Philippines...Phi-nally Part 2

We boarded the plane bound for Manila and landed within 3-4 hours after Singapore. Since we had our Saturday wiped off the schedule because of the time changes, we landed on a Sunday afternoon. Time travel is exhausting :) Anyway, Stacie decided to stay with the little ones at the hotel because they were O-U-T! Good thing because Maddie, Meredith, and I barely scrunched in to a PACKED house at Our Lady of Perpetual Help. It was the biggest church I'd ever seen! The priest looked so tiny that there were TV's on the sides just to be able to see his face and what was going on up front! We made it back to the hotel and crashed. We needed two rooms- boys and girls. Funny thing happened to both of us. The girls' story is funnier-- Stacie woke up and looked at her watch...

Stacie: "12 o'clock!!! Maddie, go wake up Dad we're about to miss our flight (12:55 pm)!"

Maddie (stumbling over luggage trying to reach the door): "Mom, it's dark outside!"

It was only midnight! In their defense, I did the same thing. There were lights just outside of our windows that looked like daylight peeking around the edge of the room-darkening curtains. I stumbled trying to see the time on my watch but opened the curtains first and noticed the darkness. Boom! My head hit the pillow. Next phase of the trip was up as we got in line to board the final plane ride to Cagayan de Oro only to be told that Stacie was not going to be allowed to fly because of the pregnancy. Even though we presented them with a note from the doctor back in Louisiana saying that she was healthy to fly, it was rejected because it wasn't "within the last 7 days". AHHH!!!!! We pleaded our case saying that we just flew over 25 hours and that everything went fine. Still, it was "against their policy". I even used "the Bishop of CDO is waiting on us" thinking I was able to break through just a little bit...NOPE! All this was going on as they were trying to contact the Doc at his office in Louisiana at 11pm. "No answer, Ma'am. You cannot fly." We asked what our options were. They said she would be able to fly only if she was checked out by a doctor nearby. Okay, then. Here were the options:

1. Allow the children to fly to CDO while Stacie, Julian, and I stayed behind at a doctor's office...NOPE!
2. Cancel the entire flight plan and lose all of our money while we ALL visit the doc... NOPE!
3. Beat up the flight crew and take their outfits and try to fly there ourselves...maybe
4. Leave Stacie and Julian behind so that they can get a transfer to another flight after getting to and from the hospital...in a taxi...in one of the biggest cities in the world...and trust God keeps them safe...Okayyy

I ran off to the ATM to get her the taxi fare and hospital fee. For some reason, I felt a calming peace throughout all this even though I knew that my wife gets lost coming out of every Wal-Mart we've ever been to. I got back and all of us decided to turn our prayers up a notch. We started singing what has now become the official Alvarez missionary travel song-- "My God Is Able". (Thanks, Suz, for teaching us that song.) When the manager returned, we told her we'd take option 4. Her eyes got big and she paused for what seemed like forever. Then she said,"You know, it's okay. We will go ahead and let you board but you have to hurry. The plane leaves in a few minutes!" What followed after that were huge sighs of relief and then shouts of praises to our God. "Praise the Lord!" I said loudly. The kids had tears of joy streaming down their faces knowing that "Mom gets to fly with us". We couldn't stop thinking of how GOOD our God really IS and how BIG He is! Another saying we've always repeated after times like this-- "God is rarely early but NEVER late!" We boarded and everyone who had already been seated turned their eyes to stare at this army of 8 coming down the narrow aisle of the plane. All seated and all smiles as we lifted off headed to CDO!
 So, here we are...Phi-nally! Our new mission has begun. We are patiently waiting on our newest member of the Alvarez clan. The due date is November 30th so we appreciate your prayers for a successful delivery and healthy birth of our baby. We plan to stay in Malaybalay with the Romeros (another missionary family from Louisiana). On Tuesday, Lora Eckstine, and her family fly in to join us and the Romeros in mission. Lora will be the midwife assisting Stacie throughout labor so please pray also for the baby to stay put. We thank you all for your love and prayers. The next post should be about the birth...so stay tuned!!!

• "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding."--Proverbs 3:5

Philippines...Phi-nally Part 1

So, for the last few months and almost the whole year, we have been trying to return to the Philippines for our next mission. As many of you already know, we returned from Camiguin Island last November just before Thanksgiving. We visited family and friends in Texas, Louisiana, and Kansas. We were invited all over Kansas to share our experience while also concentrating on raising funds for this trip. After bake sales, talks, driving, talks, and more bake sales we raised enough to purchase one way tickets to get back "home". We failed twice in as many weeks to get on board as there were complications with these tickets. We transferred all of our energy to serving in Mexico in April until we could make the appropriate corrections. Fast forward to July/August...we returned to Big Woods after deciding that it would be best to fly before the baby comes. Yes, we are expecting Baby Alvarez in late November! We were at risk of losing all of the money our donors had generously raised for us to return if we didn't use it before February '13. At that time we would be travelling with about a two-month old and that's if we would have received his/her passport by then. Too many IF's so leaving in October made more sense. This time we were prepared. Going to the airport didn't seem real. Arriving at the airport didn't either. Getting our boarding passes was unbelievable!

