tranquility

We are not leaving South Texas for another month yet, but most of the residents have left to travel back to their Northern homes. It is really very quiet here at Alamo Rec Veh Park, but I really do enjoy it. After the very busy and hectic year we had, it is relaxing to just sit on the patio and enjoy the quiet. Our street is almost totally deserted - just another couple who lives here year around and us. The flowers are all blooming so beautifully - God's gift to us. Everyday seems like an Exodus as big rigs pull out of the park.

our very quiet street - only one vehicle!

my herb "garden" - basil, cilantro, and parsley

roses are blooming themselves to death!!! 21 blooms

a bottle brush tree

the "brushes" on the tree

Our Monday night Bible studies ended this last Monday as we finished the study of the "forgotten book of the Bible "Jude". It was a short, three week study, after studying Jeremiah, which took all of the winter. We are so blessed with our study group, who are all eager to learn, despite all of their degrees of learning and understanding. We may try something different next year, perhaps a study of the Holy Land as it pertains to our modern day living,  presented by Ray Vander Laan on CD.  We are also planning many different activities as our assignment as chaplains to CHI - for instance a CHI prayer time, a prayer breakfast, etc. We will just pray about it - God will tell us what path to take.

Our Church @ Alamo Rec Veh Park has a link on the Alamo Rec Veh Park website: www.alamorecveh.com. The webmaster, Rodney Graham, did a fantastic job with it! We provided the pictures and information, and will hopefully be able to post upcoming, weekly events. Technology just amazes me!!! Check it out and come visit us.

As we bask in the quietness and tranquility of the warm, sunny, Texas days, we reflect on all God has done with our lives this year. All the things that we have been blessed with: new relationships while renewing old ones, new friends, new place to see, things to do, even a new place to eat!!!  God is so good - He sees our needs (not our wants) and provides. "My God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Jesus Christ". Philippians 4:19

We ask that God bless each and everyone of you, protect you as you travel, and bring you all back next fall!!

I will continue to post every week, if possible, keeping you all up to date on our "preussless pathways".

Quiet time

Now that it is almost the end of the season here in South Texas, things are very peaceful and quiet. Not that I minded the excitement and seemingly chaos of the busy season, but it now gives us time to reflect on what we have accomplished this year and wonder what doors God will be opening for us next season! It also gives us personal time - something that is pretty rare sometimes.

I was working on a sewing project this year - a mystery quilt. We were given hints each month as to what step to take next, not knowing how it would turn out. It is a small (21" x 21") table topper, and I had no idea how my would turn out until I was done! I had a lot of Christmas fabric , do used up what I had. Guess I was the only one who actually had a pattern (Hmm, wonder if that says something about me!), so mine turned out with a pattern. We sewed blocks together, then cut them all up again. It was fun - I do hope a get a few hours next year to do another project.

finished top part - now I need to sandwich it and quilt it

We also had our last chaplain's informal get together (It was originally called DQ fellowship, because we met at the local Dairy Queen), but as we added a few more members, it was held usually at Chaplains Jack and Karen Gregory's park. This year we welcomed Chaplains Fred and Linda Campbell from Canada to CRM - they recently acquired a beautiful coach and will be ministering at a park in Gulf Shores, Alabama in the fall. We met for the last time at their park, enjoyed their new coach, and the fellowship time we all had together. God brings us together in the fall in S Texas, and then scatters us for the summer. We do wish Fred and Linda God's grace as they establish a church at a park in Golf Shores where there never was a church. We know God will lead the way.


Fred ( sitting in the blue shirt) and Linda (standing in the pink) in their beautiful coach




women talk!



Jack Gregory enjoying his favorite food

 As this last week seemed to be the end of all church activities (except Sunday services and Wednesday Bible Study) our ladies Bible Study teacher, Sally Maloney did a wonderful study on fruits of the Holy Spirit, illustrating it with a wagon wheel weaving. As you can tell, there were very few of us, but it was so inspiring.


Sally Maloney weaving her rug, explaining some the spiritual gifts that we each possess




just a few ladies left  at the last session

We also had our last CRM chaplains meeting. Our general director, Raymond Smith recounted the things that were accomplished this past year, as well as upcoming training and directions CRM will be taking in the future with the new leadership. Our speaker was Joe Perez, who explained the continuing Pastoral education at the Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen, which is available to all of us, It is an intensive training of 100 hours with 12 hours of clinical training, preparing us for pastoral counseling to those in the hospital, their families, including grief counselling if necessary. We need to pray to see if this is where God want us. Pray along with us as we make these decisions.


Raymond Smith, relating CRM direction



Joe Perez, encouraging us to attend continuing  pastoral education

As this season draws to a close, we ask that you continue to support us, through support and prayer, as we continue our preussless pathways.

End of the season

We are nearing the end of the season here in South Texas. Already many of our friends and neighbors are leaving for their Northern homes. We pray for travel mercies for them and look forward to the fall when we all return again. We are not leaving for at least another month or so - have things to accomplish, but also reflect on all the wonderful ways God has shown us the path  that He wants us to continue to travel. We are so very thrilled that the two new ministries that we have been a part of are really thriving -- whenever God has a hand in anything, it seems to expand for His glory. The Great Oaks food and clothing ministry has been so successful - so many people have donated food and clothing for the people in the colonias here in S Texas. Pastor Israel and Becky Rodriguez are doing a fantastic job spearheading this project - it is with the help of God and  everyone that they can serve so many. The quilt ministry is going beyond our expectations!  Ephesians 3:20-21 "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than we all ask,or imagine, according to all His power that is at work within us, to  Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." After talking to the ladies who provide the quilt tops for us, the possibility of having 200 quilts ready for delivery next winter seems a reality. Those who work in the Alamo Rec Veh Helping Hands program, be ready!!!! What a project to accomplish. With God's help we can provide another, larger colonia with winter warmth - the warmth of a quilt and Christian love through the love of our Lord God.

So many people here at the park (and elsewhere, too) have donated numerous items- many more than can be counted, to CHI, to be sent to the refuge in Reynosa,  sold in the resale shop, or sent to the colonias.
Our vehicle has been filled to capacity many times taking them to the CHI resale shop in Pharr.  Your generosity does not go unnoticed. Others have donated medicine bottles to be used in a free clinic in Progreso, Mexico,  others clip Campbell soup labels  and labels for education to be used by CHI, saving used printer cartridges for printing and other credit at Staples for the church board and CHI - all of these ways of giving are part of Christian living - obeying God's message to us.

We have sponsored at least two additional tours to the haven in Reynosa, proudly showing others what faith in the Lord has accomplished. On March 24th, we will be having an open house at Casa #3, the newly renovated house at the haven. This project took about a year, and with donations in excess of $30,000, it is truly beautiful. Many ask why spend the money on updating an older home rather than other areas in the CHI budget. Our Tios and Tias (houseparents) are very important to us at CHI/RIN, and the ability to provide them with a bright and comfortable place to live as they act as parents to our children is a top priority.

We did take time to drive to South Padre Island for the day with friends who were leaving to head back home. It was very windy and the waves were high, but it was so relaxing and enjoyable. Of course, no trip to the island is complete without a stop at Dirty Al's for shrimp and onion rings!

A sand castle at the information center on S Padre Island

the back side of the sand castle - it is unbelievable

very high but gorgeous waves that day

almost too windy to even fly kites



our friend Karen feeding the sea gulls from the car window - the downside is that  I had to wash certain areas of the car after we arrived home

We are not leaving here until after Easter, at which time we will be spending a few days in Abbeville, LA to visit friends, then on to Memphis, Tennesse to visit my brother.  We do need to be back in Arkansas by the middle of May for our granddaughter Casey's graduation from high school. She is our youngest granddaughter from our youngest daughter, Christine. Please pray that she makes the correct choices in both her earthly and spiritual life. She is a very wonderful child (guess at 18 she does not want to be called a child), a gifted writer,  but very impressive to outside  influences. Pray that she keeps her eyes and heart open to Jesus.

March already

Beautiful, gorgeous day here in S Texas - a wonderful clothes drying day - 3 loads on the line dried so softly and smell so good!!! The best part of the week is that we are no longer sick!!!!!

On  a bit of a personal note, a friend from high school had a heart attack this last week - she wanted to make sure her husband notified me. Of course, we immediately started a prayer chain because her condition was servere - to the point of having a leaky heart valve and being transported to larger hospital. I talked to her husband one evening, and the following day I called her personally at the hospital. Imagine me surprise (why the surprise??) to hear her sounding normal and quite perky. Her first question was, "Were you praying?",  She knew the answer, as she then told m me that all of her tests so far came out normal - no heart problems whatsoever. I felt so humble that she knew I would be praying, and that God answered our prayers. The neatest part of the whole episode is that she knew who the Lord is in charge!

Our ladies conference was so very successful. Over 100 ladies came to hear the Lord's praise, as well as listening to a ministry that stirred all of us to have willing hearts for Jesus (the theme of our conference). One of our speakers and worship leaders was Angela Neese who traveled to Tajikistan on the Afghanistan border, a former Soviet Satellite country who was left devastated when Russia pulled out and took everything with them There are ladies there who were left alone, no husband, no money, nothing at all to raise their children in a barren land. The women there are considered less than nothing and nothing they say or do is considered worth listening to if they even dare speak up. The word of God is spread to all of the tiny communities through storytelling - relating Bible stories in everyday terms and situations that all can understand. This way, as there is no written word, the women retell these stories to their children, who hear about Jesus' love for them.

Joann and myself at the registration table

some of our ladies at the beautiful Echo Hotel

not only were our ladies touched by the worship music, but one of our servers bowed his head in praise

Angela Neese in typical Tajikistan dress



the two ladies on each end saw our t-shirts, asked what it was all about, and joined our conference - PTL. Sally Maloney, co-founder in pink, and the three speakers




Chaplains wives and speakers

Another event was the monthly CRM meeting, where we join together in fellowship and food (everything here seem to revolve around food).

the table was groaning with food

one of the conference speakers, Brenda, from Campus Crusades



an added highlight Chaplain Fred Campbell (on the right) , who re-dedicated his life to Christ though baptism in our park
 pool

We took a break from work on Saturday evening and went to the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan de Valle to a Mariachi concert, featuring three area Mariachi bands.

the altar of the Basilica

the balcony which was filling up quickly

Mariachi Nueva Era, from Valley View High School in Hildago, TX

Mariachi Juvenile de America from Veterans Middle School in Rio Grande City, TX - they won the National Mariachi competition and are waiting to hear if they are going to be on America's Got Talent

the star of the show

members of the Basilica Mariachi



more Basilica members

We  took a tour group to the Haven in Reynosa this week where we had the pleasure of meeting the 4 newest children there. The mother was also present, as she will be leaving in 3 days to work to earn support for herself and her children . Because of many circumstances, she cannot support them right now - food, clothing, a roof over their head, so the children are safely in the hands of CHI. How devastating it must be to leave you children, especially a baby, in the hands of strangers!!!! But we all tried to assure her that her children will be much loved and raised in a Christian environment. She can visit them often, and when her circumstances change, have her children again with her.  

the addition to the auditorium at RIN - all the work done by volunteers

the youngest of the four new children we have - what a gorgeous baby

some sponsors and their "children"