CHRISTIAN LIFE CHURCH

We were blessed by a group led by the pastor of Christian Life Church in Trafford PA Gary Simpson. Others from 4 different churches also joined in the time of ministry throughout San Luis. Here are some testimonies and photos from them:

This trip showed me how to become available to those in need. I saw the eyes of Jesus in the children and incarcerated and rehabilitated people I met. The trash dump was a humbling experience and I hope to return again. – Pat

I really enjoyed the trip. I enjoyed the different talents in our group. Everything from the doctor skits, sign language, singing and ministering to the children. I appreciated the opportunity to come and minister to my father’s people. – Dee

I learned that God loves me and wants me to serve God with 100% of myself 100% of the time and that God truly loves everybody in the world no matter where they live and what they have done. I have also learned the joy of sponsoring a child here at Bethel orphanage and coming back to visit. It truly amazes me of how many people are touched and reached at Caring Hearts Ministry just in one week by meeting them spiritually, physically and in every way. I am in AWE!! - Randy

The kids are like a sponge, they can never get enough hugs, touches, time spent with. – Jim

We were expecting to minister to the people and they ministered more to us and they were so loving and open to all of us. We saw many people get saved. We prayed for a lot of people and passed out a lot of chocolate and rice and beans. What a blessing everyone was. – John and Donna.

God has led me to come and love the children and Mexican people. I have seen the poor people combing the dump for any thing of value. They live in little shelters that are built of any thing they can salvage -pieces of wood, metal or cardboard. They were so happy to get the rice or beans we delivered. It was eye opening to see how poor the people lived also heart breaking. The people were all friendly and kind. – Joanne

CUTE KIDS

Just some pictures of our little ones taken by groups. Enjoy!

TECATE REPORT

Blake and Dee Richert took some children to Smiles of Tecate, Tecate, Mexico to receive surgery to correct cleft palates. We met 7 mothers and their children at Bethel church before dark in the early hour of the morning and left in a van for Tecate. We arrived at the clinic in Tecate around 8:30 am. Then the process of waiting began. The mothers and children patiently waited their turn to see the doctor. After the doctors determined who would have surgery and what procedure would be done the next day the mothers and children went to a motel to begin a long evening and night of waiting. The next morning they were taken to the clinic to wait their turn for surgery. When the surgeries were finished, around 5 pm, we began the 3-hour trip back to San Luis. During all of this driving, waiting and painful surgery no one complains. The children do very little crying. The mothers express their gratefulness and gently comforted their children.The trip to Tecate from San Luis is not an easy one. The road winds over the rocky high-altitude mountains of Mexico with very few guard rails. Again - no one complains.

The doctors that perform the surgeries are some of the top cleft palate surgeons in the US. The surgeries correct the physical imperfection and help to give the children a whole new life. A life of being "normal" instead of an outcast. Smiles of Tecate is truly being used by God to change the lives of Mexican children.

Every hour spent traveling to and from Tecate and sitting in waiting rooms is a blessing when we see the beautiful smiles of children like 13-year old Maria, 10-year old Carolina or baby Grecia. We are truly blessed to be a part of this ministry. Thank you for your support to Caring Hearts Ministries. You have made it possible for these children to have a "Whole new Smile!"

KENDI'S BIRTHDAY

Our daughter Kendi celebrated her 6th birthday last week. She had a party with her friends from school. Enjoy the pictures!

SPRING DAY PARADE

Every year the Eden Christian School has a First Day of Spring parade. This year our preschoolers participated. Enjoy these pictures. Aren't they cute?

OASIS CAMPING

Here are some pictures from a camping seminar that Chi Alpha did at the boy´s home. They taught them some basic fire making skills and did other activities with them. I was a great time for the boys.

NEWS AND NOTES

Hey Everybody,

Keeping busy here at Caring Hearts. I am rounding up pictures and reports for a big blog moment soon, but been very busy to keep up lately. Right now we have two groups here, one from Uniontown PA, and one from Albany Oregon. The group from Uniontown will be building an extension on the soup kitchen and painting Jesse´s church. They have 7 people. The group from Albany have 6 and they will be ministering to the children and in the streets. They are on an exploratory trip to see what Caring Hearts is all about.

We will be having testimonies and pictures from our last groups soon, as well as photos from the spring parade and Kendi´s birthday party. Keep checking in at least once a week for all the news you want from Caring Hearts in San Luis.

Ken

GROUP TESTIMONY

Here is a testimony from a couple who visited us last week. They posted it as a comment on my safety article, but I wanted to put it here on the front page so all could see. If you are still concerned for safety, I hope this testimony puts your mind at ease. Right now we have 50 people here, and 40 are college student who are running around left and right without fear, and they have commented they have had no need to fear. Here is Bob and Lori's testimony:

Hola! My husband nd I just got home from a very upclose & personal visit to Bethel Orphanage during the week of March 2~9, and Yes! We were called and it is safe! We started out by meeting with Adalberto, Ken & Patty. My husband and the boys at Oasis built a closet for Patty on Tuesday & Wednesday. We did some painting & framework at Ken's on Thursday; on Friday we visited the Nursing Home & Women's Rehab ending with some shopping near the border. Saturday, before we left we delivered ice cream to the Soup Kitchen and mingled with the people there. We had a rental car and came and went pretty much on our own. We loved on, and played with the children, had pizza parties, ice cream and had devotions. I can honestly say that I never once felt afraid or threatned by anyone or anything. God is alive and well in San Luis and the people are hungry for love, attention, the word, food and any kind of help those of us who are more fortunate can give them. Ken's blog "Is It Safe? Am I Called?" is right on. ~Lori (&Robert) Laskovics

NEWS AND NOTES

Hey everybody! We have been busy, but I didn´t want to leave you all in the dark. I like to put pictures in all of my posts, but I decided to do this though i don´t have the pictures I want right now.

