Chains And Locks That Seem Impossible To Unlock!

This year has been kind of crazy! God is doing some interesting things I decided to blog about what God has been saying to me and maybe it will help someone else. Todays facebook reads

Friends! Yesterday was spent with friends that mean a lot to me. Sisters in Christ that I can counsel and pray for although I do not see them often I am blessed when I do! The only thing is after counseling and praying for them I am left with a huge thought of the Holy Spirit saying! This is for you too!
1 Where ever you are right now BE THERE! SERVE ME!
2 IT IS NOT ABOUT YOU! Who are you there for if just one person!
3 TRUST ME FOR TOMORROW! If you listen to my voice I will confirm it!

As I look around at half made houses, roofs that leak and cars that hardly run, I see my life. I see a person that needs to get her home in order and needs to seek God. If all I see is on the outside than how can I love me and receive the love God has for me. Someone told me they want to be spent like me! Well if I do not fill up the inside how can I spend myself! I can only give God to others nothing we have belongs to us we ae sojourners! Yes from outside of my neighbors houses I see poverty!

On the inside of those houses I see TRUE POVERTY! Spriitual poverty a need that only Jesus can get inside of that locked door and fill the need! However He is a gentleman and will not break the lock He waits patiently! Revelation 3 20! I ask God this morning to please use me, us, our family to help to remove the chains off the doors of these neighbors. Can our witness bring softening of hearts, can our love, our willingness to serve. OR will we just be too tired, too busy or to righteous to love them. The poor you will have with you always says Jesus. So if we can bring Jesus to them daily changing lives and changing families than it will all be worth it.

For you see inside those broken down cars are really good stereos that sound good and entertain like banging symbals! But inside those houses with the leaking roofs and garage door walls are families struggling to make ends meet. Kids left at home for 12 hours a day so the parents can go to the fields and pick fruits and vegetables to export to the states. Well the economy in the states is down so there is less buying, less planting, less work for the parents. This results in more hopelessness, more drug use, more alcohol, more money being spent on useless things and less money to buy food and survive!

Yes we give clothes and food and water but what we really give is JESUS! Please pray for us today that we would shine so that the chains would be broken and doors would be open to receive Jesus!

This is Eva her dad Adan is a widower and Gilberto caring Eva cares for the whole family! Please pray God would use us to open their hearts and also to get them a house built soon! We are taking Eva to the doctor this week she has CP sever! They live across town where we are trying to reach to the North, South and East. We have friends already reaching the West! 

Christmas Day!

This is our title slogan! 

We are a family stepping out in faith to serve the families of Camalu, Mexico. We are being used by the Lord to bring healing to those hurting from drug addiction, those living in the trash dumps and all that the Lord brings across our path.

However what we did not know was that our being used by God would cause other believers to be used by God here and at their homes! Many have come and helped us go out to the dumps and also do evangelism around our little town of Camalu. The amazing thing is we did not realize how those teams would change our lives and how meeting the people we minister to would change their lives. 

Christmas presents! We are going to limit it to 50! Could you say no to little Gael, well December 25, we had 80 presents all hand picked by Alejandra (Paulino´s niece) who knows all the locals. Each childs name and age was read off and she filled up the pink back packs for the girls and filled up gift bags for the boys! Then we were also able to bless the mothers! Steve and Stella our new friends from New Beginnings Womens Association came to help with the kids and even stayed to go to the trash dump! Gianna slept through the whole program Jose loved watching the kids whose names were not on the list receive gifts of those who did not come that day. He always votes for the underdog!

Gael has the sweetest little personality! 

Paulino playing with the kids while we wait for everyone to show up!

Kids presents all passed out now it is the mothers turn to receive gifts! 

Ducks were cooking while we were sharing the love of Jesus to the children. Then Marlo and Jen (who we miss dearly) brought 3 more amazing people to help at the dump. We headed to Vicente Guerrero and the guys came to get their dinner, there was already someone serving them left over Pozole from their church the day before. I wanted to scream! These guys need to eat the other 364 days a year too! However what they need more is Jesus and the presence of Christians around them. I do not know how many believers go to the dump and dump stuff off the back of their trucks without even sharing Jesus with them! Handing them a sandwich or a glass of water! 

