DON'T GIVE UP - A MESSAGE FROM PASTOR GARY

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will

reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Gal. 6:9       

 I’ve found that starting things is easy, finishing them is another thing. A while back we decided to paint our dining room. The job seemed simple enough; blue walls, white ceiling, and white on the trim. First I had to move the furniture to the center of the room and cover it. Then I had to remove pictures and shelves, patch plaster, sand and prime it. Most of the hard work took place before I ever opened a can of paint. But then, of course, there was the painting. The ceiling was first and rolling overhead will remind you of how many muscles there are in your neck and shoulders that seldom get used. Then the walls, rolling them is easy enough, but you have to cut in all the edges of the ceiling; a task that requires patience and a steady hand. Finally the trim. I don’t know why I never noticed before that the dining room had 3 doors and a large window with intricate trim that required a lot of time and effort to paint. I have to confess that my technique and attention to detail was not as good at the end as it was at the beginning.

This same thing can happen to you in your walk with Christ. Plans to fast, pray, give and serve are easy to make, but hard to carry out. Commitment to a ministry or a cause can begin to falter when you don’t see the results you want as quickly as you want.

Up here in Western PA, in the snowy cold gray days of winter, it is easy to forget about the Orphanage, Boy’s Home, Feeding Station, Bible School and Blind Ministry. When I sit down to write a check to support a child, read this Newsletter or check Ken’s E-Mail reports, I am reminded that I am part of a great ministry that is already providing a harvest of souls in the Kingdom of God. I encourage you to remember that you are part of something great that God is doing. Don’t give up! The fruit of Caring Hearts Ministries is growing richer every day.

God Bless

Pastor Gary

GROUP TESTIMONIES

Well, we are finally getting caught up with everything during this slow time without groups, while getting ready for a busy March. I wanted to share some testimonies and pictures froma group who was here in January,  Grace Methodist and IUP of Indiana PA. Enjoy and be blessed!

This was an amazing experience that I had here in Mexico.  I absolutely love playing with the children.  I also love when the children from the village where the work site was located would come over everyday and spend time with us.  I learned a great deal from the people of Mexico.  Everyone is very loving, generous and thankful, and specially being joyful.  People are very willing to share what they have and even the children.  I was playing with a little girl at the work site and the little girl was out of breath ; therefore, I asked if she needed water and she ran home to get some.  When the little girl came back, she had brought a glass of water for me !  It was one of the most generous acts of kindness I had ever experienced.  This trip to Mexico, the people of Mexico, and the children of Mexico have been and will continue to be an immense blessing to me! - Melissa  

 I do not think I can sum up my trip in a few sentences.  What a blessing.  I am so happy that I chose to follow God and come here to give of myself to these people for a short week.  I wish I could have done more.  As much as my actions blessed them, I feel as I have received twice as much in return.  So many hugs, kisses and smiles in only a few hours spent with the children melted my heart.  I will never forget them and plan to try to live out my faith in the mindset of these precious children : with joy in all situations.  Muchas gracias. -  Elizabeth

 Words can not express my experience on this trip.  I reconnected with my soul and God.  Children and adults both showed me what God's love truly is.  Their love for life and God are like none other.  At the end of a very long day, I was exhausted from the work and sun.  I got out of the van and a child was standing there with their arms up.  As soon as I picked him up, I was re-energized.  The love and compassion he gave me was through God and there is no experience like that.  This trip has forever changed my life. -  Shawn

 The trip to Bethel and the San Luis Community was my first mission trip ever.  To be surrounded by my fellow teammates and all the members of the community that we were able  to reach was a first in my life.  I have never seen, heard nor felt so much love and faith in God, ever.  This trip has made me realize that although I have established a relationship with Christ, I have so much more to learn and grow.  Everyone I have met in my own group and from San Luis, Mexico has inspired me to push forward for Christ, minister more, pray more, listen better, read His Word, open myself up to any and all opportunities God provides for me. -  Heather

