She Thanks Jesus for Her "Abuelita" (Grandma)

I sat down last night and quickly typed out this little piece in between putting the kids to bed. It was about 9:30 p.m. and, as always, I was running a bit late. (Wednesday is bath night and we always get to bed later.) As I was putting Carolina to bed, the following thoughts were filling my head. After writing them down, before their beauty and essence were lost forever, I decided to share them with you.

“She Thanks Jesus for Abuelita”

As I stroke her beautiful, thick, short black hair and push it back from her forehead, I pray over her out loud and bless her little life. Then, I ask her to pray. She always hesitates, not quite knowing what to say. Then I encourage her to just thank God for something. She quietly responds: “For my Grandma (Abuelita).” She continues: “Gracias Dios por este dia y por mi abuelita. En el nombre de Jesus, Amen.” ("Thank you, God, for this day and for my Abuelita (Grandma). In Jesus' name, Amen.") She closes our days' worth of conversations with one word: “Sapo.” That is my reminder to make sure and sing the kids' song by the same title, after finishing “Jesus Loves Me” in both English and Spanish. As if I needed to be reminded – I know what she likes and the nightly routine is always the same.

It feels so strange:

· I am the one to clean up her cuts and scrapes...but she thanks Jesus for her abuelita.

· I am the one to serve her plate and cut her meat...but she thanks Jesus for her abuelita

· I am the one to stroke her face at night and sing a lullaby...but she thanks Jesus for her abuelita

· I am the one who has promised to be here forever...but she thanks Jesus for her abuelita

· I am the one who says “Good morning” and “Good night”...but she thanks Jesus for her abuelita

· I am the one whose heart has been stolen by her sad eyes yearning to dance...but she thanks Jesus for her abuelita

· I am the one to bathe her, put away her laundry and teach her how to read...but she thanks Jesus for her abuelita

· She may not be a daughter from my womb, but she is a daughter born from the depths of my heart...but she thanks Jesus for her abuelita

· I thank Jesus for her abuelita too, because Jesus helped her abuelita to love her enough to give her to me, so that I can clean up her cuts and scrapes, serve her plate and cut her meat, stroke her face and sing a lullaby, promise to be here forever, say “Good morning” and “Good night”, feel my heart be stolen away, bathe her, put away her laundry and teach her how to read.

This is love!

Maybe someday she will thank Jesus for me, but for now I thank Him for her...and her abuelita!

Carolina, age 5 (in the pink shirt, front row, right) and her biological siblings with their Abuelita on their second visit to the ranch this past February.

Me comforting a crying Carolina right after her Abuelita had left on the day that she and her siblings joined our family - February 11, 2011.

Carolina and I on our family vacation at the end of February - just two weeks after she and her siblings joined our family.

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Now, before anybody feels tempted to remind me of same basic truths..for example, that Carolina's abuelita raised her for the first five years of her life and that I have only had her for about 3 months... that "these things take time"...that she will eventually say thank you (probably when she is 35 and has her own kids:-)...etc. My head knows all of that and I know that it is true...but ....

what I wanted to capture, and share with you, is our/my unique situation of raising children who are 1) adopted, 2) not actually even adopted, as we just have legal guardianship of them. While Victor and I see them as our children; while they see each other as siblings; while they see us as their parents - on those particularly difficult days when Satan likes to whisper in their ear: "These people really aren't your family...they are going to leave you...they really don't love you.", not having the same last name doesn't help out! 3) most have been "adopted" at an older age, leaving years of neglect, abuse and abandonment to deal with 4) many still have contact with biological family members - a blessing and a curse all at the same time that basically results in a real interesting caldron of boiling feelings 5) adolescence is fully upon us for about one third of our kids.

This results in a few of the kids, when I try and give them a hug, say "good morning" or "good night", they will literally turn their backs on me. They will not respond at all, even though I am right in front of them, as if I were invisible or didn't even exist! Wow...that is tough! It is an incredible opportunity to share unconditional love, the real love of Jesus Christ, because at times it is not that they are indifferent, they are openly rejecting our love. This normally does not last for more than a few days, then that particular child will realize that this attitude really isn't helping anything and will once again open up, be willing to receive affection and will even, every once in awhile, go out on a limb to give affection.

It is such a challenge to love people who act like they don't want to be loved, but who are so desperate for love! I love the challenge and have experienced the love of Christ in my own life in such real ways because of it!

