Long over due

Very sorry that it has been so long for any update, it has been a very busy time. I left here for a trip to the states to pick up a donated sound system for the church, and some tools for the wood working school we will have here. I intended on only being in California for a few days but the truck needed more work than I thought. This did give me some time with our son Jacob and a good visit with the rest of my family. And not to mention all the Christmas shopping I got to do. (What fun). This was the year for bikes for the kids.

I got to spend the first Thanksgiving in years with my family.

The trip was 6 days to get to California; I left the house at 6 AM Thursday the 8th. I entered Mexico around noon Friday the 9th. I then drove until 8 PM and stopped for the night in Acayucan. Left there at 5 AM and made it to Tampico around 7 or 8 PM. Left Tampico at 4 AM and got to the boarder by 12 noon. In this time in Mexico I was stopped at 11 check points, one of them snagged my cell phone out of my glove box. I did not find this out until I went to call Karen and let her know I was OK. After an hour of investigating the truck and my passport I was on my way, how nice the US highways are. I drove to about 50 miles west of San Antonio and got a room about 5 PM, got a good night sleep and hit the road again at 5 AM. I stopped only for a couple hours of sleep a couple of times until I got to Sacramento CA on the afternoon of the 14th. On my return I finally left at 5PM on the 28th of November; went to southern Calif where I was to pick up the sound system, I slept a couple of hours while waiting for the sun to come up then went the last hour to the house that had the system. I was loaded by 7 AM and hit the road. I drove straight thru to Deming New Mexico and got a room. I then hit the road about 5 AM and drove to McAllen Texas, arriving at a hotel around 8 PM Friday the 30th. Started crossing the boarder at 7 AM Saturday, This turned into a very big deal, I was sent to 4 different crossings all on the Mexican side with no paperwork at all. Turned out I had to stay at the boarder until Monday. Started at 8 AM Monday morning, the rest of the day was very frustrating; at times I did not think I would get thru Monday but finally at about 4 PM I made it. I then drove to Tampico where I got a room and a good night sleep, o’yea the room I had to stay in at the boarder was very substandard. Unless of course you don’t mind sleeping with the roaches. Enough about that weekend. I left Tampico at 5 AM Tuesday the 4th of December and went thru to the Talisman crossing into Guatemala stopping for a couple of hours sleep in a truck stop. I arrived at the boarder at 7 AM and thought I had it made. As it turned out I thought I was going to be stuck there for another day but praise God I was able to get thru around 3 in the afternoon. I left there and drove until I got home at 2 AM the Morning of the 6th of December. From the time I got into Mexico to the time I left it only cost about 700 dollars not including fuel or food. God saw me thru all this and took care of my every need and keep me safe. I praise God for all He does for us on a daily basis and for everything He taught me on this trip.

We had a team coming from our home church on the fifth of December, I thought by leaving when I did I could get back in time, by the time I got done at the US boarder things were real close and I was not sure I could get back in time. I had to call Karen from the Guatemalan boarder and have her send a van for the group as I did not leave the boarder until about 3 hours after the group was to land. They got to there hotel here on the river about 9 PM the night of the 5th. I picked them up at there hotel around 8 AM December 6 and we got to work. What a blessing this group was. They built a mezzanine in the bodega and we had plenty of time for fellowship.

The group was here for a week, when we saw them off we stayed in Guatemala city for the night then it was time to come home and try to catch up. While spending time with Karen and Michael Jose and the rest of the family, there was also 5 weeks of work to catch up on, and at the same time get ready for Christmas.

(Remembering the reason for the season) really makes Christmas a very special time of year.

Seeing the look on the kid’s faces when they saw there bikes was such a huge blessing. Then Christmas day we were going to one of the Marinas down river for Christmas dinner. The whole family piled in the launch and down river we went. A great time was had by all. On the way home the launch motor blew up about half way so we drifted around for about ½ hour then got a tow back. The kids were a little scared but by the time we got home all was well. Not sure what to do about the motor yet. I have had it in and out of the shop for quit some time now; I guess it finally had enough.

Now to news of the Ranch, the last blog shows what was going on when I left for my trip. These are pics of how they look now. Construction should be complete the end of February or March, we’ll see.



Please pray that the presidential transition will go well and paperwork will again start moving.
Pray that he may realize the need for better education.
PRAISE God for his salvation and continued guidance, love, grace, mercy and the joys He is giving us along the way.

We have a team coming in today; please pray for flexibility as we have been getting rain for the last 2 days.