Then, before we knew it, there we were in a Boeing 777 flying over the ocean. Our first stop was Moscow, Russia. I only bring this up because it had always been a dream of mine to be in Russia even if it was for only 1 hour...it still counts. A thought occurred to me as the little TV in front of me showed us headed over Afghanistan and other Middle Eastern countries- We are flying over some of the most dangerous parts of the world right now and looking around almost everyone was asleep. I immediately said a prayer for all of the violence going on below us and that this part of the world would know and serve Jesus, the King of Peace.
We reached our destination in Singapore for a 6-hr layover. Changi Airport is probably the best airport to have a huge layover like we did. There was so much to see and do while we waited. We met a young Vietnamese woman  who "noticed" our big family. She was excited to meet Catholic missionaries and wished that we would visit Vietnam one day. Her husband is close to retiring and they plan to start a school for a rural area that is lacking basic educational needs. Maybe, we thought. With God anything is possible.

We continued looking around at the koi ponds, art stations for the kids, the Sunflower Garden, but the most memorable visit we had was at a Prayer Room. How awesome was that!

It was close enough to our regular Morning Prayer time anyways so we went in. Although many signs were visible stating it was a "Multi-Faith" room, we had to weave our way through a lot of Muslim men waiting outside. Inside, there were two rooms: one for men and another for women. Ummm, that's a problem because we like to pray as a family. So, we found a small corner at the entrance before the entrance to pray. It was an awesome experience watching men and women leaving their individual rooms and stumbling upon a family of 9 (remember the baby) praying psalms and especially singing the Canticle of Zechariah. Powerful moment.

"This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to set us free from the hands of our enemies, free to worship him without fear, holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life." -Luke 1: 73-75

Week 6 of the Fast and Other Updates!





Sorry about not finishing my update on my last week on the fast. We got back to Big Woods in early July and I was quickly working on the many projects here. The last week of the fast was a little more challenging with the high humidity, heat, and more manual labor. I feel like I was really challenged to let go of my ways and let the Lord take over. Feeling like I am being called to a higher level of service to others over myself and what I want to do. I especially feel called to do this for my family. Peace begins in the home and then everything else falls into place. It has been a great blessing to be home more but it has come with some challenges. Getting to know the kids' home school schedule, routines, and the "way Mom does it" are a few examples of what I mean. It also is an adjustment for the family to know how Dad does things. These two years in the missions have really brought us a lot closer knowing what each other expects and needs from the others. Feeling God's love and blessings growing for us each time we say "Yes!" to Him.



Need...to...update....blog.....



I have been asked by a few people if I was so weak towards the end that I didn't finish posting on my blog. No, I didn't come close to starving at all and I think it was a lot of God's grace during this fast that kept me going. I secretly was thinking of how I can go on a sleep fast like maybe 3-5 hours of sleep a day for a while. With all of the work we've been doing here at Big Woods and at Our Lady of the Bayous, it's actually come close. Well, to be honest, let's just say that I have been too tired to fast from anything right now :)

Our last visit with Dona Elvirita

A lot has changed since we left Mexico. We had planned on returning to the States and preparing to return to the Philippines in September. We were even making plans to deliver our baby with a midwife on Camiguin Island. Well all of that has changed. Here is a quick run-down of what's taking place: We did not close on our house when we expected to on July 15th. Praise God, though, the buyers agreed to change the date to October. So the sale is still on... just delayed. We also have been discerning to go into our next mission post with the Eckstine Family. We held family retreats together and have been keeping our radars open to what's happening around us. It seems very crazy but Russia has been popping up as a possible mission post! It has always been a dream of mine to go to Russia. Now it's almost a reality. Still need a lot things to happen especially some doors to open to visit there soon so please keep us in your prayers. We would love to serve our Russian brothers and sisters if that's where the Lord is calling us. Also, please pray that our home sells sooner than the October date. That would help clear our minds and cut us off from any connections so that we can freely move around the globe as God wants us.



Tigers loose at Faith Camp '12



That is about it for now. I have been planning to make a collection of pictures from our previous missions to share with you. I'll just add that project to my long list. God bless you and know that wherever God is leading you just follow and do as He says. It will change your life...for the better. Peace be with you.





"And the LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your desire with good things, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters fail not."--Isaiah 58:11

40 Day Fast: Week 5

Day 29: Well we only have about 4 days left here in our mission in General Cepeda. We were planning on staying until at least September and maybe even until November so that our baby would be born here. God has other plans. We now will try to head back to the Philippines by September and deliver our baby there. Totally different plans, huh? If I've learned anything in my missionary journey is that plans can change at any minute. It may sound crazy but it's all good! We were already supposed to be in the Philippines... in March! For some reason God sent us here to Mexico and it was surely a blessing. We got to know our Mexican FMC brothers and sisters a lot better. One family that we've really gotten close to is Raul and Marta Soto. They are the ones that we donated our Suburban to a few years ago. They have known the Summers for maybe more than 20 years. Marta is our housekeeper for 2 days a week and our cook when any short-term groups come. I hope my grandma doesn't see this: She is a goooood cook! Raul is also very dedicated to serving the community here. He serves as the handyman for the Casa de Misiones and together they have many prayer groups. We had them over for dinner tonight and felt like sharing something with my readers. Raul was asking everything about the U.S. and how they would like to go one day soon. They have met many missionaries through the years and have told almost every one of them that one day they'll get to go and see America. How can they afford to go though? He is dedicated to the mission here but doesn't have a steady paying job. Marta makes 400 pesos a week from working at this house. That's only about $33. Not sure what else they do outside of the house but these awesome missionaries have been asked to go to Louisiana to complete their official training. They need your help. Please consider donating to help them begin their passport process and go to a foreign country. If I was still working in aircraft, I'd be donating everything to help them go. The world needs to hear the way God has worked in their lives...and maybe also taste her cooking :)  I love these guys.