Thank you for your prayers for us and for the ministry that keep us filled with the love of Jesus Christ so that we can continue to pour it out on the precious lives with which He has entrusted us!

home, HOME and HHHOOOMMMEEE

(Friday, May 13: 3:30 p.m. - Welcome to the blog post that almost wasn't! OK, so first it took me forever to write this blog. I finally got it written yesterday, Thursday, morning, but didn't get the pictures added. When I came back to it yesterday afternoon, the blogger site had crashed and we were all unable to access our blogs. They finally repaired the site this noon, but then my saved blog post, the one you see below, had disappeared! Ugh! I had no desire to rewrite the blog, so I waited. I just got done with my one-on-one time with Ana and decided to check again...and the post had reappeared! Praise the Lord! So, I will quick add the pictures and get this post posted!)

There is home (Temperance, MI), HOME (Mexico) and HOME (Heaven)!

I am back HOME after being home and can't wait to get HOME!

To make this a bit clearer, Josiah and I are back in Mexico after spending 10 days in the Toledo, OH area where I grew up. We have all learned in science class that, in order for a tree to grow strong and tall, it needs to have deep roots. I enjoyed much of my time in Toledo revisiting those roots!

The best roots of all - family! Josiah and I with my parents, Dave and Diann Claassen!

Our first stop on Saturday morning, after arriving Friday night, was the Bedford Public Library - the place that fostered my love of reading since I was a preschooler and even served as the catalyst for my starting violin lessons at age 6. So, what a rich surprise when we walked into the children's area and were greeted by the same children's librarian as when I was a child! What a joy to introduce her to Josiah and introduce Josiah to a library so full of books!

Josiah and the same sweet children's librarian as when I was growing up!

Then, that first weekend I had the opportunity to preach at the three weekend services of my home church, attended by people that visited my Mom in the hospital when I was born and that have served as my Sunday School teachers and youth leaders, not to mention my own parents. That was an incredible experience! It felt something like paying up for all that those individuals and church had/have invested in me; like bringing in the harvest for the seeds they had planted throughout all of my growing up years. I am so thankful to the Lord for not calling my parents to pastor another congregation, and to my parents for not calling themselves to another congregation. This gave me the incredible, and rare, opportunity to spend my entire life as the pastor's daughter in the same church! Talk about roots!

My best friend from junior high school, Julie (Lambers) Faulkner, "happened" to be at her "home" from Columbus, OH that same weekend, (for her mom's surprise birthday party) and so was able to attend my home church that weekend with her husband, three precious daughters, parents, and sister and her sister's family! As parents we spend a lot of time trying to teach our children the importance of choosing quality friends while growing up. Even when I was 12 years old, I knew Julie was a jewel of a person, but that has only been confirmed now that we are "grown up." She has left a full-time teaching position to be a stay-at-home mom; she and her husband have two beautiful girls and then adopted a third; and now, they will be spending two months this summer, with their three little girls, as missionaries in Monterey, Mexico! How crazy is that!

Julie and Julie!

The rest of the 10 days flew by at an incredible speed! I was able to meet with the Friends of Fishers of Men group and the Fishers of Men board of directors. We held a great informal evening meeting at the board of directors President's home visiting with about 15 individuals interested in learning more about Fishers of Men. I had a great meeting at a church that has supported Fishers of Men periodically, but that we are now praying would become a regularly supporting congregation. Our last day in the U.S., we had a great visit at McCord Rd. Christian Church where Josiah had the opportunity to share with the Sunday School kids about the ministry. It is always interesting to hear his perspective on the ministry!

Josiah introducing his siblings to the Sunday School kids at McCord Rd. Christian Church.

Julie (me) speaking at McCord Rd. Christian Church

We ended at Summerfield Baptist Church that evening where I was blessed by the loving congregation and by a surprise visit from my piano teacher and violin teacher from when I was growing up! More roots!

Mr. and Mrs. Channer (violin), Julie and Mrs. Stammer (piano).

Two very special times during these past 10 days were a 30 hour personal retreat that I took at Maumee Bay State Park and celebrating my 35th birthday at Chuck E. Cheese's! I very much enjoyed hiking, biking, swimming, reading and dining out all by myself during my time alone at Maumee Bay...hard to describe in just a few words. No big revelations were had, but the time was simply good, very good.

Enjoying a bike ride on my personal retreat!

When I was growing up, we would almost always eat at Major Magic's, a pizza place full of those arcade games where you win little tickets and can then "buy" prizes at the end of your gaming. Well, Major Magic's is closed, but we wanted Josiah to have a Claassen family birthday experience so...Chuck E. Cheese's was our destiny! Needless to say, even Grandpa and Grandma enjoyed winning tickets!

