Living Life With A Purpose

Wednesday evening about 4:30, we picked up Maria and three of her children and took them to Hermana Lupita’s for the Bible Study at 5:00. When we arrived at Maria’s house, the road was blocked with a big tractor that had broken down after cutting their field. Our neighbor, Javier the mechanic, was working on it and had been there since early in the morning. We prayed over the tractor and Javier, and then went on our way. We were surprised that Blas and Paula weren’t at the study when we arrived and prayed that they were okay. Lupita was so glad to see Maria and her children, and Lupita’s daughter, Nena and her daughters were already there when we arrived. Lupita and her husband had it nice and toasty in her little house, even though it was chilly outside. She has a tire rim made to hold firewood that she puts in the middle of the floor. It really helps warm her little house, along with her fireplace.

Lupita requested we read 2nd Thessalonians, Chapter 2. We each took turns, each reading a verse around the room. After visiting awhile, we prayed and then left Lupita’s house, heading to the Bible study in Palmira at Raquel’s home.

We brought several chairs but there were not as many people as the week before. It was still a great time of sharing, reading the Word and singing. Felipa shared from Matthew about the parable of the sower. When Felipa asked for testimonies, Bill shared a little about his life and what God had done to get his attention and change his life. Others shared a little and then everyone prayed. We said our goodbyes and took Maria and her children home. The tractor was still in the road when we returned to Maria’s gate, and in the morning when we got up, it was parked back at Javier’s house across the street from us. It’s a John Deere with a phone number painted across the top, so it’s easily recognizable, and pretty handy around here.

Thursday morning, Hermano Blas, Eraquio and Paula came by to work on the roof but Bill had already done the work, coating it with the cold top before they arrived. They said they weren’t feeling well Wednesday but were feeling much better on Thursday morning. They all shared some of the menudo our neighbor, Alma brought over, and we visited for a few hours. It was nice to spend some time with them.

That evening, Pedro came by about 5:30 and invited us over to his house to see where he lives. He’s right across the road here in Tepeyac. We visited about 2 hours with him and his wife, Santa, and we talked about all the wonderful things God had done in all of our lives. His sons and grandchildren live in homes on his property, also. They showed us their home, complete with tiled kitchen and bathroom, shower and flushing toilet. He invited us over for a hot shower that he heats with wood under the hot water heater! He’s quite the carpenter, plumber, etc. Very talented man and it was really a great time of fellowship with him and his wife.

Friday morning Bill went to get some salsa from the store and not long after he left, he came back to have me translate for him. When I went with him to the store, I saw some friends from the Palmira church. Eulogio and his wife, Lydia, run a Conasupo, which is a government grocery store. Their granddaughter, Lupita was there. She’s five. It was so great to talk to them. After we came home, we had breakfast and then at 10:00 a.m. we had the art class. Only 6 children came but it was nice, and Paula came with the children. She said all of them are her nieces and nephews.

Bill and I built a fire in the stove at the back of the church, and when Blas came in, he noticed a cardboard box near the stove was smoking. He quickly took it outside and it caught fire, burning the box and the artificial flowers stored in it. We were so blessed that it didn’t catch the church ceiling on fire. God is so good. Anyway, we moved all the items away from the stove so that nothing like that would happen again.

Blas and Eraquio cleared a way out back and opened up the back fence to allow us to drive through the property. It made a big difference and they did a great job. While they were working, a man with an ice cream cart came by and he asked for a Bible. His name was Manuel and he’s a Christian who lives in Acuña. Blas gave him a Bible and we told him to come back again. I took their picture and printed it to give him when he returns in about two weeks.

Later that afternoon we stopped to see Hilda and her family to inquire about the concert on the 26th. While we were there, a brother who works at the President’s office in Jiminez came by to confirm permission from San Carlos to have the concert in the Plaza. We were very excited as that is the best place to have the most people for an audience.

While we were there, Francisco asked if we wanted to see the new baby, Javier. Of course we said yes, and he took us into a bedroom with his wife, Ana, and their new son was sleeping. Ana allowed me to take pictures so I am sharing them with you. I printed them for Ana and the family and gave them copies this morning. She said they still hadn’t taken any pictures of him. She’s still sore from her surgery but is feeling better, she said.

