Friday Feb 3, 2012

Friday evening in Piedras Negras.  A team of 22 people arrive on Sunday evening to work with our ministry.  We will be putting an addition onto "Casa de Paz".  Casa de Paz is an orphanage CrossRoads has worked with for years now. They, like many ministries here, have difficulty funding their ministry.  They have anywhere from 15 - 29 orphans at the home at any given time.  Alex and his wife are the only full time staff.
CrossRoads, along with Sunnybrook Christian Church in Stillwater, Ok will add a room and bathroom to the current building.  The space will be used to rent out for parties (receptions, quincenetas, birthdays, etc.).  This will help provide valuable funds for the orphanage.
Over the last few days I have been organizing housing, food, project supplies, and programs for the team from Sunnybrook.  While I am nearly ready for their arrival, it becomes so clear that God is working with me here.  Finding the supplies needed at a cost that was very affordable; and crossing food and other supplies across the border with no questions from Mexican customs are just a few of the details that when I look at them, I know God is with us.
Pray for the team from Sunnybrook this week.  Pray for our ability to minister to Casa de Paz and the other ministry programs we will be doing this week.  On Monday and Wednesday we will visit a hospital to serve those less fortunate and ill.  On Tuesday and Thursday we will provide a meal and bible study at a local soup kitchen where the poorest of people live in Piedras.  We also plan to work with "Las Lucecitas" (Little Lights); this is a group of Christian girls age 10-17 who do their own outreach, projects, and bible studies.  We will also take the "Fun Bus" out to play with kids in a neighborhood, do a bible study, and share some ice cream with them.
Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.  I will continue to update when possible.  Also, I will be posting pictures on Facebook  www.facebook.com/tim.balch.

Restart

I have recently come to the conclusion that I do not journal enough.  I understand that blogging is "public" writing but it is a form or journalling.  So I am going to attempt this once again. 
I am heading back to Piedras Negras on Monday.  Our ministry is looking at potentially 7 short term team visits this year.  The first team is coming Feb 5-12 with our second team visiting and working March 10-17.  The ministry we do there currently depends on short term mission teams.  In recent years not many teams have come to Piedras.  We are really praying for increased participation this year.  If you are interested in working with our ministry this year check out the web site:
www.crossroadsmissions.com/mexico