Meaningful visits

We stopped by Liboria’s casa to agree on the time to head back to Playa. Alfredo has appointments at C.R.I.T. Hospital in Cancun twice a month now. Her husband, Paulino, will stay home to work in the farm. It’s the season for planting seeds. He mentioned that there are some vegetables that they can’t grow, such as tomatoes and habaneras, because they require more water. Good news… now that the political office is changing, there is a chance that the government will assist in getting the community farm up and running again. The new mayor, Gregorio, put the watering system on his top ten list. Let it be so, Lord!

Paulino invited us for lunch the next day and we accepted the offer. Their custom is to serve the guests first, so Lalo and I sat at the little wooden table and enjoyed the coleslaw and beef with handmade tortillas. Paulino said that he hadn’t been reading his bible, as he was before. I asked him if he’d listen to an audio bible if he had one, and he said that he would. (He now has one.) The following day, we picked up Liboria and Alfredo on our way out of the village.

Building reltionships & building the business

Lalo’s new inventory and accounting forms are helping to make the bookkeeping easier. We keep finding ways to do things more efficiently. Having the computer really is a Godsend (thanks to Holly, Steve and Hindrik). Rosa and I are learning together. I have had the opportunity to express my mistakes to her, which opened the door to talk about how the enemy comes to kill, steal, and destroy. I explained that, we have to choose who we will listen to and what we will act on. She understands how the enemy tempts and tricks us.

Prayer request

Unfortunately, the van, that had been donated by a church in Oregon and transformed into a school bus by Don Carlos, is still illegal. Lalo called several customs offices in Cancun, only to find out that at this point there is nothing we can do to legalize the vehicle. Apparently, it’s not legal to donate a vehicle that entered the country with temporary permission. The only hope that we have is that once in a while, the government offers an opportunity to legalize illegal vehicles.

Let’s pray that that door opens soon! Don Carlos, the other teachers, and the entire village were so excited to have their 1st school bus. Father God, we know that You have a solution to everything and we will wait on You.

Seeds that produce fruit

Eduardo, the dentist, donated another dental chair for the clinic. Lalo hauled it out to the village for us. Out of the 3, it’s the best quality. We have lots of equipment; now we just need to get him and his wife, Hades, to come back to provide service. They have had a busy year. About 9 months ago, Eduardo and I got together to chat. He told me that he was thinking about moving from Cozumel to Playa, so that it would be easier for them to travel to E.B. on a regular basis. He said the dental missions are what fulfills him; unlike any other activity that he does. I agreed, ”yup, that’s what following God’s plan for your life feels like. It’s a wonderful thing”. That day, Eduardo received the confirmation he needed, and went back to the island to begin planning this transition. I’m very proud of him for taking this big step of surrendering his plans, in order to seek God’s plans for his life.

Actually, Eduardo is the first person I led to the Lord about 3 and a half years ago. I remember that day he told me that he had done a dental mission once, and really enjoyed it. At that time, my E.B. mission was still in the beginning stages, but I told him that he may end up doing it again! It’s amazing how God orchestrates things.

All in His time

One of the highlights of the trip was being reminded that His timing is impeccable! On Sunday, we stopped at Armando’s casa to deliver 500 pesos ($50) from their hammock that was sold last week in Playa (thanks to Melanie from Germany). His wife’s countenance changed in an instant. She had been trying to sell nuts and candies to help with the kid’s expenses, since her husband had the motorcycle accident 6 months ago. (Since then, he has been free from alcohol, praise God!) He has not been able to work; therefore, saving money for the hospital visits has been impossible. He now has the money to be able to travel to Merida City for several screws to be removed from his ankle, on Wednesday (3 days later). It costs 250 pesos round trip, so he even has enough for the next appointment. After all of the screws are removed, he will be able to bend his ankle and walk much better. God is so, so good!

Armando’s brother, Willy, has been going to AA for 9 months, and is set free from alcohol, also. He has kept himself busy with reading the Bible, exercising and taking English classes. I gave him an art frame, to remind him that Dani has promised to come from Playa to give him free art classes as a reward. Willy is looking forward to this 1 year celebration, in August.

A big thanks!

Thanks to Eva and Tini from Belgium, for donating a brand new wheel chair to the village. We went to visit Feliciana, an elder of the village who has been ill for some time now (her eyesight is her main concern). She already has a wheel chair, so we decided to store it at the clinic until someone else is in need. Her daughter said that she is still using the solar bible. She was happy to have visitors and wanted to know when we’d be back to pray with her again. Feliciana has such a sweet spirit. Many of the mission team members have prayed for her over the last few years, and she has not forgotten that!!

Walking by the Spirit

We were invited to Maximiliano’s birthday party. He brought his solar bible to me to show me that it’s still working, and to tell me how much he uses it and enjoys it! His expression of gratitude really touched me. I believe he actually went home to get it and show it to me! Thanks to Jay Smith for donating those from West Side Church, Oregon! So, I went for lunch and left with something much more satisfying.

During the party, Gregorio asked Lalo and I for a few minutes of our time. He informed us that he is running for Mayor in July. He asked for our opinion in regards to his top ten goals for reform. He wants to create a better ambiance at the entrance of the town and the park area. His plans include re-building the government building, which the pre-schoolers are currently meeting in. He didn’t seem to have a plan for a new location for them. After expressing concern for this, he said that there was a piece of land in another location, where they could consider building a small school. I told him that along with medical services, this would be a priority on my list and that I would pray about encouraging a mission team to come and build a school. (Anyone interested in this project? The last classroom that a mission team built with the villagers cost about $4000 USD.) Gregorio will be submitting his plans in a couple of weeks.

Healings!

The Lord sent Augustina to Lupe’s casa, so He could begin the healing in her wrist. She had fallen and broke it a month and a half ago. About an hour after praying, the swelling went down and she said the pain lessened as well. She had come to find out if I had brought any men’s shirts this time, and left with a touch from God!

Update on Rosa

On a recent trip to Ek, Lalo filled his truck with several bags of clothes, and other items that were donated to the village. I had already notified Rosa by text (yes, she has a cell phone!), so she was eager to see the “goods”. Thanks to Jose, Andrea, Karine, Tere and Carmen for a total of 211 new items for the tienda (store). Rosa is getting used to pricing the clothes on her own now!

Lalo made a new excel sheet which made recording inventory much easier and faster! Rosa is involved with every decision, and she was definitely in favor of this idea! I admire the simplicity of the village myself! He also created the accounting and layaway forms. This was very helpful, since computers are not Rosa’s; nor my strong point. The three of us brainstormed about possibly making a sign for her store front. She requested it to be blue.

The Lord had me give her a new bible and I read 2 Corinth 9.6-14 & Mark 12.41-44. After reading about tithing, Rosa decided to give 10% to both of the churches in the village (5% will go to the Catholic Church and 5% to the 7th Day Adventist Church). She doesn’t attend either one; but felt that it would be fair this way. This was when she shared with me that her husband has been attending a Jehova witness bible study on Fridays. I explained to her that they have changed the context of the Holy Bible & that they don’t believe that Jesus is God. She was surprised to hear this. I read a couple scriptures to her like, John 3.16. I told her I’d be praying with her that the truth will be revealed to Alonzo, and we closed in prayer.