While I was planning for a mission trip to India, my mom pleaded with me never
to return to India for it seemed too dangerous since we were in danger of murder
during our past effort. She did not appreciate the fact that it opened the door
to 21 villages of opportunities to share our testimonies in. She pleaded that we
choose Mexico instead for we could speak Spanish well enough to get about and
know if we were in danger. I assured her that those decisions were really from
heaven. God knows where He can best use our talents and training. There
has always been more comfort and love for the children provided in Mexico as
their culture is very family oriented. Their social structure centers around
respect and love for parents and grandparents. They excel in their family bonds.
I promised Mom I would pray about it. I did. Suddenly in the middle of the floor of the living room was an orange piece of paper with the address of a special friend in Mexico. This orange piece of paper was taken and laid out before the Lord. I wanted to know where it had been hiding for 3 years. Did an angel have it in his back pocket? I asked God to make it plain if this was a clue for me to consider and plan blessings for this village written on the paper. There was a hot springs with stinky sulfur water coming out of a rock. The boys would love swimming there. My Spanish doctor friend's address was on this orange paper in her own hand writing. This friend is a doctor who worked in Tecpatan. I did not know she was again doing missionary work. She was in Africa. I thought I was going to see her. I was looking forward to it. I had lost her address after she translated for me in Porvenir in 2000.. I wanted to go down and take instruments to give her. I hoped to keep the promise I made to the president of the region of Tecpatan three years earlier. He wanted us to do our medical program with gospel meetings. I decided to pray more earnestly for God to direct.
Things came together quickly and we had our airline tickets and were soon in Tuxtla. The letters and emails had not gotten through. With the help of a gentleman at the airport, we contacted the conference office. In ten minutes they came to pick us up and cordially welcomed us. The coordinator of pastors was the very pastor who had taken us back and forth to meetings daily in Tuxtla in 1999 while there with a Maranatha project. Pastor Naphtali phoned the pastor of Tecpatan. In minutes he was on his way to greet us and take us to Tecpatan. We were all surprised because all our carefully laid plans had not arrived. Graciously, he arranged for us to speak. He was thrilled to have us. It just so happened he had been in Porvenir when we were there and knew we had a good program for his people. We were accommodated in a very lovely home with a bed for each person. It was a surprise for we expected to sleep on the floor. God had abundant blessings.