VOB News January 2012

Happy New Year Friends.  We hope your Christmas and New Year with your family was blessed.  Our’s was, as was our drive across the country!  Yes, we drove again, nearly 5,700 miles round trip!  We have done so quite a few times now, and though many find it hard to believe, the time goes rather fast.  There is so much to see in this great country of ours. And of course, we enjoy one another’s company, having also celebrated 19 years of marriage during this holiday season.  We consider ourselves blessed.

“I believe that as we bring worship and compassion to the poor, God wants us to help them not only with their physical needs, but also with a ministry that brings change and healing to their mindset; a healing of their self esteem, and a restoration of the dignity of heart that comes from knowing they are created in the image of God….As we draw the poor into a life of intimate worship and fellowship with the Lord, He not only takes people out of poverty, He takes poverty out of the people.” [D.W] 

During our holiday break we received a few phone texts from our ministry partners reporting on how the Christmas festivities and outreaches were going in Tijuana.   It is always bittersweet to be away during Christmas as we do not get to participate in the passing along of the toys and gifts that we collected for the children and others.  However, we smile anyway, knowing that the kids are also smiling.  We realize how grateful they are without having to be present to see it.

Referring to passage Luke 4:14-21, “ Proclaiming the whole gospel, then, means much more than evangelism in the hopes that people will hear and respond to the good news of salvation by faith in Christ.  It also encompasses tangible compassion for the sick and the poor, as well as biblical justice, efforts to right the wrongs that are so prevalent in our world.  God is concerned about the spiritual, physical, and social dimensions of our being.  This whole gospel is truly good news for the poor, and it is the foundation for a social revolution that has the power to change the world.  And if this was Jesus’ mission, it is your mission, and it is the mission of the church.” [R.S.]

It is good to be able to step back and reflect on what it is that God has called us to.  The holiday travel was a good time to do so.  During my rest time, I (Wayne), read from a book I received for Christmas entitled, “The Hole in our Gospel” by Richard Stearns, President of World Vision U.S.   Some of the quotes in this letter are from his book so that we may reflect on them together.  I have been further inspired, as well as further challenged.  Perhaps you will be as well.

“Some people have even described a ministry of compassion as a discovery of Jesus sacramentally present in the poor in a similar way that He is present in communion… Often, the presence of Christ is deepest and strongest among the people and in the situations where we are least comfortable.”  [D.W.]

I also read “Kissing the Face of God – Worship That Changes the World”  by Dale Walker, Pastor of Heart for the World Church and HFTW Ministries missions organization. We quickly discovered in this book, that it beautifully weds who we are, concerning worship and compassion, and how we want to represent VOB.  You will see a couple of nuggets quoted from Dale’s book as well.

Referring to passage Matt. 25:31-46, “…the sheep had acted in tangible and loving ways toward the poor, the sick, the imprisoned, and the vulnerable, while the goats did not.  Those whose lives were characterized by acts of love done to “the leasts of these” were blessed and welcomed by Christ into His Father’s kingdom…..Let me take some liberties in this paraphrase.      - For I was hungry, while you had all you needed. I was thirsty, but you drank bottled water.  I was a stranger, and you wanted me deported. I needed clothes, but you needed more clothes.  I was sick , and you pointed out the behaviors that led to my sickness.  I was in prison, and you said I was getting what  I deserved.”  [R.S.]

We are eager and excited to start this new year.  We look forward to seeing what the Lord wants to further do with worship and compassion for the lost, as we continue to be HIS ‘Voice Of the Bride’.

Love Wayne & Carol

p.s. Carol has received several worship invitations both here and in Mexico.  Please pray for anointing, clarity, protection and guidance.

VOB News December 2011

Non-Perishable Food Drive

 

Merry Christmas from Voice Of the Bride!  We have had a wonderful BUSY month spreading the cheer of giving and remembering Christ the Gift!  Non-perishable food drive, Toys collected, your sponsored V.O.B-A-Gifts, Medical outreach and more.  

Photos and read more here!

We led worship at the Medical Outreach.

 

VOB News November 2011

Thanksgiving Reflections of 2011!

It is Thanksgiving night, and as I read many words of thankfulness from one friend or another on Facebook, I ponder our thanksgivings at VOB.

 It has been an exciting year, full of many things to be grateful for.  As we reflect on those things, you are a priority on that list.  We are grateful for your partnership with us.  Without you, we would not have had Wayne now being able to pick up food full-time, 7 days a week.  We would not have been able to deliver countless truck loads of bread, pastries and canned foods.  We hope that in some way, you can reflect on your own participation in helping us put shoes on little (and big) feet one week, while delivering mattresses and clean sheets the next. How about 400 tortas and 80 gallons of water each week, for the homeless living in the Tijuana aqueducts?  Although you may not have been able to hear their sincere thanks, and see the grateful expression on each face, we gratefully reflect, knowing we have a team of partners behind each satisfied smile.

 What a blessing it was to have a team of “text intercessors” who were mobilized to cover us in prayer, each time they received our text, as we crossed the border (some 150+ times this year).

 Perhaps you participated with us this year, either here, or in your own prayer closet, worshiping and interceding over the nations, as we launched, a new worship initiative interceding for Japan after the earthquake, as well as the many critical issues in the Mid East.  Also,  another targeted intercession time for the U.S. and for Mexico, and the many problems that continue to arise with the government and drug cartels.

 You probably get the idea.  We are thankful for you.  We are grateful for the opportunities to share Christ, by both communicating, as well as  demonstrating the Gospel.

 One last prayer request to wrap this year up:  We are participating with our Mexican partners, in holding a large outreach event in Tijuana, Saturday, December 3rd.  Carol will be leading worship, and others will be sharing testimonies.  Along with our regular feeding of people, there will also be a medical team to care for medical needs, including dental and eye care. We are expecting to have a thousand people in attendance to serve.  We will give you the full report next month.   Hope your Thanksgiving was great!