Someone commented that this was the best Christmas! I said sadly we live Christmas every day! There is never enough time in the day or year for that matter to reach all the poor and usually we try to do the kids a different day than the men however many days they come together. The best thing we can do is pray for all that we meet and tell them the truth! God has a plan for your life and this is not it! 

Please continue to pray for God to speak to these hearts! Also to speak to our heart! This year is bringing many new things! 

Autobiography Of An Illegal Alien

Available by request only! Email me at happycrosscamalu@gmail.com

Read this non offensive post because the next one is sure to offend some!

Old friends in new places!
It has been awhile since Jose has gone to the trash dump but I think we we were all surprised at just how many shacks there are in Vicente Guerrero! In Camalu the residents are pretty poor and use or recycle everything possible so the dump does not have much to offer. However in VG there are many ministries and many residents and not everyone recycles this creates more opportunity for the addicts to find things to sale. This particular day we were at the VG Dump where Paulino has been ministering to these men but as with all addicts they have been wondering what is his motive? What does he really want, free food, free water, being treated like they really do matter? What gives? All of a sudden a man appears and starts glorifying for all he has done in Paulino's life. As he begins to share that he has been friends with Paulino since they were young, doing drugs together and scavenging for food at the Camalu dump and even going to rehabs together! Hearts and ears opened up after that!
We started taking food to both dumps right after we were married and praise God over the last 3 years we have never lacked food for these men and sometimes families. About two years ago someone asked what we thought was the biggest need at the dumps and instantly we both answered not realizing that their lives would really change after that. A few weeks later we were sent a 250 gallon water tank that added a whole new blessing to the guys lives.
In the Camalu dump We have seen many men leave and continue to witness their lives changing as we keep a friendship with them! On New Years day we had many men stop by in the morning and some senior citizens the afternoon. Around noon Paulino took a group from Hood River OR to the dump while others stayed ere and did an amazing job with our local kids and mothers!

God change the hearts of kings or US Consulate officials in this case!

On September 8 we went to what we thougt would be a 1 hour  appointment to process the paperwork for Gianna's certificate report of birth abroad. We left TJ Centro at 6am  to be at an 8am appt. in Otay Mesa. I assured Paulino it said on the website 1 hour average time at consulate so after we would go by Chelly's for breakfast!

Around noon we were called to the final window to swear and sign documents or so we thought. The lady informed us that I proved I was an American, married and gave birth to a baby girl.  However Gianna was not her and our only option would be to make an appt. for a DNA exam. I was sure she was mine because there were only two babies born that day at Buen Pastor and the other was very brown. I explained to her we were missionaries and DNA cost a lot so I would rather not make the appt. she then sent us to another window were a very nice gentlemen explained the process and gave us the next available appt. which happen to be November 13 at 1pm, our 3rd year anniversary!  He looked shocked when I said we were married.  He told us if we did not have the money by then to call since we had up to 90 days or they close her file and keep our $100.

After getting over the shock I decided to get more photos together and get her labs and docs from hospital, even a letter from the hospital director! I made another appointment for 10am November 13 incase God happened to provide the $395 we needed for the exam at the last moment since He is never late. We had enough money for gas but that was it. We borrowed money for food and tolls. At the very last minute Paulino's sister offered to lend us a hundred dollar bill which was strange but we said ok.  I asked for prayer and we went in faith knowing God was going to do a miracle this was confirmed by His word so many times.

Wednesday the four of us loaded into the car, with brakes that were metal to metal, and arrived in TJ at sunset where we were cooked a delicious dinner. The next morning we got up early with time to stop at Chely's two for one Birria since last time we were too heart broken to go. Also knowing that it could be more than one hour wait, we needed to eat. We got to the US Consulate in plenty of time to get Jose's wheelchair unloaded and go through the guards who actually are more like a welcoming committee.

