FIRST CENTURY CONDUCT

I've had this short article for most of forty years and used it often to compare the extreme difference between the conduct and behavior of early Christians, (200A.D.) and those of us today. It's not only interesting to note the differences but where the differences exist. This article addresses the question; just how important is our testimony and public conduct? 

"The following statement is attributed to Aristides, a second century worldly (non-Christian) philosopher. It is his comment and observation of Christians in his day (200 A.D).

They abstain from all impurity in the hope of the recompense that is to come in another world. As for their servants or handmaids or children they persuade them to become Christians by the love they have for them and when they have become so they call them, without distinction, brothers. They do not worship strange gods and they walk in all humility and kindness and falsehood is not found among them and they love one another. When they see the stranger they bring him to their homes and rejoice over him as over a true brother. And there is among them a man that is poor and needy and if they have not an abundance of necessities they will fast two or three days that they may supply the needy with the necessary food.

They observe scrupulously the commandment of their Messiah. They live honestly and soberly as the Lord their God commanded them. Every morning and all hours on account of the goodness of God toward them they praise and laud Him and over their food and their drink they render Him thanks.

And if any righteous person of their number passes away from this world they rejoice and give thanks to God and they follow his body as though he were moving from one place to another. And when a child is born to any of them they praise God and if again it chance to die in its infancy they praise God mightily as for one who has passed through the world without sins. Such is the law of the Christians and such is their conduct.

OH HAPPY DAY

I get tired of seeing these ragged dirty little urchins running around with beat-up shoes or barefoot. In poor Mexico shoes are a big expensive thing!

Hortensia and I devised a plan to have a few kids from a very poor Barrio get the chance to choose a pair of new shoos for themselves, and without their mothers telling them what to choose.

A lady was to collect a few needy children from Barrio Las Carretas and they were to meet us along the roadway.

So here she comes, an hour late, with about thirty kids! Now I had planned for what was good for my pocket-book and what my SUV would hold, about ten. Not thirty. I didn't have a bus and my pocket was not lined with Fort Knox gold.

I had planned to take them to a real shoe store in center city Tijuana.

First I had them all sit in a line along the curb, and each was to roll a special dice I made, with one red side. Roll red, and your in! After getting thirteen that rolled red, we were walking up the street when, Praise The Lord! We found a shoe store right there with a good selection of shoes, good prices and many were on sale! WOW!

Happy made the day!

The kids were having a blast trying on their new shoes, dirty feet and all. Many had a hard time making a selection.

The manager was happy too as he sold more shoes that day that he would the whole week!

And I was happy too ... it didn't cost me an arm and a leg!

TWO LITTLE BLACK SHOES

It's hot as it should be in August, far from cold and gray December. Odd that this story should come to mind. It's a story, like many, that tends to stick in my mind... and heart.

It was getting cold as the sun left the muddy valley of lower Trinchi and we were still giving out toys to a small line of cold kids, some clad in short sleeve shirts and others barefooted. Little six year old Tonio was so happy with his pair of black shoes. We gave them to him as his Christmas gift from our bus full of blankets, toys and odds ‘n ends of clothing. Each child could choose only one gift, he chose a pair of nearly new shoes.. He quickly ran down the road and climbed up the tire steps to his house holding tightly to his pair of black shoes.

Two days later Tonio was crushed to death in a mudslide. No one heard a word..

His house was in a neighborhood located on the hillside of a muddy valley, Barrio Invasion is what they call it. Like many neighborhoods we serve, it consists of poor "invaders" or homesteaders. The poorest of these families often dig out a shelf on a hillside and put up a shelter accessible by steps of old embedded tires. It doesn't take much to trigger an avalanche of mud after several days of rain. Mud is quiet. Mud is heavy. Mud is deadly. His family escaped, Tonio was in a little hut near the house ... he didn't make it.

I remember there were only five at Tonio's funeral. The little boy lay in a small open particle board casket. The family was poor so the mortuary did very little to clean up the boy where he laid swollen and bruised. With him in his casket were the two little black shoes he loved so dearly.

That same morning a few miles away, ten year old Laura and her fifteen year old sister Erma were playing together in their small makeshift bedroom. Without warning, their lives were snuffed out by another mudslide. No one heard a word, the quiet death. Hortensia, two of their little girl friends, and I walked a muddy road and through the trashy area to the site. I lifted the yellow caution ribbon and walked closer to the mudslide. The soldiers had scattered the families clothing and thrown the furniture away in hope that they would not return there again to live. Any thing of value was stolen and they had nothing but their two dead daughters. I remember the Governor was there with the media and he expressed his condolences, but unfortunately the government hasn't the resources to be of much help. The little family can't go back ... They can't go forward. They call on us.

Thanks for enabling us to step in where people like these fall through the cracks of bureaucratic greed and incompetence. This family needed help not promises. Hortensia represented us to both families and we helped pay for their funerals and food. Do the poor respect us? What do you think? Our challenge is that the word gets around.

While little Tonio's pair of black shoes will never be worn, they will never be forgotten either.

Thanks to whoever donated them to us.

Missionaries are what we are and ministry is what we do. Doing the Word can be spelled in so many ways.

THE NIGHT SHIFT

This afternoon as I was driving south to enter my world I began thinking of my past fifty plus years working with the very poor. One thing jumped at me; how unaware we are to the dangers we face as we work in these areas. And it's getting worse as hunger increases. I was driving rather nonchalantly into a night in barrio Pedrigal. The feral teens and young men surface at night. Many are high on drugs. It's actually a very dangerous environment for an old Gringo to drive into ... yet I've become so used to God's protection I've become complacent rather than thankful.

Sorry Lord.

Late one afternoon I remember slowly driving down a narrow dirt road in barrio Pedrigal. I noticed on the embankment to my left about ten feet above me several guys looking at me, and then the number grew. I new I was trapped on this narrow road. I felt a slight chill. I had several hundred dollars on me, not a good situation. They came running down the embankment to the side of my car. I was scared until a couple of the guys at my window yelled "Von! Von!" "Do you remember us?" Now that was a relief. They were dirty and sweaty but smiling and maybe a little "high" on something. They said I gave them showers when they were kids and wondered if I had any chocolates ... I did.

On several of these occasions I realized God "has my back."

Complacent I should never be.

Another growing danger on the "Night Shift!" I'm almost 85 and still driving in Tijuana. The dark streets and wild drivers. Tijuana city is no place for an old driver. Nonchalant driving could kill me, or worse, others. In Mexico an accident is always the 'Americano's' fault! A major accident of any kind means jail time. I'm much more sensitive to this kind of danger than working the night shift in the barrios. I drive scared.

The many opportunities still exist for this old man.

Some may call me a fool, even irresponsible, but I believe I have God's blessing and calling. There is still a lot to be done and the laborers are few.

Before driving down to Mexico, I have a time of prayer for my safety.

To be honest what's keeping me going are the prayers of so many of you. THANK YOU!, THANK YOU! for keeping me in your prayers ... especially now as I'm doing more of the "night-shift!" Why nights? I have to meet my people in their world and at their time.