Love Wayne & Carol

p.s. If you haven’t already, check out the post below this one to look at some Christmas gift ideas with V.O.B-A-Gift.  Perhaps share it with a friend. If you would like to provide a gift in honor of someone, we need your reply by Dec. 15th, in order to return a Gift card to you.  Otherwise the gifts that keep giving can be designated at anytime.  We are also collecting toys and non perishable food, locally, for the holiday season.

VOB News October 2011

V.O.B-A-Gift this Christmas Season!

“Back to school for the kids and with new back packs filled with school supplies! Thanks to your support!”

As Christmas approaches, we thought we would invite you to participate in something new this year.  Many of you are familiar with what we call, ‘catalogue gifting’.  A mission organization sends out a catalogue with various ‘gifts’ you can give toward.

We would like to offer you the same opportunity to donate this year, through Voice of the Bride, with an offering of various ways you can help our Mexican brothers & sisters in need.  You may choose one of any of the following items you like, and contribute towards that need.  In doing so, you will be helping to provide for many very poor families, and/or individuals, and to those we are ministering to on a weekly basis.  As hearts are softened, through needs being met, more openness to the Lord Jesus comes through. [READ MORE FOR FULL DETAILS]

VOB News September 2011

Vicente with van load of Papaya's

How many folks does it take to move a van load of papaya’s?

Or how about, how many people does it take, to move the same load of papaya’s multiple times (i.e. on the truck, off the truck, on another truck to distribute at the outreach, etc.)?

Let me tell you, it takes many good, and faithful helpers! In TJ, we call this process “hormega” or ‘Ant’, as it takes an army of ant workers to move a pile from one side to another.

We are so grateful to have such a wonderful partnership with our brothers and sisters in Tijuana. Actually, it really ministers to me. I have realized how amazing it is to be surrounded by like-minded individuals, who work together for the cause of the poor. The obvious blessing, is that the work goes so much faster.    The greater blessing, however, is the unity.         Click here to read the whole story.

VOB News August 2011

Sure, kids like to go bare foot in the summer time. 

But for some kids, it is not just an option.

For the lone, young boy in this photo, the soil in his colonia, makes bare feet an unhealthy option.  We were thrilled to get more shoes from soles4souls.org and HilariousGivers.org to distribute in Mexico.  All of the kids and adults who got new shoes were most grateful. I sure wish you could experience their smiles like we do. But thanks to you, and your support of this ministry,  for making it possible!  

Click here to read more:     VOB Newsletter August 2011

VOB News July 2011

The feeding line of nearly 400 people each Thursday morning. They get a sandwich, oranges, toiletries, and a bag of clean water to drink.

“Sitting in the back of our pick-up truck, on a metal folding chair, several hundred men, a few women and children, all along the dirty aqueduct which the Tijuana River flows through, seems like a weird place for a worship setting.  What, no fancy building?  No polished furniture or excellent sound equipment?  Nope.  Just hungry people, waiting in line for a few oranges, a sandwich and some toiletries.  Or at least that’s what they THINK they are waiting for.  What they actually GET, is  the love of GOD in the handshakes, the prayers & the stuff handed out.  And what I hope they REALLY get, is the peace that passes all understanding, as they walk through the atmosphere of worship which flows out of the back of that pick-up truck!”

Click below to read more.

VOB Newsletter July 2011

VOB News June 2011

“Visitation”

Our friends David & Hilary Overton, missionaries in the Philippines, were here visiting us recently.  We all went down to Mexico with Wayne, on the day he helps with an outreach to those living in the aqueducts of the Tijuana River.  We also went to take food to an elderly home, where over 100 people live, and an infirmary, where up to 15 people with severe medical issues are cared for.

 For some background information, understand, that when I say, ‘elderly home’, or ‘infirmary’, or ‘rehab’, I am not talking about something that looks like 1 of these places here in the States.  These are usually run by ministries and/or individual people like you & I, who have a heart for these situations, & start something.  There is no government support, no local community support, no extra funds, no regular distribution of monies or food.  These places often rely almost solely on the provision the Lord provides.   The outreach to the aqueduct dwellers, is headed up by a lady in Mexico, who had it on her heart to feed the poor who live behind the levy doors.  She, and a few others, make sandwiches, with bread provided by VOB & Surrender Ministries (Greg Rosa, VOB partner).  We also provide toiletries & oranges, and the group makes them & gives this all out every Thursday morning.

 So, Wayne, myself, David & Hilary show up for the outreach, with food packed for the other locations, and set about to help the group down there in giving out food.  We shook hands with the 341 people who showed up, prayed for them & helped hand out food. As I stood along the line of mostly men, many of whom are addicts, I just started singing in the Spirit.  I immediately felt the presence of the Lord in such a hugely powerful way.  And then, the Holy Spirit came flooding back into my memory, of the first ever experience I had with the power of worship, some 20 years ago, before I could even play a guitar.  As I was singing, I heard one of the guys sitting there, ‘shushing’ his friends, and saw out of the corner of my eye, that he was pointing to me.  The Holy Spirit reminded me that, when we worship, no matter how simply it is done, the presence of the Lord comes & people are changed.  The atmosphere is changed.  People who may have, not the slightest moment of peace, suddenly DO feel peace & want to be changed.  I realized that we have a chance to change the lives of, at minimum, 341 men & a few women, each week with, not only a dignified way of treating them, a sandwich, some water & toiletries, but also, thru the powerful presence of the Lord in worship.

 As we moved on to the elderly home, helping to give out pastries, pray for a few, and just shake hands with & smile at many people who are generally forgotten, I began to feel a little guilty for not being a person who shows up every week.

Campomento de Fe (Camp of Faith)

Once we got to the ‘Camp of Faith‘, I was overwhelmed at different times, with the needs of these men who have zero money to go to the hospital & get, sometimes simple operations.  One man broke his back over a year ago.  One man got hit by a car a couple of months ago.  One man broke his arm, and, with no money to get the needed surgery, his arm is now useless, since the hospital did not reattach the tendons & ligaments, but only partially set the bone.   A man there started crying as soon as Hilary & I touched him to pray for him.  He could not talk due to a tracheotomy & was so miserable, we think he wanted to die.  He kept talking of heaven. Most of their needs would have been ‘fixed’ in the U.S., but not in Mexico, where you must pay before you can receive medical care.  We did pray for them, because that is all we could do.

