Last day of work

Hi dear friends...it's a bittersweet day.
It feeels good to be done the work for now but
knowing we're leaving again for a while
is sad. We are so excited about what was accomplished
with God's help. The weather turned nice the day
we came and it started raining the afternoon we finished.
Is that not the Lord's timing? Praise God for that.
The retaining wall is back filled.
The outside walls of the "Light House For Christ" church
are almost finished and the interior
walls are started. Raffa will keep laying bricks on them
after we leave and making the second story floor as long
as the Lords' people everywhere keep sending the means
for supplies.
Ike will throw tarps over the
walls for a roof for now and have services in the new kitchen
area. It's bigger and not so hot in summer
as the rented house is for services.
We had great sharing time with Raffa today over
lunch. That is a highlight to make friends with
the people here. It's neat to hear how the Lord is
working in their lives.
The park ministry was a sucess again this year.
The woman loved the sharing and learning time.
Their children are in programs with youth while they
fellowship outdoors.
It was amazing to be here after rains.
There is tall greenery everywhere.
The park had to mowed of 3 feet of it before it
was useable this week. I've never been here when there
was so much color in the hillsides.
Oh, and Friday night was a blessing. Val shared with the youth
group about prayer, God's Armour and defeating the enemy
in our lives as believers. Wayne shared a bit about
his testimony over the accident they just had with their RV.
We did our best to join in the wonderful singing in spanish.
We have had a special time here once again and we are so
thankful for all your prayers, love and support.
We couldn't do this without you!
Martha

Friday March 28, 2008 Mexico, La Mina

We have been blessed this week with a group of young men who worked relentlessly, selflessly and with all their hearts.  This group from Washington (9 wonderful young men, ages 17-21 and two leaders 24 & 32) left this morning to return to Vancouver Washington.  They worked from 8 till nearly 5 everyday, with short coffee breaks and a lunch.  They did everything from mixing cement, shovelling gravel, carrying and pouring cement, pick axing cement, & helping with the addition of hundreds of more cement blocks to further the walls of the church. God brought this unified team of young men to join Bruce and Wayne and Martha and I (Val) in the church building. 

It has been really interesting sharing a house with 15 others! Bruce and Wayne are continuing to lay more rows with Rapha, but they will only have help from Martha and I!!!!!!  Martha and I did have a couple of afternoons with holding babies and playing with the nino's in the playground as well as conversing with the Mexican women in the Park Ministries. 

Rapha has been blessed with much improvement in his back. Ike and Luan are amazed at the progress of their church.

We will work Fri and Sat and then spend Sunday in worship.

Please continue to pray for Rapha's back, for Ike and Luan and their ministry to the Mexican people here............................Val

Most Helpers Ever!

Hi everyone...it's time to keep in touch.
The first week went by with Bruce working
with Raffa laying block and planning the
next week of supplies and work.
We had Easter in there which we
celebrated with a 7 a.m sunrise
service on our project floor.
It was a great turnout and we had
communion together. After that we
went home and loaded up two vans
with supplies to help the church
ladies make a chicken meal in the
park for the community. The church
members had singing and drama in
the evening until after dark.
The Lord blessed us with amazing
hot weather. The first day of it
since we arrived. It has been clear
sunny skies but not so hot as that day.
Monday evening Wayne and Val arrived
along with 9 young men from Washington
all staying with us in the house.
Today was the first day of work for them.
They did so well and got so much cement
pouring, back filling and steel tieing done.
Great group of people. There's another
team of men and women doing ministry
in the park with kids, youth and ladies
programs going on in the afternoon.
They are all staying at the Yugo ministry ranch.
Val and I are helping housekeep and cook
and in the afternoons we are chipping block
at the work site. The evenings are filled with
great food, great fellowship and early to bed.
Please keep Raffa in your prayers for healing
of pain in his back. He is really struggling this
week to stay working his pain is so bad from an old
injury that has flared up. That's all for now,
thanks for remembering us all in your prayers,
for strength physically, good sleeps and unity.
Lots of Love, Martha