Hola!
The days are just flying by! A group finally showed up Sunday afternoon after driving all the way down from Portland, Oregon. We have been working hard on the house the past couple days and pretty much only have the roof left to do. The people have been really great and I've really enjoyed getting to know them. Tonight we went out to a men's rehab and recovery center with the group and it was a very moving time for me. First, it was so touching to hear the voices of all these men who have had drug and alcohol addictions lifted in worship. Even though it was in Spanish, we could hear the emotion and love for the Lord. Also, I have a feeling my spiritual life and relationship with God is going to grow deeply just through the different teams that come down. Hearing the testimonies from a few of the guys from the team and a few side conversations I have had, have really got me thinking and brought my focus back to God. It is also just so inspiring to see the faith and trust in God of the men who run the recovery center. They don't receive government support or any other support from ministries/churches. They have to rely solely on random donations or extras from Welcome Home. Ash and I decided we are going to help support them by supplying rice and beans (this is what they said their greatest need is) and if any of you want to help in this, just let us know :)
On a side note, the team was out at a migrant camp last night, a place Welcome Home does outreach at weekly. The group ended up praying with a young woman whose one prayer request was that she would be able to have a real home. She is a single mom with three young kids and is currently living in a "shack" (if you can even call it that) with plastic wrap as walls and a dirt floor. This would be an ideal candidate for a house built by Welcome Home, but the problem is that they already had the families and homes chosen and planned out for this coming year. Here comes the cool part... About half an hour later, after we came back home, Jackie (her and her husband Steve run Welcome Home) checked her email and saw that the team that is coming next week had raised double the amount of money that had been expected and we're now going to be able to build a home for the woman and her children! Hows that for answered prayer :) God is so good!
This is so so so cool to hear! How can we help out with the rice and bean situation? Sounds like your summer is starting out to be all you'd prayed for.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jenny! :) Kev and I are going to try to give them as many 100lb bags of rice and beans (which run $40 a bag) as we can before we leave at the end of Aug, and anything that you and Gabe can contribue would be a huge blessing! Seeing how faithful all these men are and how deeply they love the Lord, the way they survive each day literally by faith, praying God will provide food for them is such a great reminder of the little things we take for granted everyday. The reality that a $40 bag of rice and/or beans would be one of the greatest blessings they could receive really hits ya hard. So thank you so much for wanting to contribute!! The easiest way will be to have you do a paypal transaction to Kevs account, he will email you with details. Just let us know what you guys want to do (half a bag, a whole bag, etc) anything will help! we love you
ReplyDeleteCan you have visitors there? Not sure, but I might be in Ensenada sometime during the summer and could drive down if that would be OK. Good to hear how God is blessing you.
ReplyDeleteLove, Auntie Carolyn