 As we left that day, I felt guilty again, but the Lord quickly showed me, that just showing up & worshiping or praying for someone, or even just listening to their story, brings a great light (THE Light) into their lives.  How would I feel, if I sat day after day, with no one to visit me, then suddenly someone showed up to just visit.  I think I would be so happy.  Food for thought for all of us. -Carol

Be sure to listen to the Radio interview with Wayne on Prophetic Underground Radio about the Mexico missions.     Just click on the play button in post below!

Radio interview with Wayne on Prophetic Underground Radio

Radio hosts Steve Maddox and Brae Wyckoff of Propheticunderground.com interview Wayne about the Mexico ministry. Click on the play button below to listen.
play

VOB News May 2011

From time to time, we have people who visit with us & go down to Mexico to experience or participate in what VOB is doing.   It is refreshing for us, to see through the eyes of someone else, the work which we are doing.  It also refreshing, and most encouraging to get feedback from those who go down & participate with us.  We thought you might be encouraged too! Jesus said, "If a person is thirsty, let him come to me and drink." John 7:37 “Going into Tijuana with Wayne and Carol,  was an experience that truly reminded me just how much Jesus loves HIS people all over the world.  It is easy to forget that there are hundreds of nations all over the world with men, women, children, drug addicts, elderly, and orphans, literally going hungry, and living their lives in physical, emotional, and spiritual brokenness every day.   But the wonderful part of this apparent sadness, is that God has called each of us, in our ways, to “loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke. To share our food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter; when we see the naked, to clothe him” (Isaiah 58:6-8).  When we start to look around, we realize that there are people going through the same situations all over the world. There were many times during our day in Tijuana, that I though I was back home in Cebu.  It made me remember the magnitude of need in our world. The need for Jesus, a Savior. The need for the most basic of needs:  food, water, clothing, and love. The need for proper health care. The need for a helping hand to start a new life in victory over addiction. The situations we saw in Tijuana, we see in Cebu, and in millions of people across our world at the very same moment in time. I can’t help but dream of a Church united, that is meeting the needs of people, just like you and me, and people in Mexico, and the Philippines, that Jesus may be known in every tribe and tongue and every individual’s heart. We have a great task ahead of us and yet Jesus makes it so easy for us. Feed the hungry. Clothe the naked. Loose the chains of injustice and then “light will break forth like the dawn”.   I love how Jesus is so practical! These are fairly easy things to do, and yet they bring light and life and healing to individuals, and to nations. This is what I saw as we ministered with Wayne and Carol in very practical, necessary and powerful ways,  to bring Jesus’ hope to TJ.   It’s challenging and inspiring for all of us, no matter where we live.  We can all find ways to share food, to clothe the naked, and help to provide shelter to those in need, keeping in mind that it’s not for our own self to boast, but that Jesus may be known in the hearts of those we reach. Carol & David hand out sandwiches. What I appreciated most about our day in Mexico,  was the dignity that was shown to each individual.  Before feeding a very long line of 341 hungry people, many of whom are addicts,  we went through the line and shook hands with each one.  It wasn’t about just meeting their physical need in a quick, in and out fashion, but it was recognizing that there is an individual with a life story, who is valuable to this world, and to the Kingdom of Jesus.  And that deserves more than a handshake and a sandwich! And, wonderfully, amazingly, awesomely, Jesus knows each one by name. I only wished my Spanish was better!   But language barrier or not, I was truly honored to shake hands with each one of these men (and a few women). You just never know who you are shaking hands with! Someone in that group could be the next Billy Graham, and go on to do greater things than even Billy Graham did. And that’s really exciting. It was truly a joy and an honor to spend the day in Tijuana with Wayne and Carol and their ministry. Jesus is truly doing an amazing work through them and their team in Mexico. Thanks for letting David and I be a part.” -Hilary Overton “Right across the border from one of my favorite cities, San Diego, there are desperate situations in Tijuana.  It is easy to hear Elderly home with 120 residents of these situations in the news and then go on with our busy lives.  Fortunately, for the people of this border town, Voice of the Bride is not forgetting about them.   We had the privilege of going into Mexico when we visited Wayne & Carol to see firsthand what VOB is doing. We went across the border in Wayne’s truck, which was filled to the brim with bread, fruit and other donations that would be distributed to various shelters and orphanages.  As we traveled to some of these shelters, I will never forget what we saw in one.  It was a home for the elderly, and as we walked through the gates we were greeted with the warmest of smiles, the gentlest of handshakes, and the greatest of needs.   As we walked into the kitchen with the shelter director, he showed us the shelf for food and bread – there was only one bag of bread remaining.  One small bag of bread.  There were more than 120 people in the shelter, and only one a few pieces of bread.  We brought loaves of bread from the truck for them to use and then we took out one box of pastries and handed them to all of the people there.  I felt a little guilty turning one elderly man away, who was claiming that he did not receive one, yet the crumbs around his mouth clearly said he did.  I wondered when was the last time this man felt “full”; or did he feel “hungry” all of the time. David communicating beyond words. We continued to walk around until a man caught my eye. He looked Asian, and, since I live in the Philippines, my curiosity was sparked.  I approached him, and after devouring his pastry, he began to speak to me in a language that I still cannot identify.  I listened as best I could, and the shelter director shared that they thought he was from Hong Kong.  I tried saying hello in as many Asian languages that I know how to say hello in,  however he either could not hear or understand me,  or he spoke another language.  He talked to me for 10 minutes.  I didn’t understand a word, but I sat with him and listened to him. As we were leaving, I turned to wave goodbye, and saw this elderly man starting to follow us out, thinking that he could go with us.  My heart broke as I told him he needed to stay – in English – knowing that he wouldn’t fully understand my language.  As we drove away, I realized what a desperate situation this man faced, living somewhere that he would neither understand nor be understood. These situations are everyday life in Tijuana – one bag of bread to feed hundreds, clothing yourself in rags to keep warm, sleeping on the street or living in a country where you neither understand nor can be understood by anyone – all just 30 minutes from San Diego. We were unable to fully communicate with everyone, however everyone, including my Asian friend, did understand the language of Love and the Gospel of Jesus – to feed the hungry, to welcome a stranger, to clothe the naked, and to care for the sick and broken- hearted. This Gospel is the daily work of Wayne and Carol, VOB & their partners in Mexico, and I was honored to be a part of it for one day. In addition to being a part of that one life-changing day in TJ, my wife Hilary and I are committed to monthly financial support for VOB and empowering this amazing work to continue. Jesus calls each of us to feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, care for the sick and broken hearted, and preach the Gospel – Voice of the Bride is doing all of these things and they need your financial support to continue their work. Today you have the chance to be a part of this amazing work and make a difference in TJ!”  -David Overton ”Missionary to the Philippines” David and Hilary lead an incredible ministry to the poor in Cebu, Philippines.  They started and have maintained for over 8 years a free maternity and health clinic for the needy in their community.  Glory Reborn Clinic, a staff of 30+ has delivered over 2,000 babies and touched countless lives of families in need.  Please visit their site www.gloryreborn.org and see how you can sponsor a mother, a child, or a family.

