Back In Church In Centinela

Blessings from Coahuila on this beautiful afternoon! After 6 weeks away from home visiting family and friends, I arrived back in Mexico on Saturday afternoon. The three-day drive was a long one but the Lord blessed me with traveling mercies and the little Ford Focus ran great!

I had many opportunities to speak to people in Sacramento about the Lord and to share the love of Christ through meals with the homeless. There is no lack of opportunities and it was a great time with my family.

Unfortunately, I got Covid19 the first week in November and thankfully passed through it without going to the hospital. Last week I had a negative test before I returned to Mexico so feel confident I am no longer contagious. I wasn't able to visit all the friends I wanted to due to the virus, but kept in touch by phone with several of them.

On Friday, I stopped in Van Horn and visited with three Guatemalan men bringing vehicles to Guatemala from California. Since Bill, Todd and I had taken one of those trips in 2005, it was interesting talking to them and I had the opportunity to buy a meal for them at Wendy's and pray for them before they continued on their journey back home. Luis, Julio and Eleazar should make it back home long before Christmas to spend it with their families.

Yesterday’s service in Centinela was wonderful. We shared a meal afterwards prepared by one of the muchachos and his family. It was a great time of worship and fellowship. 

Today I met some friends in Del Rio for lunch at IHOP. Gary and Margarita have been living in Del Rio and several months ago we met at one of the car dealerships while we were having repairs done on our vehicles. We have kept in contact ever since, and when we can, we meet for lunch at one of the local restaurants. 

It's always good to see them and they are such an interesting couple, we never lack things to talk about.

Thank you for your interest in the ministry and the blog. I pray the Lord blesses you as you find ways to make a difference in your community and beyond. May our lives bring Him the glory.

By His grace,

Toni

Feeding And Helping The Homeless

 Greetings in the glorious name of Jesus Christ!

I arrived in Sacramento last week on the 24th of October. I drove from Mexico in 3 days, and am so grateful for God’s mercies on my way. I slept in the car rest areas and it started raining when I was about 2 hours from Sacramento. Unfortunately, the car has a leak (or two) and the floor boards were full of water on Monday, due to the 5.44 inches of rain received on Sunday when I arrived. But I know that the residents of drought-ridden California appreciate every drop!

I spent the next two days drying it out with a shop vac and a special fan I rented at Home Depot. My brother gave me some sealant, so hopefully that problem is fixed. 

Every day this past week I drove my grandchildren to and from school. We spent time at the park after school and had a wonderful time together. 

During the week, my check engine light came on, so today I brought the car to a mechanic I trust in West Sacramento. I have been walking around the area while my car is in the shop, and I arrived at a Subway Sandwich shop. Outside, near the front of the store was a young woman going through the garbage can, looking for recyclables. I said, “Good morning,” and asked her if she’d like something to eat. She said yes! 

We went inside and ordered our meals. The woman working there was so kind and understanding. Many area restaurants won’t allow dining in, but she did. We sat and ate and visited for over an hour. During that time, “Moon Star” told me about her last 2 years on the streets and 4 months in a tent a few miles away.

She has no ID and no social security card, both being necessary for any chance to improve her living conditions. She was adopted at the age of 3 but has no birth certificate in her adopted name, so I contacted her high school and requested her transcripts. Thankfully, I connected with a wonderful woman who emailed the transcripts to me as soon as we got off the phone, and is mailing an official copy to a Women’s Shelter I contacted, where she can get her mail. 

I am sitting in the waiting area at the mechanic’s shop. After my car is finished, I plan to go find my new friend and get her wet belongings, blankets, etc. We will go to the laundromat and get her things cleaned and dried. Hopefully, we can pick up some applications she needs to get into a local homeless program here in West Sacramento.

I am so grateful God put Michelle in my path and that He directed my steps today. 

Serving Him with joy,

Toni

Tepeyac Newsletter September/October

 

Keep Entertaining Angels and Sharing God's Love

Greetings in the merciful name of Jesus.

Most days, when I am traveling to bring food or supplies to the rehab in Centinela, picking up mail or supplies in Texas or bringing families to the doctor, I see people walking along the road and most of the time, I offer them a ride. It has been a blessing and I've never had a really bad experience doing that.

Yesterday, I was at the laundromat in Del Rio and when I took my clothes back to put them in the car, an elderly gentleman was sitting with his laundry in canvas bags and I asked him if he needed a ride. He said, "Yes, please."

He had been waiting for a ride for awhile and his apartment was only a few blocks away. He had a walker and told me he was 78 years old, living with his brother who was 10 years older. 