Day 30: Wow! Only 10 days left! Feeling great. I noticed I actually feel hungry on Mondays or Tuesdays. Maybe because what I ate on Sunday is burned off. So amazed how God speaks to us in His Word. Today's reading in the Liturgy of the Hours is from Romans 13:14 "Rather put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the desires of the flesh." Yep, I did a double-take on "no provision". I've failed many times when deciding what I want over what others want...especially my children. "Not now... Maybe later... Why do you want to do that?" are just a few excuses that I use many times. One of the challenges of my missionary life is being "home" more. At my job everything worked off of a master schedule. We had a 3-day rate for parts to ship out. It was the same week in and week out. I liked it. No surprises, no excuses, just get it done. Thinking if I used to do that for valuable airplane parts that aren't mine why not for my greatest treasures that are mine! Still working on it. Pray for me to be a better servant to my family.


Day 31: Another amazing conversation with God! Went up to the chapel and prayed with my whole heart in front of the Most Blessed Sacrament. I asked, "Lord, of all the things you sent us here for, what is it that You wanted me to learn about the most in this mission in Mexico?" I waited a few minutes and flipped open the Bible to 1 Peter 1:6-9 and almost fell out of my chair! I don't know why I'm still surprised whenever God speaks but man it was powerful. His reply: "There is cause for rejoicing here. You may for a time have to suffer the distress of many trials; but this is so that your faith, which is more precious than the passing splendor of fire-tried gold, may by its genuineness lead to praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ appears. Although you have never seen him, you love him, and without seeing you now believe in him, and rejoice with inexpressible joy touched with glory because you are achieving faith's goal, your salvation." 


Day 32: Had our last full day in our mission in Mexico. Boy was it FULL! We woke up and after a quick breakfast for the kiddos, I took Abe, Samuel, Vincent, and Meredith for a hike to one of the mountains near La Paz. Since it rained the day before (praise God!), we were a little cautious on where to park and climb. We all prayed that God would show us the perfect mountain to talk with Him. We found one that had two hills before it and it took us forever to weave around to the base. I finally had to carry Vincent on my shoulders after he kept getting scraped by thorns. Anyway, the kids were very observant of all the creatures. We almost made it to the very top but it got extremely steep and I didn't feel very safe taking Vincent up. One misstep and we would've had a nasty fall. We stopped next to an enormous aloe plant and read God's word. A huge hawk swooped past us checking us out and it was awesome to hear it screech as it went by. The view was more than amazing! We went back home after about two hours. We are always taught that we shouldn't abandon our mission until the very last day. We got home an opened the door to find two ladies waiting for help in getting some prescriptions filled. The pharmacy here is a huge blessing to the mission house as they offer us huge discounts! I helped them out and we prayed over them before they left. Then, Rita and her family came over to cook a going away lunch/dinner. Even though I've been on this fast, I've had to make a few exceptions especially when it is done in our honor. Rita made some delicious enchiladas...now I can quit wondering why they call them enchiladas. These were SPICY! So was the guacamole, the potatoes, and the salsa! Good thing she made kid-friendly food. We have been so blessed to get to know these wonderful new FMC missionaries. Each family has a different way of showing God's love and their testimonies are inspiring. Gonna miss everybody...badly! So, here we are now putting the last few things in suitcases or boxes. We shooting for a 6am departure with the Garza Family. God be with us who are leaving and with those who are staying.   P.S. The sunflowers almost bloomed but there are some squash and cucumbers coming!


Day 33: The final day of our mission in General Cepeda. We left the house to meet at the Garza's at 6am. Man, I'm gonna miss this house. We only stayed here for 3 months but a lot of memories were made here. The most memorable is this fast that I'm keeping track of here. God's really showing me my true self and what He expects from me. The garden in the back courtyard was just giving off fruit but we're not always here to see the fruits of our labor. Praying for all of the people here in G.C. and all over Mexico. The day started off with us leaving right on time from the Garza's as we hopped on the highway for Allende. The 5-hour trip was pretty uneventful but the scenery was filled with humongous mountains and just enough clouds to keep us cool for most of the trip. We arrived at the Garza's new mission post in time to unload their van and straighten up just a little. We decided to treat them to lunch as a little homecoming celebration. We prayed together after the meal and then felt like the Lord was telling us to keep going on our travels. We said our goodbyes to the family and left there feeling like they were well taken care of with all the new happy faces of the people they were going to serve. Praying for the Garza Family and their mission to be successful. We continued on the road and ended up in Piedras Negras where we tried to turn in our vehicle permit so that we could get our deposit refunded. It turns out that the office hours had changed and instead of being open 24 hours, they were now noly open til 4pm. It was 315pm! The lady helping us told us that she couldn't refund us the money because we paid with our bank card so that we were going to have to drive more than 1 hour back to Allende or to Laredo where we had originally entered. We decided that since we were going to surprise my mom and drive by Laredo anyway that we'd go ahead and cross now and get the refund as we headed south. We were welcomed to Texas with 109 degree weather (and no A/C in the van) and drove forever  until we finally got to Laredo and crossed back into Mexico. Got the refund and everything was going fine until we saw the crossing back to the U.S. It was a Friday night, last day of school, beginning of vacation time, and it all added up to a LONG line of traffic. We didn't cross until about almost 10pm! We planned on arriving at my mom's at 6pm and drove up at 2am!!! We learned a lot