VOB Mexico Ministry Documentary.

I Love TJ Campaign

Friends from the Tijuana Aqueduct outreach.

These men live on the streets, under bridges and in the Tijuana River sewer system.

The music is called “Deportation,” by film composer Gustavo Santaolalla from the movie “Babel.” A fitting song, as many have lived in the US and Canada before getting sent back here.

Filmed and edited by Dean Krueger

deankrueger.wordpress.com

“I’m a cinematographer, writer and director. I’m passionate about using the power of story to change the atmospheres of theaters and audiences around the world.”

VOB News April 2011

This month I got to hang out with my good friend, Peter.  He and his wife, Nikki, have been a great encouragement  to us and  our work in Mexico.  Peter was down from the Northern California area with his son, a high school senior, and his annual school (Kings Academy) building trip to Tecate, Mexico.  Each year, this group of 400+ come down, and build multiple houses for families in need in just over 3 days.  It is wonderful to see a ministry group continuing their commitment to Mexico, inspite of  any recent concerns about crossing the border.  This time, 19 small houses, and a school building were completed.  It truly is a sight to see all of these young people, and their leaders,  who take their spring break to come and be a blessing to others.  They stay in tents on a local ranch near the building site.  This sea of tents, 100 in all, in the middle of a huge cow farm industry, is another site to see.  It is like an invasion of gringo’s here, to help our neighbors, south of the border.  VOB benefited from this group, in that I was in the right place at the right time, when they were discarding some tents for one reason or another.  But I quickly knew that my buddy Vicente would have those tents up and useful.  And within a couple of days (see photo) one small family was happy to have the tent to live in as it better suited their present needs.  Imagine that?  The look on the boys faces was priceless.

While connecting with Peter and his group in Tecate, I also got to connect with my new friend Ken LaPoint.  Ken started the “Mi Casa Children’s Home” in Tecate where we (Peter, I and a group of men) put roofing shingles on the new dining hall last fall.   But if you also remember, this is where I delivered the 50 mattresses for the bunk beds.  I wish you could have seen the smile on my face and my relief at getting to sleep on one of these donated mattresses for 2 nights.  Sleeping in a tent does not fare too well with my body these days. God Bless the teenagers who loved it!  I love Ken’s heart and most of all, his long term vision for the children and families he is connected with in Mexico.  I also look forward to a long term relationship with Ken and Mi Casa Children’s home.  We see this facility as a great place to accommodate future VOB mission teams.  I love how God networks his Body together.  Again meeting Ken was through my friendship with Peter who I met while working for Desert Stream in Kansas City.  Don’t you love stories like that?

One last fun story:    While in Tecate, we were out, picking up some needed supplies.  After parking my truck, and walking across the parking lot, I hear, “Wayne Wayne”.   I look, but do not recognize the man, so I keep walking and figure, who would know me in Tecate (a little east of Tijuana)?  But the calling does not stop, and the caller reaches me.  It was Rudy, whom I truly did not recognize, as he went on to explain that he got bread from us on Tuesday nights for 2 years as a drug addict.  He goes on to tell me that he ended up at a Christian rehab and had been clean for 3 months.  He had 1 more month to complete his discipleship.  Again, I wish you could have seen the beam on Rudy’s’ face!  His was a brand new face, that was truly unrecognizable.  He was a new man!

UPDATE:    Our first “WorldWide Intercession Plan” worship & prayer event was held on March 26.  Our prayer ‘target’ was the Middle East, in particular, all those nations with uprisings going on.  We also prayed for Japan, in light of the recent earthquake & devastating tsunami, as well as the nuclear power plant breakdown.  The evening went well, with many prayers going up for these nations.  This is the first of what we hope will be many, many such events.  We have another scheduled this Saturday, April 30th, targeting California & Mexico with worship & intercession.  We will be praying & worshipping & asking the Lord to come & bring His Kingdom into our state, as well as our neighbor, Mexico.  We know that prayer changes things.  We hope to be a part of changing the world for the Kingdom of GOD.

See  www.ipcprayer.org  for a 21 day (April 15th-May 5th) prayer guide for Mexico.

Carol and the band at the 1st Worship and Intercession Prayer Initiative.

VOB News March 2011

Outreach: We had nearly 200 brand new shoes donated this past month.

If you ever wondered how much fun it would be to drive a “shoe mobile” and find feet to match...IT IS! The smiles on these faces tell it all.  The shoes found good homes among the children in many poor colonia’s as well as some of their parents.  The shoes were also nice gifts rewarded to many men and women who are working hard on their own rehabilitation.

There may even be more shoes to come!

Click here for many more Shoe Mobile Day photos!

 

Worship!

If you read last month’s newsletter, you know it was focused on worship being a priority.

