Through the Roof!

 In the gospel of Luke 5:17-20, we read: ¹⁷ One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick. ¹⁸ Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. ¹⁹ When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. ²⁰ When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”  When we read these verses, we learn or are encouraged that other people's faith can and will brings miracles into our lives. The faith of the friends of this paralytic man has always impressed me. In those times, the roofs were made of branches and straw with a good thickness of mud through the rafters (equivalent to 2 x 4’s) to hold all these materials together. Those rafters were supported by rows of pillars along and in the middle of the room. Jesus had become very popular. Everywhere He went crowds followed Him. The power of God was always present, and every day many miracles were happening. Therefore, it was absolutely normal to see a crowd gathered inside and at the door of this house. The paralytic's friends wanted Jesus to heal their friend, but not only was there no room in the house, but also there was no room outside the house. But these men were determined. In desperation, they carried the paralyzed man to the roof. They began removing branches, straw, and mud to make an opening large enough to lower their friend to the feet of Jesus. We can only imagine how that scenario must have surprised the crowd gathered inside the house. Much of this debris must have fallen on the people inside. But nowhere in these verses do we read negatives comments from the crowd. Nor does it mention that the pharisees and doctors of the law, sitting inside listening to Jesus teach, were unhappy that this situation had disturbed their teaching time or had disturbed their schedule. For Jesus, certainly, this situation did not surprise Him. What He saw was the determined faith of the friends of the paralytic man. In verse 20 Jesus seeing their faith, He said: “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” Which meant your faith has saved you. In verse 24 Jesus says:“But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. So, He said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”  With these words Jesus confirmed that He was the son of God and that He had the power of the Holy Spirit to heal this paralytic. At times, desperation makes us do things that under normal circumstances we would not do. In this situation, the paralytic's friends found cables and tied their friend to his bed. Then, they mounted the bed on the roof. I’ve always wondered how the paralytic felt during this time. I believe this man was so desperate to receive a miracle, that he agreed with the actions his friends were taking on his behalf. Nevertheless, he must have wondered if once lowered into this house and at the feet of Jesus if he would be accepted or if the crowd would throw him out. He had certainly completely altered the plans the people the house already inside had for that day. But faith took priority. Faith removed despair, doubt and the fear of the crowd. Other people's faith brought a miracle into the life of this paralytic man. For each of us, faith must always take priority in our lives. If faith takes priority, despair, fear and doubt will disappear and miracles small and big will be our reward. Today, I shared these thoughts with you to encourage you to never give up, never despair. Never think that God will not do for you what He did for this paralytic. Because of Jesus, faith overcomes despair, and the faith of other people does brings miracles in our life.  

Take care,

Denise

Jesus is my peace!

In this short article I want to encourage you to always seek the peace and calm that only Jesus can bring in our lives. In Philippians 1:6 the Bible tells us:“being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;”  Therefore, when we go through difficult times it is good to remember the words in this verse. It will always help us to remember that the Lord daily continues to work in our lives, no matter what situation we are facing. In Isaiah 30:15b we read: “…..in quietness and trust is your strength,”. Staying calm and peaceful during stressful times is very important. Stress drains our emotions and often also affects our physical strength. Jesus is our peace, and He is the only One that brings calm during our storms. While I studied this theme, I found several bible verses that speak of peace or calm. Each one of these verses help and encourage us to trust God's Word when we feel stressed or overwhelmed by various circumstances that we encounter throughout our lives. In Philippians 4:13 we read:“I can do all things through him who strengthens me,”.  It is indeed Christ Himself who always brings us the calm and the peace we need when tribulations come our way at times when most of the time we do not expect them to come. In Matthew 11:28, I really like this verse that says:“Come unto me, all you who labor and are bent down under a burden, and I will give you rest.”  When we have the Lord's rest, we also have calm, even during hardships. Hardship means times of deprivation, great need or want and destitution. If Jesus is our peace, we have the certainty or sureness that no matter what happens, we are in HIS good care. Peace and calm are so important for all of us, therefore, here are some good tips to help you stay peaceful and calm. a) Refuse to give anyone power over your attitude and mood. b) Refuse to allow anyone else to dictate your response to the situation you are facing. c) Refuse to give anyone the power to change your behavior. This means not listening to what negative people are saying about you or about a problem you are facing. d) Refuse to allow anyone to steal your joy. Stay in the Word of God and in prayer and ignore those who come to bring stress therefore robbing you of your peace. e) If someone is mean to you, be nice. Keep calm. Keep peaceful. At times, we all encounter people who are filled with bitterness. Unfortunately they like to give us advice that reflects their emotional unbalance. Refuse to hear these negative words. Always stay kind and forgiving. Someone you know may be bitter, pray for them. But be thankful that because Jesus is your peace, you don't have to live with that poison in your soul. In John 14:27 Jesus says:“I leave you peace, I give you, my peace. I do not give it to you as the world gives. Let not your heart be troubled or be frightened.”  