I gave him a ride and unloaded his laundry into his apartment as he maneuvered his walker up the step and into his home. I told him good bye and even though we didn't even exchange names, he told me that he had been married twice and both wives had died some years before.

We never know how we can make a difference in the lives of those around us. It's so easy to lend a hand and if we are sensitive to the Holy Spirit, we often feel that tug to do something to help others. 

I have picked people up along the road on my travels to and from visiting my family, and often get to hear their stories, what's going on in their lives and often I get to pray with them. 

Last month, I picked up a man on my way home that I passed on the road from Acuña to San Carlos. He accepted my apple and a cold bottle of water and when he got into the van, he started to talk.

I asked him his name, and told me his name was Julian Victor Manuel. I was tickled at this news, because Victor Manuel was the name of the first baby I delivered in Baja. It made me smile to think of that experience. 

After a few minutes, I asked Julian if he knew Jesus Christ as his Savior. He began telling me about his relationship with the Lord and was so excited about his experience, I was blessed just listening to his testimony. As often happens, I think I'm going to bless someone, and they end up blessing me beyond anything I can imagine!

Before I dropped him off in San Carlos, I prayed with him before he headed walking down the road. When I asked him where he was headed, he said he was going to catch a train. 

I pray the Lord's protection and provision for Julian, and that God will guide his steps along his journey.

Keep looking for ways to bless others, and God will open doors for you. He is faithful and wants to use our lives for His glory.

Clinging to  the King,

Toni

Celebrating An Anniversary With A Loose Wheel

This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

I am so grateful for another day to serve the Lord. He is faithful and I am abundantly blessed that His mercies are new every morning.

Last night, I took my pastor, Manuel Alejandro Alvarado, his wife Veronica and his daughter Priscila out to dinner at Pescaderia Garcia in Piedras Negras. The special occasion we celebrated was Alejandro and Veronica’s 14^th wedding anniversary. We had a wonderful meal and picked up a Choco-Flan cake for them to celebrate with at home.

On our way, when we were just passing the prison near Centinela, there was a terrible grinding sound coming from the rear passenger wheel. We drove a little way, about a hundred feet, and then I stopped and we got out, looking for what the problem could be.

Apparently, when I had purchased 2 new tires and had work done on the wheel bearings in Del Rio earlier in the day, the technician had not tightened the lugs on that wheel, and the wheel was coming off, and one of the lug bolts had broken off. The wheel was coming off and all the lugs were loose, ready to come off also.

Thankfully, Alejandro was able to jack the car up and tighten the remaining lug nuts. I drove them back to their home in Centinela and went home to Tepeyac, so grateful to God for His traveling mercies.

It could have been so much worse. I know God has His loving hand on our lives, and I know He puts people in our paths just when we need them. I am not sure how quickly I would have realized what the problem was if I were alone, but I am so grateful for God’s care and love for all of us.

I am in Del Rio at the car dealer to replace the broken bolt and do the repairs necessary. Thank the Lord for His timing in all things.

Blessings in Jesus’ name,

Toni

VBS July 2021

Greetings in the merciful name of Jesus Christ! We just finished our Vacation Bible School in our area of Coahuila, Mexico and I wanted to share some photos of our events. 

Due to the pandemic, our attendance was noticeably less than usual but we were blessed to have many new faces at our churches. 

I worked in Centinela and in Tepeyac, and although it was a very warm week with the weather, we were able to do most of our classes indoors with open windows and a mild breeze or outside under trees and tin roofs. 

The first few days, we didn't have very many show up, but by Wednesday, more children and mothers started attending. 

The group from Haskell was fewer but we managed to cover all the VBS events without a problem. While I was in Centinela and Tepeyac, the other part of the group did VBS classes in Remolino and San Carlos.

Our group was wonderful and Phoi McGuire had all the projects ready for each group each day of the VBS. She works on these for months ahead of time and it's such a blessing to see the women and children, and even the men doing the studies and the art projects.

For the days in Tepeyac, I picked up mothers and children from Jarita and Palmira, but by Thursday, Brother Luis had to help me pick up Palmira children because my van was packed with 20-22 people after Wednesday. It was a lot of fun to be with those van-loads of children and moms.

(The pictures I've posted are a composite of both Tepeyac and Centinela VBS classes.) 

I pray the Lord blesses all the seeds planted for the gospel last week and that the decisions made to receive Christ will bring life-changing transformations and bring God glory.

