Heating It Up in Mexico

 Greetings, in the faithful name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. I have been so delinquent in keeping up with my blog, and once again, I apologize.

Last month, some friends from Texas came down to do some work at our church in Tepeyac, repairing some broken wiring, and also did some work at my home. I am so grateful for good friends that are willing to take the time out of their busy schedule to come and visit and help.

Wayne Cadenhead, Jeremy, his son, and their friend Rocky Gonzalez came from Haskell and Goldthwaite to fix the wiring at the church in Tepeyac that has been broken for many months. They put in a new fuse box and put new wiring in the trench that was dug by our friends, Rito and Manuel Martinez in nearby Palmira. 

Rocky is an experienced electrician and plumber and lived in Haskell, where he and the Cadenheads became friends. He and his wife, Rosie, currently live in Golthwaite. 

We went to Home Depot in Piedras Negras, where I purchased a 30-gallon butane hot water heater and all the necessary tubes and lines. We went to lunch at a new (to us) restaurant in Piedras, next to Home Depot. 

After we got back to my house, hey spent several hours installing the hot water heater and I am so blessed by their efforts. 

Here are the pictures I took of the work at the church and my home. I made the homemade apple pie for them and they took it with them after we each had a piece.(Except Jeremy. He said he doesn’t like fruit pies!)

God bless you as you make a difference in your sphere of influence. God is good, all the time!

Serving Him with joy,

Toni

Sharing in Elk Grove

 Greetings from Mexico in the powerful name of Jesus Christ, our precious Lord and Savior.

This past August, I was privileged to have the honor of speaking with a women’s group at Rejoice ministries in Elk Grove, California. Some of the ladies that attended the event I have known for many years, and many I had the opportunity to meet that day last summer.

My friend, Martha Chavez, whom I have known for nearly 30 years, invited me to share my testimony. I also shared about the years of serving the Lord as a missionary in Mexico.

It was a sweet time of fellowship with sisters from all over the world. Some of the women shared recipes and taught us how to cook delicious dishes from other countries.

Here are pictures from my visit, and a link to a video of my testimony. I am not a great speaker, so I apologize. But I just wanted to share God’s work in my life and His grace and mercy directing my steps from there to here. 

I am so thankful for all the people He has put in my life to help me along the way. I could never have arrived where I am, nor continued to do what I do without friends and family. 

May God bless you as you seek Him and serve others..

In His loving embrace,

Toni

Tepeyac VBS 2023

Greetings in the merciful name of Jesus Christ. This week has been a wonderful time of reconnecting with friends from the First Baptist Church in Haskell. Vacation Bible school has started once again, and we are having classes in Tepeyac, San Carlos, and Remolino. Unfortunately, our vacation Bible school in Centinela was canceled due to illness. I am posting some pictures of the first two days of VBS in Tepeyac. I have enjoyed fellowship with all the wonderful people that came down from Texas, and the Goza‘s that came up from Guadalajara in Jalisco. It’s been great to reconnect and I miss English-speaking fellowship.

Here are pictures from this week in Tepeyac. 

Tepeyac Kindergarten Mural

 Greetings from Coahuila, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. About a month ago I started a wall mural after being asked by the kindergarten moms to paint a wall they had recently constructed. For me, painting is therapeutic. They had no specifics and I gladly began the process of painting something that I hope would be a joy for the children for many years.

These are pictures from the final product.

Supplies for Agua Viva Rehab

Greetings from Tepeyac in the gracious name of Jesus. 

I just returned from a trip to California and Oregon to visit friends and family and I’m so blessed to be back home. 

When I arrived, several boxes were waiting for me at the UPS office in Del Rio, Texas.

My good friend, Cynthia Hilsinger, has been a supporter of me and this ministry for many, many years. Every month or two she sends boxes of donations for the families in our area and the rehab.

This picture gives you an idea of her generosity, and her help for the people of Mexico. The supplies go a long way in supporting Pastor Alejandro Alvarado and the men who reside in the Agua Viva Rehabilitation center in Centinela, Coahuila. 

 I am so thankful for supporters of this ministry and for those of you who pray for me and the ministry in Centinela. May God be glorified in all our lives as we serve the King of kings.