Josiah and I at Chuck E. Cheese's!

Other highlights included visiting my brother (as I shared in the last post), as well as having Ashleigh visit us. Ashleigh lived at Refuge Ranch for two years and is back home in Ohio, so it was fun to see and hug her again!

Ashleigh and Josiah playing with his new Nerf guns.

Also, spending part of Mother's Day with my lifelong school friend, Michelle, was great fun and I loved having her company as I tried to pack 5 suitcases as close to their 50 pound limit without going over!

Michelle and I: so good to be together! (Love the tulips, too!)

Josiah had a ton of fun...riding bike, shooting off model rockets, fishing, eating Taco Bell, sitting in a hot rod...getting spoiled by his Grandpa and Grandma! I also enjoyed having so much one-on-one time with him and wish I could do this with each of the kids. (We really only have legal guardianship of our "adopted" children, which does not allow us to take them out of the country.)

Josiah and Grandpa shooting off model rockets.

Josiah in the neighbor's hot rod.

So, then, Josiah and I came HOME. Even just flying over Mexico City my heart seemed to rest...this is truly HOME. The sights, the smells, the sounds, the people, the language were all so....normal. Have you ever felt your heart sigh and simply say: "ahhhhhhhh"! That was the feeling! Then, tons of butterflies in my tummy while we waited in the customs line as I craned by neck to try and find Victor and the kids on the other side of the big glass customs doors. I finally caught a glimpse of Victor - what a beautiful sight! Josiah and I walked through the doors and were bombarded with all 16 kids....welcome home signs, flowers, a belated birthday present, lots of hugs, kisses, smiles and tons of chattering to get me caught up on all that had happened!

I was so very relieved, glad, to find at home that, although the house truly was/is needing a mother's touch, the kids' hearts were well cared for and happy! Victor did a great job in my absence of loving the kids; the staff was a huge support and the kids really did love on each other while I was gone. It is definitely easier to get caught up on the dusting than get caught up on the loving!

Tuesday was Mother's Day here in Mexico (always on May 10, no matter the day of the week), so I got more art projects, beautiful letters and a delicious flan (custard)! Several people in the U.S. had asked me if I had been able to get some rest and renewal while there. I really wasn't sure what to answer as I fully enjoyed my trip and did not actually spend a lot of time thinking about Mexico while in the U.S. because I tend to try to be where I am (aka fully live whatever is happening at the moment because that moment is truly all we have). However, as soon as I got off the plane, I could tell that I was coming back renewed and ready to keep being a wife to my incredible husband and a mom to my incredible kids (and everything else that I am and do...like a blog writer...albeit a tardy blog writer, but a blog writer nonetheless!)

As for HOME! This HOME is heaven and is where I will finally feel at home. No matter how at home I feel at home (Michigan) or at HOME (Mexico), there are always things lacking in both places. At HOME I don't have my parents, my brother and his family, so many other people that have played such important roles in my life and whom I love dearly. At home, while I so enjoy being there, those dearest to me, my husband and children, are back HOME. As much as I love Spanish, sometimes I need English. As much as I love English, sometimes I need Spanish. As much as I love tacos al pastor, a good lasagna is wonderful. As much as I love meatloaf, where are the tortillas? Someday we will be HOME!

My mind has wandered to HOME a bit more lately as I shared our son Daniel's life story on numerous occasions during this trip. Many of you know that Daniel has several serious congenital heart defects that should have taken his life by now. Everyday with him is a gift from God, but we live with the very real reality that the day will most likely arrive (unless the Lord chooses to heal his heart) when we will have to watch Daniel go HOME. I have also been reading the book "Choosing to SEE" by Mary Beth Chapman, which shares their family's tragic story of when, about three years ago, one of their older sons accidentally ran over and fatally injured one of his little adopted sisters! For obvious reasons, the book spends a lot of time reflecting on HOME, the final hope that we find in Jesus Christ.

I pray that as I visit home and live here at HOME that my life would serve to lead others HOME!

The Trip So Far

Well, I am seated on the couch at my brother's house in Indiana as I write this blog. Josiah and I were sent off by the entire Zaragoza family, Victor and the remaining 16 kids, on Friday at the Mexico City International Airport. My stomach was in a permanent state of butterflies as I dreaded leaving the kids, yet couldn't wait to have 10 days in the U.S. staying with my parents, visiting supporters and having the opportunity to be at my home church.