DAVID'S SECOND OPERATION

As you recall weeks ago David went to Mexico city for a major operation by two specialist surgeons. We (You folks) paid for the flights.

While he was there the surgeon said he needed to be back for another operation, this time on his spine. David said to the doctor "I don't want any more operations." The surgeon replied " If you don't get this surgery, in a matter of time you will be crippled and lie in bed the rest of your life!"

That changed things!

David's mother forgot to tell us that and the date of the surgery in Mexico City. Suddenly they're to fly out to Mexico City this Friday! And of course they haven't the money.

This is the all too common irresponsibility that drives us up the wall working with these people. The poor simply don't think ahead. However this isn't David's fault, and the surgery is needed, It's free, but it means another flight to Mexico City, and quickly.

Thanks you for the many of you who are interested in David and pray for him. Thanks too for you that are willing to help him out.

The poor boy is caught between a rock and a hard place. He doesn't want to go, BUT if he doesn't go he will be crippled for life.

Friday David and his mother are on their way for Monday's surgery. Please pray for the boy and his surgeon.

A DOLLAR'S WORTH OF LOVE

I'm convinced little things count and I've thousands of Mexican children who agree. For over half a century now I've given a dollar in exchange of a child's little tooth. The little tooth that came out. The missing teeth that make that once in a lifetime tooth-less smile.

In America we have the "tooth fairy", in Mexico they have the "tooth mouse", but that mouse has always been really poor. So the kids save their teeth for me. Sometimes for a month! Waiting. Waiting. If I would have collected and kept the teeth given me I would have a barrel full.

Ever see a kid literally jump up and down when he got a US. Dollar? I have; lots of times.

I soon expanded my "dollar ministry" to giving a dollar to those kids who had a Birthday. The poor don't have Birthday parties like us ... and to those who got good grades at school! Last week lots of boys and girls showed me their grade papers and collected their reward! (Alas, for my dollar or two, they have to have good grades!) If a boy makes a handful of goals in a big soccer game, he will get a dollar or two reward!

Looking back, I would never have believed all the good that a little paper dollar could do. (Do you think a poor kid in Tijuana will ever forget the dollars he got?)

I always go down with a pocket full of dollar bills. And return with the joy of empty pockets!

As you who follow our ministry, and are a part of our ministry, know we give out big money too ... to families needing food, kids needing schooling, the sick needing medicine and Medical operations.

But the little ones need a dollars worth of attention and encouragement. And they get it from us!

HOW DO YOU SPELL MINISTRY?

I played a surprise visit to David and his family yesterday. He lives in a high hilly four-wheel drive area of Grupo Mexico. My car is good for that.  It was good to get to see David his mom and sisters.

Things have been Going well since his latest surgery in Mexico city. The surgeon changed the location of his catheter a little higher and closer to his bladder ... still, it's a deep insert into his abdomen. He showed me how he does it. Very carefully and a little painful. Thus it will be for life. (I was standing next to his bed; he sleeps on the floor.) That shouldn't be!

David's messed up back causes him to walk with a limp, he has been offered free therapy by the government, and was taking this therapy twice a week.

I found that they quit the therapy last week as the family simply couldn't keep paying the transportation cost; both mom and David traveling to the therapy location and back twice a week. I asked his mother what their transportation cost them each week, and she said about $20.

I asked David directly "Do you feel this therapy is actually helping you?" He said that it was really helping, and he told me what they do for his hour. Pretty impressive; hot packs, electrical treatment and regular physical therapy.

It's only right that we come in and help him keep up this free therapy ... isn't that the way you spell ministry?

HUMAN WASHING MACHINE

Last week I was hinting to my heavenly Father that my washing machine wasn't quite cutting it. It's quite old and can't seem to get up the spin it used to have, leaving me a load of half wet towels and clothing. So I have to do a second spin. Then they are ready for my dryer, which doesn't dry too well either.

I drove into the Tribo orphanage this hot afternoon and from the shade of the trees the kids came running across the hot dusty dirt to greet me. More hopping than running as the ground was hot!

Ben, the sub-director, mentioned how the kids had worked. I asked him to point out the ones that worked, and I gave each worker a dollar! Some jumped up and down with joy, a few were not too happy.

Thirty five dirty sweating boys ... bath day is tomorrow. Wash day is today!

I took a look at the side of the building where they were doing the washing. Ben explained that the washing machine they had wasn't washing properly and the spin dry cycle was really slow. So the kids were helping the washing along. (It was a ready made photo opt!)

The washing "machine" part was several kids in two tubs of soapy water and dirty clothing, stomping their feet. No grapes into wine here, just dirty clothing into, well ... slightly cleaner clothing. Others on the clothing wash-day were called to be spin-dryers! I might add that a few chocolate bars pushed the energy level up considerably!

The lines outside in the sun would serve as the Dryer. The electric bill is $300 per month! I might add that the clothing comes out a bit stiff but wearable.

I won't complain again about my washer and dryer.

By the way, would anyone be able to help get a new washer for the kids of the orphanage?

BOLIVIAN POLITICS

Bolivia is a small landlocked country in South America. I have visited it often speaking to Missionaries and their children as well as local churches.

One year I was invited to speak to the graduates of a large Missionary kid School in the city of Cochabamba. The graduation was to be held in about the best hotel in this big city. Indeed a classy affair!

I still remember what I spoke on "Build a Good Foundation: The Wise and the Foolish Man."

After the ceremony, a rather charismatic young man met me at the door. It seemed that his daughter was in the graduating class and in good English he complimented me on the message. "Would you visit me in my home, he asked, I would like to talk with you?" I agreed and we set a day and time.

Later my missionary friends told me who the man was. "He’s running for president of Bolivia and is being predicted to be the winner." Banzar, the old president, has been there forever and the people want a change."

He and I met in the afternoon at his large and heavily guarded home. I had no idea what he wanted to talk about. He told me who he was and talked of his various plans for the country. Good plans; he seemed like an honest guy. Then he popped the question.

He asked me if I would join his team. Surprised? You bet! He said he liked my speaking style. I was a motivator, he liked that. Could he use me?

Of course this wasn’t realistic, and later I politely declined his offer. The start and finish of my very short political career.

As I look back at these little occasions, I’ve had a very interesting life! ... ahh! A presidential advisor!

ON AGAIN, OFF AGAIN, PROCEDURE

Francisco and his mother met us yesterday. The major operation of placing a made to fit plastic cap over a portion of his brain where there is no bone was postponed for another several weeks. Some technical reason.

You could tell Francisco was uneasy about this.

Hortensia took advantage of his fear by reinforcing the Gospel Francisco had heard when he was younger. My comment was simple ... "As long as God has spared your life, he must have a special purpose for you!" I followed up by asking him, "Do you have a Bible?" The question made him uncomfortable, first he said yes and then he said no, then it sort of all came out. He was ashamed to admit that the accident had taken away his ability to read and write. "The letters to make words just don't come together right" he said.

We'll get him a Bible and his mother said she will read it to him.

"Hortensia." He said, "I've wanted so bad to write a note to you and Von, thanking you for all the help you've been ... but I can't think the letters for words and I was ashamed to ask someone else to write the note." And he gave us each a long hug before we left. (His mother has written a long thank you note.)

