Trusting Him To Direct Our Steps

 Greetings from Mexico, in Jesus' Holy name. I pray this update finds you encouraged and blessed, trusting God to direct you, as He guides you throughout your days. Allowing Him to put people in our paths who are looking for answers gives us opportunities to share our testimony to encourage others to seek His will for their lives.

I have had some sweet experiences lately, and wanted to share a few of them here.
Last week, I received a call for help and after a trip to a grocery store in Piedras, we saw a man stepping off a bus in front of the prison, beginning to walk toward Centinella. I stopped to see if he needed a ride. He said yes, and after he got in the van, he told us his story.

 He said his name was Mario, and he came on a bus from Sabinas to look for his brother, an alcoholic he hadn't seen for 8 years. He had received news that his brother had died, and Mario, having received Christ some years earlier, planned to try to locate the family, to console them and encourage them in seeking the Lord.

Veronica, Pastor Alejandro's wife, called several people in Centinella, asking if they knew Mario's brother, but nobody did.
Finally, we want to see the local judge, Blanca Gallegos. She knew José, Mario's brother, and told us he had moved to Piedras Negras. So we went to the forrajera (feed store) to ask where he lived, and they pointed across the highway to a house.  We went to the house, but nobody was home. Then a woman walled up, asking who we were looking for. Mario recognized her as his sister-in-law. It was a sweet reunion, with everyone shedding tears of joy. We said our goodbye's and headed home, grateful for God's perfect timing. The best part was Mario's brother had not died, but was alive and well.

This week, while I was in Piedras picking up parts ordered for the car, a woman was wandering in front of the parts store, unable to maneuver through the ongoing construction in progress there.
I asked her where she was going, and she said she lived in a Colonia several miles from the parts store. I offered her a ride, and we talked while I  drove her home. The house shown above is her house. She said she's a widow, lives alone, and her children are grown but seldom come to visit.  Her name is Dolores and she invited me to come back see her. I went back on Sunday to ask her to join us for church, but she wasn't home. I will try to go see her again this weekend. I pray the Lord encourages her as she is a lonely, sweet woman, and would enjoy fellowship with Christians.

The kids waiting for the teacher to open the gate in Centinella Primaria Escuela

Thursday, I helped Alejandro and Veronica transport the kids to and from the school in Centinella. Their van is in need of a fuel pump and they needed a hand. I enjoy the children and we often sing while we travel, making it a fun time together.  

Riding in the van heading home from school

Feeding the little calf given to Pastor Alejandro at the Agua Viva Rehab.

I love how they painted the Acuña sign for Christmas last year!

This vehicle had the window shot out of the back while we were in the line,

heading out of Piedras recently. It happened while I was right behind it.

Praise God, nobody was injured. 

We were recently blessed with another box of Bible Teaching Materials from Primera Iglesia Bautista of Corpus Christi. These materials are such a blessing, and Pastor Alejandro is looking forward to using them at Agua Viva. Thank you, Hermana Marie Ruth Fernandez, for sending them!

I have been reaching out to several women in Piedras Negras, and last week, held a class to show them how to make and decorate sugar cookies with a recipe from my friend, Dalia Hernandez of Corpus Christi. These are some of their results. One of the women, Maria Luisa, attends church with us every week in Centinella.

My good friend, Cynthia Hilsinger frequently sends boxes of goodies for the ministry here, and we are doing a bake sale, using the cake mixes she sent from Virginia to help pay for the van for the rehab. Every item sent is a blessing here to these families. I am grateful for Cynthia's boxes of shoes, socks, hygiene items, and lots more goodies that help hurting families in our area.

I appreciate your interest in this blog, and thank the Lord for your prayers for me and for the ministry here in Mexico. Your cards, letters, packages and phone calls always encourage me as I serve our King.

In His strong embrace,
Toni