Our Return to Mexico

Hi to everyone and Merry Chirstmas. Well here's our rig. God has provided us with a 1990 Road Ranger and a 2001 GMC pickup. I haven't updated since we got home in mid-November but we've been busy getting the trailer and truck road worthy. They are not perfect by any means but we think they will be great. We're looking forward to this next trip. We leave for Mexico again this next Sunday the 28th and plan on being at the ranch by Jan. 2nd after stopping in AZ. and visiting our dear friends Paul and Ruth. It is such an adventure following God wherever He leads us.

Last Sunday at church I shared with everyone that Jo and I feel that God is leading us to a more full time ministry in Mexico. Therefore, when we return from Mexico in February we will be putting our house on the market. When it sells our plan is to move full time into a little larger trailer, serving at the ranch in Mexico from approx. Sept. to May. During the summer we will return to Kansas and our friends and family, and continue to serve with Samaritan's Purse in disaster relief efforts. We also would like to travel and share with churches about what God is doing in Mexico at Rancho Maranatha.

Many people have shared their desire to help support us in our ministry in Mexico and the US. This support will help out so much! We will be able to provide most of our personal support, but we still need ministry funds. Money that is available to us for food, school supplies, auto repairs, building repairs, and of course help for hardship cases...

Please continue to pray for Jo and I that we continue to be obedient to His call upon our lives, He provide for our needs, and keep us healthy....God Bless, Jerry and Jo.

Fourth Week In Mexico

As Jo and I were preparing to leave we were able to share in the celebration of Carolina's 14th birthday. She has turned into such a wonderful and beautiful young lady.

Two new girls were brought to the ranch Tuesday by DIF. Being 12 and 13 years old they walked out of Mocusarit and an abusive family situation. Carolina really reached out to the younger of the two and was telling me on the bus ride back from the bible study in Tesia that she reminded her of herself when she first came to the ranch. Short hair, no smiles, and very afraid. As she held the new girl tight I asked her if she was cold. She said no, she was just giving her a hug.

This "special" birthday candle was a gift from Jason Slusser before he and his family left the ranch for their new home in Flagstaff.

Our dear friends, Paul and Ruth Wallestad....

They are leaving Rancho Maranatha after partnering with Dan and Ana for the last 14 winters. The will truly be missed but never forgotten.

In my last post I told you about dear Cuca. She went to be with the Lord 5 a.m. Monday. They waited for the burial until Dan and Ana returned Tuesday afternoon.

Jo and I have now returned home to Wichita. We will be quite busy for the next 6 weeks. We plan to return to Mexico between Christmas and New Year's Day. We plan to take our new fifth wheel trailer (1990) and we are praying for God to help us with a truck to pull it. We will also be busy working our jobs to earn enough to take off that month again. Thank all of you for your help, suggestions and prayers. We miss all of you when we're in Mexico and all of our friends at the ranch when we're here.

God Bless you all...... Jerry and Jo

Our Third Week In Mexico

Here Jo is teaching a class in Science to two of her star pupils Carolina and Josi.

They also get Math and History from Roshon, Spanish and Geography from Ana, English from Audra and Health from Carla.

The younger girls get Math, Geography, and Science from Marliu and English from Audra.Audra also teaches Lolita and Josi piano.
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This is Cuca. We were asked by her family to take her from the hospital in Navajoa to her home in Mocuzarit. She was being sent home to die. This same thing happed to another lady last January when we were here. It really breaks your heart to the elderly in the states, but even more so here in Mexico in the poorer areas.

This is Cuca's home until the Lord takes her home. The Lord continues to lay it on my heart to build a Hospicio (nursing home) here in Mexico. Please pray that He will show me how.

The lake at Mocuzarit is now full! Thanks to the hurricanes. Those of you that have been here for the baptism and swimming would not recognize it. This is the area we were at but the water was about a block lower. Praise God!

Bible Studies and Fellowship

Mike, Mark, Mac, and Tom from South Carolina.

This is one of the benches built by the South Carolina team. Four went to the bible study in Tesia. Four went to the bible study in Rosales and 3 more stayed here at the ranch. Paul and I are in process of extensive testing of the ones here at the ranch. We'll keep you updated with our findings!

The worship group Sunday night in Osobampo with Dan, Dulce, Brian, Roshon, Marilu.

The "gringo" section outside with our interpreter

Jake and Jessica from Tennessee. Frank Sanders from South Carolina. Ruth Wallenstad from Minnesota and of course Jo from Kansas

One of the two classrooms in Osobampo.

A stop for carne asada tacos is standard after the Tuesday night bible study in Tesia. Here is Rogelio, Carolina, Marilu, and Carla.

Spoke To Soon!

In my last posting I was bragging about the old 84 Ford van. Well I guess I spoke to soon! It didn't make it from Las Minitas to Osobampo for church services last Sunday night. After service they told us it made it about halfway and we had to tow it back to the ranch while Brian took the people home in his pickup. This week we filled the battery with water (empty), replaced the starter solonoid, both battery cable ends, new brake pads, packed the wheel bearings, and replaced the strut arm radius bushings on the drivers side. While getting ready for a test drive Wed. the transmission shift linkage broke inside the steering column. There was an old parts van on the ranch that I was able to get a used column from but we didn't have a key for the ignition. After taking the column and old key with tumbler into Navajoa for repair, I finally got it put back together yesterday and Marco came and picked it up today. He asked if we also fixed the broken exhaust pipe. We gave him 100 pecos (10.00) so he could get it welded in Navajoa!