One exciting development at the orphanage is we now have two Christian ladies helping out the girls at night. Pedro´s daughter Sarai and Bethel Cook Isabel are sleeping over every night with the girls, to make sure they get to sleep on time, that the little ones would learn to go to the bathroom but most important of all,they are guiding them in prayer and Bible study. The girls are excited for this opportunity to get closer to God. Pray for Sarai, Isabel and our girls.

Please pray for Karina. Karina has been at the orphanage since she was 3 years old, and is now 12. She ran away from the orphanage and is now with her mother, who is struggling economically. We love and miss Karina, and are praying and talking to her for her to return. She is very intelligent and was doing well in school. Her mother wants her to return as well, but she has been reluctant. Pray that God will open her eyes to the opportunities she will be missing and that she decides to come back to Bethel.

We are in the midst of a busy time with groups. Thursday, 17 student from Arizona State came under the leadership of Chi Alpha pastor Shawn White. They did some painting and construction, as well as ministered in a rehab center, dump and the church. Right now we have a group from Christian Life in Trafford as well as students of Embry Riddle from Prescott PA. They are working and ministering in different areas. I hope to have pics and testimonies soon.

One project we are working on is an extension to the Good Samaritan Feeding Center´s (soup kitchen) kitchen. Pedro, Oasis and the ASU students poured the pad, and next week Sonlight Missions will begin the construction. We are also putting on a tin roof.

Blake and Dee returned safely from their trip to Tecate. Only three of our patientes were operated on, as one was too small and the other 3 were sick with colds. All are doing well and our next trip will be in June.

Kendi, my daughter, lost her first tooth. She is very excited about that and is carrying it around in a jar. Thursday will be her 6th birthday.

That is all for now! Keep praying!

BIBLE SCHOOL RECOGNITION

The Doers of the Word Bible School recently held a recognition service in the Word of Jesus Church in San Luis. The current first and second term students received certificates of completion, and 3 students received their final diplomas after completing a year of service in ministry. Here are some pictures from the event.

PLASTIC SURGERY CLINICS

Mariana Before
Mariana After
Ezekiel Before
Ezekiel After

We are preparing for our 5th trip to the Rotary Plastic Surgery Clinics in Tecate Mexico next Friday the 13th of March. We have 7 patients from San Luis who our Vice President Blake Richert will be taking to get free surgeries. You can see the good that has been done with these before and after pictures of Mariana and Ezekiel. Pray that all goes well for this trip.

AMAZING TESTIMONY FROM OASIS

Last Thursday night, my Mexican Pastor from Guadalajara, Gerardo Vazquez, preached in the Caring Hearts church. After the service, on the way home to Oasis, Luis Adolfo, who is 12 years old, commented to Brother Pedro that when he hears good preaching like that, he feels inspired to preach, like a fire inside of him that wants to come out. The following Monday, the day Oasis does its Bible Study for the Neighborhood, Luis asked Pedro if he could share. He got up before the group of adults and explained Proverbs 19:18 "Discipline your son while there is hope, and do not desire his death." The people were visibly inspired and challenged. We praise God for how He is moving in the lives of these young men.

POLL RESULTS AND NEW POLL

Our age poll has closed, and here are the final results. 60 folks voted, 4 of them (6%) were under the age of 18. A larger group, 20 (33%) were between the ages of 18 and 35. A drop occured between 36-45 with 10 People (16%), and then went up for the 46-60 at 18 (30%). We had 8 (13%) people over 60 filled in the poll. Thank you for letting us know more about you!

Our next poll deals with the ecomonic crisis the world is going through. I give three basic answers to the question How Do You Feel About the Economic Crisis. Please choose the one that is closest to your attitude. Here in San Luis, it seems many are oblivious to what is going on, but there are signs of hardship. The peso is at 15 to the dollar, and when we do programs in the streets, there are a lot more men showing up for rice and beans. How is it affecting you? Let us know by quickly answering our poll. Thanks!

My pastor in Atlanta told me about a site which will keep tabs of how many times the blog is visite. Last month it was visited by 495 different people. Praise the Lord! We hope you are blessed by the blog.

A SPECIAL GUEST

This past weekend we were blessed with the visit of my Mexican pastor and friend, Gerardo Vazquez. He is the Latin American Director for Gracewalk Ministries (www.gracewalk.org). He preached Thursday night in the Caring Hearts Church, then spent time with a group in Mexicali, returning Sunday to preach again at the Caring Hearts church. A number of visitors came to hear him speak on Passing Through the Storm. It was a spiritually refreshing time for all involved. Here are some pictures: