Valentine's Day Within Prison Walls

Our Valentine’s Day afternoon was spent with the men at the prison near Piedras Negras, and we had a wonderful visit. We arrived a little after 1 p.m., and after trading our licenses for “fichas,” we were led to the big metal doors where the guards stay on the outside and we walk into the prison yard. Almost immediately, two of the men we’d visited with Monday met us and helped us carry our bag and plastic bucket, filled with some canned goods, candy, Bibles and tracts. We also brought some sandwich bags with instant coffee, deodorant, soap and toothpaste, some of the items they had asked us to bring.

We walked down the gated walkways that traverse the yard, and greeted every man who walked past us or was sitting along the sides. Most of them greeted us with “Buenas tardes, Hermana,” and “Buenas tardes, Hermano.” Some even said, “Dios le bendiga.” (God bless you.) Some men were playing soccer in the yard as we walked by. Some of the men were washing clothes, hanging them on the cyclone fences.

One of the unusual things Bill noticed was that there are dogs inside the gates of the prison. He saw about 20 dogs there. I guess I don’t remember ever seeing a dog inside a US prison before, except the guard dogs that search for escapees.

Under a covered area, several men were cutting wood and making cutting boards and tortilla boards in the shape of apples, carving details in the leaves and stems. Nearby, we sat down with several men at a cement table with benches and listened to them as they began to share about their lives and their testimonies. We read the Word together, some of them sharing their favorite verses. I told them about Bill’s life and shared my salvation experience, coming to Christ after the death of my first son. They asked how long I’d been walking with the Lord and it was the first time I thought about it being over 30 years. Today is my son, Brandon’s 30^th birthday. What an adventure, walking with Jesus!

We got their names and told them we’d be praying for them. This morning, Bill and I prayed for each one individually, trusting God to transform their lives and use them for His glory.

The men introduced to two musicians, who invited us into a church nearby, framed with 2x4’s, and covered with blue FEMA tarps. The hand-painted sign over the door read, “Ministerio Carcelario Bethesda.” Inside, it said “Casa de Misericordia, Escuela de Fe.” (Bethesda Prison Ministry, House of Mercy, School of Faith.)

We joined them in the little church, with a few folding chairs on a broken, concrete and dirt floor, one bare light bulb giving light in the semi-darkness of the blue tarps, and sang praise songs with the men and their families. It was uplifting and encouraging to us to join that Spirit-filled congregation.

Antonia, the lady I met 10 days ago our first day at the prison, and her mother and sister from Torreon were there to visit Antonia’s son, Jose Luis. It was a wonderful service, and the men took turns giving their testimonies and sharing favorite songs with the little group of about 20 people. The guitar player, Jorge, led the service and asked us to share. I translated while Bill told the men that he hoped they would listen to an old man who has spent many years behind bars, and wasted most of his life doing crime. He said he hoped they would take the Bible seriously and start using it as their life’s manual. I told them that ever since I first saw the prison I desired to share the gospel behind these walls, and now God has opened the door for us to do just that. It was encouraging to meet and shake hands with these men, and to pray with them and praise the Lord with them in the little makeshift room.

We talked to several more men on our way out, and prayed with 5 more individuals that Bill stopped to talk with along the way. The last man we visited with was Pedro, a troubled 26-year-old who lived in Denton before being deported. He said he’s being released in two weeks, to move home to Monclova, and said he knows his three enemies are the devil, the world and his flesh. We prayed for him before we left, and prayed God would deliver him from his lifestyle, and help him to walk with the Lord the remainder of his days.
 

We appreciate your prayers for the men at this facility and for us as we share the love of Jesus with the men and their families behind the walls. Bill got to hold several babies that came to visit family members for Valentine’s Day. It was a good day and we look forward to returning soon.

On a different note, Guillermo still comes over every day. This morning, he watched  Hope Ranch on the DVD player the Goza’s gave us. He loves to watch cowboy and horse movies and laughs out loud, which I love to see.

Someone recently told me they didn’t know how to pronounce his name. Guillermo means William and its pronounced “Ghee-air-moe.” (Ghee sounds like key) I don’t know how else to put it. It’s the same name Bill uses when he introduces himself, and here, they give him the nickname “Memo.” It’s like Bill in Spanish.

Our doctor here still hasn’t got a referral for us to a specialist for Guillermo’s hearing problem. We know the wheels move much slower here, so we are patiently waiting for God’s timing in all of this. In the meantime, I am blessed that he enjoys spending time with us.

We are grateful for your interest in what we’re doing here. We know that God is holding us in the palm of His hand, and is opening doors for us every where we turn.