Day 34: Woke up today just in time to check out of the hotel at noon. I was beat after being awake for more than 20 hours yesterday. Went to my mom's to have a botana platter...mmm! This is fajita meat, guacamole, nachos, quesadillas, rice, beans, etc. After the good lunch, we went to surprise my brother at Bass Pro Shop. Sneaked up behind him and said some random thing and got him ;) I don't know why I like to surprise people but I don't like surprises myself. Such a good blessing to be with family! Especially my brother. Love him a ton. No better friend than a good brother. Full day full of awesomeness.


Day 35: The fifth week of the fast is complete and it was probably the toughest. Not because I wanted to eat but because I had to eat. So many people wanted to throw a going away feast for us. Couldn't sit there and not participate in the celebration. Enjoyed all of the company and community in General. Time to move on. Today we went to Mass before hitting the road again. Got some breakfast and headed towards Louisiana before deciding to pull off onto the exit towards Corpus Christi to see my dad. It was good to see him also. Didn't get to stay as long as we had wanted to but we knew we had to get going before it got too late for us in Louisiana. This trip kind of reminded me of the fast that I'm on. It started off slow and it seemed like it was never going to end. Now here I am at the end of it and on the home stretch. God is good!

40 Day Fast: Week 4

The smallest coffin I've ever seen

Day 22: Felt great most of the day. Woke up feeling rested. The morning was going along fine. Our missionary brother, Raul, came in with his wife, Marta, and a brand new washer for the Casa de Misiones. The other one was very old. As we hauled off the old one, a group of three young men were waiting at the front door. One looked very sad. He spoke first and asked me if we could help him with something. Since we've been here, it has been very rare that a man comes to the door for help. I could tell that this was very different. He asked for money to help bury his daughter. He would first check to see how much everything was going to cost. Of course, we helped him when he came back but then he had another request. The priest was nowhere to be found as this is his day off. The man and his wife had everything ready for the burial and asked if we could meet them at their chapel, sing some songs, and offer some prayers for their daughter. I told him that we could and that we would go talk to Tonio about playing guitar while he finished gathering the rest of the funds for the burial. Tonio was VERY sick and could not assist so I asked Gallo. We arrived to a packed chapel full of sad relatives. Then came the shock. The casket was tiny. A baby. One and a half months young. I was told the baby spent most of her life in the hospital with kidney and then lung problems. They had taken her to another room to get her totally ready. Stacie and I kept praying for a miracle and that she would rise from her rest. I didn't know it but as I was praying silently I felt an electric charge go through my body right as they were carrying her through the doorway right near me! I just knew something was going to happen. It was tough singing the opening songs and staring at the open casket. I paused many times choking back tears. Ana Julia Abegail looked very sweet in her white dress with a crystal rosary draped over her. We all gathered and prayed what we thought was going to be conclusion. 

Padre Gustavo

Then at the perfect time a priest walks in. I was glad he was able to do the official ceremony for little Ana. I got to sit next to the parents and right in plain view of baby Ana. As Father prayed along, I was drawn to Ana's forehead. Earlier I had made the sign of the cross on her before we prayed. It was VERY visible!! It was still there!! Maybe it's because of the light pressure I put on her forehead or maybe it was there to show us that she belongs to Him...forever.  R.I.P. Ana Julia Abegail Martinez Garza

Pole Beans and cucumbers

Day 23: Today was a little sad. Still thinking about yesterday's funeral. Our missionary brother, Tonio, has been sick since Sunday. We also went to visit one of our favorite chapels, La Trinidad. Not very many came today. A lot of kids came by though with only a couple of ladies. Still had a Bible sharing on the cost of being a follower of Christ. "What does it cost to be a missionary? EVERYTHING!" The sad part of leaving La Trinidad is that we didn't get to tell everyone our goodbyes. Sometimes we are only called to plant the seeds and we may never get to see the fruits of our labor. Praying for the people there to be good soil for the seeds that God spread and to grow in the Faith. Also praying for us to see some of the real fruits or veggies from the literal seeds that I planted here before we leave :)


Day 24: Went to a home visit where the woman of the house is almost blind. Dona Rosa had eye surgery some time ago and came out with her left eye worse than before. Doctors told her that her vision in her left eye is probably gone and that her right eye has a cataract. We prayed with her and felt led to help her with half of the cost of the cataract surgery that she needs. It must be so hard to only see lights and shadows. I think it would be very frustrating. It's not always easy for me to be a missionary. 