 Therefore, in every circumstance, keep calm and stay at peace.

 I am not telling you what to do. But I can tell you what I do. I cling, which means to hold tight to Jesus, my Lord of peace. He always takes care of me and He keeps me calm.

Sincerely, 
Denise

 

Pépé wants to come and live with Roger & Denise

For nine years we had a children’s program in Colonia Rio Vista, about 15 minutes from the American border in the Otay Mesa area. It was a rough area. Drug pushers, addicts and drunks could be seen at any time of day on any of the dirt roads or street corners. For obvious safety issues, it was not an area where anyone not familiar with the area would want to
venture after dark.

The leader of the Colonia had requested our help for the many children that were living in extreme poverty and often abused physically or sexually.

The children came every Wednesday to the shack they called the “town hall”. Many of the children came with their moms, including Pépé. We would gather the kids who for the most part, were quite rambunctious with no concept of discipline. But the Lord gave us tricks to get their attention and have them participate in the weekly lesson.

They loved to sing, especially if Roger would handed them the microphone. They also loved to memorize scriptures. We used balloons, banners, colored paper sheets to help them to memorize the scripture connected with the weekly lesson.

Each child had their copy of the lesson and they had to write down answers to questions related to the lesson. Once finished they would line up, the boys with Roger and the girls with me, and we would correct their “test”. Small stars were glued on the sheets whose answers were right, while the others kids were sent back to their seats to make the necessary corrections. We made it easy for them as the answers were on the first page of their individual lesson and often in bold letters. Once we finished teaching, the kids fully understood the lesson of the day. Because we also had children that could not read, we always had a graphic related with the lesson, so they could color while the other kids were working on their lesson. Yes, those little ones also got stars no matter how good or bad they could color.

After the lesson we always had a treat for the kids. When we first started to teach in that area, we had kids that would arrive just for the snacks and groceries. To correct this situation and motivate them to attend bible study, we took the names of the children in the order in which they arrived. Groceries were then distributed in that order. Every child that would arrive during our praise and worship time would have their names on the list. But those that arrived later, would not be on the list and would therefore be the last ones to receive. It was a good plan and the kids soon learned that punctuality was very important. 

Pépé and his family lived in nearby Colonia, but this little guy never missed a bible study. He was the oldest, probably age 6, and came with his other siblings and with his mom who always seemed to be pregnant. She was an angry woman, never smiled and would slap her kids in front of everyone.

His father was a drunk and a drug addict. He never came to our bible studies but occasionally, he would show up to see if his kids had received groceries. Because he spent all his “pesos” on booze and drugs, his family would have often been hungry, if his kids had not attended our TLCCM bible study program.

Except for the 1 year old, the other three kids and the mother showed signs of physical abuse. This sad excuse of a man and father was always dirty, unshaved and rude. He never said thank you. On several occasions, we noticed that Pépé seemed to be the child who was the most physically abused.  He would arrive to bible study with a black eye or bruises on his body. He had the most beautiful brown eyes and those eyes stole both of our hearts. He always wanted to help when we gave out groceries. Roger had him give out the bread or the cookies. We always made sure to thank him and after the other kids left, we would give him an extra bag of cookies.

Pépé took this attention to be genuine love and compassion, something he probably never encountered previously in his young life. He would stand close to Roger or myself and stay there until it was time to go home. I guess he felt safe around us.

One day as we were getting to leave, Roger was busy loading the empty boxes at the back of the van. Often the American customs official would check the empty boxes to make sure we did not have anything or anyone hiding in those boxes. I was also busy loading the items we had used for our lesson. Because the side door of the van was open, Pépé climbed into the van and sat on the seat behind the driver’s seat. I thought nothing of it as he sat there very quietly while both were getting ready to go back to San Diego.

Once Roger got in the driver’s seat ready to leave, I told Pépé he needed to come out of the van and join his mom so they could go home. But he just sat there and completely ignored me. I repeated my myself, but still Pépé did not move. I climbed into the van and sat beside him to explain to him one more time that we had to leave. He then he moved from the seat unto my lap and put his little arms around me his little hands clutching unto my clothing. Again, I told him that we had to leave, But I got no response. Roger got out of his seat and came by the side door to coax Pépé out of the van while his mom and his siblings were still standing nearby. I was getting somewhat emotional and quite relieved to see Roger take over but he was equally unsuccessful in convincing Pépé to get out of the vehicle.