God bless you today, as you keep your eyes on the King of kings. He’s our only hope.

Clinging to Jesus,

Toni and Bill

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
   because the LORD has anointed me
   to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
   to proclaim freedom for the captives
   and release from darkness for the prisoners,^[a]
to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor
   and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
  and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
   instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
   instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
   instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
   a planting of the LORD
   for the display of his splendor.

Isaiah 61:1-3

Broke Down and Feeding the Homeless

It’s Thursday morning, and we are sitting in Del Rio at the McDonald’s (with free wi-fi) having breakfast. I had to take a picture of Bill. Yesterday he spent 9½ hours, mostly under the van, while he took off and replaced the alternator and then the voltage regulator. The 1976 Dodge is difficult to access the parts, so poor Bill had quite a time. We were in the Auto Zone parking lot from 7 am to 4:30 pm, and it was a dirty job.

After we finished, we went to get a $5. footlong sandwich at Subway and a homeless guy was sitting in front of the store. We invited him to join us and visited with him while we stood in line. He’s from Iowa, his name is Tony and he’s a mechanic who came to Texas with the oilfield boom some time ago. Anyway, he grew up in Monterey, Mexico until he was 10 and his family returned to the US, and only he and his little brother are legal because they were born here. We talked to him about the Lord and he said he’s a believer. It was nice to visit with him.

Yesterday was quite a day for us, as we got pulled over two times. Once, by the police and the second time, by the border patrol. The first time was at 4:30 in the morning and the policewoman said she wondered why we were driving down the road at that hour. (We were in Carrizo Springs where Bill was looking for work, and we had slept in the van on the side of the road. We woke up at 4 am, I read the word for a while and then we went to a gas station to get coffee.) She ran background checks on both of our with our ID's and asked Bill if he'd ever been arrested. His response: "I'm 67 years old...of COURSE I've been arrested!" I had to laugh, but later told him that not every 67 year-old person has an arrest record. Only Bill and his sense of humor... The second time we were pulled over between Carrizo Springs and Eagle Pass, the Border Patrol officers said lots of drugs get hauled in vans like this one, and lots of illegals. I guess the old 1976 Dodge has a bad rap....I was sort of thinking of doing prison ministry from behind bars yesterday....but it didn't happen.

By the way, the Border Patrol officer told me I cannot have a Texas license when I live in Mexico. He said he wasn't going to cite me and returned my license and insurance paperwork to me, but he said that I need to have a Mexican license and get rid of my Texas license. I told him I lived in Mexico 7 years with a California license and he said, "Ohhh, but that's California!"

So, if you don't hear from me for awhile, one day you might receive a snail-mail letter from me with a number after my name. If that's the case, just pray for many salvations as I serve behind bars for my life of crime. It sort of made me feel like I'll stay on the other side of the border, thank you, where things aren't so exciting. :)

Today we're in Del Rio, and we will pick up and send out mail, do a load of laundry at the laundromat, get a few supplies (including a washboard) and some spark plug wires for the van, and head back across the border to home. Bill decided too many things were against him finding work, so we'll head back to Tepeyac and get started with the prison ministry. I am glad, and pray the Lord multiply the finances and bring many to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ in Tepeyac, the prison, and the surrounding areas. May God get the glory!

Thank you for reading our little blog, and for praying for us and commenting. We appreciate you and your prayerful support.

Until next time, we're in His grip,

Toni and Bill

Three-Milk Cake in Palmira

When’s the last time you met someone who had never celebrated a birthday? I met a man named Francisco who is in his 60’s, he believes, but has never celebrated his birthday because all of his family’s records were burned in a fire when he was little. He doesn’t even know when he was born.

When I discovered this dilemma, I decided we needed to celebrate so I made a three-milk cake, and we had a little party.

Francisco, or “Kiko” as most people call him, is a character. He’s very likeable and I enjoyed my first encounter when we ate the meal at Mundo’s house with the pig’s head on the table as a centerpiece.

On Sunday afternoon, Blas, Paula and I took the cake to Mundo’s house and waited for Kiko to arrive. He was out feeding cows and had to make a trip to San Carlos for feed, so we waited over an hour for his arrival. I had asked Blas on the way to Mundo’s if I could share the Lord with his cousin, and he said certainly. You never know what doors the Lord will open until you take the first step.

When Kiko arrived, he was all smiles when he saw the cake. I’m not sure he believed I really would, but he was happy and ate three pieces. While we visited, we talked about cows, the drought and how it had affected the feed situation, and about how much the lack of water affected the value of his cattle.