This month, we would like to announce a new addition to Voice of the Bride, called WorldWide Intercession Plan!   This new endeavor, is focused on bringing together worship & prayer in a format designed to bless nations, people-groups, missionaries, and whatever else the Lord should call us to focus on.  Our first ‘mission’ will be a worship & intercessory event, here in San Diego, on behalf of situations in Egypt, Libya, Israel, and the Mideast in general.  In light of the ongoing tragedies on Japan, we will also be focusing on praying for, and worshiping the Lord, over  that nation.  We believe that prayer rides on the wings of worship, and we KNOW these nations & the peoples living in them, need our help in both a tangible (giving) way, as well as a spiritual (praying) way.  Please join us, wherever you are, on Saturday night, March 26, from 8:00pm (pacific coast time) until 10:30 pm and pray for these nations/situations.  The time is critical.  (you can pray for us, as well, as we move forward with this new ministry opportunity).  THANK YOU!

If you live in Southern California and want to attend, the venue is:   East County Prayer Center  737 Main St.  El Cajon, CA 92020

Reminder corner:

We hope to gain some additional monthly supporters for this next year. Let us know if that is you!

VOB News February 2011

“ ..and when He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb,having each one a harp & golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints…”  Rev. 5:8

In this passage in the Book of Revelation,  worship is represented in one hand (the harp representing worship & music) and prayer is represented in the other hand (the bowls are full of incense which represent the prayers of the people of GOD).   Often, in our prayers, we pray, ‘Lord, let Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, here on earth, as it is in Heaven’.  But what IS going on in Heaven?   According to the above passage, there is a distinct correlation between worship & prayer.  When we pray, GOD answers our prayer  (not always in our timing or according to our wishes, of course, but He always answers and He is ALWAYS good!).    When we worship, GOD inhabits our praises and He comes and fills the room with His presence.  (Psalm 22:3)

Prayer seems to flow more easily out of worship.  Probably because we get ourselves into a more appropriate attitude as we worship.  The cry of our heart often comes out during worship, like no other time.  We seek the heart of GOD.  We sing about Who He is.  We gain revelation about Him.  We cry out.  He hears us.  He answers.    It’s a simple flow that yields complex results.  As we ‘do’  the activity of Heaven, which seems very clearly to be worship if we study Revelation, we are now, in reality, being the answer to that very prayer mentioned above about bringing the Kingdom of GOD here on earth.  And when the Kingdom of GOD comes, all kinds of cool stuff happens!

 

Most people, whether they follow Jesus or not, have some understanding or idea of what prayer is.  Studies have shown that people in hospitals, who receive prayer, seem to heal faster.  You, yourself, have probably seen untold answers to prayer over the course of your life.  It is a valued and worthwhile endeavor to pray.  Some people even seem to have the gift of prayer, and they simply love the act of praying.  We pray for our family, our friends, our jobs or schools, our country, or the world in general.  We pray for missionaries.  We pray for people groups.  Many people are praying right now for the situation in Egypt & in the Middle East, as things become even more volatile.  We have asked you to pray for us, as we minister in Mexico, regularly feeding the poor.  Prayer is vital to our walk as Christians.  Worship is equally as vital to our walk as Followers of Christ. The Old Testament is particularly full of passages on the importance of worship!   When we put worship and prayer together, a powerful force is unleashed upon the earth.  Try it sometime!  Put on a favorite worship cd, or a cd of favorite hymns.  Sit and ask GOD to direct your prayers. Or grab your guitar and play some worship tunes…or improvise however you need to.  If you’ve never done this before, you will be amazed at the renewed depths your prayers will go, and the sense of ‘mission’ you’ll feel has been accomplished when you are done.  If you HAVE done this before, you might want to refresh yourself in it.  There are few things I do where I feel so satisfied.

May the Lord guide us in accomplishing HIS will in this day and in this time.

GOD bless you as you become a worship and prayer ‘missionary’.

 

Could you please add these requests to your prayer time:

 

1. please pray for a developing VOB vision to launch worship and intercession for the nations as described above.
2. please continue to pray for protection and safety in ministering in Mexico.
3. also please pray for Wayne’s physical health to keep up with the physical demands of the ministry.
4. praise GOD, we have had an easier time in getting food (though still limited to non-produce) across the border! Although this could change at any time, (please continue to pray) this is a HUGE answer to prayer!

 

Also, just as we have asked you to pray we also like to offer PRAISE for answered prayer!  It has been over a year since Wayne quit his job and focused on the Mexico mission full time.  God has supplied our need and we are grateful for those of you who committed to being part of the provision of that need.   Many of you are monthly supporters, and one of you (back home) has consistently supported us since we embarked on our full time ministry journey in 1996.  (you know who you are – thank you!). Perhaps this year, some of you may be able to commit to monthly support.  Any amount helps build our budget for Wayne to remain full time.  Again your partnership is vital both in prayer and resources!

 

New Video on Facebook page I Love TJ

Check out our Facebook community page for a couple new video’s from Christmas outreach and feeding the homeless in TJ.        Go to  www.facebook.com/voiceofthebride and click on the photos and videos!

VOB News January 2011

Homeschooler assembly line = nearly 500 bagged socks and 150 personal care packs.

So grateful for the extra help to pull this off!

For our Christmas give away this year, instead of winter hats, we bought over 1500 pairs of socks.  Our dear friend Julia Cecil offered her son’s homeschool friends to help prepare the red gift bags for women and green for men.  We also made more personal care packs for those living on the streets of Tijuana.  So everyone got 3 pairs of new socks at our Tuesday night outreach, the aqueduct outreach, the elderly home, and the infirmaries.    We also had a successful toy drive – where every kid got at least one toy.  Photo’s to come perhaps next month.  Thanks for your help making this all possible!

 

Everyone living in the aqueducts got fresh clean socks.

New socks for the Elderly home residents as well.

(above) We were donated new mattresses from a cruise ship overstock.  VOB delivered over 200 twin mattresses to children’s homes, rehabs, and families who either had no mattress or in dire need of a better one

(below) My buddy Vicente built a bunk bed (for the mattresses) for the boys of one of our adopted families.  They have their own bed to themselves now.  We bought them new sheets for Christmas to go on their new bed! Wish you could have seen the smiles!

Donation of Croc shoes for the kids. 400 pair! Thanks to an LDM contact with Carol D.