Suddenly, Pépé looked at me with his big brown eyes and said: “Hermana, I want to go to the United States and live with you and hermano Roger.”  Well, that got the tears flowing down my cheeks and I turned to Roger to help me with a solution to this heart-breaking situation. Both of us were now sitting on the back seat and Pépé is still hanging on to me for dear life. I honestly cannot remember how long we sat there trying to reason with this little boy.

After a while, Roger looked out the van window, and saw Pépé’s dad heading our way. He was probably drunk and hungry and wanted to see if his kids had received groceries. He would not have been pleased to see his little boy sitting on the back seat of our van. He also could have accused us of trying to kidnap his little boy. This was not a good situation. We certainly did not want a confrontation with this drug addict and heartless father.

Roger told Pépé that is dad was coming and that he would be very angry to see him in our vehicle. “Mijo, (which means my dear), we do not want you to get in trouble with your dad. We certainly do not want him to slap you or punish you for being in our vehicle, so, let me take you outside so you can take your bag of groceries and go home with your mom.”  Pépé looked through the window and when he saw his dad, he reluctantly let Roger take him out of the vehicle. Emotionally drained, I moved to the front seat of the van, so we could leave.

As he got back to his seat, Roger said a quick “hola” to Pépé’s dad and we left. In my side mirror I could see this sweet little boy watching us leave. I remember crying all the way back to the American border. Roger was also emotionally upset, and while we waited in line to get back to the USA, he told me that this was one situation that he never wanted to go through again. 

Later that evening with our emotions still raw from this difficult situation, we prayed for Pépé’s safety. We also realized how desperate this little guy was, so desperate that he was willing to come to the USA and forever forget his family and his pathetic life in the slum of Rio Vista.

While on the mission field, we encountered many sad situations, but this situation had to be one of the most emotionally heart wrenching of them all. 

Many years later, as I write about this situation, I remember this little guy’s arms around me and the sad look in his eyes when he sat on my lap hoping Roger & I could offer him a better life.

Pépé continued to come to our TLCCM program for several more years until the Lord instructed us to move out of that drug infested area. After we left Colonia Rio Vista, we never saw Pépé again. 

But this precious little boy I will never forget. 

Denise 

P.N. This is a picture of the shack we had to use to teach bible studies to the kids in Rio Vista. Pépé is not in this picture.

The Lord understands Spanish!!!!!

The Lord understood a Spanish request when we didn’t.

Healing of a little girl in Canyon del Pato! (Duck Canyon)

In the early 1990's and the beginning years of our missionary life, we did not know much Spanish. Therefore, we had to work with translators. On many occasions that proved very frustrating. Our ability to communicate with people was hindered by our lack of understanding and speaking Spanish. 

From August 1990 to May 1992, we worked with an American lady from Imperial Beach, California. Six days a week we would drive to her house, load up her van and drive her to wherever she was going that day. On the way to where were going, we always picked up a translator. Although she had been on the mission field for many years, her knowledge of Spanish was somewhat limited. 

Every Sunday we drove to a church she had founded in Colonia Canyon del Pato (Duck Canyon) on the west side of Tijuana. It was a very small church building. It was dirty, smelly and the people were extremely poor. Inside, it had a dirt floor and some old chairs and benches. The congregation was almost exclusively made of women and children. These ladies very a precious group of God-fearing women. We had an immediate connection.

We had visited that church back in July 1989, so when we returned in August 1990, the ladies recognized us. In 1989, we were there as part of a mission trip, because our daughter Chantal was already in Tijuana. She loved the people and they loved her. This was her second trip in the space of a few months. We went down to Mexico to make sure she was coming back home with us.

At the time, the irony was that I was scared the Lord would call her on the mission field. Roger was not concerned but he humored me into going down to “bring her back home”. Little that we knew that while we were in Tijuana to bring Chantal back home, the Lord would call us to this mission field, not Chantal.  After that trip, our lives would be forever changed.

One Sunday after the church service and the weekly groceries had been distributed, one of the moms approached us. She was holding the hand of a little girl probably about 10 years old. She proceeded to talk to us, but we had no clue what she was saying. This lady did not try to talk to our leader or the interpreter, she wanted to talk to Roger and me.

