This is the couple we asked you to pray for, as they struggle to keep the work they started at "Casa Infantil" alive and growing in this poor neighborhood of Mojonares.  They are having vacation Bible School for the children this week and next.  I wish all of you could see how well behaved these children are, and how much this couple love these  kids as if they are their own.  The day begins as the children pledge allegiance to the Christian flag, the Bible, and the Mexican flag, and then they enjoy a meal together.

This was a really special afternoon, as the gospel was preached, children enjoyed their craft, a snack was served (even this little pig enjoyed his snack), and about 160 pairs of shoes were offered to all who came.  Once again we were praising God for His perfect timing with giving us the shoes. Galatians 6:9:"So let's not get tired of doing what is good. AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up."

On Sunday, we brought a Pastor & his wife, plus 3 more helpers with us in our truck, and met up with more helpers when we arrived at a Christian family's home in the village of "Mapache" - about 50 min. south of P.V. The Pastor played his guitar, and everyone sang joyfully, as more families came to the Church service. It was quite an interesting setting for the service, as pigs, & chickens joined us!  After the service, the children worked on a "craft", as the rest of us laid out the shoes on their homemade benches.

Here we all are at the airport, receiving our very prayed
over the work SHOES!  Thank you Lord, and thank you Gustavo, Major Lulu, and everyone who had a part of this special moment!  NOW THE WORK BEGINS!

!GOOD NEWS - GOOD NEWS!
We just got word from a Director of an organization that protects children.  My good friend called Gustavo & explained our situation, and he spoke to the head of Customs at the airport, and with all the prayer for our shoes, God answered with a YES!!  We are praising God for His perfect timing of all of this. Yesterday we were invited to a new village about one hour from here that is very poor & needy.  We told God we'd be willing to take all 6 boxes of shoes with us on Sunday to this village if He would open the door for us at the airport and let us have our shoes.  Praise God with us, because we are to pick up the  shoes tomorrow at noon!! We thank all of our supporters who have followed us on this journey, and have been praying for us.   These pictures here are solely for the happy faces we all have for this answer to prayer!

This is the last day for Scott, Kim & family.  We helped out at Casa Infantil, and gave out shoes for the few we were able to fit.  The building you see here is still unfinished, because the funding ran out, and they no longer have any help from the government.  The status of the 6 boxes of shoes that were sent down by USAirlines is that customs ordered them all to be sent back to the USA. I can't get ahold of anyone else this weekend, so on Monday, I hope we can resolve just HOW these shoes will be sent back. I want to thank all of you who have been praying about this, and until they are received back in Charlotte, there is still hope.

Sharing Valentine's Day with our special friends at our campsite.Love to all of you back home!

We went back to the dump area in Gardenia, and brought all of our shoes &  lots of Bibles, while our friends who do this work 4 days a week were feeding the kids a meal!  It was crowded & alot of work, but it was also fun and rewarding! We were so thankful to have our friends from home in S.C. there to help us!

On Wed., we brought what shoes we had left to the Salvation Army.  There were about 30 or more kids who were able to find shoes that fit, and we gave them Bibles!  We had happy faces, and praised God that 6 suitcases of shoes were able to make it through customs with Scott & Kim!!  Pictured above is the Major in this Army who is trying to help us get the 246 lbs. of shoes still being held in customs at the airport onto the feet of so many needy kids.  Please pray with us about this situation.

I have a prayer request for this wonderful Christian couple who have devoted their lives for the families in a poor village called "Mojoneras", outside of P.V.  He was getting help from the government to run his feeding programs, but now with a new President in Mexico, these funds have been cut off.  They have had to stop the building of a new facility, and are unable to rent the bldg. across the street from their home, so now they are meeting in their home with the children, and Gerardo is the cook, and his wife, Judith, is trying to keep up the programs, and there is much discouragement.  He's looking into another source where a company will "match" what others donate to their work, but at the very present, he has NO money, and had to let all his help go. Yesterday they had 35 children come for food, and other days, he may have up to 50 or more. Today I taught an English class, and they want me to return to help more.  Thanks for your prayers.

After feeding the workers at the dump, we visited a small village
named: "Gardenia". A beautiful name where these little barefoot boys were playing in the sewerage running down their street!  They also received food that day.