Jo is cooking more and also teaching the older girls science. Everyone seems to be enjoying it. Dan and Ana are enjoying their visit in TN. If you don't get her updates and would like to, let me know and I'll forward them to you. Most of the people on the ranch stayed up last night for a campfire. Jo made Smore's with the girls. I went to bed early! This was a alternative night for their "day of the dead" in Mexico. (Halloween).

Frank Sanders and his team from South Carolina leave Sunday morning to head home. They have been such a blessing to have here. Paul and I have had devotions every morning with them from 7 am to 8 am. The cleaned the melon vines out of the orchard, cut brush, mowed grass, redecked the wood on the trailer, and built 11 benches for two of the bible studies and here at the ranch...One of the two washing machines broke and they also helped Dan purchase a new one. They didn't get to work on the ministry house but they have another team coming back in February. They have asked us to hire some electrical help and some stucco help. Plumbing is also still needed.

Our Second Week In Mexico

Well Jo and I are more into the routine here at the ranch now. She has been helping with more of the cooking for the girls and just helping in general. I've tried to work on a couple of the autos but haven't been able to fix much. Beyond my expertise. Also Friday night I came down with something and spent all of Sat. in our room. We're staying in a room in Dan and Ana's and are sharing their kitchen and living room. This morning was church in Rosales and it was great to see many of our old /new friends. Right now Dan has several of the vans or buses located in the smaller villages with a designated driver. Works great with the right, careful & responsible driver..It makes it so much easier for the people to get to church and is a lot less driving needed here from the ranch. Tonight is church in Osibampo and there will be several vans or buses there as well. Some of the same ones in fact.. The old red and gray ford van we donated last year is in Las Minitas which is about 30 kilometers past Osibampo. Not very far, but some of the roughest roads especially now since the flooding took out some of the road and the low water bridges are running water. That means they have to go out-around and spend a couple of extra hours on the road. Boy, and we think it's rough to drive across Wichita.

Dan and Ana will get on a bus tonight after church and ride all night to Tucson. Then about 10:30 am Monday they fly to Nashville to visit Bryan and Rochelle and the twins for about a week. It's funny because Bryan is here now visiting with the youth pastor from his church about bringing a team down this spring. He leaves Monday morn. on the bus as well.

Paul and Ruth have been coming to the ranch for the last 14 winters and have been a huge help to Dan and Ana. This will be their last year. Paul has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and they are leaving sometime in early Dec. Ron and Audra has been here with their 3 boys for the past 2 years and they are leaving this Dec. also. Joel and Stephanie Connors (the school teachers) have decided not to return this year as well. "The laborers are few". Ana, Audra, and Marilu have been doing the schooling and now Jo is going to help with English and Science.

Ana's family came into town yesterday for a family wedding and brought lots of clothes, etc. for the people in Alamos effected by the flooding. I haven't been to Alamos lately but I believe things are progressing well. The government hired anyone wanting to work for minimum wage. About $8.00 per day.

Please continue to pray for Jo and I that we stay willing and flexible to be used by God wherever and however HE chooses.

God Bless you all. Jerry and Jo

In the first picture you can see the water line and the debris washed up against the home.

The second shows workers shoveling debris and dirt about three feet deep around the tree...

The river is back in it's orginal bank, although flowing more than normal.....

October 17th Update

Hi to everyone back home....Jo and I arrived at the ranch safe and sound Wed. night as planned. We're both pretty tired but I think Jo is doing better than I am.....We spent most of Thursday unpacking and trying to rest...It's still very hot here and as those of you that have been here know it's great to get that rest...I finally made it into town to see the results of the flash flooding Alamos had Sat. night. Only part of the town was flooded, but the part that did got it pretty bad...Water was about 3 to 4 feet up in the houses and it went down quickly leaving 2 to 3 feet of mud inside and 4 feet of mud outside with so many sticks and brush that you can't stick a shovel in it...The Govenor and President of Mexico was here and has sent in equip. and hired labor to help the town..I went in to help but only worked about 30 min. and was exhausted..Just can't seem to get up strength...

There is an anual fellowship day here at the ranch this Sunday..Frank Sanders and his team of 5 are doing most of the work as well as cooking lunch for everyone....I'm guessing there will be about 200 here...They are from South Carolina and have been coming twice a year for several years...They leave next Tues.....

It's great to be here at the ranch but Jo and I are really looking forward to using that fifth wheel trailer next trip....That's all for now-Jo told me to take a nap and rest so I better listen to her...God Bless you all............Jerry and Jo

Why a blog, anyway?

As Jo and I are making plans to leave for Mexico next week via a few days in California, we wanted to have a way of easily communicating with our friends, family, brothers and sisters. That is the purpose of this blog....I pray that it works! Please check it often, add it to your lists and please pray for us and the prayer requests to be listed in the future..Thank You and God Bless you all.....Jerry