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

Thanksgiving Meal at Agua Viva 2019

Greetings in the gracious name of Jesus Christ.

I am very behind in my updates this blog, so will try to play catch-up on with this update.

The past several weeks have been busy ones, transporting people to doctor’s appointments, emergency room visits, taking vitals and giving injections because the local clinics are on vacation for the rest of the year, and delivering food, clothing and blankets to families in need in our area. I have been so blessed to receive lots of donations from  Primera Asambea de Dios of Dallas, Texas during my recent visit to the Metroplex. 

We celebrated Thanksgiving at the Agua Viva Rehabilitation Center in Centinela on Sunday, November 24^th with 14 residents at the rehab and nearly 40 in attendance ate their fill of turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, broccoli-cauliflower salad, potato salad, yeast rolls and cake. Everyone went back for seconds, and some for thirds and fourth helpings. It was a sweet time of fellowship and the Lord multiplied the food. We had 3 big turkeys cooked to perfection by Veronica, Pastor Alejandro’s wife, and Susan Carver and Robert Strickland helped me make the salads for the event.

I took vitals on the residents of the center before the meal, and with my blood pressure cuff, glucose monitor and pulse oximeter, I was able to get a good read on the men’s health.  Most of the men had high blood pressure, and I gave them each a list of their results to take to a doctor when they get a chance to be seen.

Thank you so much for your interest in the ministry, and especially for your prayers and support. I am so grateful for the Body of Christ partnering with us in our efforts here below the border.

God bless you as you seek His will in your life and share the love of Jesus with the lost and hurting around you.

I'm His loving embrace,

Toni

All Aboard! VBS In Tepeyac 2018

Resurrection Day With Aspermont Community Church Friends

He Is Risen!

Pastor Greg Goza Sunday morning at Aspermont Community  Church.

Greetings in the powerful name of Jesus Christ!

What a glorious truth, knowing that Jesus gave his life on the cross for our sins, and was raised from the dead on the third day, and is alive today. Those of us who know the King are blessed and are called to share our faith with the lost around us.

 I was blessed to be able to spend last Sunday, Easter Sunday, with friends in Aspermont. For 10 years, Bill and I attended that church and those believers are still a big part of our lives.

Greg and Robin when they came for a visit last week.

The past few weeks have been busy for me and Greg and Robin's visit was as refreshing as a cold drink of water on a hot summer. I enjoyed our visit and we had a great time doing simple things together. We took baby rabbits to Piedras Negras to sell them, and visited with Alejandro and Veronica and the muchachos at the Rehab in Centinela.

After I left Aspermont on Sunday, I came to spend the week helping care for my granddaughters.  It has been a sweet visit and I took this picture of the clouds at sunset last week.

 This is a photo of some our little congregation in Centinela after the church service earlier this month. We try to have a potluck once a month, and more often, a fundraiser to help with the church and rehab expenses.

 The calf we've been helping our neighbors care for is thriving and we are so grateful.

Here's a YouTube video I uploaded of feeding

to the calf when it was sick two weeks ago.

Feeding Baby a bottle of suero (electrolytes)

 

These pictures were taken at past Children's Day Events in Tepeyac.

It's almost that time again, time for fun and games with the kids in our little area of Mexico. Children's Day is a big deal in Mexico, and these kids know how to have fun.

We pray the gospel message will be sown on fertile soil this year, in the hearts of children and parents alike.

If you are interested in helping us with this effort, please contact  me by email or text message. My information in listed in the comments section of this week's blog. Saturday and Sunday are our planned event days in two different pueblos. We appreciate your prayers for us as we share the love of Jesus and the gospel message with these precious souls.

I am so grateful for your interest in this blog. God bless you as you serve the King of Glory.

In His loving embrace,

Toni 

Children's Day Outreach in Tepeyac

Greetings from Tepeyac, Coahuila in the name of the King of kings!

 We had an excellent day, sharing the gospel and the love of Jesus Christ with the mothers and children in our little town on Sunday afternoon.

 Pastor Alejandro Alvarado and his family and church members cooked hot dogs for everyone.

 The kids had fun with the sack race, three-legged race, fishing for ducks and other games.

 They all enjoyed the bags of candy, some with chili flavoring!

 Lucero and Estrella Martinez were a great help with the gifts and games.

This was hard, walking with the ping pong ball on the wooden spoon, backwards to keep the wind from blowing it off!

Love their enthusiasm!

Fervent sack-racers!

The moms loaded up with fabric, yarn, cutlery, hygiene items, and much more.

It was a fun day for all and we are so grateful for all the donations from our partners in ministry. 

Fun and Games With The Children of Tepeyac

I’ve had a busy couple of weeks but am so grateful for God’s faithfulness and for friends and family.