After much conversation, we began talking about money and the fact that you can’t take it with you. I told him I knew lots of people with lots of money, but that money didn’t make them happy. I asked him if he died tonight, did he know where he was going. His answer was, “To the cemetery.” I said, that isn’t really where we’ll end up. There is more to it than that, and I shared what the Word of God says about death, that “once to die, then the judgment.” I shared my life story with him and he listened intently, along with everyone else in the room. While I was sharing about the loss of my son, he wiped away tears, just as I did. I shared about moving to Mexico with my three children and about meeting Bill there.

I told him Bill’s story as well, about him turning himself in to clear his parole violation after we got married, and how he had a stroke 4 days after his release from prison and couldn’t read or write. Those were hard times, but we trusted the Lord in all of that, and have seen His hand on our lives over these many years.

Finally, told Kiko I wanted him to know my Jesus. He told me he was too hard-headed and had never been to church. I asked him if I could pray for him and he said yes, so before we left, Blas, Paula and I put our hands on Kiko’s shoulders and prayed for him. It was a really sweet time with him and the whole family. I pray seeds were planted that evening in Palmira, and that God has His way in Kiko’s life.

Thank you for reading our blog. We appreciate your prayers for us as we serve the King here in Mexico.

In His grip,

Toni and Bill

Coming Home to Mexico With The Dogs

We had a wonderful time visiting Brandon and Jessica and little Abi for Christmas, but it was hard to leave. We hope we’ll get to see them again in the next few months, Lord willing.

On our way to Aspermont, we stopped to visit Dr. Wayne and Yuvi, and met their children and grandchildren. It was nice to visit with them and to meet their family.

Laura watched our dogs in Aspermont so we got to visit her a few minutes when we picked them up. They seemed to be very happy to see us again and we appreciated Laura’s willingness to keep them while we went to the Metroplex.

We stopped and had a meal with Greg and Robin in Anson on our way through, and they blessed us with lots of goodies for Mexico. We look forward to seeing them in the coming year when they visit Mexico again.

When we got to San Angelo, we drove from there to Carlsbad to pick up the dogs Brandon Alldredge gave us. He gave us two 8-week old male Anatolian Shepherd puppies and one five month old female Anatolian/Great Pyrenees mix and one three month old Great Pyrenees male. He donated them to the ministry and we were so grateful for that answer to prayer.

We were able to bring the dogs and lots of dog food to their new owners. Rito and his family named their dogs “Rey” and “Princessa.” Amadeo hasn’t given his dogs names yet. The dogs are all doing well and adapting to their new homes. They are drinking goat’s milk and living with the goats and sheep. It’s amazing to see the instincts they already have for that lifestyle. They are working dogs, and are very content in their environments.

Our border crossing was amazing. We came across at the Del Rio/Acuna crossing about 2 am on Tuesday and absolutely nobody was there! It was the first time I’ve ever seen that. Between Acuna and Tepeyac, we might have seen 6 vehicles, which made for a pleasant drive home. We slept a few hours, and at 9:30 a.m. we went to bring our “tuning fork” to the doctor. She didn’t come for consultations that day, though. We will see her next week when she comes back.

My son, Brandon, purchased the tuning fork online while we were visiting and had it delivered on Saturday, which delighted Bill tremendously. The doctor needs it for a better diagnosis of Guillermo, and hopefully it will enable him to get the help he needs.

We enjoyed the Bible study at Lupita’s house on Wednesday. Her husband was sitting up in the chair during the study. Nena and her daughters were there, also, and we brought Maria, Socorro and the children. Blas came but Paula spent the evening with her mother, who has been having a hard time since her husband died Friday before Christmas. Paula and her family are healing slowly from the loss of her father. He died of pneumonia, but had been struggling with Alzheimer’s for the past 5 years.

This morning, Paula and Blas brought two of their nieces, Alexis and Angela, and we made sugar cookies in the trailer. It was fun, and the girls had a great time, cutting the “masa” with the cookie cutters and putting sprinkles on them. We made dozens of cookies but only a few made it home with them!!! I know they had fun, and Paula probably enjoyed it most of all! Alexis is 5 and Angela is 3. They are cousins.

Alexis was born in Del Rio and speaks English and Spanish and is quite a character. While we were making our cookies, Bill came in to ask me where the cordless drill charger was and I told him what he needed to know. Alexis said, “Why are you talking to him in English? HE doesn’t speak English!!!”  I guess she thought his Texas drawl didn’t sound like English to her. I couldn’t help but laugh! Too funny!

