Wednesday

Yesterday was a highly productive day for our team as we got a great amount of work accomplished! I am excited to be able to share with all of you some of the changes in plans that we have had. To start off let me first share some pictures of what was accomplished yesterday.

Emy, Andrea, Ashleigh, Grant and Leigh on the roof finishing off the the sealing of the roof.

Jean working on painting the trim in the laundry room.

Kathi painting in the laundry room.

This is where the story starts. Yesterday morning after breakfast Julie asked if she could talk to the team after devotions. We all gathered around several tables and Julie and Victor began to share with us the likely possibility that they will be expanding their family in the very near future. They have been aware of 5 siblings who would possibly need a home and have been praying for a little over a month that things would be very clear as to how the Lord was leading. I am sure as this develops Julie will be posting some more of the details but as she told us during our meeting it is very unlikely that this will come to nothing. In the end it is really only a matter of timing of when they can come.

With this information they also shared with us about the need for bedrooms for 5 more children! Each bedroom already has a minimum of 2 children and several rooms have 3. One idea that they had was to turn the patio into a temporarily constructed room for the 3 boys (in the set of 5 siblings). Since they had several people knowledgeable about construction they opened the dicussion up and asked if the guys would help toss around some ideas for them so they can have a better idea of where to start. With that Grant prayed for this transition for the family and then Ted led the way out to the patio area to talk over ideas. As Ted shared last night on the way back to the hotel he just felt that God was saying "Get it done!" As they talked about ideas it was decided that this was now the number one project for our team and that were in Mexico for such a time as this. Many of the plans for the day were put on hold and there was an emergency run to Home Depot for supplies. Gravel was dumped and leveled with help from many of the children. They are very excited about the idea of having new siblings.

Tom showing Lolis how to level the gravel.

Martha, Diana, Fidel and Josiah shoveling gravel.

John dumping one of the first wheelbarrows of concrete while Ted supervised.

Andrea hauling concrete.

Larry leveling and smoothing the concrete.

Last night they finished pouring concrete before dinner and had the supplies bought for the temporary walls! Today we are pouring more concrete to make the patios around the house smooth and even so they are easier to walk on. They also are finishing up painting the laundry room so that the shelving can be installed! Blessings are overflowing down here! No one is sick, the work is progressing beautifully and quickly. Thank you all so much for your prayers. We feel them!

Last night was also our night to give the family and staff gifts from brothers and sisters in Christ. As always it is a great joy and honor to be there and experience it. For many here on the team it was a first time and a memory that will last a long time.

Lucy with her new baking pans.

Ruth with her new Cinderella dress.

Ana with the comforter that she had requested.

Ana wearing her crown.

There are exciting things happening down here and lives are being changed. As many of you know it sometimes seems that the lives of those who come on the team are even more impacted then those who are here at the Ranch. We are grateful for this opportunity to bless, encourage and physically support these dear brothers and sisters in Christ. I can't wait to share with you tomorrow more about what God is doing! :)