On the Road

Sitting here on the patio at the Gee’s enjoying the beautiful breeze and cooler weather, thank goodness. Not at all like the hot, brutal heat and humidity in S Texas that we experienced last week. It is good to take a 2 month break to relax and re-coup but I do miss the CHI resale store here I volunteer weekly. I love the regular customers and being able to talk with them (most of the time – some only speak Spanish). One of our regular girls whom I had not seen in a while came in as we had a 50% off clothing shoes, and purses sales. She faithfully buys clothing for herself (she is a tiny little thing). She brought me a knit top on the hanger and said “it is broken”. I was confused at first, then realized that she meant that it had holes in it!! I didn’t correct her and think her for telling me. Everyone says the English language is very difficult to learn. I love her interpretation!!!!

Thank God for our friend Jim Maxson for taking over Caring Hearts Ministry for us while we are gone. He and Scott (mange of Mission Bell Park and a missionary) is also helping. They are also helping to build an extra room for a family there in the colonias. We are so blessed to be a part this group of faithful Christians.

We did have a very sad situation this last week as one of the homes of a family that e service in the colonias had a house fire. We love these humble folks who are so grateful for everything that God provides. The fire resulted in al loss of the lives of 2 of their children and 2 more are in the burn hospital in San Antonio.  They are family to us and our hearts break for their loss.

On Friday we traveled to Reynosa, Mexico, to visit Pati – the amazing young lady we sponsor and have so since she was 10. We had not seen her in awhile and Betsy arranged for us to take a van and drive over to visit here. She is now 20 years old and is now a very beautiful, self-confident woman! Only 2 more years of college and she will become a lawyer. Thanks to the translator ap on her phone, we communicated so much more than before.

Yesterday was Roy’s birthday so the whole family, us included, drove into Fort Worth to this fabulous restaurant, Uncle Julio’s. The food was beyond delicious – Roy’s daughter Michelle, ordered guacamole which was made fresh right there at the table and served in a huge bowl – enough for all 11 of us. After we all had our appetites satisfied Roy was served a chocolate piñata which he broke and out fell strawberries, churros, and small churro balls filled with chocolate. This was all surrounded with whipped cream, chocolate, white chocolate, and caramel sauce. So delicious. After we all had indulged (and practically rolled out of the restaurant) we went to the Shoppe where their daughter and granddaughter are opening their physical store, the Glam Girls. They are only on line right now, and ran out of room in their home for all of their inventory. They have amazing things – I did break down and buy two tops from them! Check them out online – you will love their items.

Roy Gee is 25 - here he is with his twin great grand kids

Fred's taco salad

my fish tacos

We will leave here on Thursday to head to Arkansas to visit our family there as well as our amazing church family at Prairie grove Christian Church. We love our church and miss it so much – when we go too old to continue our ministry in S Texas, we will return to Prairie Grove and our families. We do have blood tests on Friday morning in anticipation for doctor appointments so pray for good results for those.

God has blessed us so much and anticipates our needs almost before we do. Fred and I talked about getting a shed or something to store our mission items – bean, rice, clothing, etc. but were still undecided on what to do.  Fred was offered (free of charge) a very nice metal shed delivered right to our park for us!! My first words were “thank you God”. We are going to wait until we return to the valley to have it delivered. Now our Texas room will be truly a Texas room and not a warehouse!!! There are no words to describe God’s provision and blessings.

Head's Up

Just a quick heads up for next Sunday as we will probably  en route for our annual trek North. We will spend a few days with Chaplain Roy and Paula Gee, then on to AR for our doctor appointments and other meetings, appointments, etc. After a few weeks there we will head up t WI for more family visits then our granddaughter's wedding in September. Planning on being gone 2 months but could be sooner. So blog may be a Day or two late this week an then hopefully backon schedule.

Lots of changes here in the park - a fence is being erected around the lake - for liability reasons I suppose . It will be sort of a chain link fence so that the view of the lake will not be disrupted. The manager is planning more activities based around the lake so I suppose that is the reason for more caution. Also, a park nearby is either closing or has some sort of situation, as quite a few folks are moving over here in the fall. Also repair work will be done on the roads. Lots to do before the Winter Teans return.