Finally, it dawned on her that neither of us understood Spanish, she then took my hand and put it on the little girl’s forehead. I did not need to speak Spanish to know that this little one had a high fever and that her mom was probably asking for prayer. Immediately Roger and I laid hands on her forehead, closed our eyes, and started to pray in English. We did not realize that some of the ladies had been watching and had gathered around us and had begun to pray in Spanish. 

As we prayed, I could feel the fever leave her. A few minutes later when we concluded our prayer, the fever had completely left and her cheeks which were red like beets a few minutes earlier were back to their normal color.

Her mom hugged and kissed us and carried on a conversation with us which the only word we understood was “gracias” (thank you). I bent down and gave the little girl a big hug and we instantly became the best of friends. After that day, every time we went to that church, this little girl would seek me out and hang on to me like glue.

After that experience, we realized that although we knew no Spanish, the Lord had used our hands and our faith to instantly let His healing flow from our hands to this precious child.

Later that evening, we gave glory to God for the healing of this little girl. We went to bed knowing we were in the center of His will. This is one time out of many other times, that the Lord reassured us that He was in control and taking good care of us. The truth is that when we do what the Lord asks us to do, He will come in and do what we cannot do.  We just need to listen, have faith, be available and obedient. Amen!

As long as you have passion, faith and are willing to obey and work hard, you can be assured that the Lord will come into the situations of your life and do what you cannot do.

But Jesus looked at them and said to them:

“With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Matthew 19:26, New King James Version

Please note:

Unfortunately, I do not remember the name of this little girl, nor do I have a picture of her and of her mom.

I did not mention the american lady by name. She died in July of 2021, at the age of 94 having served the Lord for almost 60 years. Since I had no way to obtain her permission to use her name, and out of respect for her privacy, I did not include her name in this BLOG.

 Denise

 

 

 

 

 

Salvation comes on a dirt road!

COLONIA MONTES OLÍMPICOS, TIJUANA, MEXICO.

 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”(Acts 4:12 (NIV) 

For several years we had a TLCCM bible club in a shanty town called Montes Olímpicos, in Tijuana, Mexico. We had no building available to us.

Alejandro and Obdulia, a very precious couple graciously offered us to use their home to teach and feed the children every Saturday morning. It was a one room shack built on the side of a cliff. Their front door was about a meter from the dirt road. The kitchen was outside on the side of the house, with just a metal roof, no running water, and no cupboards. All they had in their kitchen was a used propane stove, an old table and a few pots and pans. A single lightbulb hung from a 2 x 4. 

But this beautiful couple loved the Lord and loved children. This area was in a very poor neighborhood. The kids loved our program, and they came faithfully every week. They were always excited to sing and learn memory verses. Their enthusiasm was amazing. We always enjoyed spending time in that colonia.

At times, the one room shack could not contain all the kids attending. On those occasions, we would go outside and use the dirt road as “our classroom”. It was not a busy road but at times during our bible study we would have to move all the kids against the fence to let a car go through, then we would resumed our position on the dirt road. 

On one occasion, we had visitors from Ottawa. Montes Olímpicos was one of the shantytowns we absolutely wanted them to experience. The menu was hot dogs and nachos because the kids had requested that specific menu the previous week. Once again, using the dirt road as a classroom, we had our time of worship and our bible lesson. Afterwards, our visitors and a few moms helped us serve the kids. Everyone was having a great time.

While we were feeding the kids, we saw an old red truck turn the corner onto the dirt road. Immediately Roger told the kids to line up against the fence, so the vehicle could pass. But the driver drove into the driveway of the house next door. The kids immediately proceeded to take over the street and continue to eat and play.

A few minutes later, the driver made his way toward us. He was obliviously very drunk. Roger went to meet him as we had no way of knowing exactly what to expect. With help from the moms and visitors, I got the younger children inside the shack and moved the older children near the fence and away from the drunk. Once, the kids were at a safe distance and being supervised by the helpers, I made my way towards Roger and his “new” friend.

In his drunken state, this poor man mistook Roger for a priest. Although he was a man of God, my husband did not look like a priest. Nevertheless, even in his drunkard stupor, this poor guy felt something different about my husband. He asked what we were doing in this area. Roger explained to him that we came every week to teach the children about Jesus and to feed them a meal.

Upon hearing this explanation, the drunk immediately fell to his knees in front of Roger and asked for prayer. Roger motioned me to join him, along with our visitors and some of the older children. We prayed for this poor drunk who was kneeling in the middle of the dirt road wanting God to help him. 

Roger laid hands on this man and lead him through the salvation prayer. The Lord worked on this man in an immediate manner. To our complete amazement, our drunk had suddenly become stone sober. He sat in the middle of the dirt road and shared details of his life with Roger.

