Rod & Brian planning their trip across the border.
Rod and Brian (YUGO missionary) jumped into a van to cross the border to pick up the speaker for the upcoming outreach at the San Diego airport. Unfortunately Rod did not have his passport with him. To his dismay, he was not allowed entry into the United States.
As I, Rod walked back into Mexico I thought about how all alone I was in a city of two million plus people. I did remember a taxi stand where we rode to the downtown area of Tijuana with our summer staff earlier in the year. So off I went. As I took a few wrong turns, I was fearful it would soon get dark. I began praying for Gods help. This man approached me and offered a woman (oops wrong area) I declined but accepted his directions as he told me the next street over was the one I wanted. I caught a cab and phoned Cheryl to pick me up at the bottom of the cement hill on the way to our house.
I, Cheryl went driving down the bumpy roads to rescue Rod from having to walk up the steep hill. I spotted him! Just behind him was a lady I recognized from our neighborhood church. I stopped and offered her a ride also. She spoke no English and we spoke some Spanish, enough to find out where she lived.
I tried not to stare as I noticed how her face had become so deformed since the first time I had seen her. She was now missing an eye as well as having open sores all over her face. “Could it be skin cancer?” I asked myself. “Could these open sores not be stopped? What kind of medical care was there for those that were so poor?” These were the questions that rolled around in my mind. “Eeks! Would she soon lose the other eye?”
I came back to reality when I heard her say, “Aqui.” meaning here in Spanish. We dropped her off at the humble structure she called home. She showed her gratitude by reaching out and hugging me whispering “Dios te bendiga” God bless you in Spanish, in my ear. And then to my surprise she kissed me on the cheek.
A part of me felt I should have been repulsed by the open sores that covered her face. Another part of me was in awe at the joy and gratitude this woman conveyed for picking her up and driving her home. “Would I have that much joy if I was that sick?”
Eva has a personal relationship with Jesus that gives her joy in the midst of many trials. This summer over 1,300 came to the knowledge of their need for a relationship with Jesus.
Morinville Alliance Church, Muir Lake Alliance Church, Devon Alliance Church from Alberta and Faith Baptist from Regina are Canadian churches and are just a few of the many churches that joined us in ministry this past 10 weeks of ministry. Morinville Alliance holds a special place in our hearts as this is the youth group that Rebekah attended when we lived in Canada.
Rebekah and her new friend Barb took on the challenge of translating for the Canadian team that went to our local church in Lomas San Antonio to reach out to the Mexican people. This is also Eva’s home church. I asked and found out she had not attended the woman’s ministry activities. Maybe she did not have the strength to walk the distance to the church.
Rod, Rebekah and I will go back to Canada for three weeks in September. We are excited about seeing family and friends. We will take part in a family reunion and many other gatherings that will bring us up to date on what’s happening in the lives of those we love and care for.
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