Francisco's a brave kid facing the unknown, he needs our prayers that this whole thing will work out to really change this boy's life. For the Glory of God.

MIDLIFE CRISES!

With women it's called menopause, but with us men its referred to as "Midlife Change" or "Midlife-Crises" and I've seen it happen. A man gets about middle age and decides he can d better, so he dumps his wife and kids, buys a new motorcycle and drives off into the sunset with his secretary.

Something like that.

Well, my midlife crises came a little late. Real late. In my 80's ... to be exact in my 84th year.

My late life crises is called retirement.

As I'm not really into being retired, I'm making a new start in ministry. Late I am, but new it will be. Wow! Retired. Flying on my own wings once again.

I'm no longer Spectrum and Spectrum is no longer me. This afternoon we made a clean amiable break. Spectrum was more than kind in giving me a package of my salary ($1,500 per month) as well as my medical insurance.

Now to continue in Ministry.

Happy as I am to have my salary taken care of, I now have to pull together some of my friends to provide me with prayer and ministry money to continue helping me support the poor and in many cases the desperate. Yesterday it was Spectrum's money, today it will be what money I can generate.

You can send your comments and checks (made out to DeAnza Community Church) to:

Pastor Von

1043 Emma Drive.
Cardiff, CA 92001

If you don't need a tax exemption, simply write a check to:

Pastor Von

1043 Emma Dr.
Cardiff, CA 92001

Or, you can donate though our new web site at http://ministry.pastorvon.com/

GOOD LORD! MY CAR'S AN ALCOHOLIC!

I can't pass a gas station without my car urging me to go in for just a little more juice.

On one of my first trips to Brazil I noted two interesting things, first, was the fact that almost every vehicle I saw was a Volkswagen and second, all of them were rolling alcoholics!

Brazil has plenty of sugar cane and from this cane they make alcohol and a good portion of this alcohol goes to fueling their vehicles.

I was content to leave that to Brazil; I prefer the old fashion fossil-fuel. I might add I flew home on a fossil fueled plane.

I live in the bankrupt State of California where each summer they split our fuel with alcohol. You can smell it at the pump as you watch your numbers spin ever higher. The benefits of this summer mix are two. First, the price is higher for this mix, and second it gives you less mileage ... oh yes, and it's been proven that the summer fuel mix doesn't help the environment that much. So much for the mix. (Cheers for the corn farmers, they win.)

Drinking while driving is dangerous enough without driving a drinking car.

Like I said; its summer and my car has become an alcoholic and can hardly pass a gas station or even a bar without wanting to turn in ... for ... just a little more.

FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS

As a youngster in California I lived near several beaches. I found the "board-walk" an interesting place. The board-walk at the beaches I lived near was a walkway of wooden boards above the sand. Each board laying side by side was about a half-inch from the next one.

Crawling under the board-walk wasn't hard and afforded a nice shady spot where a variety of small stuff would fall. There was always an interesting scattering of trash and on occasion, treasure. Under the board-walk were gum wrappers and chewed gum, candy, cigarette butts; anything less than a half an inch, gravity would claim and it would fall to the lowest level.

With the trash there would be the occasional penny, nickel or dime ... if it was a very lucky day.

The world in which I minister is indeed below the social board-walk. Yesterday was a day interacting with the lowest and most hurting social level. A day in which the only hope was the sunshine that came from far above the board walk.

The call was "von, can you get my son into an orphanage?"

I entered the small room and met the "family" of three. Mom, her boyfriend and tall slender Alex, her twelve year old son. Alex is quite honest about his past and that he's homosexual and a thief ... and has run away from two other orphanages. Abused since age eight there isn't much left for this twelve year old. The two want him out ... not only out of the bed all three sleep in, but out of the house (room.)

I watched the boy as they listed his failures. He sat quiet, and motionless, accepting the truthful abuse. Alex is on his way to becoming worthless trash working the lowest level of society.

As happy and carefree as the traffic above, is the lonely pain below. Alex has fallen through.

God sees Alex as treasure, society sees him as trash!

Orphanage? No orphanage will take a chance with a kid like Alex.

Please pray for us as we work this seemingly hopeless strata.

We care because He cares.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!

At my age, I'm classed as a senior citizen, on Social Security, and of course, I'm on a limited income. So when the BIG day comes, my annual Birthday, I have to limit my spending. I have to be responsible.

What does a senior citizen really need to put together a real, yet conservative party of one?

A von Birthday kit ... and that's what I got!

I knew I needed a fire extinguisher and fortunately I had one in my garage. On an occasion such as this one needs to consider safety. Fire. Flame. You know!

Well, I thought it over and made a trip to the dollar store a few blocks away to make some responsible purchases. Now the dollar store is full of great and colorful Chinese bargains and indeed one is tempted.

Now what did I need?

A Birthday Cake! To be honest, a simple cup-cake would do, nothing large and of course a candle to symbolize the 84 plus years I've been around ... I couldn't find the old fashioned kind, so a survival candle will have to do. Lets face it, a candle is a candle. A large box of matches, as I have a little trouble getting a match to burn.

I picked up an inexpensive little silly birthday hat to liven up the party. An atmosphere thing.

Oh yeah, I got a card this year, thought I would include it in the photo!

Well, the party was going well until the burning candle fell down and lit the box of matches. Truthfully it was quite exciting for a short time ... At my age almost anything is exciting! I had to use the extinguisher, which pretty well blew the party away!

Hope it works out better next year ... if I'm still around.

MAN OF GOD SCREWS UP

Sunday I was slowly driving in Tijuana's Red-light district, which we call "The North Zone". (Zona Norte) I was to preach in a local Church called "The Rock" (La Roca) I love that Church and preach there about once a month.

I was about to make a right turn, when I noticed a policeman watching me. Oh! Oh! My seat belt! "Oh Lord help me!!" I quickly tried to buckle it, but he caught me, red lights and all ... he pulled me over! "You didn't have your seat-belt on did you?" (By then I had it on!) Well, I couldn't lie, after all I'm a Christian and to be preaching in about ten minutes. "No sir I replied." "You know that's against the law here," he said. "But officer I was traveling so slow ..." "He interrupted me." I'll have to give you a ticket." Looking sad and about to cry! "But Officer, I'm to be preaching at LaRoca Church over here, and I pointed; in about ten minutes, this will make me late." "Well, the Officer replied ... there is a Police station near the Church."

I sat, there defeated, looking old, sad, and pathetic.

The Officer broke the silence. "Maybe we can work things out..." Cheers! I was waiting for that statement. I said " How much will a thing like this cost me?" As I was saying this he slipped a small notebook on top of my instrument panel. I looked pained, "But officer I have only ten dollars on me." and I started reaching into my pocket.

I heard him say "Ten dollars? That won't make much of a breakfast."

Well, I thought I only had a ten ... BUT, NO ... it was a twenty!

"Oh Man! I said, it's a twenty. He smiled and replied. "That will make a much better breakfast" and he took the twenty! I looked at the twenty, and the smiling officer, and asked if he had change, he said no! (I really asked him that!) We left on good terms. I put the seat belt on for the next three blocks.