He had led a very rough life, starting to use drugs at a very young age. He had been a drug pusher and finally a drug cartel drug enforcer. But, after beating up some drug addicts and killing a few, he fled to Tijuana to get away from the lifestyle and from the drug cartels. He was now working as a construction worker. He drank a lot to try to erase from his memory all he had done wrong in his life until now. Roger reassured him that Jesus had completely forgiven him and starting then & there...on that dirt road, he was now saved and also free of his past. They stayed in the middle of the road talking for quite some time. Roger always had a lot of patience with hurting people.

Meanwhile, I explained to the kids that this man was now a Christian. I told them that Jesus is willing and able to save anyone if one repents. They were also very excited to have participated in praying for this poor drunk.

After a while Roger brought him to me and I gave him a plate with a hot dog and nachos. One of the kids came forward and offered him a glass of punch. This is certainly one situation that the children, our visitors and I will never forget. For Roger, this precious episode touched him to the depth of his soul.

Conclusion: It really does not matter who you are or where you are, Jesus is waiting for you and yes, He will meet you on “your” own dirt road.

The following verses are from Steven Curtis Chapman’s song: Jesus will meet you there: “When you think you’ve hit the bottom, and the bottom gives way, and you fall into a darkness no words can explain and you don’t know how you will make it alive, BUT JESUS WILL MEET YOU THERE. 

Sincerely,

Denise

 

 

Is it possible to be holy! By: Rev. Roger Deschamps

 

 

 

Dear family and friends,

A few weeks after my beloved Roger went to be with Jesus, I was going through some of his bibles. In his NIV bible, I found the following handwritten message he had prepared both in English and in Spanish. This message must have been prepared before 2001, because after his eye surgeries in 2000-2001, he had to use a large print bible. The Spanish version looks like it had been reviewed and completed. He most likely did a draft in English to make it easier for him to translate into Spanish. The English version does not have the finishing touches, nevertheless, it’s a message he had on his heart and I want to share it with you. Except typing it on the computer, I have made no changes to his draft.  I hope it blesses you like it blessed me. This is the first time I have made Roger's message public. Yes,  I do have the Spanish version. Denise

In the book of Leviticus 19:2, the Lord commands His people to be holy.  He said: “You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.” At first glance, this commandment seems out of reach for most of us.  I think it is fair to say, that most of us would think that it is impossible to keep that commandment.  Is it really possible for us to be holy?  Is it possible to live a holy life? To be holy as the Lord our God is holy. Allow me to define what it means to be holy.  It means to be separated or set apart to God.  It is the being separated or set apart to God that makes us holy. I said it makes us holy.  It is not something that we do or strive for.  We are not made holy by doing good things.  It would be natural for a man to do good things in order that he might become holy.  But, it does not work that way. What is that supernatural thing that makes us holy?  It’s our faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.  We are made holy by our faith in Jesus Christ, just as we are saved by our faith in Him. One might question the verocity of what I am saying just because I quoted from the Book of Leviticus, a book in the Old Testament.  We all know how miserably the Israelites failed to apply this commandment to their own lives.  One might say: “If these people who had God in their midst could not be holy, what about me?  How can I be holy?”

Let us move on to the New Testament  and see what the apostle Paul has to say on this subject.  In Romans 8:29, Paul says: “for whom He (God) foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His own son.” This verse speaks of God’s purpose for His people…….for us.  He wants us, believers, to be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ.  He wants us, believers, to be like Christ,  He wants us to be holy. My brothers and sisters, I want to tell you that being conformed to the image of Jesus Christ is not an impossible goal to set for ourselves.  It is possible for us to reach that goal because the One who does the conforming, the One who does the work in us, is God.  He would not have commanded us to be Holy if it were not possible to be Holy. This is not a “man thing”  it is a “God thing”;  In Romans 8:30, Paul continues to say:“Whom He (God) called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, those He also glorified.”  Notice that it is God who does the work of calling, of justifying and of glorifying.  Man cannot do these things.  It is the work of God. Now, I don’t mean to say that we have no part to play in this.  We do have a part to play.  We must have faith in Jesus Christ alone.  We must accept to be counted as one of His followers.  We cannot be ashamed of His gospel.  We must look up to Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  We must think about Him, pray to Him, study the Scriptures, seek to obey Him and follow His example.  As we do this, we become like Him.  We begin to think like Him.  Bad things we used to enjoy and do in the past, we no longer even want to do.  Not doing them is not a sacrifice; we just don’t enjoy doing them anymore.  And good things we never even thought of doing, we enjoy and want to do.  Now, it is possible to do good because we have been changed.  We have been made holy by the One who is Holy. Is one changed overnight? Is one made holy overnight?  The answer Is yes and no.  God sees us as holy, but, we still have to deal with our carnal nature.  The change in us is a process over a period of time.  We call this process “sanctification”.  Our conforming to the image of Christ, our becoming like Him takes place gradually.