Today, we had a visitor the first thing in the morning. Hermana Lidia, whom we had met yesterday, came by with some tamales for us for breakfast. She sat and visited a long time and we talked about Tepeyac, about the church and what God was doing. She said that her husband ran an errand to buy dog food in Piedras Negras, and was coming back in a Taxi.

After she left, Nena came by for a paint brush because she’s painting her living room. She had tea with us and then she left.

Then we got ready for the art class. Bill went to Nueva Jarita to pick up Wendy and Luci, and their cousin.

I took pictures of all the kids that came to the class. Felipa brought her two sisters, Juanita and Deborah and several nieces and nephews. All the children said their verse, Genesis 1:1 and received a toy. Most of the kids picked bubble blow.

We had 11 children in the class all together. They painted and drew and Bill sang and played the guitar for the kids, before they threw him out. (He told me to tell you that. He tried to sing, “Ain’t Nothin’ But a Hound Dog” and it made the kids laugh.)

We gave them next week’s text and told them to come to church tomorrow. Several said they would. Some of the children had been here before but there several that were here for the first time. The verse for next week is:
Exaltado seas sobre los cielos, oh Dios; Sobre toda la tierra sea tu gloria. Salmos 57:5
(Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth. Psalm 57:5)

When we took Wendy and Luci home, we stopped on the way back to visit Sheila and Samuel, the couple who live across the road from Hilda. Sheila is German and they have been married 9 years. They raise dogs, mostly poodles and Chihuahuas but we saw they have lots of different breeds there, in cages. We saw at least a hundred dogs, all barking at the same time. Bill said it sounded like a dog choir, and he didn’t know how they could stand it. Very noisy but fun to interact with all those dogs. I only got bit once.

When we got back to the casa, Hilda’s sons came by to pick up our trailer to make a float for the Cabalgata Parade. Bill and the brothers visited awhile before they left.

We had rice and homemade salsa for dinner and Maria came by on her way home from picking pecans in Jiminez. She brought us each a piece of fried chicken and some French fries. She said the pecan season is over so her children can come to our art class next Saturday. Very sweet for her to think of us and bring us some chicken.
Now I’m typing this so I can take it to the internet place in Jiminez tomorrow to upload to our blog. I am listening to Marcos Witt on my computer, “Yo Quiero Ser Como Tu.” Lord, I want to be like you! Awesome song. The electricity just went off for a few minutes and then came on brighter than before... Kind of interesting! Not sure how that happened but it’s a blessing.

While we were in Jiminez the other day, eating a meal at the little taco stand there, I couldn’t help but notice the “sugar bowl” they put in front of us. It was an old brown ceramic teapot, missing its handle, with a chipped spout. It had long ago served another purpose, and now, in a more humbled condition, it continues to serve but with a new purpose, as a sugar bowl.

It makes me think about my life. Seventeen years ago, I brought my three children to Mexico and we served the Lord there for seven years. I believe after all this time and all that the Lord has done in our lives, that maybe now we are similar to the sugar bowl, serving the Lord in a different capacity than we did before, but still useful for His kingdom.

I pray that our precious Lord is using your life for His glory in whatever capacity you are serving Him. Every person’s life touches so many other lives, and whether you know it or not, you are a living testimony in the way you live your life. You have a sphere of influence and can make a real difference in the lives of those around you. We were created for Him and we sometimes think we are here on earth for our own pleasure.

This is what I found in the Word concerning our purpose on this earth:

Ephesians 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Revelation 4:11 Thou are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.


When I think about the privilege of serving the Lord in Mexico, among these wonderful people, I am in awe of God’s loving kindness to me, to us. It seems like I struggled forever to get here, and now that I’m here, I know it’s where we’re supposed to be, doing what God has called us to do. What an amazing God we serve.
Every day when I wake up, I thank the Lord that He has given me another day, and that I am here in Tepeyac. It’s still hard for me to believe.

Thank you for reading our little blog, and thank you for praying for us. It means more than you know and we are always grateful for your encouraging comments. Walk with the King and be a blessing!

