As you can see in the pictures, we continue to make progress. The construction is going slowly but going. The finished product looks very good. I made the remark last newsletter that I thought we would be done by now, but it has not happened. We still lack putting in the electrical, painting, and laying the tile. I hope to be able to show the “finished” work on the school area next newsletter.

As I mentioned previously as soon as we finish the school area construction, we to begin construction on a storage building, something like 20’ X 30’ to store tools and equipment. In addition we need to build a playground for the kids asap. If you have any end of the year giving you would like to donate toward this then please do so. 
 
Again a great big God Bless You to everyone who have and are supporting the ministry at La Casa de mi Padre Children’s Home both with your  prayers and finances. While we have not completely finished our renovation phase we have entered the Operational Phase. Pray for wisdon and patience as we begin this stage. We need good Godly workers to help in the home.
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My God richly bless you and may you sow seed in such a manner as to have a continual harvest coming your way. 

 
Our inspection by DIF (Mexico’s social services) was a “TWO THUMBS UP”! We have been told verbally that we are offically approved and that only the paper work needs to be signed by the head of DIF. The government office’s are and have been on official “vacation”,  however they should be back the week of the 11th. When we receive the signed approval from DIF there are two more inspections, one from the protection civil, and one from the sanitation department.  At that point our lawyer will register our certificate with the state and we should be setup. This should not take but a couple weeks. At that point we are setup and can receive new children. There are still a lot of administrative “things” to be worked out but that will be an ongoing process.
 
The upstairs construction will continue until complete, this will house the school rooms, boy and girls restrooms and a small (200 sq ft.) apartment for a teacher and with any luck we should be finished in six to eight weeks.
 
A playground and storage facility are high piority as kid’s will be coming!
 
A great big God Bless You to everyone that has supported us in making the Casa de mi Padre Children’s Home a realitiy both with your  prayers and finances. While we have not completely finished our renovation phase we are entering the Operational Phase. Pray for wisdon and patience as we begin this stage. We need good Godly workers to help in the home.
 
Thank you for sharing what you have that we may share with the less fortunate.
 
My God richly bless you and May you sow seed in such a manner as to have a continual harvest coming your way. 

​On my last trip to Mexico, Jerry and I took a load of furnishings for the kitchen, office, and recreation room.  The favor of God was with us as we crossed the border, twenty-five mile check point, and on the road; we did not have to pay any tax on what was brought in or have any problems with the “bad guys”. Praise the Lord!
 
Our 10X6 trailer was completely full; with lots of pots, pans, skillets, mixers, toasters, blenders, crock pots, new glasses, plates, utensils, flatware, etc.  I believe if you need it we had it.  Added to this were special “Quilts” made for each of the children associated with the children’s home by a group of ladies in Lampasas, TX. On top of that we had two desks, two file cabinets, a chair and scales for the office, a leather sofa, and a love seat for the recreation room.  We would, however, still like to put up a flat screen TV in the recreation room.

​I can say with the exception of the small stuff (pictures, plaques, and some of the license that are required to be displayed) we are finished with the inside of the children’s home,  We do still have some more to do outside; to paint the outside and to make a designated play area for the children. The painting will begin this week and hopefully will be done within the week. The play area will be started after the last of the upstairs school construction is complete. 
 
During the last trip, I took Luis & Lucy Vazquez, directors of the home, and Christy Garcia, one of our five board of directors for the home, to visit two other operating orphanages. The first one with 18 children was located in Cd. Victoria, Tamps and the second one located in Monte, SLP with 43 children. Both of these are well respected operations and serving their areas with excellence. We learned a great deal from both operations.
 
All in all, our progress it going pretty well by Mexican standards and was a successful trip.  Christy Garcia has taken on the responsibility to push our paper work with DIF, the state and federal government. This will allow Luis to stay focused on finishing the construction for the upstairs school rooms.
 
There are areas of construction upstairs that I had hoped to get done by taking in some adult construction groups early this summer; however the violence has increased in intensity to the point I do not know if it is wise to do so.  Please continue to pray for the children’s home and the country of Mexico. I know that this world will never know true peace until the “Prince of Peace” Jesus Christ returns but some sense of normality would be acceptable.
                                                                                                                                                             
Going back to Mexico, may God richly bless you and help you to sow your seeds in such a manner as to have a continual harvest coming your way. 

As is so often the case, we’re not where we want to be, but we’re sure not where we were!
 
At present Luis is working on getting approval from DEF (Mexican social services). Although we’re not quite ready for more kids, we want to move forward on getting the approval so that step will be behind us. We are also in the process of acquiring all the furnishings and getting them to the children’s home. Some will be purchase there, while others will be purchased in the states.
 
Overall when I look at the project, from where we’ve come to where we are, it is simply incredible! I give God all the credit and stand amazed. This is going to be an awesome place for the children to live and enjoy.

Our priority is to completely finish downstairs and start taking in additional children.  However since we do not want to lose some good workers, we have started renovations upstairs as well, and are currently working on the restrooms for the school. We can always go back and forth with our workers to complete everything downstairs; mainly getting the furnishing and supplies in along with finishing some outside repairs. Even though the upstairs is a big project, it is small in comparison to the downstairs.
 
Thank you so much for your prayers, financial support, and for believing in this project. I know this was a project God not only put on my heart, but yours too!  Yes, we may be able to do something’s individually but even greater things are done when we come together and work as a team.
 
There is still a lot to be accomplished! We need to make some outside repairs and paint the entire home. Much of it can be done with teams of volunteers, which we had hoped to start taking down this year.  However, violence rapidly increasing these past few months.  As a result, I guess, it remains to be seen if this will happen. A third drug cartel has come into the area causing things to heat back up. Please continue to pray for the home and its surrounding area. Thus far the home has not been bothered.  

We have completed the electrical & tile in the dorms and bathroom. The glass contractor will get started on the windows and doors next week, the plumbers will come out and do the trim on the showers and sinks. The painting will follow. We’re not there yet but were sure not where we were. I believe this will be a place you as our supporter will be proud of and be pleasing to God. Not a palace but clean, neat and functional!

​ I personally want to thank each person that has given a penny to this children’s home project. Only eternity will reveal the lives it will effect for Christ. This is our purpose, our drive, and our passion! Not by just preaching but by “doing”.   In the following scriptures God shares some truth’s that we should never forget.  Prov 22:9 “A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor. & in Prov 19:17 “He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward him for what he has done.” NIV This is not why we give, we give because we realize all that Christ has done for us! It’s just something God said he wants to do for us as his obedient children.