Thank you so much for your prayers and support for all of these ministry facets. I am blessed to be here and to have so many making a difference alongside us here in Coahuila.

God bless you and you serve the King of kings.

In His strong embrace,

Toni

Anxious For Nothing

Greetings from Mexico in the righteous name of Jesus Christ. I pray that as you are reading this, the Lord is blessing you with His peace that passes understanding and strength for each and every day. He is our peace.  (Ephesians 2:14)

"For He himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in His flesh the dividing wall of hostility."

In our current world of challenges on every side, this scripture is a beautiful reminder that only Christ can bring us peace. The world has nothing to offer when we are searching for answers in the midst of chaos and unrest.

I have been enjoying Max Lucado's book, "Anxious for Nothing" for about the 3rd time. It is an encouragement to me in trying times, and I hope you will consider reading it. 

It has been a busy time in many ways for me the past few months. In March, I spent two weeks with my two granddaughters in Fort Worth. My son and his wife went on a vacation for her birthday, and I had the privilege of cooking and decorating cookies, drawing and painting, playing games, sewing, and just enjoying each other's company after nearly 6 months apart due to the pandemic. God blessed our time in prayer and I am so grateful for that precious time with my family.

Our little church family at Agua Viva Rehabilitation Center in Centinela recently stopped services for about two months due to one of the "muchachos" living at the rehab testing positive for Covid19. He is fine, and was without symptoms but kept testing positive long after he felt better. We are thankful .nobody else got sick, and it was hard for him to quarantine and be alone for so long. But yesterday at church he shared about his experience and was thanking God for bringing him through it after all that. 

Melting ice on my heater

As many in Texas and beyond experienced snow and ice during February, we also had the same here in our part of Mexico. Many, like myself, had broken pipes and no electricity for days around February 14th. It was and unusual Valentine's Day, with snow and cold like we haven't had here in nearly 30 years, the locals tell me. I took lots of pictures, as it reminded me of my childhood in Northern California where winters often were accompanied by lots of snowfall.

I still have yet to repair all the broken pipes to get running water at my house, but am so grateful for the windmill nearby that I can fill buckets of water for my needs here. Life is certainly simpler here. I am so grateful to God for His mercies, lovingkindness and provision.

Last week, we celebrated Hermana Mari's birthday at the church with pastel de tres leches. It was a sweet time and we were thankful for all she has been to that ministry since the beginning when Pastor Alejandro first took over there 15 years ago.

About a month ago, I was travelling on Hwy 57 between Pearsall and Eagle Pass. It was about 9:30 at night and I saw a car upside down in the bar ditch, with the engine on fire. I parked and got out, and two other vehicles were stopping there. I called out to the see if someone was in the car and there was a woman in the back of the vehicle. I crawled through the mesquite and brush and tried to get her out through the window nearest the hiway. She couldn't get through the window but another man went around the barbed-wire fence and helped her out of the other back window about two minutes before the car exploded.

As we walked her up the hill to the side of the road, I told her how blessed she was that God had protected her life from that accident. I got to pray with her as she was in shock after the accident. I found out that her name is Desiree and she asked me to call her husband. He was farther up the road and turned around to meet her there. We waited for the police to arrive and she was taken by airflight to San Antonio, and gratefully released later that night without serious injuries. God is so good and I am so thankful to have been there for that opportunity. Her husband has called me and asked me to come visit them in San Antonio. I hope to be able to visit them one day soon. This picture is of her car after she was extracted.

Earlier this year, one of my neighbors came to my door at about 9 at night and said her mother's church van was broke down near Zaragoza and they needed a ride to Acuña. I took her and her young son and we drove to where the old school bus was broken down on the side of the road just outside Zaragoza. The men stayed with the bus, and all the women and children got in my van and we drove them to their church in Acuña where their cars and families were waiting for them. It was a sweet time with precious women and I am so grateful for the van and the ability to help when needs like that one arise. 

After they unloaded, I asked the ladies if it was okay if I took their picture. They were happy to comply.

I am in the process of replacing all 3 of my doors on my house and it is a challenge, to say the least. I bought the doors in Abilene at a Habitat for Humanity Restore, and all three had to be cut down but are just the right widths. I have been out of practice with my carpentry skills, but have several projects I want to complete this year so it's a good time to dust off my tools.

May the Lord Jesus bless you and encourage you as you seek His face and His will for your life. I appreciate your interest in this blog and this ministry, and hope that you find peace in every area of your life as you serve the King of kings.

In His loving embrace,

Toni

 

Luke 9:23, 24

Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it."