I was on time. The sermon was good ... even though it was delivered by an apprehended criminal who committed a serious crime.

I've worked in Mexico for half a century. I understand Mexico. Mexico is corrupt completely, from the top down to the cop on the street ... but it's sort of an honest corruption. I can work with it, I understand it.

Have a nice breakfast Officer, you've been working hard.

I happen to be a citizen of good clean Christian America. Where there is just as much corruption if not more, but it's an invisible and dishonest corruption. We paint our corruption over with a convenient Judio-Christian whitewash and pretend it doesn't exist.

I shouldn't blame our Cops ... as city employees, they do all they can to bring in lots and lots of revenue!

LINK IN A CHAIN

Dear Pastor von,

I'm heading out to work, so I'll be short.

Words cannot express the gratitude we feel as we are reminded of how you opened God's Word to us when we were young.

The excitement has never diminished, even though many years have passed.

Even this morning, one of our grandchildren said to me "Poppy, I want to have God in my heart." She folded her little hands and said "dear Jesus ... please come into my heart."

 ... It was so thrilling to have been there.

You are a very important link in the chain of Faith in our family.

God Bless you Pastor von, Rob and Carol Van Horn.

My reply:

Early in life I made a decision to cancel out of the traditional life of marriage, kids and family and dedicate my life, and time, to God's work. I figured I could do this better being single. Looking back, I don't think I've made a mistake, even though at 83, I have no family as such, and in that sense, I look forward to a rather lonely future. Out-living many of my peers produces a strange sort of lonely feeling too. (Being this old is new to me.)

Letters and notes like this are a real encouragement, and remind me that I'm actually not alone; I'm indeed part of a larger family. A spiritual father to some, even grandfather to others. What a privilege to be "a link in a chain of faith" in a family's life. A sweet letter indeed.

Thanks Rob and Carol! You didn't just make my day, you made my whole week!

DAVID'S SURGERY UPDATE

A little update on our boy David and his mom way down in huge Mexico City. As you might remember David's surgery by a leading specialist would be free if we could get him to the Doctor's Hospital in Mexico City. We made it possible for David and his mother to fly down early so his doctor could make some last minute checks. David's mother was praying that his long six hour surgery would be finished successfully.

For three days after the major abdominal surgery, it was touch and go. He was hooked up to tubes, David developed a high fever and high-blood pressure ... and was in a lot of pain. His doctor works closely with him and will supervise some further work here in Tijuana.

We're all thankful now that David's doing better and is out of intensive care. He's in a different facility but is in constant contact with his doctor.

It will be a few more weeks and tests, until he will be able to return home. Thanks so much for your prayers ... oh, and little Maribel caught up with me this morning in Laguna. She pulled me down and gave me a big kiss, saying thank you ... and she walked to school. So I pass her kiss on to you who deserve it!

FRANCISCO'S TURN!

His family called on us to help and he was one of our Bible Clubbers.

You might remember reading my post "HEAD FIRST" last December 7th. Teenage Francisco crashed headfirst into a pole! The resulting damage crushed his skull, blinded his left eye and left him slightly crippled. His heart stopped twice as he was being operated on. So Francisco has been through a lot.

They are very poor and the bill for a plastic-cap to be placed over his brain was over a thousand dollars. The government will pay for his surgery. To finance this cap the family begged, scrounged and borrowed all they could from everyone they knew, and they were still short hundreds of dollars. We couldn't say no, so we put in the rest of the dollars to complete the bill.

It's been over a year now. It seems it was very difficult to locate the special plastic to create the cap. Now it's ready.

This afternoon his mother proudly handed me the payment receipt for the plastic-cap and said that the surgery date was set for May 15th. There are still more expenses so the family is selling candy Apples to get some extra money.

They are so grateful for our help which made it possible to get him this surgery and cap. (We're hoping the Candy Apples sell! )

When I asked how Francisco was feeling about his up-coming surgery. His mother was a little hesitant in her reply. "Francisco wants to cancel the surgery ... he's afraid!" Forming the plastic to his brain and placing it over his open brain is indeed a critical surgery. But the family says they will go ahead with the surgery.

His mother asks for our prayers.

OUTREACH?

No, I don't believe in outreach ... and I never have. A few years ago outreach became a popular term ... it came blazing into the Church and before we knew it there were outreaches everywhere. It's still a popular activity ... It's still a popular term!

Back then it sounded so new, so good and so healthy and so out, rather than In!

It seems to me today's Church has always been an outreach Church; that is, the Church reaches out to bring people intoThe building, into the service, into the Believers activities.

"A bring 'em in Church" to teach them a "GO YE" Gospel? This is a paradox at best.

While outreach isn't altogether bad, it isn't altogether what the Lord's Church is all about.

Admittedly I'm using "outreach" in its literal sense; the act of reaching out from where we are to bring people to us; if that's what outreach is, the Church has been doing that for years. What's new about outreach?

As to myself, I'm more of a go-out person than a reach-out person.

Healthier by far is GOING to the need and minister, rather than ask the needy to come to you and be ministered to.

Healthier by far is taking the Gospel to those in darkness rather than pulling a few from their dark world into the light of our nice Church building to hear our preacher present the Gospel.

Be it the Gospel, or ministry ... the Church's calling is to SPREAD OUT rather than reach out. GO YE!

AS A KID SEES IT

It was Pizza night and I had just finished eating a slice of pizza at La Roca's small orphanage in Zona Norte, when Victor came over to me and thanked me for his glasses. He didn't have his glasses on at the time. His thanks threw me off guard. Glasses? Then I remembered; some weeks ago several of the kids in the orphanage needed glasses and Pepe, the Director, asked for our help. Victor, about eleven, was really happy because now he could see the blackboard in his school classroom. Hopefully grades will improve accordingly.

No one prompted him to thank me. It was sincere. It was spontaneous and, well, it was Victor, a cute little boy that appreciated his new glasses. Several of the kids now have their glasses. They look very intellectual, and well ... pretty cool!

Often I've mentioned that I get the thanks you deserve; not that I mind ... but so grateful for you who make it possible.

In the "little-things department" I might mention the five teeth Pepe gave me; each wrapped in a small piece of paper and closed with scotch tape. The younger kids save their teeth until I return because I give them a dollar for their tooth. (Mexico has a tooth-mouse ... but these days he's very poor!) Later that evening little Freddy came up to me with a big smile and handed me a very small bloody-tooth.

He finally got it out!

WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD

Do you ever wonder what happens to your old tires? Almost everywhere you look in my world you will see tires. I don't mean tires on cars but old tires from old cars. Well used American tires. In these barrios of the poor, tires may form the foundation of a house or tires placed on the roof that keep it from blowing away. Many tires create walls or fences.

The most difficult tires to negotiate are old tires that form stairs. Up and down the hillsides tire stairs become a common essential. Dusty in the summer and slippery in the winter.

When we go to visit a family, their shanty is often perched high on the side of a hill with a long line of tire stairs leading to the doorway. Of course when you go up, then you have to come back down and that's the hard part. (Click Photo Above)

Flexible stairs with no handrail is getting a little dangerous for this old man. Stairs like these look daunting when you're in the eighties ... thanks for your prayers for me.