When Peter & I reached Puerto Vallarta, we spent hours at the airport trying to pick up 6 boxes of shoes sent to us by our friends, Scott & Kim & their two children. (above pic.)  Customs told us a new reason why they couldn't be released each time we went.  The last time we brought the "Major" from the Salvation Army, and the head of customs told her they must get permission from the authorities in Guadalajara to release SOME of the shoes to us.  The rest of the shoes are not acceptable if they were made in China, or if they are rated "unhealthy", because she saw some "dirt" on them!!! Well, we decided to just thank God for all the shoes that made it across the border in our camper and the 6 suitcases that were 3/4 full of shoes that made it through customs when Scott & Kim arrived!  We went right to work-serving in the clean Salvation Army, and serving a meal at the huge DUMP!  The stench was overwhelming, as we watched about 60 or more people crawling all over the garbage, looking for recyclables, cardboard, and whatever they could sell for a few pesos. They stood in a line, after washing their hands in a disinfectant, and enjoyed a meal of hot soup, bollio (large roll), and lemonade.  It was hard to keep from sobbing, as we saw how these poor people have to slave for a few pesos, while our perfectly good shoes lay in  customs while the beauracrats make their decision if they are "healthy" enough for the barefoot children!

We've been without internet service for the past week, but we're trying again.  We'll be leaving for Puerto Vallarta tomorrow morning.  We've been in Punta Perula for a couple of days for a rest before our next big stop.  We asked God to open any door He wanted in this little town, and yesterday, one of the owners of the place we're staying asked us about what brought us to Mexico.  When she heard that we had some small size shoes left, she asked if we would be interested in bringing these shoes to the school for kindergarteners. There was our answer from God, so we packed up our remaining shoes this morning, and the 3 of us visited about 50 kids at the school.  It was lots of fun, and the teachers all helped, while Peter took pictures.  We asked if it would be alright to give Bibles to each child, and the teachers all agreed that this was a good idea! All this took alittle over an hour, and all the children gave us big "thank you's", and the teachers came up to us and gave us hugs for coming!  What a JOY to serve the Lord in this way!

Tomorrow (Saturday 2/2), we will be leaving Playa Azul with a few regrets, because God has worked so wonderfully with the people He has put in our path, but we also look forward to what He has planned for us in the days ahead.  Please be in prayer for our trip, because on Sunday, we will be driving on a very dangerous road that is full of "S" turns, and difficult to maneuver our 5th wheel rig.  We probably won't have internet access until we get to Puerto Vallarta on the 7th.  Thanks for your prayers.

Peter was asked to speak to the men's Bible study last night, and about 40 men and teenage boys showed up!  God moved in a marvelous way, and after an invitation was given for anyone who wished to receive Jesus into their lives, about 6 men raised their hands and prayed with the Pastor.  Then they had a huge barbeque cook-out, which was enjoyed by all!  This was an amazing time here in Playa Azul, as God is adding to the Church, and His family of believers in Christ.  There is much to celebrate and thank God for, and we pray that more people here will see the light of Christ, and receive the assurance of HOPE and salvation that only Christ can bring.  To all our supporters: we thank you so much, and we give God all the glory!!      

We were invited to the home of my friend "Angie", who came to Church with the whole family last week.  This fish that is gutted and hanging over her stove, was waiting to be cooked for us!  Since the sun was so hot over her little "courtyard", they carried the table & chairs outside the fence, and placed it in the shade right where a tiny dirt road was!  She also got more bricks, made a fireplace next to her fence, and cooked this fish over the fire, while a truck & horse came by, and the chickens and dogs tried to steal the fish!  It was quite an experience for us, and I must say that the fish was delicious!!  Not only were there 6 of us to start with, but 4 little "cousins" joined us, and Angie invited the neighbors to come get some fish as well!  We counted 15 people who enjoyed this treat!  God is so good and greatly to be praised!!

Peter was asked to speak to a small congregation of new believers in Lazaro Cardenas on Wed. evening.  It was a good time for all of us, sharing God's Word, and having a time of questions & answers from scripture. We had the son of the large family we met, volunteer to interpret for us.  He is a young College student in his first year, and is studying English along with his other courses.  He was so adorable, and was fast and fun to work with!  When it came time for prayer requests, one older lady asked us to pray that she would "find" her lost son.??  So I asked for more details, & found that the cartel had kidnapped him, and she doesn't even know if he is alive!  These poor people have such burdens to bear in this country.  Please pray with us about this situation.  I told her that if he is in Heaven, there will be a huge celebration when God calls her home!  But, we will also be praying that if he is still alive, that God will help him come home to her soon.