Once inside the man took all the info and explained that only two agents were working, my thought of course was great less chance of the agent who obviously did not like us when we came the first time was not there!  When we were called the lady was very nice but asked a lot of questions about our marriage. I explained that part was already proven I was just bringing more evidence to prove Gianna is my birth daughter!  A few hours later Paulino was called into the interview room where the man told him he called Buen Pastor and they said the baby was not born there, I am pretty sure he was bluffing! He also said someone gave us the baby since I had a miscarriage in 2013! I am pretty sure people would not give a baby to a poor family!

A while later the lady called me back to the window returned my things to me and said the only way we could prove she was ours is DNA! I handed the baby to Paulino and I fell to the floor crying God help! Help them to see the truth! It had been confirmed again and again by His Word that He was doing a miracle! There were believers all over the world praying! Paulino just kept saying it will happen in God's time! By this time everyone had gone to lunch we were the last ones left. Once we got outside we stopped at the only snack shop to buy some granola bars for lunch since we decided to just drive back home.   We were paying a guard came out and said the official wants to speak with you, what official? He said we would need to return to the consulate, I knew God had showed them the truth!

We went through the security check all over again then the captain of the guard escorted us back to the consulate building. When we got to the window the woman asked what we wanted and why we came back! I said you called us what did you call us for? After we both put on very rude tones she said look the fact that you do not want to do the DNA shows you are lying! She said she heard her co worker give us another 6 months and she did not want us to come back until we were ready for the DNA! I left Paulino with her he just kept saying that is fine it is in God's hands.  As always I was trying to help God, remembering I had the $100 bill! I asked the nice guy who was already helping others with their DNA exams if we could pay the technician and then call the lab in San Diego and pay over the phone the next day. He said yes since they would courier the tests the next afternoon I figured if we could not sale the suburban we could scrap it for at least the $350 we needed.

We knew we needed to get home in order to find a place to scrap the suburban. So I drove over to Morita to visit Janeth who had gone back into the hospital, so we got back into the car and headed back to Centro to pack the car and head home. The only problem was I could not find the highway going west to where we needed to go. After 2 hours Paulino finally took over and we made it back to Centro at dark. Thursday November 13 also happened to be the Baja 1000, starting in Ensenada, so we did not want to be on the curvy road at night. So we decided to leave the next morning and get home in plenty of time to get the cash in the bank and call the lab.

I had just finished feeding Gianna when Paulino woke up ready to get on the road. I convinced him we could let the kids sleep at least until 8am then head out in plenty of time.  Around 8 while he was loading the car his phone rang and it was the consulate on the phone saying they have changed their minds that they were giving Gianna her papers! So we threw the kids in the car and rushed over to order her U.S. passport?

The guards a little amazed that we were bold enough to come back after what happen the day prior. When we got to the window it was the same woman I had words with the day before!  She was all smiles and said how great God was with us and what a testimony to Paulino's faith since he kept saying give it to God!  It will happen in his time! I told her I know how great God is that is why I was so distraught yesterday! She knew it was God that changed their minds and she gave Him all the glory!

Praising God!

15 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
    and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
16 for he breaks down gates of bronze
    and cuts through bars of iron.

It is very important to praise Him in all things for this is will of God for our lives! Yet will I praise Him before I see the miracle!

There is so much we can do if we sit at His feet and depend on Him alone! 

A Simple Bag Of Food

What can you do with a reusable shopping bag?
Can you build a house? Change a life? Save a life? 