Walking by Faith

A lot of times we are asked to walk by faith. "Trust Me." A lot of times we take baby steps trying to figure out God's will and where He's leading us. I stumble, yes, and I sometimes don't want to move. The awesome thing about God is that He never forces me to go on. He is patient and kind. Was feeling a little burned out today. Actually felt pretty hungry and was a bit grumpy. Then one of our friends, Minerva, from a nearby chapel, 2 de Abril, came by to invite us to their rancho's fiesta Mass. It was the Feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. We were bummed when we arrived as Father Juan was wrapping up the Mass (he had moved up the time in a very short notice). It was still a blessed time visiting with everybody and watching the Danzantes doing their rain dance/prayer to God. Then Minerva starts to wave us down to her house. She served all of us some great Mexican food. SPICY!!! God is good! I immediately felt a surge of energy and praised God for His goodness. Later that evening we all crowded around the computer to sing Praise and Worship songs from Youtube since I am in the "beginner" stage of learning my guitar. Here is a song that we've heard mant times before but man it was powerful tonight. Took the burned out feeling away. Hope it works-- We Must Go

Fiesta Mass of Our Lady of Perpetual Help

Day 25: Just flat out shocked at the Supreme Court's decision to keep all parts of Obamacare intact. Now they're saying it is a "tax". Very disturbing news for people of faith. Felt comforted after our morning prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours. Romans 8: 18-21 "The sufferings of the present day are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed in us. Indeed, the whole created world eagerly awaits the revelation of the sons of God. Creation was made subject to futility , not of its own accord but by him who once subjected it; yet not without hope, because the world itself will be freed from its slavery to corruption and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God." We must continue to hope in the coming of Christ and be freed from all of these sufferings.

San Antonio de las Cabras

Day 26: Went to our last rancho- San Antonio de las Cabras. My daughter, Meredith went to ring the bell and the rope busted after a few rings. All the homes had their doors shut and it looked as if no one was there. It always seemed like a scene out of a western ghost town to me but their chapel was one of my favorites. They have a picture hanging on the wall of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle-- my hometown of San Juan, Texas!!! Anyway, right as we were about to go door-to-door to invite, the three usual ladies started walking up towards the chapel. Our topic for the day was to celebrate Sts. Peter and Paul. I have always loved St. Peter. Reading the New Testament Peter seems to have done things the way that I would have. I feel for him when he is rebuked for striking and cutting off the soldier's ear. I would've probably thought that I was doing the right thing, too, by being brave and protecting the King of kings. Then I feel for him when he says that he would NEVER deny Christ then does it soon after...3 times in a row!!! How many times have I done that?! But the thing that impresses me most is that he repents and receives the Holy Spirit to become the leader of Jesus' Church with boldness! Well, I'm not there yet but I want it! St. Paul is a great example, too. Here is a guy doing all the wrong things to persecute the Church. Unlike St. Peter, he is educated, rich, and powerful...with things of this world. Then, our Lord appears to him in a blinding Light asking him to quit his ways. Bam! He has a conversion of heart and the Holy Spirit again guides another to become a leader for the way the truth and the life. Both men leave what they've always known to follow Jesus bringing thousands of others to the Church. That's what I want! This fast has shown me in different ways how I must put off the old ways. Ephesians 4:23-24 "Your inmost being must be renewed, and you must put on the new man."


Day 27: Probably our last Saltillo day. Moved Stacie's doctor's appointment from Tuesday so that we can have 4 solid days of cleaning and arranging the mission house next week. 

Baby Alvarez! Boy or girl???

Was in awe of how much detail is shown on today's sonograms. The others looked like black and white shadows that could only be interpreted by the doc. Amazing that a tiny child is in the womb! A soul is waiting to be born into this family. How innocent this creation is all nestled in the comfort of his/her momma's belly! I was thinking that it is no wonder that the minute we are born into this world we look for comforts. Everything is different. Sounds, sights, temperature change. When we get older, it stays the same. We are always looking for the best. For some things that is good but not for all things. Does it really matter if we get "the best seat in the house"? The best, stylish clothes, the most delicious food, or the promotion at the office? Thinking of the second half of our Lord's answer to which is the great commandment. In Matthew 22:39, He says, "...You shall love your neighbor as yourself." If we love ourselves that much to have the best of things, then we would offer them to our neighbor to show God that we love Him more. Not always the easiest thing to offer a total stranger a seat on a bus and opt for standing for the whole ride. Not always the easiest thing to trade a messed up order of your favorite food so that another can enjoy their meal. It's not always the easiest thing to turn the other cheek. Click to hear one of my favorite Rich Mullins songs- Hard to be like Jesus(?)  

The Garza Family and Tonio's parents

Day 28: Sundays are awesome! Ever since we started attending the Tridentine Mass in Houston, I've realized the importance of keeping this day holy. We've been extremely blessed letting go of the day to day experiences to just relax and meditate on God's goodness. Always Mass first, then family on Sundays. I used to work on Sundays earlier in my aircraft career to make "double time" on the overtime pay. Not worth it. Today, the Garza Family had their send-off at the end of Mass. They are going on their first solo mission to Allende. We will follow them and spend a day or two with them before my family crosses back into the States. The large gathering afterwards to say goodbyes blessed me. Here is a family leaving everything they've known to go and preach the Gospel in a foreign city. There was many tears from family and friends. I told Tonio that all these people there shows how much work they did here and how it will be in Allende when they leave there. God bless all those who say "YES!" to His call to serve Him in missions. God bless the Garza's in their new mission. 

