Thank You

I have realized something.  I have been looking forward for weeks now to the time when we would get to pick up the Christmas Boxes and give place each one into the hands of a dear boy or girl to help make their Christmas special...to be a blessing to their lives.  To show them and tell them of the love of Jesus Christ.

But as the boxes were unloaded from our van and brought to our bedroom for me to begin organizing, this Christmas became very special to me...my heart was so blessed and I felt so very humbled and grateful.  

There were far more boxes than we imagined...219 arrived to be exact!  Many were packaged together in giant boxes...others shipped individually...some personally delivered to Daniel's brother's house.

And I began to stack them...one by one...in the corner by our bed.

  I read the names of each of the senders. 

Many of them I knew; some of them I didn't.  

I read the name of each place from which a box arrived...Texas, Florida, New York, Canada...Africa.

Several of the were clear boxes and I peered through to observe what was inside.

Some of them were in cloth bags...some of them even hand made.

Some of them were in shoe boxes.

Several of them had notes on the front...some written from small children...some written by ladies...some written by men...and some written by the elderly.

And I began to think of the emails that I'd been sent.  

I began to think of the many, many prayers that were sent along with the boxes.

I began to think of the time and care that was sent in choosing with what to fill each box.

The generosity and sacrifices that were made to send them.

All of them were sent with so much love.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son."

I found the tears falling down my cheeks more than once.

Some sweet notes written for our family.

You have no idea how I'll cherish each one.

Even some special treats for the children and I.

So unexpected...so very, very special.

May God richly and sweetly bless each and every one of you.

From my heart, I want to say

Thank you.

You will soon bless over 200 children here.

And you blessed a family of 14 too.

We'll be passing out the boxes all throughout the week.

I will be taking A LOT of pictures! :)  

Last night, we gave some to the children who came to the evening service.

We'll be going to the neighborhoods of our town where we are working.

Lord willing, we'll be going out to the smaller town of Zaragoza where we shared the gospel for much of this year.

And then to the village of Jesus Maria where Daniel has preached for over a year.

I'll post pictures the pictures from yesterday below and continue to update and post more pictures as we go out.

Continue to pray as we give your gifts to these children in the name our Saviour.

May He alone be glorified!

Stopping Monday morning to buy breakfast...burritos out of the back of a car! :)  They were delicious!

Arriving at Daniel's brother's house Monday night...we walked in and said...."Wow!"

If it had been left to me, half those boxes would not have fit!
Very thankful that it wasn't left up to me! :)

Waiting at customs for over 2 hours praying that they will let us cross.
We had to unload several boxes for them to inspect.  At first, they were going to make us turn around, go back across the USA border and re-cross at a different border crossing.  But thankfully, we finally made it through!

My bedroom is feeling quite cozy right now :)

So many sweet notes :)

We passed out boxes last night to the children at church...the pictures speak for themselves.

Pearlita

Eddie

Michelle

Alan

Neva

Pablo

Jorge

Alondra

Angel

And a few pictures of our brothers and sisters in Christ whom we have grown to love so very much.

Hermana Rosa and Hna. Maria

Hna. Juanita...87 years old...bringing up 4 of her grandchildren

Hna. Victoria

Ivan

Sweet Lorena

Hno. Juan and Abraham

I have to add...

After I had finished organizing the boxes, some of the children came into my room and I was telling them how all those boxes arrived for the Mexican children.

Noah (6 yo) got the biggest smile and said, "Yes!  I'm so glad that I'm a Mexican!"

Ha! Well, he was born in Mexico.

I had to clarify that these boxes were for the Mexican children that did not have blond hair. :)

God bless you!