Josiah LOVED flying (he flew at age 2, but doesn't remember that)! It was a very unusual experience to have only one child to look after. We enjoyed the time on the plane reading, playing a card game and watching a movie.

Josiah and I on the plane.

Saturday was a full and very blessed day. The morning started out with my meeting with the Friends of Fishers of Men group. This is a group of people from the Toledo, OH area who meet quarterly in order to bring themselves up-to-date on the latest happenings of Fishers of Men, as well as to brainstorm ideas to help promote and support the ministry of Fishers of Men stateside.

Saturday afternoon consisted of a meeting with the Fishers of Men Board of Directors. It was so refreshing to be able to be with several of the board members in person, rather than through video conferencing on the internet. We still had two board members from Indiana and one from Iowa on the OoVoo video conference, but at least we didn't have to worry about a third connection to Mexico! I thank the Lord for each of our board members who seek to help guide and encourage the ministry in accordance with God's Word. Thank you!

Saturday evening and Sunday morning I had the incredible honor to preach at the three weekend services at my home church! I am so thankful to the Lord for not ever calling my parents to another congregation, and to my parents for never moving themselves to another congregation. They have pastored my home church for 36 years. There is an incredible richness that I experienced by being able to go back to my home church and see people that have known me since the day I was born and having the incredibly humbling opportunity to preach for people who were my Sunday School teachers and youth leaders. A tree, in order to grow tall, must have deep roots. It is so refreshing to have such deep roots to enjoy and reexplore!

Josiah and I at the Fishers of Men display table at my home church.

Sunday afternoon we headed out to Indiana to visit my brother, Dan, sister-in-law, Teri, and their two children, Casey and Sienna, for two days. I had never met my nearly two year old niece, Sienna, so I am enjoying time with them. The kids don't know me well at all, so I am actually quite quiet, enjoying the surroundings, the totally different environment and the dear people around me.

Uncle Dan and Josiah fishing. Josiah is catching his first fish!

I feel like I may be having some culture shock today. The first three days, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, were so busy there wasn't much time to think or let things soak in. However, since I have gotten to my brother's place there are so many things that are reminders of how different our lives are...and the many differences between both countries.

When people go on mission trips they talk a lot about how God has called them to get out of their comfort zone. I didn't expect it, but being in the U.S., to some extent, is now out of my comfort zone! How weird! I am more comfortable at Refuge Ranch, with 17 kids running around me, the dirt blowing in and out of the house, eating in a warehouse, etc. The silliest things grab my attention...after eating at Grandpa and Grandma's house Josiah promptly wiped all of his crumbs onto the floor. He needed to be taught that we were eating in a real kitchen and that crumbs stay on the table, until you wipe them off with a cloth. Although I try to not let the kids sweep their crumbs off the table at Refuge Ranch, even though we eat in a warehouse with cement floors, they are obviously doing so! Oops!

Josiah's new found fascination is mailboxes! We do have mail in Mexico, but it is very rarely used. If we ever do get mail (usually just the phone bill once a month), the mailman comes out to Refuge Ranch on a motorcycle and honks until we go out, pick up the mail and tip him about a dollar. So, on the drive from the airport to Grandpa and Grandma's house he started asking questions about the mailboxes and, since then, has observed as to if there are mailboxes on one or both side of the streets, if the flags are up or down, and the various colors, shapes and sizes.

Our mailman in Mexico.

We are fully enjoying our time here, readjusting, observing, living, loving, and learning, while missing Refuge Ranch and, at the same time, feeling like we are on a whole different planet! I so praise the Lord that He is with us everywhere, at all times, and never changes!

Please continue to pray for our remaining time here! Tomorrow evening, Tuesday, we are holding an informal gathering at Mark and Corrine Sattler's house, our Fishers of Men Board of Director's President, in order to provide an opportunity for new individuals to learn about the ministry in an informal setting. Please pray that this meeting would be well attended and that the Lord would move hearts to support Fishers of Men regularly. We have discovered that it takes about $365 dollars to run Refuge Ranch for a day. This includes all expenses: staff salaries, food (28 people sit around our table three times a day), homeschool books and materials, water (we purchase water from a water truck), electricity, telephone, propane gas, gas for our vehicles, as well as vehicle repairs, medical expenses, etc. The total income for Fishers of Men this past week was $325! I truly praise the Lord because He is always faithful and has never let us go..and He never will! However, I do ask your prayers that the Lord would use this trip to encourage more people to become a part of all that He is doing in and through Fishers of Men!