40 Day Fast: Week 3

Cool Bikers

Day 15: Started the day by thinking of and thanking all of our benefactors. Your help in our ministry is crucial. Without you we couldn't be going out to meet as many people as we have. Today, we had a slow day at our door ministry. It was a busy weekend as the fair and festivities for Saint Anthony's Feast concluded. I will not miss the loud music, rides, or the daily smells of funnel cakes, pizza, and BBQ pouring in from our open top patio. Nap time for the kids came and cut into our time for our usual Monday home visits. I came home from changing the oil and spark plugs in the van. (Compact engines aren't always nice.) We also had invited the Garza Family to our house for dinner instead of having Mari slave over dinner for us as she has been since we arrived in April. I was convinced to share in the meal as I was the one that suggested that Mari take a break. Believe me it was tougher to eat that meal than it was to go without for 6 days! I wasn't going to let it bother me though. I still served a small amount but then realized something. I tasted the food and it was good but I was feeling full. This is way different than before. Before it was "eat everything, don't waste anything". I was also blessed when I heard Tonio ask me how the fast was going. He then told me that once he gets to his new mission post that he will start a fast as well. Praying for Tonio to hear God's will. After our guests left, I quickly remembered about a lady that had come to our door on Sunday asking for an extension cord. She needed it long enough to borrow electricity from a neighbor uphill. We went to the hardware store but they were closed because of the closing festivities of the fair. I checked it out today and they had one 30 meters long. Stacie and I headed to their house. We were about 15 meters short. Thankfully, the lady uphill had another 30 meter long one in her house that she wasn't using. We had to splice it all up and tape it with the sun starting to set. Meanwhile, Stacie was at the house asking the family if they had eaten. It had been two days since this family with 4 children had eaten. After many wiring attempts, we finally got it hooked up. We then swung by the house to pick up a food pack and my Bible. The family was very thankful and we thanked God for making our paths cross. God is good!

Ramon, Angelica and their children

Day 16: Continued making plans for our return to the States in early July. Time is winding down but we have to keep going strong with our ministry. Hard to balance the housekeeping, ministry, and our mission schedule as time flies by. We had our weekly team meeting with the Mexican FMC missionaries. We read/reflect on Matthew 4: 18-22. Jesus calls four fisherman. We were all impressed that Jesus' simple words to "come, follow me" were powerful enough to convince the men to drop everything and do it. It is easy for us to see how it ends for each of them in their walk with the Lord. I commented how it was hard to see that Jesus would want to use us for His mission. I mean how many times have we read or heard that He is calling us? Every day. I also said that the more we heard His calling to serve Him in missions the easier it was to say "Yes!". The call became so strong and so real every time we read Scripture. It is right there in black and white. Written so many years ago but so real and needed in this present day. We do know how it will end for us. Not the details but the big picture. We will be with Him in His glorious presence...forever!

Not me

Day 17: Surprised that I am writing number 17 and not having passed out by now. God's grace is with me in this walk. At the beginning of this fast I was thinking of how long it really is. Days 3-5 were probably the toughest. I am just now feeling a little of the grumblings. Still nothing that makes me want to go in and knock over everyone along my path to raid the fridge. Got curious about Jesus' temptation in the desert. Opened to Luke 4: 1-13. The very first words jumped out. "Jesus returned from the Jordan full of the Holy Spirit and was led by the Spirit into the desert, where He was tempted by the Devil for forty days." I, too, was led by the Spirit, after the Pentecost trip that we hosted, to go on this fast. I, too, am being tempted. The Devil really comes at you stronger when you're trying to listen to God's will. Distractions, distractions, distractions. Pray for me to keep going and keep listening...to God.


Day 18: This is our normal day for home visits in La Colonia. God's timing is perfect. Our day was other than normal. We had been thinking about going to Saltillo soon for things we needed. With our first home visit, Dona Marciana asked if we could take her to see her daughter after her cancer surgery. We agreed. Next, we stopped by to see Francisca and Chemo who also needed to go so that they could look for work. Great! Our last visit is with a single mom with 5 children. She needed to go to Saltillo to be present at court because her ex-husband was trying to get custody of her baby son. A perfect 3 for 3 of our home visits got a ride into the big city. We usually visit another in the area but we were afraid they were going to want to go too :P Just kidding. Still a full day tomorrow. Your will be done not mine.