Take another look at these stairs; imagine bringing a load of groceries or gallons of water up to your house, or worse, a heavy tank of propane.

Our ministry is going to the people rather than having them come to us, consequently these conditions become a norm to us. However meeting people where they are; meeting them in their homes we know the truth about what's going on in these houses and communities. We know where the needs are ... and how to direct your giving.

JESUS CHECKS IT OUT

Things were falling apart in Jesus world. A year ago he had quit school to help his mother scavenge metal, cardboard and glass to eke out a living for his five brothers and sisters. The police are searching for his step-father and when caught, he'll be in for a long time.

Pedrigal, the boy's barrio, is as tough as they get. Jesus, 13, and his mother want him to get an education. They talked to me about getting Jesus into an orphanage. One less mouth to feed yet one less kid to help scrounge trash; In their lives a major decision.

I held him by his shoulders, looked him in the eye and asked, "Are you serious about this Jesus?" "Si Pastor von." "Jesus I want you and your mother to think on this a few days and I'll be back to take you to an orphanage, so you can check it out."

He gave me a big hug, which I wasn't expecting from a "cool" thirteen year old boy.

Yesterday we dropped by and he was ready to check the orphanage out. He got into the back seat of my car. I don't think he had ever been in a nice car like mine, he sure checked it all out. I gave him a pair of sunglasses so he could look cool.

Children of Promise Orphanage has a great collection of kids;

Julian and Jesus checked it all out.

"Lets go back so you and your mom can make this decision. Then let us know what you decide." We returned him to his downstairs shack, promising him that we'll be back in a couple of days for his decision.

If he goes, it will be the best decision for him;

For us it will mean more help for her and the other four kids as they struggle for food. Indeed life is a struggle for so many of our people.

A QUIET DEATH

"Von, there's a family that wants you to visit them."

So we headed a few blocks down the road to see them. We walked carefully through the small front yard while Philip's mother, Alecia, held on to their Pit Bull guard dog. We filed into the open door to their small two-room shanty. Philip, a tall good looking sixteen year-old walked into the room along with Paul his thirteen year-old brother. They are not in school.

Alecia attends two of Spectrum's big food give-away days every month. She has to travel quite a distance for the few vegetables she gets. They are very poor. Her husband brings very little money home. Alecias trying to feed the family of eight a better diet. On the stove she had a small pot of vegetables cooking and some corn tortillas on the table.

The evening meal.

Her son Philip, as young as he is, is a serious diabetic! He has to have two insulin shots a day. Also he cannot hear .. it's been a year now without hearing.

Well, as we talked we found that the free insulin Philip was getting from the General Hospital was no longer available, and they had no money to buy more. I sat at the table holding the two empty bottles while trying to explain to Alecia what would happen if he doesn't get his shots on time ... disorientation; an insulin coma and death. I hope I scared her.

We left the family some money both for Philip's insulin and food for all.

In my travels I always ask the Lord to get the money to the right needs, and this was yesterdays answer.

BRIAN'S TOP

I gave Brian a new plastic top! I haven't seen someone so happy in years! He actually jumped up and down in joy.

Just a little $1.20 plastic top!

Brian, his little sister and brother are road-workers ... that is, they have one shovel between them and they fill up chuck-holes in the long winding road that leads to barrio Ijido ... Lets face it, great potential ... the dirt road is nothing BUT chuck-holes. The little girl holds out a can hoping for someone to donate a few pesos.

They know my car and run out to meet me. I generally give them a chocolate bar and sometimes a dollar.

The whole family of seven, including mother, work in two different locations, filling holes and looking for donations. That's their work. That's their living. Indeed they are dirt poor.

I've met their mother and the kids. I've been to their small, rather stark house. One big bed. Roof leaks when it rains.

Brian is only 13. He's not in school, he has to work the road. Money comes hard. Mom's seven months pregnant and not able to work the road for a while.

So now it's up to Brian and his brother and sisters to keep the family in food. (Anyone want to help on food, shoes and schooling?)

Brian was bare-foot and wearing old torn and dirty pants.

But that top! That little top, made it all worth while.

Life is great when you're a kid ... and get a top!

THE TRINITY OF TENSE; PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE

As much as we would like to re-live the past or even alter the past we can't. The past is locked by Divine decree. Every minute that passes forms into a fixed history. The past does not vanish it simply appears again as history.

As much as we would like to know the future, we can't; it too is locked tight. We can predict, but never know for sure.

We are forced to live in the now ... the moving present. The fluid in-between of past and future. The measured ticking of twenty-four hours is the sound of the simple span of now.

What I do now won't alter the past, but it will alter my future and can alter the greater future.

The future is always coming at its consistent, divinely measured speed; whether we like it or not.

I need the simple skill of seeing and taking the opportunities presented me to build the future I want.

Lord, I need your wisdom.

ENERGY

Let's face it, music carries with it a unique energy. Today people are not only attracted to energy and hungry for energy, but we are actually addicted to energy . . in any form, in any way we can get it.

There is platform energy. "Entertainment energy" is another form of transferable energy. Singers, bands, groups ... secular music is a great example of a popular source of what I call, platform energy. Dynamic personalities, dynamic beat, add to the projected energy. (Lyrics? No way!)

Good question: Why do you or I like the music and musical groups we like? What do we get from the music? For an example, why do we prefer a live outdoor concert to a simple CD or DVD? Could it be projected energy?

The transfer of energy from the platform to the seat ... the performers to the hearer. A growing phenomena. We love it and we pay big bucks for it!

A truly vicarious experience; a vicarious transfer of energy by music ... by beat.

This is true even in listening to speakers or preachers. Why do we prefer a moving dynamic speaker to a statue like academic speaker. Of course the content is important ... but "dynamic" satisfies an inner energy hunger. The dynamic speaker transfers energy to his audience. He's a giver, we're takers. He's there to give we're there to take.

We travel miles simply to get a charge, by a big name charger.

Caution! The medium of secular "energy" music, can be caught by the Church ... misunderstood and misused. Caution! Culture can invade and corrupt the simplicity of honest worship in our Lord's Church. Synthetic man made energy vs God's Holy energy.

Have I a point here?

Man made energy is less expensive and sadly ... often more to our liking.

THERMOSTATS

We all know about thermostats. There are thermostats in cars, homes and of course Churches have thermostats too. Temperature controllers. Ah man's technology!

Our church was small, and we had a lot to learn ... one lesson was where to locate the thermostat. Well, at first our Sanctuary thermostat was available to all and we never gave it much thought.

The location and thermostat soon became a tricky problem, we found everyone seemed to have a different opinion on what was a comfortable temperature.

A couple of ladies with "hot flashes" thought it was always too warm so they felt a liberty to cool the ambient temperature down ... and they did. It was too cool for old Richard and Florence, so they warmed it up a bit. For skinny people it seemed always too cool and for heaver people it always seemed too warm. They all took a turn at adjusting our thermostat.

It seemed we all had a different idea of what the temperature of the Church should be.

We had to re-think the thermostat issue.

I think you can see where I'm going here ...