Thank you so much for your prayers!

From Mexico to Michigan (and Ohio!)

By this time next week I (Julie) need to be packed and ready to get on a plane the following morning for Detroit, Michigan! It has been over two and a half years since my last trip to the U.S. and we felt it was time to once again visit the churches and individuals who have so faithfully supported Fishers of Men, give testimony to the wonders the Lord has done and continues to do here in Mexico, and seek out prospective new supporters as the ministry continues to grow and requires more and more prayer and financial support.

Careful to not make distinctions between "adopted" and biological children, I have not traveled previously with any of our kids. Since we really only have legal guardianship of our "adopted" kids, we cannot get passports and visas for them. Our biological children have dual citizenship and can travel freely between the U.S. and Mexico. However, Angie, our eldest adopted daughter, turns 18 this year (Whoa - when did that happen?) and can apply for her own Mexican Passport and U.S. tourist visa. Lord willing, this would allow her to travel with me to visit Indiana area churches in October. With that hope in sight, we decided to have Josiah, our eldest biological son, join me on this trip to Michigan! While Josiah was born in Logansport, IN, this will be his first time in the U.S. since we moved to Mexico when he was 2 years old!

Josiah and I will fly to Detroit, MI on Friday, April 29th and spend the next 10 days visiting area churches and individuals. We would LOVE to see you! Following you will find our itinerary in the hopes that you can join us so that we can hug each other, pray together and praise the Lord together!

1. I will meet with the Friends of Fishers of Men group at Mayfair-Plymouth Church, 5253 Bennett Road, Toledo, Ohio, at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 30. This will be an informal gathering to learn about the latest developments relating to the ministry. This group is open to anybody interested in actively supporting the ministry through prayer, promotion and other stateside activities that help provide a solid foundation for Fishers of Men.
   

2. I will present the sermon at all three services that first weekend at Mayfair-Plymouth: Saturday, April 30 at 6 p.m. and Sunday, May 1 at 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. If you usually attend a church other than Mayfair-Plymouth, we encourage you to attend one of the services that does not conflict with your home church. Wow! What a humble privilege...to preach in my home church! This is an undeserved honor and a dream come true! Those of you who know me personally know that I admire my father greatly and know that he trusts the pulpit to a precious few! I am honored to be counted among those precious few and pray that I will glorify my Heavenly Father in all that I say and do!
   

2. On Sunday, May 8, I will speak for a few minutes at the beginning of all three morning services (8:15, 9:30, and 11 a.m.) at McCord Road Christian Church, 4765 N. McCord Road, Sylvania, Ohio. I will also be available between services to visit a bit and personally share more about what God is doing here in Mexico and how He may want you to be a part of that! Hope to see you!

2. On the evening of Sunday, May 8, I will speak for about a half hour at Summerfield Baptist Church, 16010 Railroad Street, Petersburg, Michigan at the 6:30 p.m. service. I am looking forward to sharing that evening, on Mother's Day, about the adventures of mothering 17 children (along with the many other adventures the Lord has sent us on!) We will see how homesick I am by then...and on Mother's Day nonetheless!

There is another exciting opportunity to take advantage of during my time in the Toledo area! On Tuesday, May 3, at 7 p.m., Mark and Corrine Sattler, (Mark serves as President of the Fishers of Men Board of Directors) will host a coffee & dessert meeting in their home, 6000 Deepwood Court, Sylvania, Ohio, for anyone who would like to learn more about Fishers of Men. This is especially targeted for people who know very little about the mission, may never have met me, and are not necessarily affiliated with any of the three churches where I will be speaking that week.

Can you think of co-workers, friends, neighbors, or family members who fit this description and are in the Toledo area? What about your pastor or a member of the mission board of your church? We encourage you to invite them to come with you to this meeting. If you plan to attend, it would be helpful if you would RSVP to the Sattlers by calling 419-882-5785. You may also call them for directions to their house or if you have any other questions.

I say that this is an exciting opportunity because it is an opportunity to contact potential new supporters for Fishers of Men! The Lord has graciously allowed Fishers of Men to steadily grow since its inception in 2003. We held one Evangelistic Medical Mission Crusade in 2003 and had only one biological child in our family. In the last eight years, our family has grown to 17 children and we now have nine weeklong Evangelistic Medical Mission Crusades scheduled for this year alone. Obviously, feeding 19 mouths on a daily basis, plus staff, and paying for fuel, tolls, medication and other supplies for the crusades, requires the generous giving of many churches and individuals. So, it is always exciting to have a great opportunity to share God's work with new churches and individuals who can be blessed by being an active part of what He is doing here in Mexico!

