This is Guille and two of her sons. Guille has quite a testimony and she shared it the last time I went to the Rio. She has a history of drugs of which the Lord has delivered her. She has witnessed miracles in her life which includes bringing her youngest son who was born dead back to life. Once she called out to God to show himself to her. She has many health problems and found herself with just enough money to get her to the doctor and back home on the bus. While riding on the bus, she heard God telling her to get off the bus. She struggled with acting quickly as doing this would cause her to not have enough money to get back home. God was persistent and she kept hearing him call her name and she sensed the urgency to get off the bus. She got off at the next stop and as she waited for another bus, she witnessed her bus that she left get into a serious accident and the vehicle that hit the bus did so at the place where she was sitting. God answered her prayer to show himself to her in mighty ways. Guille has had a difficult past and has only been a Christian since October of last year. She doesn't have an easy road ahead of her. But she serves a mighty God. What a blessing it is to know her.

Serria Madre Mountains- our majestic view

"O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens. From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?
You made him a little lower that the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.
You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air. and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas.
O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!"
Psalm 8

Photos on our day off at Bioparke Astrella

More Photos of the Fiesta with all the Casa Hogars

More photos from the big party with the Life Group

Heaven.....I'm in Heaven

I know you may not be able to tell this by the look on my face in this picture but I'm happier than a clam. Yes clams are usually quite happy creatures. Last night a large group from Oklahoma came. They have been regulars here at B2B and they like to host all of the Casa Hogar's here on campus for a cookout when they arrive. Because some children went home to see family yesterday we only had about 200-300 people here. It was a fiesta. A great time of playing, eating, singing in worship, hearing testimonies and listening to one of the directors give a talk. The night was a lot of fun. Something that energizes the extrovert in me. I had the opportunity to play basketball, throw frisbee, push little ones on a swing, talk with my limited spanish to some teens I knew. I had laughed, hugged and played to my hearts content when I saw Beth (B2B director) walking my way with an adorable little girl, Pamela. Beth was giving the Casa Hogar workers a little break by finding Americans to help with the little ones. As Beth placed Pamela in my arms, I got a renewed sense of how good God is. When we seek out to serve Him, He gives us the desires of our hearts. As I stood/sat with Pamela clinging to me, I felt so grateful for all God does for me. That he cares for us all. He know us. Not just like"Hi, how are you."knows us. He knew that nothing would make me happier than to have a little one clinging to me and eventually fall asleep on my chest.
We have many moments when Greg and I wonder what God really called us here for. What can we offer to Him. This is what I think it means "to delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." (Ps 37:4) Gracias Senoir.

Do you ever feel attacked?

Today I'm under the weather. My body is fighting a sinus infection that has turned to laryngitis. I hate that. It bugs me that I have to sit out today. There was a lot going on today that I had the chance to be involved in. An international lunch with our three boys and the other kids and their mothers at school. Today was the day I was going to go with the group to the Rio or Cadereyta. Then I was going to have the chance to debrief the group. All of that is put on hold. I know I need to rest so that my body could have the chance to fight this virus. This virus isn't all I have been fighting lately. Never before have I felt so under attack by Satan.
We've been here about 42 days. In those few weeks, I have felt like Satan is exposing every ugly thing inside of me- my low self esteem, my body image hang-ups, my anger, my dependency on other people, my feelings of inadequacy, loneliness, my performance determining my worthiness, the list seems to go on and on. I know what I need to take and do to attack Satan like my body is attack this infection. The word of God needs to penetrate my heart. Jesus used Scripture to fight Satan in the wilderness. Showing us the key to fight him ourselves. Daily time of solitude for prayer and mediation. I have found out how little I know the source of strength that Jesus gives us in his Holy Spirit. What a powerful tool we have to fight anything that Satan throws our way. I have spoke to many here and I know that I am not alone in my struggles. God has given me peace today and I lift up those who are taking my place so that my body can recover and fight this infection. Please pray for us as Satan preys on us wanting to keep us from doing what God would have us do. Pray that God would work in us to depend on him more and more making Satan weak and unable to effect the work of the Lord. Are you feeling attacked? Do you see it as Satan or just a bad day? Is it just one of those times of the year? Are you in the word? Are you relying on God to do the battle?
"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers, of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of the evil in the heavenly realms." Ephesians 6:12

How's your sermon?

Hey guys, it's me Greg. Cathy has been doing such a great job with the Blog stuff, she has such a knack for it, but from time to time I will post an entry myself.

Never in a million years did I ever envision myself preaching in another land, yet this past Sunday, the Lord blessed me with that opportunity. The majority of the B2B Monterrey staff attend a Spanish speaking church here called Nuevo Pacto. The pastor of the church, Pastor Rene, is a dear friend of the ministry and does a great deal for us in many different ways. Last week, he called and offered me the opportunity to preach this Sunday. He would translate. Preaching is one of the things I miss most about pastoral ministry, so while a little anxious about preaching to a foreign crowd, I accepted the invitation.

Anyway, word got around on our campus that I was going to be preaching, and people were very excited. Most of our staff speak decent to very good Spanish, but they have said that there is just something about hearing a sermon in your own tongue.

There is a certain young man here, Rudolpho, who has grown up in the children's homes and is now in college in our Hope Ministry. He is a solid man of God, and just the nicest guy around. One night he came up to me and said, "So, I hear you are preaching Sunday." I said, "Yes, that's right." We small talked a little bit and then I playfully asked him, "So Rudolpho, when are you preaching?"

I love his answer. He said, "I'm ready. I am the Lord's servant." Then he went on to say, "I preach a sermon everyday."

Isn't that awesome?! It hit me that there are many days when my sermons flat out stink! Let me ask you, how's your sermon?