Dear loved ones,
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.
–Isaiah 55:8
God posed some questions to Job that can be found in the 38th chapter. “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding…To what were its foundations fastened?”
You and I could spend the rest of our lives trying to seek the answers to these questions and ultimately move little closer to the answers, as some try to do. I am, however, learning little by little about God’s ways and about how God pours cement in Los Canelos! And it’s a marvelous thing to behold. Of course, we love to see when it can be poured with help from the pump truck (a Hallelujah Chorus might be appropriate here). And we love things fast and easy, don’t we? That probably gives little regard to all the preparation, skills, wisdom, and knowledge that it takes to arrive at that particular moment, but I digress….it’s always great to see the pump truck.
He founded the earth by His power; He established the world by His wisdom. – see Jeremiah 10:12
When we couldn’t get the pump truck back in a timely fashion for the next step in extending the columns, the assembly line of 2 crews, 1 missionary, and 1 visiting Spence did the job nicely. Up it went, bucket by bucket, lifted by force. (The missionary and our dear friend Spence shoveled gravel into the mixer). My tent, otherwise known as my body, tells me that it’s better for me to shovel than lift buckets by brute force…so Spence and I enjoyed our shoveling as best we could! Easy peasy. One. Two. Three.
And then…there was the Spencer family crew and the pulley system! When they came on their 2-week mission, I didn’t have much cement-pouring planned in their itinerary. God’s plans are higher. They became a needed tool used by God and poured quite a lot of cement, including the last of the footings for our new outdoor multi-use play area!! And the columns are going up, too, as you may have noted! And they pulled a lot of nails out of forms too (didn’t you kids??). As I look back at these advances since the last newsletter, each now has its own joy, its own part in the orchestration. Even a teen pulling with one hand, because the other is in rehabilitation, right Lexy? Their family became so proficient with the mixer that I left them to it and concentrated on other tasks. Certainly, there are easier ways to do cement work (and we are naturally inclined to look for them), but there are not higher ways than what I’ve seen unfold in these months of toiling.
We do have a great natural tendency to look for an easier, softer way. That one does not ultimately exist. The hard way is the easier way. The best way. His Way. (Although it’s nice to have a pump truck when you can!) It’s the Way that He made for us. It’s the Way He exemplified for us by coming to a manger in Bethlehem, for the purpose of pouring Himself out on a cross at Calvary, making the Way. Thomas asked Him, “How can we know the way?”
Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
God asked some questions a couple chapters before where we began this newsletter in Isaiah.
Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground.
He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him.
Stunning, isn’t it. His Way. Merry Christmas, everyone.
Prayer requests/ praise reports:
These next 3 months are critical as we continue. We have many visitors with many different skill sets coming through February. Certainly, the help is a great praise! That being said, it’s a lot to put together in an orderly manner. And we need steel. We’ll begin looking to purchase this week of Thanksgiving! Step by step of steel to move it into the best position for the East Lincoln group coming in the 2nd week of February. Minnie says the months are chasing us now! Much needs to happen with the steel structure of the sanctuary etc…
Hi Rod, you made the letter again! (I’m sure you didn’t want to this time.) You all may notice the sling; we’ll spare you the picture of the reason for it. But it has to do with a table saw. We are so thankful that our dear friend did not lose his fingers. And that we had a God connection in place to do the delicate surgery. And that Rod is recovering. We have seen God keep us over and over through these many years of construction, but it warrants both thanks to God and requests for prayer as we continue with this dangerous work in his dangerous world. Thank you to our prayer warriors.
We will one day see, and many times even now enjoy, that the risks are all worth the rewards. Thank you to all who have come down to work with us, and to all who are currently planning to come soon! God bless you, we love you. See you in January, Rod!
I thank my God upon every remembrance of you…for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now… I have you in my heart. –see Philippians 1:1–7
You probably won’t receive this until after Thanksgiving, but we are so thankful for you. For all of you in Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, over through the Dakotas, to Colorado, Arizona, Texas, reaching up to Washington, and down to Florida. That rope the kids are pulling on connects directly to you, the plumb from the pump truck extends to you. Only about 300 letters go out by mail or online, but God connects them to you. And that always amazes me. Marvelous are His works.
We have some new members on our Board, too! Welcome to Caitlin Schwanke and to Josh Linder.
God bless you and your families!
Miracle of Life in Cuernavaca
“I want to teach the boys while I can still see.” -Pastor Chayo
And what a teacher he is. We’ll close with the story of Joel. When Joel arrived at our Children’s Home, he arrived with flowers for Betty (pictured with Betty). He was so glad to escape his home. He couldn’t (or didn’t) speak when he first arrived at the end of July. A few weeks ago, Joel grabbed Pastor Chayo by the cheeks to get his attention. Joel had something to say. “Daddy.”
Kids are healing and coming to know the Lord through the faithful ministry of Pastor Chayo and Betty. 12 children being cared for in every way…You are connected directly to that as well.
Pretty high ways, I’d say. God bless you all, and love from Gary, Minnie, Sophia, and all your family in Mexico.