Besides our scheduled activities, I am looking forward to sharing my childhood home with Josiah and some of my childhood memories (like Major Magic's pizza on my birthday!) As soon as Josiah knew he would be traveling with me, Grandpa and Grandma Claassen instructed him to make a list of what he wanted to do while at their place. His list included launching model rockets with Grandpa and fishing with Uncle Dan. (We hope it doesn't snow:-) I asked him if he would like to go to a library and he started jumping up and down! Josiah LOVES to read and we own more books than our local library here in Mexico, so our first stop on Saturday morning will be the Bedford Public Library to get stocked up and see how many books he can read in the next 10 days (while he is shooting off model rockets, fishing and going to Toys R Us for the first time. He is having a hard time imagining an entire store of toys! We only have department stores in Mexico and their toy sections are quite small and very expensive.)

I am looking forward to being a daughter, more than a mom, for a few days; being able to share all that God has done and is doing, which serves as a huge reminder for me of all that He truly IS doing, which sometimes is hard to keep in perspective when you are caught in the middle of day to day life; and eating things like blueberry bagels, Combos, lasagna (maybe? Although Lucy did figure out how to make that here for her family...now she is trying to figure out how to make it for 35 people!). I will be honest, what I am probably most looking forward to is a 24 hour personal retreat/get away in a secret location during the 10 day trip! I cannot tell you the last time that I was alone (not counting morning devotions at 5:30 a.m. or sleeping alone when Victor is on a crusade)! I am looking forward to 24 hours of almost no talking and doing a whole lot of ....hmmm...of what? I'm not quite sure! For now, I am planning on spending 24 hours of just being.

All of that to say.....we hope to see those of you who live in the Toledo area or can make it to Toledo during our stay! Your presence would be a huge blessing to us!

For everybody: we ask that you would bathe this trip in your prayers!

• wisdom in final preparations for the trip throughout this coming week
• safe travels
• that God would be glorified in all that is said and done and that His will would be accomplished
• for Victor as he plays Mr. Mom for 10 days and for our 16 children staying in Mexico as they try and function without Mom!
• for Mom (me!) as she lives without 16 of her children for 10 days!
• for the staff at Refuge Ranch - extra strength, love and sensitivity while I am gone
• that Josiah would have a wonderful time in the U.S., with his grandparents, with his Uncle Dan, Aunt Teri and cousins, and meeting lots of people who know him, but whom he does not know
• that the visit would be fruitful in expressing gratitude to those who have supported Fishers of Men and in encouraging new churches and individuals to join what God is doing in Mexico through Fishers of Men

Hope to see you soon!

"I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better."
Ephesians 1:16-17
(Check out verses 18-21, they are some of my favorite verses in the Bible! God has placed in us the same power the worked in the resurrection of Jesus Christ! Wow! Now that is power that not even Tim the Toolman Taylor from Home Improvement can top!)

The Battle by Mark

Earlier last week I was thinking about sharing a story of an event that happened while I was with Victor and Adrian on Wednesday. Then Julie shared the stories of the troubles some of the EMMC team members have been having, which encouraged me to share this story. Occasionally something happens in life that makes me very aware of how spiritually distressed the world really is.

Victor, Adrian, and I went into Mexico City to take care of several things related to this EMMC. We had stopped to get some dental supplies, found everything we needed and were ready to talk to the manager about getting a discount, when we found out that the store manager had gone to lunch. We had almost an hour to kill before he was expected back so we went to look for something to eat too. We found a little torta counter (a torta is a sandwich a lot like a sub) with three stools so we stepped up and ordered. The lady must do mostly take out orders because she didn't have much selection for drinks, so Adrian went next door for some Cokes. We got our tortas one at a time so by the time Victor got his, mine was half gone and Adrian was looking for something else to eat. (Adrian eats a lot.)