In 2 Corinthians 3:18 Paul says: “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”  He is saying that as we behold (look too) the glory of the Lord, we are continually transformed into the same image, His image, by the Spirit of the Lord. As we look to the Lord and see His glory, we are being gradually and continually transformed into His image.  As we look to Him, we come to reflect His glory.  We must first look to Him and see His glory, then, the Holy Spirit does the transforming work in us so that we become like Him. For those of you who have made a serious commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ, I say: “Don’t get discouraged with the process of sanctification if it does not go as fast as you would like.  Just know that He, who has begun a good work in you will complete it (Philippians 1:6) if you are willing to let Him have lordship over your life.  

To those of you who have never made a commitment to Christ because you felt you had to clean up your life first, I say: “You can’t do it on your own.”  You are not the first ones who have delayed coming to Christ because you felt unworthy. God’s plan for you is to be holy as He is holy.  He wants first of all to cleanse you from your sins.  He wants to cleanse you in the Blood of the Lamb…..Him who was crucified and paid the penalty for your sins.  Then, as you look to Jesus, pray to Him, study His Word, He wants to change you.  He wants to conform you to the image of His Son.  He wants to give you what you need so that you may live a holy life.

Why don’t you commit your life to Him today? Then allow Him to change you.

 

Written by Pastor Roger Deschamps.

 

 

 

Alicia a very special little girl

 Alicia came to our program in the mid-1990’s. Originally, she was from a little town in the southern part of Mexico. But, when her mom died, her aunt, brought her and her siblings to live with her in Tijuana. They lived in Colonia Rio Vista. This nice lady already had four children of her own. Although, she was catholic, she always came with the kids to our bible studies. Her kids were always clean and very polite. Alicia was very skinny. She was born with deformed arms and legs. Although she was 12 years old, she was closer to the size of an 8 years old. Her disability made it difficult for her to walk. Even holding a pencil was not easy for this little girl. But she never complained, and she always tried to follow the program, along with the other children. She especially enjoyed if we had a video day. She was shy and the tone of her voice was always low, making it difficult at times for us to understand when she did talk to us. She went to school along with her siblings who always look after her. When we gave out groceries, her little arms were too weak to carry the bag so her aunt would carry it for her. Alicia was one of those special children that stole your heart with her beautiful brown eyes and great smile. She certainly stole our hearts. At that time, we had an individual child sponsorship program. Alicia was on our priority list because of her physical handicap, and because her aunt needed the financial assistance. Alicia loved to have her picture taken and that was great because sponsors loved receiving pictures of their sponsored child. We quickly assigned Alicia a sponsor. After a while, her sponsor had some financial difficulties and could no longer afford to sponsor Alicia. Situations like this one were something we knew could happen and we quickly found a new sponsor for Alicia. Once a child was in our TLCCM child sponsorship program and was assigned a sponsor, we sent a picture of the child along with a letter with information on this child. In Alicia’s case we also mentioned her disability, which could easily be seen from her picture. Because of the financial needs and because we did not want a child to feel rejected, we never told a sponsored child that they no longer had a sponsor. We kept them in the program until such time as we could reassign them. This is what we did with Alicia. To our complete shock, Alicia’s new assigned sponsor returned our letter, along with Alicia’s picture. The explanation was that this person wanted to continue to sponsor a child, but wanted a child that had no disability. I remember crying as I read this cold and heartless letter. In Matthew 19:14 (NIV) Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”  Jesus did not say: Just let the healthy and clean children come to me, no, He said: “Let the little children come to me.”  We quickly reassigned Alicia to a more compassionate sponsor.  Yes, we sent this person another child to support, not because we wanted to have such an uncompassionate person as a sponsor, but simply because so many of our children needed financial assistance. This situation taught us several things. First, we had to forgive that person and pray the Lord would change that heart of stone to a heart of flesh. We further understood the need to be more compassionate and tolerant of those around us who are not exactly like us. Mostly, it made us more aware to look for and help the children that maybe someone else might reject.  After this unpleasant incident, Alicia was always top priority for us. We always did our best to make her feel loved and special. We spent nine years working with the children in that shantytown and this little girl was with us until we had to leave the area.  We did not leave because of the lack of poor children to help but because of the lack of a safe location to meet with the children. In that area, no local church was willing to lend us their church for three hours every week. To this day, when I think of Alicia, I remember her beautiful smile and how much joy she brought into Roger’s and my life.