A long time ago the Lord checked on the temperature of His Laodicean Church. Their thermostat was set at "Tepid" ... or lukewarm! ... and they were all perfectly comfortable

The Lord's reaction to their setting? "You have become comfortably lukewarm" ... continue in this temperature and "I will vomit you out of my mouth!" (Rev: 3:16)

I was thinking about tepid, lukewarm, and even vomit! They all have one thing in common ... they're each the temperature of flesh! The temperature of man.

There are plenty of Churches today who's thermometer is set at that comfortable flesh setting everyone enjoys ... lukewarm!

Even thinking about Holy fire bothers us.

It's no secret that God's desired temperature for His Church is Red Hot! Fire hot! After all, His Church started in flames (Acts: 1:1-4)

Isn't it time we let the Lord re-set the thermostat in His

Churches ... and learn to enjoy a new Holy heat wave!

Amen?

GOTCHA!

What is it you and I cant live with or can't live without? The answer is simple;

Its gravity!

Gravity binds us to earth and that's fortunate as there would be countless multitudes of us floundering in space along with rocks boulders and space junk, Gravity's job is to pin us to earth and for sure, gravity is determined to plant us there too.

Today, at 84, it seems a gallon of water weighs more than it did when I was twenty. Gravity power seems to increase the older we get. We may fight gravity for a while but the victor will ultimately be ... gravity.

Who of us will escape its influence alive?

As the years slowly pass, our bodies gradually show the effect of the 24/7 gentle and constant pull of gravity. From jowls and skin that hangs, to bulging varicose veins, even boobs; as we age everything starts to hang!  The body slumps into that old man 'S' shape.

At home we sit quietly in our easy chair; each day finding it more difficult to get the old body up and going. 

Ah Gravity, indeed you'll get the last laugh.

LITTLE ONE EYE

Osvoldo is too little to lose an eye. He was only two. But he did, and they called on us for help, and we helped on his surgery and new eye. The family of six were so thankful. Teresa particularly.

The months have passed now and the father lost his job; things got worse inside their one room shack and he just couldn't take it, so from alcohol it went to drugs and then to hard drugs. Soon he sold the big bed that several of them slept in, then it was the little T.V then their propane stove ... what's next? What's left? Now they are all sleeping on the floor and mom's cooking outside using the paper and wood she finds as fuel. No schooling for the kids any more. Teresa's shy, she didn't ask us for help. How would you walk away from a situation like that?

Does this paragraph of text above frustrate you?

The story, which is much more than just text; frustrates us too! Do we get this family another bed? Will he sell it too? A new stove? Will he sell it? How do we help? One thing for sure ... they need food! And schooling.

We always appreciate your prayers as we enter situations like this. We need ... Compassion! Understanding, Wisdom! ... and yes, money!

Dust

Our young Church was a small group of people and just starting to grow; we held our meetings in a neighborhood house. Mr. and Mrs. Stringer's home hosted the Church. Their living room was the sanctuary while the bedrooms and back-yard played their part as the Sunday School areas.

One afternoon I was sitting in the Rosenberger's home talking with Eileen while nonchalantly doodling/fingering in the dust on the magazine table in front of me. When I realized what I was doing I became embarrassed. Admittedly their home always looked a little unorganized and a bit dusty ... it looked like it was lived in.

Eileen worked as part time secretary at an aircraft company. Bob her husband was a mechanic. They had two young children; one of their children was handicapped. Both Eileen and Bob were super active in our church. Eileen was the church secretary, a Sunday school teacher, Choir director, church pianist, a youth sponsor and my secretary as Youth Worker. Bob was active in other areas including teaching a Sunday-School class. On special church occasions, like a Church work-day, Eileen and Bob would be in charge of preparing the food for all workers.

Did the family suffer for its dedication? No, the Rosenberger family was healthy and happy. The kids? They turned out fine.

That dust on the table taught me a lesson in priorities.

Bob and Eileen had their priorities right and their priorities didn't include a super neat and clean house here on earth.

FIVE DOGS AND A MAN

I've seen some dumb things in my life, this must fit into the top five. A few days ago I drove slowly past a man taking five dogs for a walk. Five very different dogs. He was actually trying to take all five dogs, each with a leash, on one walk. Not one of the dogs seemed to be a follower.

Watching this canine circus was worth slowing down.

Here was a guy actually trying to walk these dogs of different sizes and agendas in one direction. You could tell the man was being pulled ahead by a large and determined lead dog, the man was stumbling a bit; the larger dog was strong and the leash tight! Now as luck would have it the last dog was a small white poodle with the longest leash. Follower he was but not a willing follower! The poor little thing was being dragged along at the lead dog's speed. The other three dogs were busy with their own agendas excitedly sniffing and peeing in the bushes. As I watched in my rear view mirror, the poor man was being engulfed in a web of intertwining leashes. Each leash teaching a different lesson.

Up until that time I thought herding cats was the impossible task.

DON'T WORRY PAPA, I WON'T DIE

Both father and mother were hugging and kissing little Maribel before she was wheeled into the Operating Room. As she was being prepared to go in, they saw a young man being wheeled out; his face was covered. He died during surgery and he was the doctor's first patient that morning; Maribel was next. When Maribel and her mother and father saw the corpse being wheeled out with his face covered, her father broke down in tears. Maribel the was next surgery, and the little girl was due for a critical six-hour operation.

Even though she was a little scared, Maribel looked at her father and said "Don't cry Papa, I won't die, I promise you I'll wake up. You can look in my eyes when I come out, they'll be open, I'll be awake, I promise you ... don't cry!"

With that she was wheeled into surgery.

Hortensia visited her today in Intensive Care where Maribel told her the whole story. She even asked her father to read her little "Yellow Book," a book of kids devotionals that Hortensia gave her in the Thursday Bible Studies.

Hortensia met the doctors too. They told her how thrilled they were that things went so well. Her heart is still on the wrong side but they hooked up vessels and veins and rearranged things so that she will be able to walk to school and even run. She won't have to ride her mother piggy-back any more!

Praise God, the doctors, and all of you who prayed!

We're happy too. The Doctors told Hortensia that the Hospital cost and the doctors fee would have run the family about $50,000.00 and the intensive care room she is in is costing about $3,000.00 a day! Money this family couldn't possibly pay.

We invested about $1,000.00 in keeping her Government Social Security monthly insurance payments up, as her father was out of work. The gamble paid off big time!

Maribel now has a new life!

PROMISES, PROMISES, ALWAYS PROMISES

In my ministry through the years I've met more than my share of promisors, and believed their promises ... I'm not looking for promises anymore but performance. May I meet more Christian performers!


My word is the foundation stone of my character as your word, as a believer, is the foundation stone of your character.

I learned early in life, a lesson from my non-believing father.

He was from Germany. He was aristocracy. He was a German Baron. He was a man! The word "von" is a title; and in a name, means aristocracy. He was trained as a youth to be a "gentleman."

One day I remember him complaining at having to sign for something in the bank. "Why can't they simply take my word for it?," he asked me. "In Germany we had a gentleman's agreement, we would give our word and shake hands on it. If it was ten dollars or fifty thousand dollars, it was the same. Our word was our word!"