While Victor was eating, an apparently homeless, and obviously very poor, woman came up behind us asking for something because she only had a few pesos. Victor ordered a sandwich for her, and Adrian went for another Coke. I gave her the stool I was on next to Victor. While he finished his sandwich and waited for the homeless woman's food, he shared who he is and what we do. He told her about Jesus Christ and that God loves her. She kind of grumbled at the suggestion of God loving her, but she was still listening. By this time, her sandwich was ready. As she took the first bite Victor offered to pray with her. She took off her ball cap and held it in her hand. As Victor began to pray, he asked her to repeat the prayer. I was praying, thanking God for this time to share the gospel and for changing this woman's life. She repeated the lines of Victor's prayer until he said, "Jesus." Suddenly it was as if the woman could not speak. Then she was struggling, Victor was repeating the line, and she groaned and hollered something that I did not recognize. I don't think it was Spanish. I thought, "Wow, this lady has a demon, and I prayed harder for her and for Victor." I wish I could explain the next few minutes, but I don't have words for it. It was like a battle with one side having an advantage, then the other side. When Victor began to pray, he had his hand on the woman's shoulder. As the battle became more fierce, he had a hand on her head and her shoulder. She was leaning forward on the stool and beginning to slobber. She would alternate between being quiet as if feeling peace, and then more hollering. Victor continued to pray and finally, very faintly, she was able to ask Jesus to come into her life. Victor took a breath, and the woman sat up and turned toward me. She looked different. Her eyes were clearer. I could see peace, but it was very brief. Victor continued to pray and motioned for Adrian and I to put our hands on her too.
Suddenly her whole body stiffened and convulsed. She was not on the stool any more, and we could not hold her up. We eased her to the sidewalk and continued to pray. By now the neighbors were watching, and someone had called for a doctor. The woman was now alternating from wanting to sleep to convulsing and hitting her head on the sidewalk. The doctor arrived, and the police came. The doctor tried to check her while Victor held her head from hitting the sidewalk. An ambulance got there, and the crowd got bigger. As they were preparing to put her in the ambulance, Victor paid the bill and handed his card to the police officers. There wasn't anything else we could do there. It felt really strange to walk away knowing that I will not learn the end of the story. I know she asked Jesus into her heart, and I could see a change in her face and eyes. I have continued to pray for her, that the Holy Spirit will heal her. I have also continued to pray that we will have the strength and faith needed when this kind of opportunity arises again.

"Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

Divine Weapons

"The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."

2 Corinthians 10:4-5

We are so thankful for each and every one of you that faithfully lifts up Fishers of Men regularly in prayer! While the Bible repeatedly reminds us that we are involved in a cosmic battle and instructs us to put an the whole armor of God. There are days and times in the ministry in which the battle is much more obvious. This week is one of those times!

Victor is preparing for an Evangelistic Medical Mission Crusade this coming week to the state of Oaxaca. The Lord has provided a pretty stable Mexican volunteer team for the crusades, but several of the key team members are facing incredible challenges this week and will be unable to attend the crusade:

• Dr. Escamilla lost his wife several months ago to a long battle with cancer. Just this past week, doctors discovered a tumor in the back of one of his sons who is only in his 30's. They will be operating on him this coming Monday and fear that the tumor is also cancerous.

• Dr. Ely sprained her ankle last weekend. Then, on Monday, she was home resting when two individuals came to the door acting like patients. Both Dr. Ely and her husband are physicians and have a small clinic in their home. The men went into the clinic and proceeded to pull out hand-guns, tie up and gag Dr. Ely's husband and rob money, jewelry and electronics from their home. (Dr. Ely and her husband have had a very rough marriage, but the Lord is using this experience to show them how much they truly love each other as they came to each other's defense and feared for one another's lives during the robbery.)

• Dr. Leslie, a dentist, has had a very rocky relationship with her father ever since she became a Christian many years ago and he did not approve of her new found faith. He is now in the last days of terminal cancer, so Dr. Leslie has traveled to his home in Puerto Vallarta to be with him, but is in the middle of family spats over inheritance, despite the fact that her father has not yet passed away
• 

These are three very faithful crusade volunteers that will not be able to attend this crusade.

As I was growing up, I knew that Satan was just as real as God. While God is all-powerful and has already conquered Satan through Jesus' death and resurrection, the Bible teaches us that Satan is the prince of this world and prowls around like a lion looking for somebody to devour. Spiritual warfare, spiritual battles are real. I have never been one to want to blame Satan for everything or see a demon on every street corner. Much of the evil around us comes from simply living in a fallen world; other tragedies come from our own bad decisions; but there are situations and circumstances in which Satan and his demons are at work. These kinds of situations seem to be much more frequent and obvious in third world nations, including Mexico. I personally attribute this to the fact that, in the United States, there are many more Christians, more prayer and praise, and still a lot of Christianity running through the fabric of the nation. (I recognize that this is less and less, but there is still more Christian influence in the U.S. than any other nation on this planet.) In many nations, including Mexico, witchcraft, sorcery and idolatry are so commonplace and proliferous that the Satanic spiritual forces accompanying those practices are so, too!

