Dear
Friends in Christ, |
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What
a privilege it is to be serving our Lord.
In November’s newsletter we wrote about
the need for heaters in Mexico.The response
for this need has been amazing! All through
out December, funds were sent in designated
for heaters. This month we were able to purchase
and install heaters in 16 homes. Praise the
Lord! |
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Because
we had traveled to Mexico in our suburban,
Pastor Santos came and hauled all the gas
tanks for us in the back of his truck. It
took several trips back and forth to the
hardware store to get all of the heaters.
Pastor Santos helped us make a list of 16
families to receive heaters, mainly focusing
on those with small children and babies or
elderly couples. It was hard for us, not
being able to give one to everyone! So many
moms came to us after we were finished, showing
us their baby, telling their story of how
cold they were last night and asking for
a heater for their home. We are praying for
the funds to be able to purchase more heaters
for these precious families! |
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Each
home we went into with a heater, the children
would light up with excitement. During the
cold months of the year a lot of the mothers
and children stay home in bed, wrapped up
in as many blankets as they have. For heat
most of the families have a metal plate of
hot coals. One home we went into had a shovel
on the floor filled with red-hot coals, the
family all stood around it trying to keep
warm. This trip made us realize how many
blessings the Lord gives us that we take
for granted. Our home has heat; if we want
to go out side we have warm jackets to take
with us and if we want to take a shower,
we have hot running water for it. These are
all things that most families in the colonia
do not have. |
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As
Pastor Santos, Kenny and James installed
heaters in each home, the mothers and children
would watch in amazement as they plugged
it in and warm air came out. The families
were all excited and blessed to have for
the first time in their lives a heater! This
is a luxury that they would never have the
money to buy. |
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One
home we went to was a home we had built a
couple of years ago. The owners are an elderly
couple who take in young, single mothers
with babies and give them shelter. The couple
shared with us about a Bible study they hold
in their house once a week. Every Thursday
a group of 8-10 people come together and
study different passages of the scripture.
The little house is so crowded that everyone
has to sit on the bed. It was such a blessing
for us to see the outreach and ministry this
couple is having in their new home. After
constructing the homes, we normally pray
that they will be a lighthouse for Christ
to the community, and this home has definitely
been an answer to that prayer! |
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During
our visit, with Pastor Santos’ help,we
were also able to purchase and deliver food
to many needy homes. The cold months are
always very hard for the Mexican families.
Pastor Santos informed us that this winter
seemed to be an extra hard one for many people.
The Lord provided the funds and we were able
to purchase a truckload of food and supplies
to distribute. The food was delivered to
the church where Sara, Holly and their little
friends Enrique and Jenny divided and bagged
it up. Each bag was packed with beans, rice,
oil, noodles, powdered milk, cocoa, sugar,corn
meal, coffee, tomato paste, laundry detergent,
soap and toothpaste. We also gave each family
a 100 lb. sack of flour. This was enough
food to get them through for a month. Each
family was very grateful for the food. There
are so many needy families right now that
we felt like we were barely able to scratch
the surface. |
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We
also noticed on this trip that many new families
have moved into the colonia. At least 30
new tar paper and crate shacks have been
put up to provide shelter for the growing
colonia. We are excited about the expansion
of our ministry to include these families
and possibly help by providing better weather-proof
housing. |
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Please
remember to keep our family in your prayers
in the upcoming months. The month of February
holds quite a full schedule for us. We plan
to try and complete 2 foundations as well
as haul supplies into Mexico for 4 homes.
We have yet to discover an easy way to cross
into Mexico with our materials. Each time
we try, there are new people to work with
and new rules to go by. Please pray even
now that the Lord would be preparing and
softening the hearts of the border officials
for our crossings in February. We are grateful
to Him for His faithfulness in supplying
our every need. We would also like to possibly
distribute more food packages in February.There
are so many more families in need that we
were not able to reach on our last visit.
Please pray with us that these families will
see Christ’s love for them through
us. |
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“My
God shall supply all your needs according
to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians
4:19 |
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Once
again the Lord has blessed us with another
month to look back on and praise Him. We
are grateful to each of you for your faithful
love, prayers and support! May God richly
bless you as He has us! |
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Because
of Christ, |
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The
Kennedy Family |
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