Under the shadow of His wings,
Toni and Bill

Psalm 91

Wants and Needs

Some people have asked us about our needs here and when I think about it, some of these things probably come under the heading of wants. So I will just list some things here that come to mind. We appreciate your prayers for these needs.
Our mailing address is:
Bill & Toni Bookman, P.O. Box 420216, Del Rio, Texas 78842

Needs Specifically for the ART CLASSES
Cardstock, copy paper, watercolor paper,
poster board, roll of butcher paper, stickers,
Markers, water and permanent, any and all colors
watercolor paints and stickers

CD Player for personal and church use

Folding tables
Folding chairs

Photo paper,
HP Ink Cartridges for Inkjet 3510 printer
Specifically HP 61

Here's a picture of our youngest student, Emmanuel. He's three and talks the whole time he's in our class. Bill gets a kick out of him because Bill says, "He still hasn't figured out yet that I don't speak Spanish!"

Wednesday Update

Today is Wednesday, and we are in Jiminez at a little tienda that has free wireless internet access! What a blessing!

I am trying to catch up on emails and business stuff but also wanted to update you a little on our lives here in Mexico.

Last night we had a surprise visit from Hilda and two of her 9 children. We visited about the upcoming Rodeo (Cabalgata) and outreach afterwards in San Carlos. I showed them some flyers I drew up and they were pleased with them. We’ll put them in the tiendas around the area to advertise the Gran Concierto that will be after the Cabalgata on the 26th of November.

While they were at our house, they told us that they helped build the room we’re living in, and that they also worked on the church and the fence around it. Hilda’s husband was the pastor of our church for a long time before he died, and they worked hard to keep the church alive and full of members. They still have a heart for our church, but are working in Palmira and have been successful there, bringing people to the Lord and discipling them. They told us that Pedro, the man I keep running into everywhere who has the amazing testimony, is going to share his testimony at the concert. He was well known in worldly circles and is even more outspoken now that he’s a Christian. Every time I see him, he’s sharing the Lord with people. What an encouragement for us to see a man so on fire for Jesus here in our little corner of Mexico!

Hilda’s oldest son, Francisco and his wife have a new baby and we look forward to seeing little Javier. He was born last weekend in Acuna and his mother had to have him c-section so she is recuperating in her mother’s home in San Carlos. Hilda has 10 grandchildren now. All of Hilda’s children, except one, are serving the Lord. Bill and I were especially impressed with Felipas’ evangelistic anointing. We have heard her sing and preach and she’s an amazing young woman. I still have to translate for Bill but even without translation, Bill can tell she’s anointed.

Bill is feeling better after being sick and blames the baloney we bought in the states. He says, “No more American baloney!”

Yesterday some children came and told me there was no school today, so at 10 am we had an art class and 10 children came and painted and drew for two hours. It was fun and we served saltines with peanut butter and horchata (rice milk with cinnamon) for a snack.
We always enjoy having the children come to visit. Bill built a fire in the fireplace and used our briquettes, and it was nice and toasty in the sanctuary where we had the class.

Tonight we have a Bible study at Luipita’s casa at 5pm and then we will go to Raquel’s casa in Palmira to join Hilda and Felipa and all the saints for another study there. It’s so exciting to see what God in doing it the believers here. They share testimonies every meeting about what God has been doing in their lives and in their family’s lives. Pedro shared about his brother-in-law and his sister. They told him that he had “passed the test” and could stop reading his Bible now and talking about God to everyone. He told them, this wasn’t a test like that. It was a lifestyle change and he would be doing these things from now on. They got mad and left him alone. He said he has a wonderful time with his welding business, praising God and praying while he’s working. God is using him mightily in our area because of his boldness.

Every time Bill sees Pedro, he asks him if he has his sword and if he’s going to cut off someone’s ear like Peter in the Bible. Pedro just laughs and says his sword is in his pickup (his Bible).

We will close for now and we will try to keep you updated later this week. May God bless you abundantly as you seek His face.
We love you and thank the Lord for your prayers for us as we serve here in Mexico.