The local believers in Oaxaca who will be hosting next week's crusade, have been announcing the crusade in the community through radio and signs since last December! While Satan does not have the power to tell the future nor to read our minds, he is smart enough to be able to figure out, based on the past he has witnessed, what will most likely occur. He has seen the thousands of people that have come into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ through past crusades, and crusades that have been much less announced than next week's crusade! So, he is trying other tactics - let's get rid of the team that goes on the crusades! But we already know that "the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." (I John 4:4) and "that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28) These situations have given Victor the opportunity to contact other volunteers, some who have gone on one or two crusades and others who have never actually participated on a crusade, and request their help. It appears that several new volunteers will be participating!

As for life here at Refuge Ranch, Satan does not leave us alone for long! Some of you know about Martha's episodes that appear to be Post Traumatic Stress Disorder related to the traumatic events she lived through has a little girl. They are episodes in which she goes blank and is no longer interacting with the world around her and relives those past traumatic events. She hadn't had an episode for months and then had two this past Wednesday. I praise the Lord because she hugged me through the first episode and was willing to talk about both of them in a very healthy way.

Praise the Lord that we have the victory in Him and I encourage you all to continue to hold up Fishers of Men, the crusades, our children, the volunteers and staff in regular and fervent prayer! Thank you!

Waiting...by Lucy

Waiting for school to start, the ramp for the wheelbarrow of concrete mix
becomes a road for a race car

Waiting for better electricity, Mark gets the laundry room ready

Carolina waits for Joanna to give the next step in art class

Joanna waits for me to finish her new quilt
for her room

Josiah waits for his birthday gift which they plan to get while they visit the U.S.

We are still pouring concrete while we wait for the rest of the main building to be built!

Finally! The boys are in their new rooms!

We spend a lot of time here just waiting. We wait in long lines at the store. We wait in traffic. We wait for supper to start. We wait for school to start. We wait for the electricity to come. We wait for a doctor to take Danny's case. We wait for the next EMMC to get here. We wait for the next work team to come. We wait for Mark to fix a vehicle. We wait for funds to finish the main house. We wait a lot! If you have a desire to learn patience, this is the place to come and grow.

A lot of people have been wondering about the "new" family members, and how they are doing. They have settled in very quickly, and it is difficult remembering what it was like before they were here. I love to receive a hug from Carolina, or a smile from David. Miguel, Leo, and Fatima come to me for help in school. They rattle off in Spanish about their problem, and I just smile and tell them to bring me their books so I can figure out what the problem is. Through a lot of charades and broken Spanish, we usually can work it out and get them back on track.

Yesterday was a big day. We didn't have school because they were moving people into new rooms over at the Zaragoza house. When the work team from Indiana was here in February, they worked to create a new room because 5 new kids were joining the Zaragoza family. Slowly, but surely, the room has been completed. They would still like to put some kind of flooring in it, but haven't been able to find what they want for it. Victor and Julie decided they shouldn't make the boys wait any longer.

Let me explain what the sleeping arrangements have been until last night for the boys. In the room on the first floor were Caleb and Miguel in a bunk bed, and Danny and David in cribs. The room was completely filled with no place to move or get clothes out of drawers or closets. Upstairs, Fidel and Leo were sleeping in a bunk bed, while Josiah was sleeping on a mattress on the floor. Once again, there was no room to move in that tight space. Yesterday, everybody moved but David and Danny. They stayed in their room, but now there is no bunk bed in there so they have room to play. Upstairs, they moved Caleb and Miguel into their own room. Downstairs in the new room, they moved Josiah, Fidel, and Leo. They had a roll away bed built to fit under the bunk bed. They also have lots more room for their important stuff, and space to play with it.

Last night as we were relaxing after a fun evening with youth group, we could hear the boys laughing in their new room. They were so excited and having so much fun. It was such a good sound to hear, brothers laughing together. The wait was worth it. The treasure at the end, their own room and their own beds, was made more sweet by the waiting.

Danny and David stand by their beds in their own room

Caleb and Miguel sit on their new beds

Josiah, Fidel, and Leo show off their new room and beds

What are you waiting for? Are you impatiently waiting, or serving while you're waiting? God requires us to wait a lot. While you're waiting, find a way to serve Him wherever you are. You will be richly rewarded.

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.--Titus 2:11-13