Coming back to San Luis is like coming home.  I love renewing old friendships and making new ones and seeing what God is doing through the ministry of Caring Hearts in San Luis.  The opportunity provided to us to share God's love, word, hope, and plan of salvation is much appreciated, as is all of the help with our ministries from the staff of Caring Hearts.  I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the lives of the kids here at Bethel and Oasis and hope I can show them God's love as well as my love. - Sherry 

 This was my very first mission trip ever.  I had no idea what to expect.  I was a little nervous but yet excited.  This trip was more than I could have ever imagine.  The people here are so loving and faithful.  The kids here are just so amazing.  They love each other like brothers and sisters.  This whole experience will change my life forever.  I will be more loving than I am to everyone.  My faith is much stronger.  My faith and love for mission work has grown so much.  I even want to adopt some of the kids even though I am still in college and having no idea what God has in store for me in the future.  Overall, this trip was outstanding.  I am speechless about my experience.  Praise the Lord!  -  Ryan

 God has truly blessed this mission trip.  The people of San Luis have done so much for me while I was trying to help them.  The love the people here have for God and their trust in Him despite the circumstances is amazing.  It is hard to find the words to describe such a huge spiritual experience as this trip, but I am sure that God has blessed the people of San Luis. - Mallony

Once again I find myself sad to leave San Luis !  On my third trip and still learning more about the amazing things God has in store for my life.  Building a house for someone that without us would not have, was another amazing experience.  On this trip God has showed me once again His love through the children.  Hearing them yelling my name as well as my group members brings a smile from ear to ear !!
Thanks Caring Hearts for all that you do.  God Bless !  -  Ashley

I was so shamed that I have been complaining about lots of things, even though I have everything.  They have nothing but God and love, and they even share their love.  I am grateful, thanks to all of the people in this Caring Hearts. - Saeun 

There are no words for how my week with Caring Hearts has blessed me so much.  I thought I came to San Luis to serve, but instead all the children and all the people served me.  They expressed so much love, joy, gratitude, and kindness.  I am so fortunate to be their sister in Christ. -  Allison

This was my first mission trip ever !  Before this experience, I barely liked children, and now my heart has opened up to loving children.  Of course now I want to come back again and continue to go on mission trips.  Thanks for the experience !  Muchas gracias ! -  Natalie

This is my third experience in San Luis, and it gets better each time I come here.  Interacting with the children and the people of San Luis has strengthened my faith enormously.  I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to see face to face people who have so little, yet are so joyful and so gracious.  We  may have come here to help the people here, but I can honestly say we agree that the people have helped us grow in our faith incredibly.  Thank you so much for your hospitality and generosity. - Rose

This was the best experience of my entire life.  Just being in this atmosphere of God's love defies words.  Nothing else I have ever done can compare to this trip.  I was hesitated at first, but a voice inside of me yelled, "GO !!!" , so I came and had an awesome time. - Ben   

I cry when I don't know any other way to express the overwhelming power of God's love.  Let us just say that I cried before I came, I cried after I came and I know that I will cry when I go home. -  Emily

This was my second trip to San Luis and it was just INCREDIBLE.  I love every moment of every day while I am here.  I love the children so much.  We think we come to minister to San Luis but we end up getting ministered to by San Luis.  The entire experience could not have been more perfect.  I hope to come back many more times ! - Vanessa

This is my second time here with Caring Hearts, so I was not hesitant to return this year.  I did not pray much about coming back and although satan attacked me numerous times here.  God pulled me out of it by giving me the faces of the children.  Every hug, kiss, laugh and high five was a reassurance that God is ever- present here in San Luis and at Bethel and Oasis.  I love these children with all of my heart and encourage anyone who is considering serving here to do so. Praise God ! - Stephanie

This is my third time visiting Caring Hearts and San Luis and each time I am amazed and blessed by what God can do in one week !  Being a part of a project and providing something for one of God's people is a gift .  Loving the kids and getting to know everyone at Bethel and Oasis along with other experiences with my team really makes for a life changing week.  Thank you. - Alison

