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We left Reynosa at 3 AM this morning. Getting all the metal equipment though
the border customs is iffy. There are times they have unloaded every suitcase
and the guards have gone though it all item by item. My suitcase have 48 pounds of drill, saws,and sharp objects. The van with the trailer and all the construction equipment went first in the line of vans. The next van had ordinary suitcases full of clothes and after that came just the vans full of people. Today not one van or trailer got stopped. We made it completely though in about 30 minutes which gave us all time for a relaxing breakfast.

We flew from McAllen, Texas to Houston and then onto Denver arriving about 3 PM.
Now I'm washing everything that was on the trip for bedbugs (I never saw one or itched but everything is going to get 1/2 hr in the dryer just for good old sake)

I want to thank every person who prayed and helped support us. I was honored to
get to represent each of you. I wish you who helped and prayed could have seen
the look on this families face when they walked into the house that you provided
for them. I wish you could have watched Allena touch the beautiful satin bread spread
and sit at her new kitchen table. I know you would have been proud to see all the people around the block come over and look at the sun on the house and say it was the awesome.

Without you none of the past week would have been possible. You have made a sweet young couple feel like a king and queen. The whole family prayed to accept Jesus as their savior. At the men's meeting 60 men attended a 20 men gave their lives to the Lord, when the 80 women attened 30 reuped and 20 were born again. We handed out
hundreds of toys to kids that had absolutly nothing....... Each one of you all
were a behind the scene Santa -- tomarrow after I go to bed I will put many of
the pictures on here so you all can see their smiling little faces.

I was so blessed to be able to go. I thank you all so very much, words will not contain what my heart is feeling. Love you all !! Holly

Last Day in Reynosa

This morning we decorated the house, put all the household stuff in place that we had
brought and bought. The bed was delivered -- my gosh it was odd -- It was all a box spring and there was no way to tuck the sheets in. The stove came and it was a two burner propane camp stove. Jerry and John made kitchen counters out of left over
siding and supported them with even smaller triangle pieces of siding.

Amazingly with 12 different families bringing things --everything matched. From the plastic glasses and cups from our house which were yellow and blue. The bedspread was olive green and blue. The baby bed was blue. All the drapes,that I made were olive green and blue. Not a single person talked to anyone else and the blue paint down here was donated -- but it all went together perfect. The best TV program could not have put the colors together any better.

Many of the other groups came to see all the words that were written in our house and
the huge bright yellow sun on the outside of the house. Leslie has great hand writing, she wrote inspirational words on the balcony, and the table. Words like Peace, Love, Joy, Father, Love, Grace, Mercy, Forgiveness, and Faithfulness. It was very romantic and beautiful.

We had a Mexican wedding in the dump at noon to attend and we handed over the house to our family just before that. Our family seemed very happy and we took a million pictures. Driving off was very emotional. We had put so much into the little house and family. To just drive off and go shopping at the local mall, was very hard. (Once you have seen one Mexican shop you have seen them all and I didn't buy a thing)

We went to visit our family from 2 years ago and take them gifts and some food.
We were amazed when we found their house, they had added on a patio and another room.
Both the Mom and Dad had found jobs and they told us that their money situation
and completely turned around since they had received the house. They were excited
to see everybody but didn't recognize John until he showed them his ID.
Then they laughed and hugged. The thanked the group a million times for all
the help -- it was an amazing story. We were thrilled to see that they were doing
well.

Tonight is our last night here. Praise and worship has been great. We have several
new songs by Chis Tomlan that we are hooked on and hope to bring back to Rez and
Pastor Johnathan. I am looking forward to American food on the way home and I can't wait to hit my bed and my pillow with the dog. It has been a wonderful adventure
but I'm ready to go home.

FELIZ NAVIDAD

Dec 27
Everyone worked very hard today in the sunny muggy weather. We had electricity off and on, so when it was on we would rush to and fro cutting boards trying to get ahead before it went off again. We cut up all the extra plywood and made it into a big round sun with lots of spike beams, this we painted bright golden yellow. This should stand out brightly as a decoration on the bright blue house. So many of the houses are gray and ugly this should make our families house stand out and be one of a kind.