 

Facebook Community Page “I Love TJ”

TJ is the nickname for San Diego’s neighbor city of Tijuana. It is also the first letters of the words Truth and Justice.
I Love TJ is a group for those who want to see Truth and Justice in Tijuana. The Truth is that it’s not right that our neighbors are suffering from poverty. It’s not right that people live in fear from cartels and corrupt government. It’s not right that people are dying for lack of medical care.

Justice would mean more than enough food to meet their needs, a warm home and freedom from oppressive politics and environment. Basic needs, yes. But for many a difference between life and death.

When Jesus was asked to define neighbor, he told the story of a man robbed by bandits and left for dead, and the string of people who avoided Truth and Justice. On this group, you can follow the ministry of Wayne and Carol Kiger-Rice, as they feed the poor and the orphans, or more simply as they love TJ. In this way, you are showing your love for the poor and the broken in TJ. Wayne and Carol are living their lives finding and helping neighbors who need help.

I love TJ. Or as the locals would say, “Me Gusta TJ.”

Click on link below to check it out:

“I Love TJ” – Facebook community page.

VOB News Nov/Dec 2010

Happy Hanukkah and a very Merry Christmas!

from Voice of the Bride Ministries! 

Saint on a mission ... carrying his Watchman on a wall! Isaiah 62:6 “I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence,”

 

Over the last couple of months, I have been doing something I have never before done on a horse.  I have been riding my young ex-racehorse, SurfLine Saint, up to the border wall, between the U.S. and Mexico, and praying.  The ranch where I work and board Saint, is right at the U.S/Mexico border.  Riders can take a trail right up onto the ‘mesa’ and see long, beautiful views of the Tijuana River Valley, the Pacific ocean, and all the way to downtown San Diego on a nice day.  But our mission is  something else.  The amazing thing is, “Saint” is a very young horse that I have been training for some time, with much difficulty.  He is not all that brave when it comes to leaving the ranch.  But ‘prayer-riding’ is something I really felt strongly about doing, and, with the location we are in, I just prayed that he would calm down so that we could take on this prayer assignment.  The first day I rode him up to the border wall, I was amazed!  Saint seemed to know that he was on ‘royal business’, as one friend called it.  He was perfect, and seemed to take very seriously what we were doing.  I know it sounds odd, but it was as though he knew he had to behave because he was carrying someone doing important business.  He never took a wrong step, or even flinched when something scarey presented itself to us!   I felt the presence of the Lord as I sang His praises out into the hills and mesa.   As I sang over the city of Tijuana, and the nation of Mexico, these simple words came to me: “Pour out Your Spirit Lord, Pour out Your Spirit Lord, Pour out Your Spirit each day. Pour out Your Spirit Lord, Pour out Your Spirit Lord, Pour out Your Spirit on TJ!!!!!” Each ride has revealed something different to pray about.   I will tell you, I don’t think I’ve ever done anything so wonderfully fulfilling on a horse.  And I am very thankful for my ‘prayer partner’

I have continued to make regular trips up to the border, and hope to continue to do so.  Thank you for praying for VOB, and helping us carry His presence to others.  And remember, if even a lowly horse can do a mighty job to further the Kingdom of GOD, why can’t you?    Carol

I wanted to thank those of you who responded to being added to my text intercessors list.  I also wanted to share how much it has meant, having you cross the border with me each time.  Some of you reply immediately, and that has been great  (one friend often replies “ten four”), and many of you have expressed how much more involved you feel.  I had not actually expected to enjoy it, personally, as much as I have.  I mean, I knew that it was important to have more praying, specifically, each time I cross the border.  But I had no idea how much it would impact me knowing that each of you knew when I was crossing.  Though I am never alone with Jesus, it is also comforting knowing that you also are thinking, and praying of the adventures that await us.  I am also convinced that great favor has come out of the extra prayers you have spoken on my behalf, and the mission at hand.  Some really great things have been accomplished this month which we will have to wait until next month to expound upon.    Wayne

 

p.s. it is not too late to join the text intercessors … just let us know.

VOB News October 2010

Hitting the highlights this month . . .

We collected donations, via Facebook , for Children’s Illustrated Bibles available through a contact with Last Days Ministries. LDM got a case of them donated for free! Thanks Carol D. The children loved them.

Wayne connected with VOB partner Peter K. and his men’s group from Northern California who traveled to Tecate Mexico to shingle a new roof on a children’s dining hall.  It was great fellowship, great fun with the kids and a long lasting blessing of a shelter from the sun and rain.  We also gave each kid a new pair of shoes – thanks to VOB supporters.

Check out the video in the post below of these children singing.

Peter with a boy who made his way around to each of us for a hug. Touch can be taken for granted sometimes.

We created, and continue to create care bags for those who live on the street.   A VOB partner and a neighbor of ours’ (both travel for work), supply us with multitudes of hotel bathing products!  These items, matched with donated toothpaste and an online bulk purchase of toothbrushes, turned a little bag of love, into a large blessing, to souls in many desperate situations. Thanks Peter S. and Christy W.

We are grateful to serve in Mexico and grateful for you on the home front!  We would like to beckon you for one small, yet important task.  A good missionary friend strongly encouraged us to make sure that others are praying for Wayne’s safety in Mexico.  Safety, as well as  border official hassling, does make for a trying trip across each day.  We thought there might be some of you who would be interested in getting a text from Wayne when he (along with his angels) is about to cross the border,   so you can agree “yes Lord”!   If you are interested  (and able – as we just got new phones and entered the world of texting)…just let us know if you want to be added to the group.   Let’s cross the busiest international border in the world together!

Roofing project in Mexico this month.

Photo’s from Bay Area Men’s group team (click here)

More photo’s (Click here)

A video of kids, from a local orphanage we visited, performing a song in english (click here)

VOB News September 2010

Mary, Wayne and Greg gathered to pray for Angelica along with her family in their home.