Work in the colonias continues - we are going to help build another room onto a house for a family (Caring Hearts Ministry friends are doing the construction) with a need for another room. The father of the household is doing the preliminary work which is far different than the way we have been accustomed to building. We cannot criticize this, as this is the way they do it - hopefully we will be able to get the job done, as their daughter is other interpreter. Perhaps they will take pictures as the work progresses. Chaplain Jim Maxson is going to take over for us while we are gone, so the folks will continue to have their Friday distribution. We are also trying to coordinate for a Tuesday distribution at another colonia in place of the one on Wednesday. This will not take place until we return, giving Ida plenty of time to round up volunteers and have everything in place. We really cannot do this with just the 3 of us alone so continue to pray for some folks to step forward and help - someone to help unload, someone to take charge of filling the boxes, and helpers to fill the boxes for individual families.

We will be able to make a trip to Reynosa this Friday to see the progress on the wall that the flooding had taken down. A church group from PA that has been coming for years helped to rebuild the wall as well as working on other touch up projects. I do believe there are 3 groups at the refuge right now, so we will  make a quick trip to encourage them all as well as visit with Pati whom we have sponsored for years. She is still in school, but as Mexican schools only run  1/2 days, she will be there for us to visit with.. She is in her second yer of college studying to be a lawyer - the schools in Mexico have condensed classes so she will be able to get her degree in 3 years. She will be a Mexican Lawyer, which is actually a step down from a notary - sort of different than our country.

In this world we have a choice to do wrong or right. To sin or not to sin. Actually committing the son or even thinking about it is the same. If we think bad thoughts about our neighbor, we have he ability to act on those thoughts by gossiping about them or not to. If we want to punch someone out, but do not act on it, that is our conscience or the Holy Spirit in our hearts telling us not to do it. We as adults, know right from wrong. When those non-Christian thoughts enter our mind, we have to put them aside and not dwell on them by remembering that we, indeed, are Christians, and need to act as such. Sin is the absence of perfection, although none of us are perfect. But we need to strive for perfection as best we can. There is so much hatred and anger in the world today, especially in our own country. We need to remember what our country was founded on - good Christian values and love and compassion for your brothers and sisters. Sin is hate not love, hot not cold, certainly not self indulgence. Doing something we are not supposed to do somehow gives us empowerment - the feeling of being on top, the feeling of getting even, the feeling that results in pompous behavior. The laws, both moral, worldly, and religious emphasize sin - they are there to remind us not to sin. Sin is real - people are corrupt, the world is out of control. Let us all try to do our part by abstaining from sin, and perhaps by our actions we can change a small part of the world.

Life is just a bowl of cherries

Life is just a bowl of cherries, or cantaloupe or pineapple, etc. We love fresh fruit and so much enjoy the abundance of it here in S Texas. There was a great sale on cherries this week at a great price, so we enjoyed them for a week! Don’t you wonder where sayings come from or what they mean? Life is just a bowl of cherries means life is great, unless it is said in a sarcastic sort of way, then it means the opposite. No wonder foreigners think English is difficult. I often wonder wondered what “don’t throw the baby out with the wash water” meant, until I googled it. Don’t discard anything valuable along with something undesirable – still a bit confusing to me. In medieval times people bathed in the same water, oldest to youngest. It is suggested that by the time it came to the baby, the water was so dirty that he baby got thrown out by mistake – sort of makes sense now. A bit morbid though.

don't they look wonderful

fresh sweet cantloupe

A duck family has had a lot of trials and disappointments in trying to raise a family. They had a nest on a branch overlooking the lake - when the floods and wind came, the branch broke off and the lost the nest. Then they rebuilt, again the winds took it away. Then they built in a bunch of water lilies until the winds of this last week created a leak. I wanted to take pics of the nest with mama in it, but today I see they are diligently working to rebuilt again – this time I do believe that there are eggs in it. Such determination. Perhaps they are a young couple and need elderly advice on building.

papa duck going for more reeds

there are eggs in the nest

We received such wonderful blessings this past week on Friday.  Our produce distribution was more than plentiful- as we arrived at the colonias we were informed that a group of missionary kids from a small town outside Dallas and their church leaders had arrived at the colonias. They were waiting for us to arrive and immediately wanted to know what to do. We told them to just be patient as we set up a few things, then they pitched right in – unloading the vegetable, fruits, etc., filling baskets in preparation for boxes to be filled and distributed. We received “Mexican candy” – dehydrated fruit with sugar and honey added and fermented a bit. I was not looking forward to breaking down the bigger bags into smaller ones – guess what – three girls dove right in. I had plastic bags and plastic gloves, but it was still a sticky mess!! They did not want us to do anything – even returning the extra bags and gloves to the vehicle – they wanted to know where to put them. After all was done, they all proceeded to carry the boxes to the vehicle of those those coming to receive the food, along with a case of bottled water for each family. As we prepared t leave, Jessica and Sol arrived.  We used to have the distribution at Jessica’s home, but because of a riff we moved it. She and her daughter, Sol, have just recently been coming to receive food. They asked us to pray for Sol’s health (she has asthma I believe) and then asked if we would come to their home and pray for their home and family situations.  They revealed the situation after we arrived at their home (we cannot discuss it at this time but please pray for them) so we prayed with the whole family outside. We prayed on a cement slab that was so previously covered with junk you did not know it was there. They have become more aware of the appearance of their property now and becoming more involved in their neighborhood, which is part of what we are trying to instill. They also invited us to eat with them, but as we had a previous commitment, we begged off until next week. They did say it would be about a half hour – with in S Texas time is about 2 hours or maybe Manaia! We did not enter their home – we have never been asked in any colonia home – and do not want to unless specifically asked to do so. Only out f respect for the homeowners, and not afraid of what we will encounter.

We are beginning to plan our “vacation” time, even though it is a working vacation to Arkansas and Wisconsin. We have decided that if we forget anything or run out of something, there are stores everywhere. No need to pack so many clothes either as everyone has a washer and dryer.

How do you minister to the world – out in the fringe area. We know we did that on Friday by praying and sharing God’s word with Jessica’s family. The disciples ministered to those in Samaria, the people in the fringe area of society. We all have our comfort zones, but when called to witness where we are uncomfortable, how do we do that? Paul and Silas were thrown in prison where the ministered, worshipped, and sang praises to God with the other prisoners. They ministered where they did not want to be or with people they did not want to be with, especially the guards. When the earthquake came and opened the doors of the cells, and their shackles fell off, they could have run and escaped. But they witnessed to the guard, who was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped and he would be killed anyway. Eventually, they brought the jailer and his whole family to the Lord. If we miss an opportunity we miss being witnesses. We need to welcome and be welcomed by those who need to hear the Word. You don’t have to preach or quote Scripture – just show them how Jesus changed your life and how their lives can be saved.

Don’t miss the opportunity to enjoy all of the bounty of your area – the fresh fruits and vegetables. When winter comes remember the bowl of cherries!

July Heat

The July heat is upon us - we have had some rain but the humidity is high so it seems much hotter than it really is. Our neighbor was in the middle of washing our trailer yesterday when a huge rainstorm broke out.We were not too upset because even though we have had large floods lately, we do need the rain. The grass is so pretty and green and smells so fresh after a rain.

We have a large bird in the park -we thought  was a goose, but since we have an avid and  almost professional bird watcher in the park, we found out it is a black bellied duck. Mama has many babies (at one time there were 15, but now only 8) and takes them for afternoon strolls often. Daddy takes over for awhile with a stop at Miss Opal's for a snack of corn.

some of the babies are yellow and some are dark brown

Chaplain Friend Jim Maxson is going to take over the food and clothing ministry when we go on vacation the end of this month,so Fred took him along this last Friday so he could learn the process. All seemed to have gone well, and the ladies just loved him, so we feel confident knowing that they will be taken care of when we are gone. There was plenty of produce this past week - we served over 130 families as well as 50+ on Wednesdays. God is so generous with His provision. This week we had star fruit, so Fred brought me one to try it - it is really delicious - tastes a bit like a pear but sweeter. I will really miss all the fresh fruit when we are gone, especially the cherries on sale for $1.97 this week at HEB!



just wash, then slice the star fruit -isn't it beautiful! God has so many surprises for us in nature.


A letter from our Administrative Secretary - 

Dear Chaplains and Friends of the CRMi ministry,

After over a year of hard work and many hours of phone calls and meetings, we are extremely pleased to advise our CRMi family that our ministry has now been officially certified by the ECFA (Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability).  This has been a long time goal of our Chairman Bob Ruesch and the Board of Directors and we now can proudly approach financial benefactors with the news.  Your local church and or local businesses as well as private individuals will see that CRMi has been found to be trustworthy, transparent and fully accountability in our financial matters.

Please watch the short video by clicking on the link below for more information.  Please also share this good news with your home church, friends and others who may be waiting to hear our good news (and hopefully find a heart to financially support you individually and/or our ministry as a whole).  We are also going to post this information on our web site for everyone to see.

https://player.vimeo.com/video/49465963

To GOD be the glory - thanks for your service!