While we made cookies, Alexis decided to tell the story (in English) of the 3 little pigs. I told her we should speak Spanish so everyone could know what we’re saying. She asked me to tell the story, and I ended up telling it nearly 10 times….Alexis wanted me to tell it over and over and over again.

Have you ever thought of that story in Spanish? I don’t guess I ever did before today. Of course, it got better and better the more times I told it…in they end, the puerquitos cried “Gloria Dios! Alleluia!!!” porque el lobo se murio en la hoya de agua hirbiendo en la chiminea. (my spelling is probably way off, but you get the jist!) I had to remember soplo in place of respiro (blow in place of breathe) Maybe I could write a Spanish children’s book about it, giving God the glory! Paula had never heard the story before. When my children were small, we had a Christian tape from Hosanna that told the story with a Christian flavor to it. It would be fun to do that in Spanish.

After we made cookies, I drove Blas and Paula to San Carlos to pay their electric bill. When we came back through Palmira, we stopped at Blas’ brother, Reymundo’s house and had a meal with them. They had just killed their pig this morning and made a wonderful meal of it and we stopped to visit with them.

We ate outside at a big wooden table made from an electrical wire spool, sitting near the fire where the meal was still being cooked, and tortillas were warming on the grill. The only thing out of place (probably only to me) was the pig’s head in the middle of the table, eyes fixed, looking at me. He had white whiskers. All I could think of while I ate was that saying Jerry Coplen and Greg Goza say, “Happier than a dead pig in the sunshine.” The sun was shining brightly on this beautiful afternoon, and that pig actually looked happy. I know that’s strange, but it’s true. He had just the slightest smile across his lips…

Well, it’s getting late and I want to get this posted to the blog. I have lots of children coming for Art class in the morning, and am looking forward to seeing them all again. Our weather has been beautiful the past few days, and I hope it will continue tomorrow so we can have a good turnout for out class.

Bill and the dogs are waiting for us to drive to Jimenez. It’s their outing for the day.

We covet your prayers. God has protected us, provided for us, given us boldness, and kept us healthy because of the prayers of the saints. We greatly appreciate your prayers for us.

May God bless you richly this coming year, and may He use your life for His glory. I pray that you realize how truly blessed you are. We all have so much to be thankful for.

Psalm 84:10-12    For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper  in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the LORD God is a sun and shield, the LORD will give grace and glory; no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.

In His service,

Toni and Bill

Christmas Eve

This evening we went to NorthWood Church in Keller. Their Christmas Program was very nice. They sang Christmas Carols, had communion and children in a manger scene on the stage. I enjoyed it. but it was hard for Abi so Brandon and Jessica spent most of the service in the Crying Room, where they saw the service on a TV screen. Hard for little ones to sit still very long.

We went on a drive to see the Christmas Lights in Richland Hills the other night. Some of the homes were amazing!

Christmas in Watauga

Abi got this hat from Grandpa Bob and Grandma Ethel in Brookings,

and she loves to wear it in the cold~

Thursday evening we arrived at Brandon and Jessica's house, and have had so much fun visiting them and playing with Abigail! We're blessed to be here with family to celebrate this special time of year. Here are just a few pictures Brandon has taken of his sweet daughter.
We hope your Christmas is blessed and filled with God's peace, friends and family.

Visiting Aspermont

It's Wednesday night and we drove up to Aspermont today to join the Gozas and Laura in sharing about the Shoebox Gift outreach in Tepeyac. It was great seeing everyone at church and felt like we never left!
Robin made Hot Apple Cider and the children sang Christmas songs for us. It was a blessing to see the pictures and to let everyone see the faces of the children when they received the boxes.
We are so grateful for everyone who participated in the outreach. Thank you for giving to those sweet children.

Sandra brought this little goat on Tuesday evening. She named it Domingo and it's brother Santo. They were born that morning and Sandra found Domingo on the ground, trembling from the cold, so she brought him home in a towel and bathed him in warm water.

This is Virginia. She was born about a month ago, and when her mother died a few weeks ago, Sandra had to feed her with a bottle. She's a sweet little goat.

This is of Blas, Paula and Bill. Bill is roasting hotdogs over the fire in front of our house in Tepeyac.

Bill holding Cold Max....Brrrrrrrrr!

 

This is my friend, Dylan Eason at church on Wednesday night in Aspermont.

These are the children at church, singing Christmas carols.

Tomorrow we will be heading for Brandon and Jessica's to spend Christmas with them and Abigail. Can hardly wait to get there!