This afternoon several girls from each crew went shopping for the remainder of the items that each family was going to need and the stuff we couldn't put on the airplane or just ran out of pounds to bring down in the 130 pounds of luggage. 40 women attacked the local K-mart. Each couple of gals spent from $700 to $300 on house hold stuff, and food and then we packed the trailers behind the two vans full. I love shopping but this much estrogen and discussion about each item was almost too much.

Mike worked very hard on hooking up the electricity -- the hookup was clear
on the other side of the dump -- thought a bunch of peoples back yards -- but its
done -- the grandparents who live on the front of the lot now have for the first
time TV ,they were excited and pleased

will try to get pictures on later tonight if the internet stays working
h

Dec 28

We had a busy rainy day, but we finished the other two walls and got the metal
roof. Mike just got started on running the electrical wire when it turned 4 and
that is when they want us out of the dump and back in the good part of town.

Most of our gals went to the ladies meeting, I stayed and continued on painting
all the windows and Lupe (the Grandpa helped me strip and sand the front door.)
Sue and I will put a fancy design on the door in the morning. We also painted the shelves and kitchen table out of bright blue plywood board. If we have enough paint left over tomarrow we will paint the floor in the little house blue.

A big 30 x 30 tent was put up and all the meeting were dry
70 gals attended the ladies meeting and of those 20 ladies went forward at the meeting.

Dec. 27th

Today was our first real day to build and the weather was so nice I only wore
my sweat shirts early in the morning. The girls painted and the
guys cut lumber up and nailed it all back together. We got the 2 x 10 floor leveled, and two walls up. Our family chose a dark bright blue paint for the
house and white trim. The insides will be light tan. The Dad watches everything
the guys are doing with much interest-- I believe he understands more English than
he lets on, because he laughs at the jokes that Mike Bates and Pastor Mark are
constantly cracking.

I worked in the warehouse this morning with about 20 other gals most
from New Jersey and Nebraska. Everything that is in the warehouse is all the extras that the workers brought -- above what they brought for the family that they are building the house for. The building was floor to ceiling packed with brown huge boxes. We took it all and separated it up into boys, girls, babies, women, men and dental, making up gallon sacks. Each group will have a teaching/devotion and then the gift sacks are giving out. I was so proud of Rez. as we stuffed the gallon bags with all kinds of goodies -- I would see for each group stuff that we had contributed. I bet we brought 1000 tooth brushes and 100 little tubes, and 50 big tubes of toothpaste. Mc'Donalds gave over 300 toys from Mc'Kid meals because some Rez person took the time to get them. I think there were 6 huge boxes of bath towls, 300 dental gift bags, 200 boys and 200 girls bags, 100 men and 200 women bags. Somewhere along the way they are going to give out 300 sweat shirts also.

It is so sad all day long children come in begging for food or gifts. I made the mistake of giving one little guy a Mc'kid toy -- within 10 minutes there were
40 kids standing behind me wanting one. We had to get somebody to tell them in Spanish to go away till that afternoon when the dental teaching would be....... then each one would get a toothbrush, 2 toothpastes, and a Mc'Kid toy

The two gallon bags of eye glasses were a great idea, and the Doctor that came from Michigan took them to the health clinic. She said they had never handed them out before. So who ever donated those -- they were a big hit.

I have a great praise report -- the warehouse gals were in need of paper tape all day to close sacks up. I was praying about the situation and the very next box I opened right on top was a role of new tape. Isn't God good.

Merry Christmas from Reynosa

The gals you see here are all boasting after pulling, lugging, and dragging our
130 pounds of luggage around two airports. We are showing off our muscles.

The Food court at the mall was our first stop after changing planes in Houston and then landing in McAllen. The mall was jam packed but Chick-fil-a was closed because it was Sunday, but inside the restaurant there seemed to be an employee meeting going on. We burst right in and asked for the owner -- who thought we wanted food. We said that the LORD had his business on HIS mind and that we wanted to pray for prosperity for the owner, his business and his employees. The employee's prayed with us -- many with their heads bowed and others like deer in the head lights. We prayed for each employee --that they would be blessed financially this new year. -- it was great.