Day 19: Woke up at 6:30am but had a rough night sleeping. The rooms are so dark you can't see your hand in front of your face. I woke up at 3, 415,  and 540am thinking I overslept every time. Finally jumped out of bed and rushed out to get everybody at their home. Our missionary brother here, Gallo, went along, too. Good thing. I didn't know where the courthouse, hospital, or hardware store was. After we took everyone to their places, we went just for a little checkup on the van we're driving. One little squeeky brake turned into all brakes getting replaced, a tie-rod, fuel injectors cleaned, and a new fuel filter! We were there for 6 hours. I kept hearing the word "Patience" again. I was too tired to be impatient. Anyway, the reason I found it a little easier too was because the total bill was coming out to be around $158 for all of that. Seemed like a bargain. Van runs great now in time for our departure two weeks from Friday! Patience is all I have left ;)

Day 20: I forgot to mention earlier that Stacie and the kids didn't get to go with me to Saltillo with the full van the other day. So, today being our FREE day, we all decided to go and spend it there...ALONE! It was a great day to relax and not have others to worry about getting to and fro. I have gotten to know the city a little better and we were able to find everything so quickly. It is a huge relief to me as the driver to know where things are and aren't :) We even got to go into a church where they were just finishing a Mass for some kind of youth program. The priest was hearing Confessions immediately after and that took some pressure off. It seemed like the day went so smoothly after that. We all enjoyed an awesome family day. The kids behaved so well and of course were rewarded with swords, canteens, and other knick-knacks. God was with us blessing us the whole time. Wow! Didn't realize how much time we hadn't had to ourselves! Time well spent.


Day 21:  The third week is complete and I'm going strong into the second half! Especially since Stacie made my favorite dish...enchilada casserole! My tongue said Mmmm but my stomach is saying other things :(  It's weird to taste food today. Went to a rancho for our last Holy Communion Service. We invited Gallo and Rita's family and Dona Marciana (90+ yrs old) and her daughter, Golla(?). Another van-full of people bringing Jesus to the ends of the diocese. It was awesome! We got out and while Gallo strummed the guitar, Stacie and I went door to door inviting people to the Lord's banquet. There was a big group of men gathered outside of a house but we still went up to them and asked them to come. The chapel filled up by the time we headed back. We started the service and I was blessed to see Dona Marciana clapping along to the music. She rarely gets out of her tiny house and she loves to see the different ranchos. I wished we would have thought of inviting more of our home visits to the rancho visits earlier. Plan to do that this week. Anyway, the Lord has been speaking to me a lot in Scripture lately. Today's Mass readings were excellent (as always). The first reading really stood out though. This is the reading I got one night in the Philippines when I couldn't sleep. I tossed and turned all night with my eyes wide open. The final days of our mission in Sagay were coming to an end. Suddenly, I heard a voice say "Isaiah 49:3". I got up quickly and started walking to my Bible but at the same time thinking "What if there isn't even 49 chapters in Isaiah? Maybe that voice was just my imagination." Nope! Isaiah 49:3 "He said to me, 'Israel, you are my servant; because of you, people will praise me."  WOW!!! I couldn't sleep because I was wondering if we were coming home too soon or that I had failed in our mission. God spoke to me that night so clearly and here He is again in our final two weeks in Mexico saying the same thing! The rest of Chapter 49 is good, too, but I won't write it all down here. Look it up. I was also touched by Padre Juan's homily as I read it to the people. I tried with all my might to choke back some tears. He quoted St. John the Baptist in John 3:30- "He must become more important while I become less important." Then He closed with this prayer: "Senor: Que yo disminuya, para que Tu crezcas. Que yo me opaque, para que Tu brilles. Que yo desaparezca, para que Tu te muestres. Que yo me esconda, para que seas Tu Quien luzcas. Amen."
"Lord: That I may decrease, so that You may increase. That I may dull(?), so that You may shine. That I may disappear, so that You may show Yourself. That I may hide so that You can be the one who is sought(?). Amen."  Looking forward to the next 3 weeks :)  
                         

40 Day Fast: Week 2

Day 8: Felt a huge energy boost from the day before. Started our first day in the Mexican post being by ourselves. Our mission partner, Sid, will be gone for a month as he studies Spanish in Cuernavaca. Feels a little strange being on our own. Like something's missing. I also feel a peace about the Door Ministry that I haven't felt since we've arrived. I feel like the Lord is giving me more wisdom in discerning whose needs are real. Not to say that there are those who aren't in real need but there are some who come to see what they can get. Not feeling very hungry for food but I do feel starving for more men to show up at our prayer groups, Mass, etc. Men can be leaders for their wives, sons, families. A man stayed hidden in another room at one of our home visits today. Not sure why they are embarrassed about joining. One thought hit me all weekend: Is this a desert because men have little or no faith in the one God who can change everything with a single word? Praying for the men of General Cepeda.

Day 9: Went to Saltillo for a day away from the base. Enjoyed the Mass at St. James Cathedral. The bishop said Mass and I was really impressed by what he did before we started. He approached the altar from behind all of us. As he got closer, he was telling people to come up to the front sometimes making single people sit with others in the same pew. He reminded me of the shepherd that he is called to be- gathering his people to be as close to the altar as possible. We had a lot of errands to run before Stacie's doctor's appointment. First, lunch...for everyone else. Our oldest, and Stacie, are trying to weed out what kinds of food are causing allergic reactions. So, we had to play it safe and look for an "American" restaurant. They only picked one of my all-time favorite foods...PIZZA! I wasn't thinking too much about not being hungry (Keith Major was right- the hardest part is over). I feel like every time I am supposed to be eating with everybody I am thinking about God's will for me. What do You want with me? I'm just one guy. "PATIENCE". I have been feeling like something, anything is about to happen. Be patient. I think I can do that. I've always told people "If God is leading you to something, then whatever you're being dragged through is worth it cuz it's gonna be great in the end!" 