In Mark 2:17 Jesus said:“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.”

Thank you, Lord for all the other Alicia’s you have placed on my path over the years! Always keep my heart full of compassion and love for those who are not exactly like everyone else.

 

 

An angel sits on a bumper

“For He will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways...”

Psalm 91:11

One of the first shantytowns where we introduced our TLCCM children’s program was in Colonia Cerro Colorado #2, in Tijuana. It sits high on a hill. A single lane dirt road was the only way up and down the hill. For a few years a local pastor gave us access to his church to hold our weekly children’s services. His church was at the bottom of the hill. After our church service we fed the kids sandwiches and juice and gave them groceries to bring back to their families. Because our weekly service was on Friday, the kids needed to get to school. The school was at the top of the hill. As soon as they kids finished eating, Roger would load up the van with as many as 25 kids inside, not necessarily legal, but effective. The bigger kids would stand upright one next to the other at the back of the van, and the smallest ones would sit on the benches. School bags would be stacked under the little one’s feet. Sometimes he would have to make two trips up the hill to get them all to school on time. Afterwards, while I got our stuff packed up to go home, Roger would make another trip up the hill to take the moms home along with the bags of groceries the kids had received. On one occasion, we had two ladies from San Diego who came with us. They had come with us on numerous occasions. They enjoyed the kids singing and they loved to help give out groceries. For safety reasons, we always left our purses and passports in the van, which was kept locked. But, one day, one of the ladies forgot to properly close the passenger side door. Roger locked the van, without noticing that the side door had remained partially opened. Our purses were in full view of anyone passing by. Meanwhile, we had our worship time and bible study lesson with the children. About 45 minutes later as I went outside to retrieve the sandwiches we had for kids, I noticed a clean-cut older man sitting on the bumper of an old, abandoned car.  He was facing the side of our van. He smiled and lifting his hand he said: “Hermana, did you know that the side door of your van is open.” Panic immediately filled my heart as I rushed to the side of the van. To my great surprise our three purses were still sitting on the floor of the van, just the way we had left them. I stared at this man in what I would say was a mixture of shock and amazement. He smiled and said: “I have been sitting here watching your van, making sure nobody would steal your purses.”  I looked at him in complete disbelief and said, “thank you”. I turned around and walked back towards the church.  I called Roger, so he could come and meet the man sitting on the bumper. Within a few seconds, we were back outside, but the man was gone. We looked down the dirt road to see if he was possibly walking back home, But no. He was just gone. I had never seen that old man before and I never saw him again. In Tijuana, most older men are poorly dressed, and they also are not usually clean looking. Because of the emotions and knowing I had just been in the presence of an angelic being, I had to lean on Roger’s arm because suddenly, I felt like my knees were going to buckle under me. Looking at each other we realized the Lord had sent an angel to keep watch over our van and possessions while we ministered His Word inside that tiny little church. Robbery is a common occurrence in the shantytowns. Vehicle doors and windows must be locked otherwise stuff quickly disappears. The Lord’s hand of mercy for us that day was extremely precious. His faithfulness is beyond understanding, absolutely beyond understanding! My version of Psalms 91:11 for that day was: “For He commanded His angel concerning Roger & Denise, to guard them in all of their ways.”

This angelic encounter happened to me, and it can also happen to you. That is why it is important to remember Hebrews 13:2: “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.”

Denise

From one princess to another princess!

A graduation dress from one princess to another!