The week before and the week after Easter, we had a VBS at the church in Tepeyac. We had 17-20 kids every day and several mothers joined their children. Each afternoon we started with prayer and songs, and then shared a Bible story.  Lucero and Estrella led the music and shared the story, and then we did a coloring page and a craft. A few days we did two crafts, and every day we had a snack and refreshments. One day, they decorated sugar cookies, and one day, cupcakes. The children were all so well behaved, it was a joy to have them fill the church during their Spring vacation from school.

Freshly-painted faces

Egg-on-a-spoon racers getting ready to go.

Blas sharing a message with the kids.

Waiting to start the three-legged race.

Sack racers in full motion.

Then, on Wednesday, the 30^th we celebrated “Día de los Niños” with an outreach at the church. Brother Blas shared a gospel message, we sang songs and then we began the fun. We gave out gifts to the mothers that attended and the outreach was complete with lots of games, hot dogs, cupcakes and drinks. The games were so fun, and we included a few new ones along with those we did at last year’s event. The children all won prizes for their performances, and we gave out bags of candy before they left.  

I am so grateful to be able to share the love of Jesus Christ here in Mexico. It is my heart's desire that every chance I get, He gives me boldness to share the gospel with the lost. What a privilege to serve the Lord and share what He has done in my life.

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”       Colossians 3:16 & 17

Thank you so much for reading our blog and for being a part of this ministry. We greatly appreciate your love, prayers and support for us. May our Heavenly Father get all the glory as we serve Him in these challenging times.

By His grace,
Toni and Bill

To read our most recent newsletter, click here.

Shoebox Gifts~Special Delivery

Greg and Robin Goza and Laura Pilkinton arrived Friday afternoon and brought 106 Shoebox Christmas gifts for the children of Tepeyac and the surrounding area. The gifts came from individuals and several churches in Stonewall and the surrounding counties.
They were blessed to get their small vehicle across the border without revision as it was packed to the ceiling with shoebox gifts, in addition to their personal belongings.

On Friday afternoon, a group of ladies from our church made pozole for the group, and fried chicken. It was fun to spend that time together and we enjoyed the sweet fellowship of the saints. We ate too much but slept well that night, and were ready the next morning to deliver gifts. I left at 7:30 to pick up Maria, Socorro and the kids from Palmira to come help us with the deliveries, and as it turned out, Blas had a better plan. We pulled up to the front of his gate and the children on his street and surrounding houses came up to get their gifts.

We enjoyed a wonderful meal of tamales and beans with homemade salsa at Sandra's house on Saturday afternoon. When we got ready to leave, she said her Christmas tree didn't have any gifts under if for her grandchildren when they were to arrive that evening, but because the group gave her gifts for her grandchildren, her tree had presents under it for when they arrived. She was crying as she thanked us and hugged each of us goodbye.

We enjoyed giving the gifts to all the children and the mothers asked us to thank our friends who supplied the gifts. What a blessing it was to be a part of such an act of love for the children of Mexico.

We are grateful for Greg, Robin and Laura and their sacrifice to come to Mexico on this trip. We thoroughly enjoyed having them for even the few days they were here. They made it across the border without any problems and should be home this evening, Lord willing.

We hope you have a wonderful week. God bless you and your family as you keep your eyes on the King.
Always,
Toni and Bill

Preparations for the Dallas Group

We made a quick trip to Del Rio this week to pick up some supplies for the upcoming Christmas Program on Saturday. The women of the church are going to make pozole chicken soup with hominy) and tortillas for the group coming from the Dallas area and we look forward to fellowshipping with everyone.

I drew posters and put them in all of the little tiendas (stores) in the area, announcing the Christmas program, and early Saturday morning, we will pick up children in Jarita, Nueva Jarita and Palmira. We will drive our van and we brought gasoline so Blas can drive the church van, loading up many more people than the manufacture’s recommended capacity. We still need to get Blas a battery but for now, our battery charger will work until we’re able to make that purchase.

I am excited about what God is doing here, as we visit families in our community and share the love of Jesus with the people here. I am praying for lives to be changes through what we do in Mexico. This weekend will be another opportunity for sharing and we are grateful that the group from Dallas has decided to come to our area and bring the gospel message. Pray for many seeds to be planted in fertile soil as the gospel is preached. Also, join with us as we pray for the families here, affected by the economy. Many children here stay at home alone while both parents work.

We are looking forward to the group from Aspermont Community Church coming down on the weekend of the 17th of December. They are bringing shoebox gifts and we know the children will be so blessed. If you are interested in helping with the shoebox efforts, please email Greg or Robin Goza at ggoza4@sbcglobal.net

Bill has been trying to get some Great Pyrenees puppies for our neighbors here to train to protect their sheep and goats from the coyotes. When we were in Eagle Pass this week, we met a man who has a 14-month-old Great Pyrenees male dog in Zaragoza, about an hour south of us. He is going to give it to us, and we hope to find a few females so we can raise some puppies for the people here who need them. It could be a great help to people that raise sheep and goats here.


God bless you and we hope you will consider coming down to visit sometime soon.

Rejoicing in His goodness,
Toni and Bill