In His grip,
Toni and Bill

Monday Morning in Mexico

Monday is overcast here in Northern Coahuila and the chickens were scratching around for scraps as I washed dishes on the table outside our room. I rinsed a load of wash and hung them on the line, starting another load since the water was still on. It’s sort of like choreography, making the laundry sync with the water supply…I like it and it keeps me on my toes.
Hanging clothes on a day that might bring rain is another thing. Do you hang them anyway, hoping it won’t rain? Or do you hope they’ll get a second rinse if the rain DOES come? I guess I am rattling on, but those are things I consider. Certainly rain in itself isn’t dirty, but the wind brings the dirt and the worst case scenario is I have to wash them over again.
Once, when we first moved to Mexico in 1994, I washed all my clothes by hand, and hung them on my little clothesline I had instaled, only to watch them fall in the dirt when the line fell under the weight of those wet clothes. I sat on a bucket and cried…it was a hard lesson. It had taken me all day to wash them, and since we had to wait for the “pipa,” ~the man with the water tank that drove through town to bring water to the people for a price, it was especially discouraging. But it was a good lesson. Never hang heavy, wet clothes on a weak clothesline.
I am enjoying a cup of coffee while Bill rests from a rough night, still sick. He seems to feel better this morning but is still a little weak.

Our electrical system is somewhat challenged here. When the coffee pot begins its re-warming process, the fan slows down. Can’t have too much going with this little electric source. But it sure makes you appreciate you have electricity at all.

Our first year in Mexico, we didn’t have electricity in the little house we rented, although I brought my appliances along with us when we moved there. We used the fridge for food storage, as well as the microwave. It was such a blessing to have flashlights and candles, and I read to my children at night by flashlight. We would all snuggle up in the bed, listening to the old time radio shows out of Southern California, when the radio would catch the signal. The kids loved it and so did I. I think it was a great experience for all of us. They learned Spanish faster than I did, I think. My children were 12, 9 and 4 then. It was the beginning of our 7-year-long ‘Great Adventure!’

When we finally did have the house wired for electricity, we only lived there a few months before we moved to another house in a town nearby. That little house had electricity and water in a faucet outside. It even had a shower and a flushing toilet, that flushed when you poured a bucket of water in to the bowl. Kinda neat, huh?

After living there two years, we moved into a bigger house made of adobe, and it had running water in the sink and the bathroom shower, and a hole in the bathroom floor, but no toilet. We had an outhouse that had a bicycle tire tube for the door hinge and when you went to use it, it made our turkeys announce your arrival and departure, because the bike tube squeaked. What a kick, huh? I thought it was funny, but not all of my friends did. After a while, we installed an indoor toilet and it was great. But to me, since the water source there was unreliable also, the outhouse was always the trustworthy place to go. No need for water. And you got used to the sound of the turkeys after a while….

So much for old memories.
We are grateful for your prayers for us, and it’s also encouraging that you read our blog. God is doing wonderful things here and we feel that dividing walls are coming down, as we keep praying for that here in the area. May God be glorified!

What a blessing to catch up on a little extra sleeep with the time change! We woke up and got a lot done Sunday morning before church. We picked up Maria, her mother-in-law Soccora and four of her children; Lucero, Maria, Manuel and Ariceo. It was a great day for Children’s Church because we had 10 children. It’s the first time we’ve had any new kids at church since we arrived, and several were from the art classes: Daniel, Idalis, Kenia, Noe, and Roque. Alexis is Blas and Paula’s niece and she also came along.
Bill and I took the kids outside, behind the church under the trees and after we prayed, I shared the parable of the Lost Sheep. The kids paid attention and we drew pictures of the lost sheep and after the class, the kids came in to church and shared what they had learned with the adults. We had some refreshments for them afterwards. Hopefully, these and even more will come next Sunday.

Bill was got very sick Sunday afternoon and wanted some Sprite so I walked to Yessica’s store across the road and went in. The brother from the Bible Study in Palmira was there and he said, “God bless you, Sister!” It was so good to see him. Pedro has such an amazing testimony. After I went outside, we talked some more. He was witnessing to Yessica’s Uncle about the Lord and what Jesus had done in his life. We spent several minutes sharing with the older man about the wonderful things that come with the Christian life. We invited him to church and I said my goodbyes. When I left walking home, Pedro was still talking to the man about Jesus. What a blessing it was to spend time with that brother who is on fire for the Lord!
Please pray for Bill’s complete healing, and that nobody else catch what he has. Nena has been sick to her stomach, also, so we hope it’s just a flu bug.

