Summer Happenings

This has been a more quiet week for us, as Tuesday was the last day for our distribution at Iglesia Bautista du Manuel, Ida's Church where we serve about 50 families with produce - rice, beans, clothes, ans even sauerkraut !!! It is difficult to keep up both of the days as Ida has to clean up after wards, although she does have help, but it putting away all the tables, mopping the floors, cleaning up the kitchen, etc. She wants to take a break for a couple of months. The folks who pick up their baskets on Tuesdays are going to try to get to the Friday distribution in the colonias. Ida will still take a few baskets to those who cannot get there. We had a bountiful harvest for Friday - lots of good veggies - cauliflower, different kinds of peppers, tons of tomatoes, donuts, sauerkraut, cucumbers, onions, aloe vera leaves, and even the bulbs from the cactus after they quit blooming. The people just love them - they are tasty, but full of hundreds of tiny seeds - you either eat the seeds or suck the pulp from them and spit the seeds out. And, the strange part, they are called tuna! Ida asked if we received any tuna - I told her we got a box of canned goods and to check and see if there was any tuna in there. She laughed at me after giving me a strange look at first. I don't mind being laughed at, as all the girls also laughed in loving way. We love the girls who help with the distribution - they are so faithful to show every time and just pitch in - unload the vehicle and the trailer, start to combine the boxes, and then fill the baskets after deciding how much of each item goes in each box. Everyone just keeps working away at whatever task arises. My job it seems is to repackage the big bags of donuts into smaller bags for each family. The girls seem to shy away from that - even with gloves it is a sticky job. The resident dogs sit at my feet and wait for the scraps to fall - with added help from me. They love donut holes!! This week Fred and Brother Sandoval are going to start (and finish) laying a floor under the shelter on the shed where the ladies fill the baskets. It is uneven dirt, and gets messy when it  rains They are going to lay some stones (called cliche) then put down pallets, then attach some plywood flooring. The tables will then be fastened down permanently and not have to be moved each weak as they are pretty heavy. Fred has resigned form mowing the park, so now has time to work on ministry projects.

Three prior residents of the park passed away in a week - we knew all of them and and will miss them, even though they do not come to the Valley anymore, we do keep in touch. One was a close neighbor and great friend. When this happens, we begin to realize that the next breath we take may be our last - no matter where we are or what we are doing. Life is so precious - I suppose we realize it more as we get older. Seems like when we were younger (20's and 30's) we felt that we would never get old - but here we are. Make each day count for something folks.

We need rain badly here in S Texas while the Midwest is praying for  no more because of the flooding everywhere. Our family in Arkansas is in a safe place for now - just the closing of the roads makes travel a bit longer for them. Pry for all the people who are affected by the storms and flooding.

We had a really great sermon and also Sunday School class today. Sunday School discussed the Pharisees and Saduchees - the differences and how the culture of the times dictated their jobs and outlook as well as how people pictured them. A great discussion and study. The sermon focused on the obstacle of society in our daily lives. Society is a huge obstacle to overcome because Christian values differ from the values of society today. Our attitude is an obstacle that society needs to overcome also. As long as our attitude does not interfere with society's rules, all is well. Paul and Silas, while in prison. sang praises to the Lord, even though they were beaten, thrown in to prison in chains. they never lost faith. What is your prison experience - financial, emotional, physical? Your reaction that is to  continue to praise God no matter what the circumstance. Following that is your action to the prison experience which is so very important. Are you going to sit down and whine and complain or are you going to stay where you are for the moment even if it is not where you want to be. God will be there with you. This will be a big impact on others when you do not panic. Keep trust in the Lord and others will notice it. We Christians have something special, it is our relationship with God. This is the greatest form of evangelism there is.