the people that these quilts were made from them through the love of their Savior, Jesus Christ. TheHispanic ladies were so wonderful, giving us hugs and wishes for God's blessings. What an awesome way to spend a Saturday afternoon. Many thanks to each and every one who was involved in this project.

ready to deliver

loading the vehicles (there were 2 of them)

a truck full of quilts

"I made this myself" as she presented a quilt to a beaming teen

volunteer Zoe and some of happy recipients

even though it was hot that day, this young boy stayed wrapped in his quilt

Nomad volunteer Don Laughlin and missionary pastor, Roland, who took us to the colonias

We have a ladies Bible study at our park on Fridays where we are studying our life in the wilderness - times in our life when we felt lost and perhaps wandering - and how this wilderness time brings us closer to the Lord, allowing us to trust in Him.  A wonderful study led by Sally Maloney.

listening to one of our ladies discussing the lesson

                                                                                 more of our group

There have been many more events since the last time I posted: a Chocolicious Style Show, our visit to the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, a piano recital at our park, and renovations at Children's Haven International, both in Pharr and Reynosa, as well as many busy February events. I will try to keep you all updated as God keeps us on our toes to serve Him in any areas we can. This coming Thursday, many of us CRM chaplains will be traveling to Reynosa, Mexico to the refuge there. For many of them it will be a first time visit; those of us who have been there before are anxiously waiting to return. Please pray for God's grace and protection as we cross the border in some areas where there has been danger.