We thank the Lord for all of you reading this, and for your prayers for us. We know God is already using us here in Mexico and we are so excited about what the future holds.
May He use your life mightily for His glory, and may He do a new thing in you today, something unexpected!
Loving the King,
Toni and Bill

Fantastic Friday

 Friday morning we went to visit Hilda and her family and while we were visiting, found out she was out of propane. We took her big tank in the back of the pickup to San Carlos to get it filled and brought it back to them a few hours later. While we were in San Carlos, we went to visit some ladies who have a little café and we had a few tacos there for lunch. While we were waiting for our food, we spoke to a young couple from Monterey. He’s a truck driver and his wife and young son go with him. They were on their way back home with a load and we talked to them awhile, and got to pray with them before we left the café. We had prayed with the ladies that own the café before and knew they were Christians, so it was a pleasure to share the Lord with this young Christian couple there, also. They were encouraged and said they had about a 10 hour drive back to where they live. We had a wonderful visit with Hilda and her son and daughter and talked about the outreach coming up later this month. Felipa is trying to get permission for them to have a church service in the town square in San Carlos after the rodeo and is waiting for the okay. I am going to print up her flyers with my computer and printer so we will go over to their house tomorrow to work on those. Saturday we had an art class at 10 am and another one at 2 pm for the children that couldn’t come earlier. Then at 3 we had a Spanish class. Most of the children stayed and did art until 5 pm, which was great. I taught them Genesis 1:1 and told them the creation story from the illustrated Bible Blas loaned me. Nena (Irene, Lupita’s daughter) and her two daughters came with a friend named Abigail for the English Class. Blas also came and they learned how to say the days of the week, the months of the year and how to say the abc’s in English. It was a good class and I think they enjoyed it. Afterwards, they all stayed an hour longer and painted pictures with the children. Recently, Bill and I noticed our wheelbarrow was missing. We brought it with us but it wasn’t on the property so we figured someone had stolen it. (Bill said it was the wheelbarrow bandit!) Then while I was talking to our new friend, Sandra, she asked if we had given it to a man named Eraqueo. He does odd jobs around town and has been a big help to Blas. I told her no, that we had noticed it was missing. She said he had it and he told her we had given it to him. Needless to say, the misunderstanding was that Bill had given it to him, when in fact, Bill told him he could use it if he needed to. Saturday morning, Sandra and Eraqueo came to the house, with Eraqueo pushing the wheelbarrow, looking rather sheepish. We invited him in for a cup of coffee and thanked him for bringing back the wheelbarrow. He was smiling as he drank his coffee and ate a cookie. We told him if he needed it, he could borrow it any time. Thank the Lord for covering us in our miscommunications….. Friday night, when we went to visit Paula and Blas, Paula asked if I could drive her and her niece to the store, and I did. We went to the store that Yessica has, which is also a bakery. Paula’s niece, Alexis, is going to be 4 and she’s very cute. She wanted a cupcake and a donut and Paula bought them for her. When we got to their house, Paula and Blas invited us to eat with them, and we did, and Alexis ate part of her cupcake and donut for supper. Saturday morning before the art class, Paula told me that Alexis wanted another cupcake in the middle of the night, and Paula told her it was too late, she couldn’t go out this late to the store. Alexis said to her aunt, “But that’s when I’m hungry, Tia, when will you ever learn?” I think Art Linkletter coinëd the phrase, Kids say the darndest things!

Entertaining Angels

On our way home from Del Rio Thursday evening, we saw a man sitting on the side of the highway, with a bike and I thought he was broke down so we stopped to give him a ride. He had just fixed his flat tire and was on his way to the southern part of Coahuila. We loaded him up in the pickup and while we drove we talked. He is from Honduras, Central America, near the border, and has been travelling for two years, all over Mexico. He’s even been to the US, but just across the border in El Paso. One of 7 children, his parents are still living in Honduras. He said he has no wife or children but loves travelling everywhere. His big feed sacks full of aluminum cans he had collected were light work as we loaded them into the bed of the pickup, and I noticed he had an extra pair of tennis shoes with him. All of his worldly belongings were on his bike, which he had purchased in San Luis Potosi. We talked about the Lord and I asked him if he knew Jesus as his Lord and Savior. He said he did, and had been raised in a Christian home. He also said he had studied with Jehova’s Witnesses and Mormons. We encouraged him to read the Word and to keep his eyes on Jesus, as we know He is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and nobody comes to the Father except through Him. We prayed with him before we left him on the side of the road in San Carlos, at our turnoff, and gave him some money to get a meal or two. Then we said goodbye. Please pray for Rogelio, the young man from Honduras.