The Karen Fund….. you may remember, is a fund we set up last year, in memory of Karen, a young girl who died due to an untreated medical problem, which her family was unable to afford.  Since then, VOB has worked to help provide relief for the medical needs of those we minister to, as they arise.  The “Karen fund” has been able to cover emergency root canals, taxi rides to the hospital for a young girl (story below) to receive chemo treatments, and help with burial costs for another recent and sudden death.  Our friend, Adrienne, was 32, and had a sudden intestinal rupture a  couple of weeks ago.  Due to his impoverished circumstances,  emergency treatment did not come quickly enough.  He was a dear and humble brother, whose smile never went unnoticed.

Angelica is the 11 year old daughter of our very good friend Vicente.  She had a tumor develop rather quickly, on her forehead last year.  She was able to begin immediate treatment for cancer, because Vicente has family that lives in the U.S., and can provide some financial help for his family.  Both Vicente and his wife, Lupita, work very hard out of their tiny home. They accommodate us on so many levels, helping to store the food we bring down, as well as helping to distribute it at various times during the week.  We love this family and stand with them in agreement for Angelica’s healing.

Below is a personal report from a recent visitor. She is a VOB supporter, former board member, and, well, we just call her ‘Mom’.

“On my recent trip to San Diego to visit my son, Wayne, I was able to see how much he hustles to pick up food.  He has wonderful connections with several organizations which give food. I was privileged to go with him to pick up this food.  After the pickup, he returns home, checks the food to be sure it really is ok, and then organizes his trip across the border.  I also saw, first hand, how Wayne has to declare his goods at the border, and has to wait around for the agents to get to him to check him thru.  Truly a servant of the Lord.”

“One family I met, in particular, greatly impacted me.  I really enjoyed being with Vicente, Lupita and their four children. Their oldest daughter, Angelica, has cancer.  I felt a very close connection to her because I survived cancer in 2003.  The whole family was wonderful, but little Angelica felt sick, and we could tell.  We stayed at the house a little while, and gathered around her, and prayed for her.  After I returned home, Wayne informed me that she had to be put in the hospital because she needed blood.  Wayne said that, in Mexico, if a person needs blood, it is the families’ responsibility to rally volunteers to donate blood to the blood bank. They are required to do this, in order to replenish blood before it is given to the patient.  Angelica  was in the hospital for a week or so.  Wayne keeps me posted on her condition, as I desire to help this family in any way I can, because of the impression made on me while visiting them.”

“My prayer is that Wayne and Carol can find a place to store all of the food donated to them. They need storage.  Right now, he is using their garage, which is not enough room. Therefore, he sometimes goes to Mexico twice a day!  He truly does not want the food to go bad.  On Tuesday night, I joined Wayne and Greg as they gave out food to a whole host of people who know and trust them to bring food every week.    The people all appear to be so grateful.”

“This is just a touch of what I saw this August, 2010.  Needless to say, I am a very proud mom that her son and his wife want to serve the Lord.  ‘Thank you Lord, for all your provisions.  We just love You so much.’  Please pray for Wayne and Carol, and for Angelica.  God Bless you!  Mary”

VOB News August 2010

Hit the Ground Running…

This update is dedicated to Wayne’s grandmother who, as a faithful woman of God, received her reward this month in heaven.

That is what I have been saying to myself all month.  And the busier the month got, on went the running.  We have some prayer concerns that we wanted to ask you to bend God’s ear on.

First I want to share what an honor it was for me to be by my grandmother’s side when she breathed her last breath.  For those of you who prayed that I would make it to NC in time, I thank you.  It was a privilege to spend a couple of days with her before her passing.  It was also an honor to deliver her eulogy, though hard to summarize the faithfulness of a 97 year old saint.  Our family will miss her dearly and we will need to up the anty on a prayer warrior loss for VOB.

I returned from North Carolina, along with my mom. She had an already planned visit to see us and tag along on some VOB missions.  Many of our friends and ministry partners in Tijuana loved meeting her.  I know it means a lot to them that someone would come down and visit while on vacation, just to be a blessing.  In turn, they were a blessing to her.  You may hear from her next months newsletter!

VOB is what I like to refer to as, “on call” for what sometimes is a daily pick up of food (yesterday marked 13 days in a row).  We have connected with a local mission which provides food and various needs to the massive homeless population of downtown San Diego.  This mission, appropriately named “God’s extended Hand,” receives donations from many resources, including the San Diego Rescue Mission.  When they have more (particularly non-perishables) than they can move quickly,  they call me.  I then sort the truck load, and attempt to properly store items, until I can run them down to Tijuana.  Sometimes an immediate delivery is necessary.  Although I am most grateful for this provision, it has been hard to determine a consistent schedule each day.  Thus, I need your prayers for my ability to plan accordingly, as well as for favor in managing my time.  And please, just as when we pray, start your prayer first with THANKS for the abundance, because we ARE so thankful!

A final, and current concern for prayer, is regarding a new difficulty we are having with Mexican Customs.  More specifically, with Mexican Agriculture Inspectors known as the “Sagarpa”.  As you may remember we have not been allowed to declare fruit for 8 or more months now.  Remember the huge truck loads of oranges we were getting in just before? This is due to a concern about the potential problems of a fruit fly epidemic.  Well, the concern now, is over a moth that may pose a  potential threat by coming in on vegetables brought INTO Mexico.  We are working closely with the Sagarpa, regarding this concern.  But, as of now, we are being told we can no longer bring produce of any kind into Mexico.  This is a huge upset, as not only do we desire to get important nutritional food to the poor, but it comes at a time when we are experiencing an abundance of donated produce.  At this point, I am limited to only taking small, undeclared amounts of food in multiple trips across the border.  This ban only applies to produce being brought in through the non-commercial declaration side of the Mexican border entry.  Therefore, the ban only applies to those bringing in donations.  We are looking into what it would mean to be recognized as a commercial exporter of produce, recognized by the Mexican federal government.  This is what we are told would give us greater favor.  Basically the government wants paperwork which documents where the produce originates, and how it was managed.  The irony is, most of the donated produce we get  first originated in Mexico before being imported into the US!

Thank you for beckoning the Lord on our behalf and on behalf of the poor, once again oppressed by red tape!  I am encouraged by a quote we found jotted down in my grandmothers night stand:

“The Lord has been good to me, whenever I have any worries I go to Him”.