Keep loving those around you as you serve the Lord.

By His grace, 

Toni

Erica and Yvette

Greetings from Tepeyac in Jesus' beautiful name!

I pray the Lord is blessing your life and using you for His glory. So many wonderful things have been happening and I am so grateful for God's never-ending love and mercies that are new every morning.

Bill was in ICU for 6 days and I made the trip across the border each day to visit him in the hospital.

One of those days, when I was returning to Tepeyac, I saw two women walking on the bridge, and, as is my custom, I offered them a ride. They accepted and got in the car, and we talked all the way to their home in Acuña.

The women were in their 30's and both spoke perfect English. They work in a restaurant in Del Rio but both of them have had vehicle problems so are depending on friends and family for rides to and from work. 

That first day, I drove them to Erika's in-law's house, where her daughter was being cared for by her mother-in-law. They were so sweet and we exchanged phone numbers before we said good-bye.

A few days later, when I was back in Del Rio, I went by their job and waited for them to get off to give them another ride. They were so grateful and on the way across the border, Yvette told me about her husband and his story. She asked if I would consider coming to their home and sharing with her husband about my testimony, as I had shared with Yvette and Erika on our first visit. I was so happy to do that, and so we went to her house. 

Her sons were waiting for her and shared their Lego creations with me. They attend school in Del Rio so are also bi-lingual.

Yvette's husband, Jesus, was in their house, and was very welcoming when I came inside with his wife. We sat down, he gave me a cold drink of a Kool-aid type beverage and we visited. 

I shared my testimony, and how God had changed my life, and while I was sharing, he was so touched; he had tears in his eyes. 

Before I left, Yvette asked if I could pray for her whole family. The three boys came inside and we stood in a circle, holding hands, and prayed together. They had been attending a local church but since they had moved recently, had not found a church nearby.

The Boys from Acuña

I was so blessed to spend that time with them, and they told me to come back again and visit. I am looking forward to spending more time with them soon.

Please keep this precious family in your prayers. I know God had a wonderful plan for their lives, and although they have been going through a rough patch, He is their supply and their peace.

God bless you as you share with those around you. Keep sowing seeds of love and hope with others. So many broken people are looking for answers.

In His strong embrace,

Toni

Visits From Friends

Greetings from Tepeyac in Jesus’ glorious name!

I pray the Lord is blessing you and yours as you seek His face during these challenging times we are living in.

We can try our best to be the hands and feet of Jesus as we travel through our lives, keeping our eyes on the Lord as we make a difference in the lives around us.

The longer I live on this planet, the more I am sure that the things that are important in this life are not things at all, but the people He puts in our paths.

My husband, Bill, has been in and out of the hospital lately and is currently in ICU. I have visited him daily and he is in good spirits, all things considered.

The first weekend he was at home, we had visits from our good friends in Palmira. I am sharing photos from that visit and with our neighbors.

There is a cultural respect for the elderly here that I have observed in Mexico that I haven’t seen in the United States. I am sure it is present in the US as well. It’s just that I have never seen it like I’ve seen it here.

  

 Everyone who came to see Bill told him how good it was to see him and how much they appreciated him. They showed such love and care for him, it made him glow. He was so blessed.

        

I want to be more like that, making people feel so special and appreciated that they feel the love and care and it makes their lives better.

How many times we walk by people and say, “Hello, how’s it going?” and don’t stop to hear the person’s response? We live in a time of social media, and many people are feeling alone and discouraged.  Some people are depressed and if we take the time, we can make the difference in their lives if we just sit and listen.

A wise pastor once told me people pay lots of money for psychiatrists and psychologists to listen to them when they just need a friend to listen. He said we have two ears and one mouth, so we should be listening twice as much as we talk.

I have several friends that just need someone to listen. There’s a part of me that wants to fix all their problems, but over the years I have realized that most of the time, they just need a listening ear.

I pray you will be that friend that listens and loves them, showing compassion, encouraging them and being that sounding board for them. Keep being available and ready to pray for your friend.

God bless you as you seek the Lord and make a difference in your sphere of influence.

In His strong embrace,

Toni