I have the privilege of having six beautiful granddaughters. Each one is a precious princess. Over the years, I attended several graduations ceremonies. Graduation is a special event that confirms the dedication from the part of one individual to demonstrate their desire to further their education to reach specifics goals and desires for their life. Because I have been a missionary in Mexico for so many years, my grandkids have heard many of my experiences with the children in Tijuana. I often mentioned that because of the poverty, many young girls never graduate from high school. I also talked about that young Mexican girls have a special celebration when they turn 15 years old. This celebration is called a “quinceañera”. Even, the poorest of the poor, families find a way to make that day a very special. My princess Chanelle heard this story and it touched her heart. One day when we were visiting her family, she came of her room with her graduation dress on a hanger and said: “Grandma, could one of the girls in Tijuana use this dress?”  Immediately I answered yes! “Then, here grandma, take it with you when you return to Mexico”.  Her face radiated with compassion and the satisfaction that another young girl could use her graduation dress. Chanelle had no idea that Wendy, one of our young girls, was going to be 15 years old just a few months later. Her family had no money to pay for the expenses of celebrating her “quinceañera”. I took the dress with me to Tijuana. One day, I invited Wendy and her mom to my apartment and shared with them how the Lord had used my granddaughter Chanelle to provide a dress for her special day. They were both very excited, but as I brought out the dress for them to see, tears flowed down their faces. The color and the size were perfect. They asked me to keep the dress in my closet because the dust in their shack would quickly ruin this pretty dress. Now, Carlos & Liz, Wendy’s parents would be able to give their daughter a “quinceañera” celebration. Tender Loving Care Children Ministries, founded by Roger and I in 1992, bought her some “cinderella” looking shoes, earrings and a made to order cake. Other people in her local church helped with decorations. One of our workers fixed her hair and make-up. I was sitting in the church when her dad accompanied her down the middle aisle. Carlos was beaming with pride and Wendy looked like a beautiful princess. When people asked where she had bought her dress, she replied, I did not buy it, it was a gift from a young girl in Canada. On that day I was so proud of Wendy, so proud of Chanelle and so grateful for the Lord for providing a very special need using my sweet granddaughter to provide this beautiful dress for one of my young, beautiful but poor young girl. It proves beyond the shadow of a doubt that each one of us can be a blessing when we set out mind to be a blessing. 

     Meaning of compassion:“ Feeling or showing sympathy and concern for others.” 

This BLOG is dedicated to my granddaughter Chanelle.  

 

 

 

Discover the secrets God has for you!

 

In Ephesians 4:18 we read:“They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.” 1 Corinthians 2:9 says:“However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love him.” Those who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus are like those described in Ephesians 4:18. They are spiritually blind, they are ignorant of the things of God or of what God can and wants to do for them. They ignore or do not realize what Jesus has already done for them on the Cross. In some cases, it is due to ignorance of the Word of God. In other cases, they are people who have been so terribly hurt that their hearts have hardened. In their trials and sufferings, they have become hard, they have become bitter. They do not recognize the love God has for them. CindyTrimm, a Christian author says: “Don't stay in the dark like an exile from the good life God has for you. Do not be among those who perish for lack of knowledge.” In Hosea 4:6 we read: “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.”  Let us not be among those who perish for lack of knowledge but let us be aware of what God has for us. The Lord has good things in store for you and me. He has many blessings, He provides, He keeps us from danger, He gives us His peace. Most of all, He gave us salvation through the blood of Jesus. But it is up to each one of us to discover what He has that is specific for us. By following God's specific instructions for our lives and filling our minds and hearts with the things the Bible tells us to do, we discover all the good things God has for all of His children. God has a plan for each of us. So, what the Lord shows me to do or what He does for me will not be what He will do for you just because He has specific and individual plans for me and specific and individual plans for you. I love what the bible says in Jeremiah 29:11:“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” This verse is for you as much as it is for me. If you are listening, He is speaking to you. He will give you many possibilities for your life, He will open doors that you never thought possible could open for you. And at times, He will absolutely move you out of your comfort zone. If you have a dream or a desire to serve in the Kingdom of God, pray and seek His face. He will show you what to do and when to do it. He may also surprise you. That's what He did with us. For several years Roger & I prayed for the Lord to use us. And when He showed us what to do, it was a big surprise to us. We had thought of different things we would have liked to do but being missionaries in Mexico was not on our list. The Lord first spoke to Roger. When my husband shared what he felt in his heart that the Lord had told him, immediately it spoke to my heart, and I was in complete agreement with Roger. I had a peace and even though this call was unknown to us, I knew we were IN GOOD HANDS. WE WERE, IN THE HANDS OF THE LORD. He took care of us for 18 years as missionaries in Tijuana. Since 2008, after Roger died, the Lord continues to take care of me. What God has done for me; He will do for you. But, you must study His Word, you must pray and seek His face and above all, you must be available. Permit me to repeat 1 Corinthians 2:9:“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love Him.” Discover the secrets God has for you! Stay positive, don't compare yourself to anyone else, because God has a specific plan for you, and only for you. It's up to you to discover what is His specific plan for your life. Jeremiah 33:3 says: “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

The Lord keeps and protects you; He listens to you; He hears you. So, pray and listen. He has precious blessings for each one of you.

And this is how you will discover 

the secrets God has for you!

Denise

 

(All scriptures quoted from the New International version)