Day 10: Good news/ bad news kinda day. I'll start with the good news: Opened my Bible to Jeremiah 2. It would be too much so I will paraphrase. The whole chapter talks about how Israel turned away from the Lord and refused to worship him. He has then turned their land to be unfruitful just like their faith. The good news is that we know how it turns out. Israel is called to repent and a Savior is sent for the whole world! I'm not saying that the men here are evil but not many are seen in the chapels or the programs around town. I was talking to Tonio, a missionary from this town, and he says that a lot of males are ridiculed for attending prayer groups, talks, etc. saying that "those things are for women only". Many must not even get a chance to grow in their faith if they're being fed lies like this. Still praying.     Bad news: Late tonight I received a message from Father Joe V.'s secretary in the Philippines. She told me about the death of a priest that we knew from our time there last year. Father Joe Schwegmann had volunteered to go to the Philippines from his home in Texas to join the Peace Corps. He told me that he loved the Philippines so much the minute he stepped out of the plane. He decided to look into the priesthood and became one of them by serving the Diocese of Cagayan de Oro. Father Joe S. was very active in the pro-life cause and held many prayer rallies against the Reproductive Health Bill (RH Bill) which, if passed into law, would allow a family only one child. Still today, the government is trying to push this onto the people. Father's leadership will be missed but I am sure that he will still be praying for his people. One of my favorite memories of him is the day I stayed at St. Patrick's where all the priests gathered for their weekly meeting. Frs. Joe S., Joe V. (our parish priest), Joli(?), and I stayed up late watching Kung-fu movies in the living room. They all were cracking jokes left and right. :)


Day 11: Still reflecting on the death of Fr. Joe S.  Especially during this fast, I have been thinking of how short life really is. Fr. Joe S. died in his sleep like some of my relatives have. I have thought a lot of how I've wanted to die. The sleep thing is cool with me but I better be ready. Leaping in front of someone and taking a bullet meant for them is cooler but I better be ready. The point is I better be ready because death can be sudden. The time is unknown for all of us. Are you ready? Here is a link for a Youtube video that comes to mind with times like this: http://youtu.be/86dsfBbZfWs 


Day 12: Desert Day. We went with the Mexican FMC team to a new awesome tree farm. We spread out and I went to a dry creek bed. I opened my Bible and let the wind blow the pages a few minutes while I stood back and admired the view. I was thinking of the dry creek and how it related to my fast. I thought about how cool the river bed looked even though there was nothing there. I tried to picture water flowing through it and how nice that would look too. I picked up the Bible and started reading at Jonah 2 all the way to the end. The part that really stood out was in Chapter 3 when the people of Ninevah heard Jonah's message from God and were ordered to go on a fast--as well as the animals!! God saw how they turned from their ways and humbled themselves before Him. Then came Tonio's sharing from his experience. He said that a gust of wind blew trash, leaves, branches all over and that he felt that this is how it must be when God is trying to give us His grace. Too much trash in the way. His grace is blocked when we have distractions keeping us from receiving it. Then I thought of the creek bed again. All the rocks at the bottom and piled up on one side makes the river curve a certain way. I don't want to have these things in the way. Whatever it is that's keeping me from receiving God's grace purely is what I want out of my life. I'm hearing His will for me.


Day 13: Went to bed last night after a huge argument with my wife. It was not a very good morning. My pride kept getting in the way all day long. Tried to stay busy in the garden looking at all the plants and seeing how they needed to be watered. Looked at the sky and it looked like it could rain. Ignored the watering. Later in the day it just POURED tons of rain. It didn't stop. I thought of God's mercy. He never has stopped being merciful. Always showed his love for me. Then out of nowhere my wife pops in and says that she would like to go to Confession. Since she doesn't speak Spanish very well, she copied her translated confession and asked me to remind Father Francisco about our agreement. As I waited for her in the pews, I looked at the giant crucifix. "Jesus, I need You." I wasn't going to go (pride) but like those plants I was starving for that water, that grace. I thought about that dry creek bed again. No blockages. Let the river flow. So, I went. Grace filled me up. Loved on my wife again. More grace. We waited at the church entrance thinking about waiting for the rain to die down. Nope. Felt good to just let it be. We got home drenched and opened the door to a bunch of happy kids. They saw it.


Day 14: Father's Day. What an honor it is to be a father! I never thought I'd be a father so soon or married either. God has blessed us with these lives, these souls. I feel like I can always be a better dad. Not only does this fast help me to see how I fail with my relationship with my Lord, but it also helps me see how I fail with my children. I really miss being with them at the dinner table during the week for the meals. I can hear them with the usual chatter going on. Then I start to think about each one and how I can be better with them, more patient, kind, loving. Stacie made bacon cheeseburgers. No complaints from me as my only meal for the day. My stomach had other ideas :(  I could barely finish my serving. I have lost 20 pounds! Stomach may be shrinking but I still don't feel hungry. Really thankful for Stacie thinking of me and seeing the kids at the table made my day more special. A reading from our wedding day in 1996-- Psalm 128:3 
"Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine, In the innermost parts of thy house; Thy children like olive plants, Round about thy table."