One Saturday morning almost two years ago My friend Jill, a missionary with YWAM Chico, gave me some extra despensas (a reusable bag with basic foods like rice and beans) her team had left overs. Her simple instructions: "take these to poor people". So that is exactly what I did that weekend. I came to Camalu and asked my in-laws to show me the poorest people. The nieces loaded into the pickup and off we went. The first stop some very small rental rooms where many women were outside washing. One woman had what looked like a baby swaddled to her back. Juan Carlos was actually 5 and was fed pure liquids because of major health issues, he just recently went to Heaven. His parents introduced us to Alfredo's parents, a 7 year old playing outside in the dirt alone since he is non verbal and can not walk. Juan Carlos' father then got in the pickup and guided us to a one room rental house where we met Christian and his family. I prayed for each family and gave them a bag of food. We met some other families which we still have contact with to this day.
After this is when I was put on bed-rest while pregnant with Gianna until I reached 7 1/2 months in the end of January 2014. While we were loading the cars to move to Camalu a family came over with a boy walking crooked. At first I did not remember them. At their house we had prayed for Christian to walk and be more mentally alert. I also encouraged them to contact Shriners in TJ. Well on this day they had come to re enter their son Christian into the special needs school. The first time he was not able to behave in a classroom setting. Now he was walking better and functioning at a higher level. They asked where we were moving and I told them Camalu near the baseball park, come by anytime. About a month later there was a knock on the trailer door and the 5 of them, the 3 of us crammed into the trailer and started building a relationship.
We found out that all three children are special needs, Vania has a hereditary blood disorder, Christian has CP, and Eduardo the smallest has yet to be diagnosed. Since Jose has DMD we are able to relate to their struggles for good and knowledgeable medical care. We encouraged them again to contact Shriners and any other doors they could and see which one God opened. Praise God Christian was able to get into the program in TJ. More about the door God opened for Vania later. Eduardo is going to have more testing to rule out the heredity problem.
In April Jill brought an amazing group from Colorado to build our house. On Thursday night after the house dedication the group went with Paulino to the trash dump. Jill not feeling well stayed behind with me to pray, we have been prayer partners for a few years. That night Oscar, Gume and the family came to see our house. As we were talking with them God touched Jills heart that this family needed a house. They had been renting a room that all 5 of them lived in. We prayed for them and off they went until a month or so later they came to tell us they had purchased land!
Well within a few months of praying and a lot of leg work Jill had a team, some of which had just been on a house build and met the family when we went to share the love of Jesus and pass out despensas in there neighborhood. The team and many others went above and beyond by providing them an indoor bathroom with roll in shower. Paulino was blessed to be a part of this knowing how thankful we are to have our indoor bathroom.
In June 2014 while in the hospital when Gianna had Jaundice a nurse found out that we have a special needs son and we live in Camalu! Later I found out her parents are missinaries to South America from Oscar and Gume's church. Off the record she asked if we would be willing to visit a former patient of hers. Eva a 7 year old with severe CP who happens to look amazingly like my friend Sandra! Well a few weeks later with just directions and the names her dad Adam and her name Eve we found them! Just over 3 years ago Eva's mom went to the emergency room one day with a headaches and died that night. Gilberto the 15 year old brother now takes care of Princess Eva.
A few weeks later Jill took the team to Eva's part of town and we invited Pastora Olivia who preaches at our church and also the church near Eva's house. There they met Eva's 11 year old brother Elvis and blessed him with a bag of food, a backpack full of school supplies, he was the only one in school at the time. (Eva's story will have to wait). A few days later Pastora Olivia was at our house when Gume and Oscar stopped by and we told them she was now giving Eva's family a ride to church on Sundays!
Olivia took Gume and Vania one day to share Jesus with Eva's family since she could relate as a CP parent, then they stopped by our house.(our house is open 24/7 in this culture people stop by could be 5 minutes or 5 hours. This day Hermana Rosie, who happens to live close to Jill, was at my mother in laws cooking a huge pot of Arroz con puerco! Rosie had meet Olivia when Rosie made a Carne Asada for our kids and we had so much we invited the whole town! When Rosie met Vania she feel in love with her! Rosie being a nurse found out about Vania needing a vaccination that is not covered by insurance and when she went back home she learned more about the vaccination. About a month later someone from up north brought us a package with a tambourine and cash! Both of which were just in time for Vania's birthday! We finally found the only doctor in SQ who happens to deal with rare cases and made an appointment for Saturday. The most amazing thing is he only comes twice a month since he is the pediatric director of the general hospital in Ensenada!
So this brings me back to the question what can you do with a reusable shopping bag? One thing I know is God is not limited to what He can do with one! We are called to be His hands and feet where ever we are!