I never forgot that.

He was not a Christian, but he was radical about his word. I appreciated that. He had an integrity about him.

He didn't make excuses, because he didn't have to ... he kept his word. He taught me that reasons were OK ... but excuses were unacceptable!

We would assume that if some in the secular world held such high standards, why those of us calling ourselves Christians wouldn't hold ourselves to the same or higher standards.

As the Scripture says; "Let your yes be yes and your no be no." Simple as that! (But then again, that's only Scripture.)

Solution? Think before putting mouth in gear!

Disappointments come as the result of unrealistic expectations. It's a shame that too often we find ourselves disappointed by believing our brother's promises.

"Let your yes be yes and your no be no!" Matt 5:37

A LITTLE CHRISTMAS LIGHT WENT OUT

Wednesday night, after our activity, little ten year old Mida came to me with her cute smile and presented me with a copy of her school grades. All A's and B's! I give the kids that do well in school a little reward, so I pulled out a few dollars and handed her the reward, her smile widened; she said "thank you" and rushed out in the darkness to her home to show her mom. It was just a part of the cold nights activity and I didn't think much about it, but that was the last time I would ever see Mida again.

Yesterday, Christmas Eve night, I met with the family around her little table top memorial.

Friday night the family and Kevin their cousin and his mother jumped into their old beat up car and headed south for Christmas with their relatives. About an hour into the trip the front tire blew out and the car ended up rolling down the canyon. Miraculously no one was hurt bad, but where was little Mida? The accident had taken her life.

When a child dies it's so sad. When a child dies near Christmas it makes the picture even darker. Family devastated.

All we could do is express our condolences.

We found the family hadn't eaten for a while, they were tired and were just going to go to bed. I had enough in my pocket to buy them all a chicken dinner, which they were happy to have.

Every Christmas Eve we cruse the cold black night through Tijuana's back country simply looking for opportunities to share, sometimes candy, sometimes blankets, in some places toys and in other places ... well, chicken dinner!

I'M JUST A LOSER

For the past few weeks, people by the thousands walked through the little forests of trees that suddenly appeared December. Everyone looking for that special tree that would do justice to the families Christmas. The special tree selected would be taken home, placed in the proper spot and adorned with shiny ornaments of color and love. Indeed, for a short time, an exalted part of the family.

But look at the difference a day makes.

On Christmas day I stopped by several of these little forests and looked at the remaining trees. A lonely spot indeed. I stood there giving it some thought.

These were the misfits, the rejected! These are the trees that stood there day after day hoping to be chosen. They tried but somehow they didn't make the grade. Didn't sell. There will be no burst of colorful glory for them. They lay unneeded and unloved.

Even though I'm far from a 'treehugger' and trees have no emotion; I couldn't help but feel sorry for the losers.

Trees are one thing; people quite another! God feels for the losers and rejected ... that's where His people enter the picture.

We might wrap that lesson into a New Years resolution.

THE DOCTRINE OF JESUS INCOGNITO

I drove to the market so that I could quickly pick up a few things for my missionary friends in Venezuela. They love tortillas, sauce and magazines. I was leaving for Venezuela the next day. I also had to speak to some teachers in Mexico that afternoon. (My subject was God's Love (I Cor 13) So I had a lot on my plate and time was ticking.

I pulled into the parking lot, parked, and quickly entered the market; in no time I was back out walking across the lot back to my car ... on a collision course with an older man on his walker. He was short, balding and had a sweet face.

The stranger stopped me. Looking up at me with a smile, "Pardon me, he said ... I'm a little tired and wondered if you could give me a ride to my house; it's just a couple of blocks down the street." He turned and pointed toward his house; the opposite direction that I was going.

Oh boy! How inconvenient! I looked at my watch and then ...

Looking at him, I did my best to explain that I really would like to help him out but that I was in hurry and going the opposite direction. I'm sorry I replied ... He interrupted and said "No problem, I'll just wait here and someone will help me out." He smiled.

I turned to head toward my car when suddenly, like a slap on the face, I got the message!

"VON! What are you doing?"

I turned again to the stranger and smiled telling him it would be "no problem; I'll take you." Of course he hesitated and said he understood I was in a hurry and didn't want to be a bother.

Well, we began walking to my car, ever so slowly! I opened the car door and got him in the seat, folded his walker up and placed that in the car.

As we drove through the parking lot he directed me to his house a short distance away. I pulled over, parked and helped him out and helped place him on his walker facing him toward his home.

He started walking, then stopped, turned around and said "Thank you so much! God Bless you" ... and gave me a wink!

I'll never forget his thanks and even more the wink he gave me! I feel to this day it was a Divine moment."

"In that you have done it to the least of these, you have done it unto me." Matt 25:40

Jesus Incognito.

MY OH MY, WHAT'S WRONG?

The pundits, like chickens, are cackling again. The school shooting in Connecticut this morning seems to puzzle them! Why do these things happen? Why does it seem violence is increasing? What oh what should we do?

The questions themselves tend to prove how dumb these intellectuals are ... they cant see the forest for the trees.

These media pundits might take a look at the most popular movies, most popular games, and hot Internet subjects. With too many male teens today ... prison dress is lauded, bad is good, evil is hot, skull and cross-bones a popular symbol! Killing, murder, robbing, gang rape ... just simple perverted fun! Ah, Gangdom, that's where the real men hang.

Guns? Remember, weapons are male, guns are macho! Guns kill, and killing is male.

Fantasies tend to develop into reality; evil fantasies are no different.

Isn't it apparent that the increasing evil we are ingesting will play out real-time in our society? "Apparently" not!

Fueling young disoriented minds with evil will bring evil ... (Simple logic!) and deeper than that, is the fact that most of our young people have no real purpose or honorable goal.

Speaking of evil goals. I'll bet somewhere in America there are several perverted teens making plans to top today's shootings and make a name for themselves.

God left the stage long ago ... we pretty well deserve the show we have! Pull the curtain ... next act to follow!

HEAD FIRST

We all knew Francisco. A neat little kid who always came to our big shower days and regularly attended our Bible Club. A tragic thing happened a few months ago. An accident threw him into a telephone pole head first, crushing his skull. His father took him to the Red Cross more dead than alive, where they quickly started surgery.

The Doctors told his family that while they were operating on him, he actually died twice on the table. As a result of his accident he has lost an eye, the full movement of his right arm and has a large ugly dent (depression) in his skull, where only thin skin covers his brain. Thank God for a real miracle, his mind is O.K.

Francisco is now a twenty year old. When I first saw him I couldn't recognize him until I asked him to turn his head.

His family contacted us few weeks ago to ask for help in getting a plate put into Francisco's skull. We know them to be honest and very poor. (Father goes to the cemeteries and sings for funerals getting a little money from tips.) The estimated cost of the operation at the General Hospital would run over $1,000 dollars. Very inexpensive by our standards but an impossible cost for them. Tijuana's General Hospital is inexpensive, but for years has a very bad reputation

We said we would help if they could come up with most of the money. They begged and borrowed all the money they could from friends and relatives and came up with about $600.