After eating all 200 of us got into the 7 vans. Each van had an enclosed trailer behind it to carry all the luggage and equipment and drove across the border to Reynosa. Our rooms are all in a row at the Best Western. It has
a small enclosed court yard with a swimming pool, palm trees and lots of flowering plants. The rooms are very nice with a big walk-in shower in the bath. Much nicer that John had let on.......

Today had lots of sun and was warm Thanks for praying for no RAIN.
Pray for John's right kidney it is acting up -- lifting 50 pound suitcases all day has not helped.it. I put on deep relief and he has been sleeping for an hour.

Dec 25th

Christmas is always beautiful in Colorado, even without snow.
When we were scuba diving in Cozumel for Christmas it was abnormal.
There is no place like a Colorado Christmas. This was the first time the kids have not been home -- it was sad just having Dad only. We spoke with Jackie and J late this afternoon and they have 10 feet of snow in Frezno California, but
they had escaped to Redding where it was only pouring cats and dogs. They are
staying there for the holidays.

Dad came up from Denver for T-bone dinner today and we kept him busy helping us pack and unpack. While Dad was here we went over to the neighbors. I am watching
their home and animals while they are vacationing in Florida. One of their three sheep had died during the night. Oh dear...........
But their son drove up from Denver and saved the day by removing the body.
Never a dull moment.

We are doing the last weigh in and John is removing baby stuff and replacing
it with just the right amount of screws or another handful of nails.
Xee is stealing q-tips out of the suitcase and eating them.
I'm turning into a real for live missionary -- Praise God here we go!!
At 4 A.M we are off to Mexico on the BIGGEST treasure hunt of the year!

Dec. 24th Christmas Eve

This morning at 4 AM Grandma Margaret passed quietly away in her sleep.
My Dad is going well, but please pray for him to know the love of Jesus
and to feel and hear the Holy Spirits comfort.

Today Jo, a neighbor bought in a huge box a baby clothes. Washing and
folding the cute baby stuff made me remember back to when J was
and itty bitty baby some 28 years ago. It has been an emotional day. Fern donated homemade sewn diapers as well. We had been short on clothes for the baby, and now I'm well packed with an adorable bounty.

Dec. 23

Have a Jolly Holly Holiday !! I borrowed that from Burl Ives's song. But it had a certain ring to it that sounded good this morning. I've finished the drapes and today we are loading the 4 suitcases -- they can only weighs 50 pounds each. John has lots of heavy saws, screw guns, metal material for the house -- so we will have to watch it carefully.

Please pray for Margaret, she continues to sleep --today will be the fifth day without water and food. Hospice has her on 35 mg of morphine. She was adopted by a family who's father was the Vicker of a Church in England, but as far as I know she doesn't know the Lord.

Dec 22 -- Welcome

Merry Christmas everybody !! Thanks for coming to the blog.

Today I'm sewing drapes. The little house we will build is divided into a
living room and a bedroom. A floor to ceiling curtin is the wall
that divides it in third. I have a heavy green foam backed material for
this, and it is all done. We will buy the bed when we are down in Reynosa.
There are three 36 X 48 windows that are on the front and the back
of the house. Two of the three are hemmed and done -- one left to finish for
today. There is also a small 24 x 24 window in the loft area above the
bed -- I choose a wild red mexican print drape, and it is finished.

Reynosa is about 35 miles west of Brownsville and 36 miles south east of Laredo
Texas. It is a huge town of a million and the Rio Grande seperates the town from
McAllen where we fly in.

If your praying for me I have serveral concerns. First pray for NO RAIN.
Second -- Margaret is on hospise and has not been awake or responsive for three
days. Dad is holding up strong but needs encouragment. We will be having
Christmas around the nusing home schedule on Christmas Eve.

Thanks for Checking the blog everyday because I will write how we are progressing.
Thanks Holly