I gave my life to Christ when I was eleven and have been growing in my faith (with struggles and failures) since that day.  This mission trip gave me perspective I  needed and a huge push in my faith that I needed.  I am sad to leave, but excited to continue living my life with Christ every day, going wherever He leads, and sharing His love with everyone I meet.  I am unbelievably blessed to have been part of God's plan for San Luis, Mexico.   Bailey 

    

BLIND CENTER ACTIVITIES

When we started construction on the blind center, I told the director of the blind association that the best way to give thanks is to use it as soon as it was complete.  We who built it want to know it is being used to help the blind.  Judging by what has happened this past week, Linvania is very grateful.  The center has started with a flurry of activities from 9 to 3 every day.  They are learning to walk with a cane, making crafts, getting counseling and taking advantage of the many resources we were able to obtain.  Here is a look of some of what has been happening:

MESSAGE FROM PASTOR GARY

Well done, Good and Faithful Servant - Matthew 25

We were out in the villages where the streets are sand and the houses are one room shacks made out of cardboard and tires.  As was our routine we picked a spot, got out of the van and sent people out for several blocks inviting the villagers to come.  On this sunny afternoon, we were in a particularly desolate area and Harry got out, took out his violin and started to play.  Our interpreter went up to him and said, “Brother, if you want the people to come you must pull that bow very, very hard.”  Harry set his feet and laid into the strings; increasing the volume to get the attention of the villagers.  I remember walking a long way, knocking on doors, inviting people to come and at one point I looked back and there in the distance was Harry, all by himself, dust swirling around him in the open street, pulling the bow over the strings very, very hard.  Before long a crowd had gathered and we did our thing; singing, preaching and distributing beans, rice, candy for the children and Spanish Bibles.                                               

Back at the Orphanage, Harry, a retired draftsman, played with the children, helped pack bags of rice and beans and worked on building projects.  He and I painted the kitchen on one of the earliest trips and had to scrub the grease off the walls to get the paint to stick.  Harry was a Deacon, a member of our Worship Team and a faithful servant at Christian Life Church for more than 70 years!  Having survived a major heart attack in 1977, he had open heart surgery which was a new technique at that time.  They said the repairs made on his heart would last 15 years, but Harry got on a healthy diet and walked every day rain or shine and his heart lasted 33 years.  Last month at the age of 84 he got up one morning, went to the gym to walk, then went to a men’s meeting at Panera Bread.  He went home, had supper and went to bed.  Awaking around midnight he told his wife Thelma he didn’t feel good and moments later he lay down and left this world for a better country.  Harry was a remarkable man, but typical of the kind of people who work with Caring Hearts.  He made several trips to San Luis; all of them after the age of 64.  When we lose great people like Harry we tend to worry that we will never find another one like him.  But I choose to trust God that He is raising up young people to pick up the standard and carry on the work of the Kingdom.  Maybe one of those people is you.         

God Bless you all
Pastor Gary                                       

JANUARY REPORT

What a crazy month it has been!  And it has been a month since I last posted to this blog, for our followers, sorry about that!  But it has been none stop until now, and it is still going, the work that is.  I have been up since 1 AM catching up on Emails, and now at 4:45 AM I am starting these reports.

First of all, the second St. Ferdinand group of the year, who came in the day after Christmas.  They help us advance the blind center by putting up the trusses and roof.  They also did benches for the porch.

After that came came group from Grace Methodist and IUP of Indiana Pennsylvania.  They built a kitchen for the tire house and ministered in the community.  Here are some pictures of their work. 

The dream team came the day IUP left, determined to finish up the blind center in 6 days.  Have you ever seen ABC's Extreme Makover Home Edition?  Well, this week we lived it.  Over 45 people worked 17 hour days to make it happen, and in the end, we sighed with relief, mission accomplished.  Here is a video from our friend Chris Clarke that will give you an idea of all that was done during this week.  

Click Here to see video.

After that, the center started activities a week later.  More reports, testimonies and photos soon, check in later. 

Ken