Vicki

I, Leila, as a member of the board of directors and treasurer of our organization  can personally attest to the hours, e-mails, and paperwork involved in this. We are are so proud to be found trustworthy and accountable! This has been awhile in the making but so worth the time and effort. We are now in the process of planning the fall training conference.  - hoping to meet all of the new chaplains and seeing them placed in RV parks here in Texas and also in Arizona. We are growing, expanding,and ready to bring the word of God to those who don't know Him and also to those who know Him. Our sermont his morning was right along those same lines -  being a witness in the city. Being able to go to "city", or the post office, or grocery store keeping our antennas up to tell others about how God has changed our lives and can do so for you, too. We hope that all of our actions speak for our faith - our ability to follow God's words and His plan for our lives.

In addition to our 4 daughters we also have sort of a "foster" daughter - a friend of one of our daughters who lived with us for awhile, had Fred give her away in her marriage, and  calls Mom and Dad. Just this past week, her daughter had an emergency medical situation where her 6 month baby had to be taken C-section. Sadly, the precious Olivia Jade only lived a very short time. Please keep this family in your prayers - losing a child is heartbraking. 

Independence Day

As we celebrate the freedoms this country has, always let us remember all of those who lost their lives to guarantee us those freedoms. We fought to be free of England’s rule and established the rules of our great country (the declaration of independence and constitution) and yet there are factions that want to take away those freedoms and rights. Continue to pray that this country, founded on Christian principles, returns to God – remember God did not leave our country, our country kicked God out – out of schools, out of public buildings, and is trying to kick Him out our daily lives.

Our park has a catch and release lake which many people use. Just recently a park resident caught this huge fish in the lake – we have been wondering where our baby ducks have been going – perhaps this guy is the culprit.

he sure looks happy (the young man not the fish)

We served over 130 folks in our Friday distribution and over 50 in our Wednesday one, many of them seeking clothing as well. God has provided so well that we had many boxes in storage to share with them. A lot of the people have heard by word of mouth that there are food supplies available and because of the flooding have come to the colonias to see if there is any available. A lot of the folks just go wherever distribution points are and receive all they can, as they have lost everything in the flood. Thankfully, our government has issued an additional $300 in food stamps to those already receiving them to help out. We are so blessed that we have had bountiful amounts to help these folks out. Our goal is to teach this people to help themselves – give them the tools to allow them to rise above their current conditions – if handing out food is an incentive, then so be it. But we need to instill a sense of self-worth -

Give them the paint to pint their homes, but also let them be a part of painting it themselves. Give them donated sewing machines, but show them how to sew in order to earn some financial means to support their family. Although we are just a few miles from the Mexican border, we are separated from them by miles and miles of cultural differences. The living conditions in Mexico are so different from ours that we cannot fathom their thoughts. When the Mexicans cross the border to the US, they put on their seat belts, hook their kids in their car seats, obey traffic signals, and respect our policemen. In Mexico none of these things are of importance or even exist. The local Mexican police are non-existent, as the cartels have overtaken them over – the country is taken care of by federal troops! When gun fights break out between the Mexican mafia and the cartel, both sides seeking to gain control, people just continue with their daily living, as these fights only seem to last a few minutes and then they are over. We would panic and run for shelter.  There are no prices on gas stations as all of the gas is owned by the Mexican government so all pricing is the same – you just pay the price or go without. Working all day for a few pesos is the norm – we work 8 hours a day and enjoy all the toys and entertainment we can ask for. School on this side of the border is a given, actually required.  – in Mexico it is a privilege.  We consider the week-end a time of relaxation and fun – in Mexico it is just another day, wondering where their next pesos are coming from. The manufacturing firms along the border have helped tremendously, but there are many more folks wanting these jobs than there are jobs as well as the fact that most jobs require a high school education, which most of them do not have.

What is the Great Commission? It is A Personal Instruction from Jesus. The Great Commission is one of the most significant passages in the Holy Bible. First, it's the last recorded personal instruction given by Jesus to His disciples. Second, it's a special calling from Jesus Christ to all His followers to take specific action while on this earth. The Great Commission is found in the Gospel of Matthew:

“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age’” (Matthew 28:18-20).

The Great Commission is the end of a Gospel and the beginning of faith in action for all Christians. 51% of all church goers do not know what the great commission is – 63% of those have heard about it but do not know where in Scripture it is or what it means. We all need to bear witness to Christ even though it is hard and causes us discomfort. The hardest people to witness to are our families – it is easier to witness to a stranger or acquaintance than to a child or a sibling. We witness to others by our actions as well – everything we do seems to be put under a microscope and analyzed. Continue to be bold for Christ.