Mexico, Repairs and Provision

One of the complaints I receive regularly is that I don’t share enough about our family and personal news. (Actually, to call it complaining isn’t fair. It is usually just a request that I talk about my family, the best part of our ministry.) So I thought I would take a few moments to share with you our trip to Mexico last week.

We are currently still living in Guatemala under a tourist visa. We are waiting for our ministry’s association paperwork to be completed which will mean that Ministerios de Esperanza (Ministries of Hope) will be a recognized ministry by the Guatemalan government. Once that happens we will be able to apply for a religious workers visa. Until that happens, we have to leave the country every 6 months to renew our visa. We do that by driving 5 1/2 hours to Tapachula, Mexico for a three night mini-vacation. We have really grown to enjoy those trips and look forward to them.

We don’t do much while we are there. We pack most of our meals and cook them on a hot plate in the hotel room. We swim in the pool. We play family games. And we shop at Wal-Mart. (Wal-Marts in Mexico are much closer to US stores and have a much better selection and better prices than in Guatemala. So, we stock-up on items that aren’t available here.

I am pleased to report that the trip was easy and uneventful. Border crossings have become easier and I have even learned how to negotiate with the money exchange guys who try to rip you off. I believe the entire process only took us about 40 minutes. One of our favorite moments in each of our border crossings is when I pay 60 pesos for a guy to walk around our van spraying insecticide. They do this to keep insects for hitching a ride and illegally immigrating. I am sure that this is very effective since there is no way that they could actually walk or fly across the border. Wait…

This trip was especially nice because it included Brittney, who returned from the States last Sunday after two months away. We really missed her and it was God’s timing that we could take this trip right after her return. It was a wonderful vacation for us all and we had a smooth trip home on Friday.

Recently I asked you to pray that God would provide for the financial needs of our ministry. I want to let you know that He has already begun to answer those prayers. Two days after my last blog post I received word of a family that has made the decision to support our work for $200 a month. That same day I heard that a new church voted to support us as their missionaries. And, again that same day, I found out that the work team that is with us this week from Yellow Springs Missionary Church had raised above and beyond what their trip cost and had sent two separate checks to Hope for Home totaling $2950.00.

On Friday of last week I received word that another family was sending a check for $1000.00. Then the Yellow Spring’s team arrived on Saturday loaded down with donations. Last night they unpacked and presented us with gifts for our family (lots of items that we cannot purchase here or are very expensive). They also brought lots of physical and occupational therapy items for our group home and medicine. Then, when the unpacking was done, they gave us $663.00 in cash that was left over. Their church went above and beyond in blessing us and our ministry.

And here is the neat part of that story. Yesterday afternoon my 4-Runner was returned to me after nearly 3 weeks in the shop. It had required:

1. A new clutch and the replacement of several parts within the clutch assembly.
2. A complete service (oil, lube, air/fuel/oil filters, cleaning of contacts, etc.)
3. New brake shoes and rebuilding of calipers
4. A/C compressor repairs
5. A rebuild of the starter
6. A new CV joint

Anybody want to guess what the bill for this work totaled? Yep, almost exactly $660.00. God is faithful, isn’t he?

Today the team is working with us to weigh and sort food for our distribution. In a few moments we will be loading up to deliver this much needed food to families. This is one of my favorite days of the months as we spend so much time visiting and praying with families. I have a lot of work to catch-up on after three weeks without my primary vehicle, so I better get to it.

Blessings from San Antonio Aguas Calientes!

Daryl, Wanda and the Crew