Today we assured them that we would help make it happen. Francisco gave me an especially tight hug for his "Christmas present."

He wants to be normal so bad.

He's a little afraid of the coming surgery and for good reason. Recently Tijuana's General Hospital has been rocked by a scandal. They have been accused of letting some of their patients die then selling their body parts to more affluent Hospitals in Mexico.

Francisco and his family would appreciate your prayers.

LATE NIGHT TIJUANA CIRCUS

Sunday night I was in Tijuana teaching the little kids at an orphanage by the beach, the teens were into a major soccer game on T.V.

Sunday was to be a long night getting back home; Alas, I never made it!

You see Sunday night, the XOLOS, a popular Tijuana football team, won the country's Championship and I was blissfully unaware of what was about to happen.

The XOLOS won and the TOLUCAS lost, so what?

Well, here’s what!

Upon the XOLOS winning; every Mexican in Tijuana that had a car that ran, got in his car, rolled down the windows, packed his car with friends and beer, and headed out to the road with flags flowing ... driving nowhere, just honking horns, waving flags. People standing on the sides of the cars, on the hood and on the roof! Screaming and exchanging beers. Colorful. Noisy. (Some people were in Pajamas.)

Tijuana’s four lane roads quickly became five lane roads ... stoplights were optional ... all the cars forming a giant and real long parking lot. A cop at every corner sending everyone back around. Not only are cops crooked here but they are also incompetent.

Thousands who didn't have a car were on the streets waving their flags. And me, I just wanted to get across the border.

No one knew where they were going or apparently cared. After about an hour of this craziness and noise, I slowly cut in and worked my way to the right and close to a hotel, then darted in their driveway.

Free!

I got out of my car; tired, "old", in my dirty work clothes and wearing flip-flops, and ever so slightly "pissed-off" ... and to make matters worse, it was a classy four-star Marriott Hotel. Well, $115.00 later my car was safely parked and I was in a quiet room for the night.

I returned home this morning with a light pocketbook, better attitude and in a somewhat sane environment.

Home-alone! Ahhh ...

Merry Christmas!

Driving slowly down the narrow dirt road into Pedrigal, I pulled to a stop and the kids descended on me. They were smiling and excitedly handed me little penciled paper notes, lots of them. I stood rather puzzled looking at the notes then looking at the kids.

I've been given notes before but never this many at one time. It turns out that this is near Christmas time and the kids decided that they were going to give me their Christmas wish lists. (Two kids asked for their notes back because they forgot to put their names on their note.) Big smiles. High hopes. Great expectations!

Who gave them this idea, I don't know. Who told them I was Santa, I don't know ... I'm not dressed in red and I don't look a bit like Santa. I have an Xterra not a sled.

We aren't planning on coming to this community with our gift bus.

Truthfully I have no idea what I'm going to do with these notes (Several wanted a bike!) ... I'll have to resolve it some way.

The point is, Christmas is coming and these kids have flat nothing. These communities we serve are literally dirt poor. If the family has the money they will have a big Christmas meal. No way is it a meal like we will have. In most cases Christmas will simply be another weekday.

In our economy here in the USA, Spectrum has flat nothing too ... So it will be interesting to see how this December unfolds.

For all of us working the border, Pastor Von

AH, THANKSGIVING!

A November Thursday set aside to be appreciative of God's bountiful blessings! A table set for an abundant variety of food. Turkey (Ham for us Gentiles.) stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, sweet-potatoes topped with marshmallows, apple-pie-ala-mode! Family and feasting and maybe a little nap to help digest our food. Setting the calories aside ... we need to focus on gratitude; our gratitude for all He has given us.

It may surprise us, but thankfulness and gratitude are learned attitudes; we are not by nature thankful.

Mexico has no Thanksgiving Day set aside to give thanks, However god knows they have enough holidays ... but no Thanksgiving.

All of us work Thanksgiving day with our "thankless" people. Thanks to many of you we are able provide essential food for the lines of hungry people. And they are hungry! (God blesses those who feed the poor.)

Sometimes I think that our people have so little simply because they show so little gratitude to God. God is an image ... an icon to most.

My hope and prayer is that you might make this Thanksgiving a special day in your home, and that God may be more important than turkey, ham or even family.

He Blesses the thankful!

South, across the border In our world this Thursday will simply be another Thursday ... meal of the day? Beans, rice and cactus!

UNWANTED HURTS SO BAD

In almost fifty years working in Tijuana I've worked with many orphanages. (I'm still working with the kids in four orphanages.) Orphanage's full problem kids. Some are just dumped there because they are unwanted, or an extra mouth to feed and maybe a problem kid too. Others children are brought by mothers and grandmothers because they can't give them food, clothing and schooling.

I've seen kids as they come to the orphanage with their little bag of clothing. They stand silent and scared looking at the institution they are about to enter, while their mother talks softly with the Director. She is soon walking down the street looking for a taxi to ride home. 

Sometimes it's a heartbreaking surprise when a little kid is given to an orphanage. He wasn't told. Now he's there, being given to an institution. I've seen the kids cry and sometimes scream as their mother turns her back and walks out of their life. It's a hurt most of us have never had and leaves a permanent scar.

Unwanted hurts so bad.

Most of these kids have heartbreaking stories ... some with stories that would make your blood run cold!

An orphanage is an institution, it's not a family, and it's actually not a solution. Some of these kids, like Manuel (15) I talked with yesterday have been in orphanages all of their lives. Manuel has never known a family. To be honest, he has never known love. He was one of thousands of problem kids cruising Tijuana ... Manuel is on his last orphanage.

Most kids in orphanages are returned to the streets or their dysfunctional families at age 16, 17 or 18. And with Tijuana's economy at it's lowest there isn't much hope for a job.

In most cases the Step Father does not accept his wife's teenage son returning home from the orphanage. One more mouth to feed. Fights break out. The boy leaves home and hits the street.

I remember having a young man tell me once, "I'm going to live fast, die young and make a good looking corpse."  High until I die!

If you are a family; impress upon your children how fortunate they are to have two people who love them and care for them. A fact, too often forgotten; kids must be taught to be thankful, and to appreciate what they have, and to respect you as parents.

I caught the photo above as I watched a kid, alone, in a Tijuana orphanage. He was standing quietly looking up ... I have no idea what he was thinking, maybe he was praying.

And maybe I don't want to know what he was thinking.

CURSED SOULS

Take God out of the equation and you have the world I work in, a darkened world of lost souls. Thousands of them.

This afternoon I asked a little eleven-year old boy where his father worked. His reply, "I don't have a father."

Another lost kid.

When God goes it seems the "family" is the first to fall.

A first indicator of the havoc to follow. Without God Holy marriage gives way to bed partners. Sex falls into a satisfying irresponsible pleasure ... recreation rather than purposeful procreation.

Sex gone wrong.

God created the family. He created the family concept. Mature father, mature mother as a unit creating new lives to mentor.

Painful fact. As family goes, the society goes. Society then fractures into a mosaic of pain and hurt ... anger and hate. Disoriented people ... poor lost souls breeding more lost souls.

Sadly, I saw it all again; I heard it all again ... last night in the tear stained eyes of an old woman.