VOB News July 2010

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep,

so that you will not grieve as those who have no hope. 1 Thessalonians 4:13

A scripture that has come to us many times this season…a scripture quoted recently at a dear ministry friends’ memorial who, like a couple of other ministry friends in recent weeks, has gone too soon.  These friends are gone too soon for those here on earth who will miss them dearly, and who struggle with understanding why.  I guess, as you know, it is harder on those of us who are left behind.  However, we are encouraged in scripture to rejoice in their home going.  For we, unlike others in the world, have hope in eternal life.

In addition to these 3 ministry friends we also have known 3 close friends who each lost a parent recently.  Though these parents may have lived life a little more toward its fullness, being prepared to lose someone is never easy.  I, myself, have my dear grandmother on my mind each day.  At 97, she is likely in her last days here, as her body is tired and responding less to earthly substance and she most likely has her eyes on her Savior.

How do we prepare for grief?  How do we comfort those who grieve?  Perhaps there are some around us who do not fully grasp having “hope” when losing a loved one.  Thankfully, all those mentioned above knew the Lord and met their awaiting King.   They all had faith that they would someday meet Jesus, and they had great hope in that knowledge.  As Believers, this is something we look forward to.

Many of us often look forward to Heaven.  Particularly when life is hard, times are tough, the state of the world seems in such dire straights. But we press on and know that our present duty is to tell as many around us of His grace and His free gift of Salvation that extends eternal life to every soul.

We had the opportunity to do just that at a recent Tuesday night outreach in Tijuana, when addressing the group that had gathered to receive their bread.  Yet another passing in the prior week,  of a dear friend and helper,  just an hour or two after the outreach, gave us reason to exhort the crowd.  Raquel (pictured in last update below) had been a faithful helper in distributing food with us each week. She collapsed from a heart problem due to prior drug abuse and, although her life was redeemed and her passion was serving the Lord, her frail body had run its course.  Raquel loved serving her community and as we reminded them of that we encouraged them that, like Raquel, our days are numbered and life on this earth is not guaranteed.  But a new eternal life in Jesus is promised if only He is made Lord of their lives.

So, just as we did at this past weekends memorial, we gather with others to remember a loved one who has passed.  We rejoice in their completion of suffering for those who were sick.  We remember their mark on our life and attempt to make a difference in others lives based on their influence.  Though we are saddened, we are thankful for having hope and therefore able to grieve in a way that says “bye for now…until we meet again” And as I posted on my Facebook status this week, “Heaven has yet another good one up there!”

VOB News June 2010

We dedicate the post below to Raquel, one of our helpers for the past 3 years,

who went to be with Jesus just an hour and a half after our Tuesday night outreach

was over this week.  Her heart had suffered some abuse from former drug use

and she had high blood pressure.  Raquel loved helping us serve her community

and she will be deeply missed.

“ ….your work of faith, and labor of love,

and steadfastness of hope in our

Lord Jesus Christ….I Thess. 1:3

I’ve been reading  I Thessalonians of late, and Paul’s description of the life of the Thessalonian people who were following the Lord really stood out to me.  The  people who Paul was speaking to, were not Jewish, and they did not live in a Jewish culture.  They suffered great persecution as followers of Christ (one GOD), living in a very pagan city, where multitudes of deities were worshipped.   Daily, as they went about their business and social lives, they were confronted with the reality of doing good and remaining faithful to Jesus in a very hostile environment.  Paul was honoring them for their steadfastness in the faith, as he wrote this encouraging letter to the friends he loved so dearly.   His words made me ponder our own circumstances and ministry in the Lord.

There are days (and nights) where I watch Wayne drive long distances to pick up large loads of bread, or produce.  He is faithful to go out many evenings a week to pick up donations from a local bakery when they close at night.   He goes out to meet people who may have clothes or toys to donate.  He gets up early to start a long day of both picking up and delivering food to ministry partners and needy facilities in Tijuana.  Truckloads of food are loaded and unloaded several days a week.  I watch as I see this labor of love.

I know of families who are weekly ministered to as stories are told and prayer administered to those who have lost loved ones, or are in physical pain or financial need.  And I see a work of faith being discharged through VOB and ministry partners, knowing that one plants, another waters, but GOD brings the harvest.

Sometimes when you’re passing out food to the hungry and needy, you never know how a person receiving a loaf of bread or a bag of tomatoes might be touched.  In fact, you may never even see that person again.  But this is also a work of faith and carries with it,  the steadfastness of hope in knowing that the Holy Spirit is touching hearts, causing people to come to know Christ.  As someone shares the Gospel in spanish on the Tuesday evening outreach,  hope rises up, knowing that the word of the Lord will never return void.

And so we pray for these three things:  to be faithful, to have love, to be steadfast in hope.  We pray for these things for you too, as you carry out your day to day relationship with GOD, laboring in love, being faithful and carrying with you the steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ….  May the Lord bless you this month.  And we thank you for YOUR faithfulness, love, and steadfastness toward us and Voice of the Bride….

May the Lord bless you today and give you great encouragement.  Love Carol & Wayne

THANKSGIVING:

-more resources for food, including refrigerated goods such as milk, meat, salads.

-a more suitable vehicle for transporting these goods

-continued networking with new ministries and the sharing of resources to extend the Kingdom of GOD!

-provision!

PRAYER:

-a refrigerator for storing perishables.

-warehouse space that would be a good space for worship events as well.

-safety (as always)!

VOB News May 2010

“Hilarious Giving” was Pastor Lee’s sermon title one Sunday morning at our church in NC,not long after we were married.  Of course this message stemmed from the scripture;

“So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity;

for God loves a cheerful giver” 2 Cor. 9:7

The word ‘cheerful’ in the passage above is ‘hilaro’ in the original Greek. We loved this teaching and if I remember correctly, laughter broke out in the congregation and lingered every time hilarious giving was discussed (I still have that sermon cassette tape somewhere). Though I had already learned principles of tithing, and the discipline of doing so, from then on I loved the concept of carefree and generous giving.

Fast forward 16 years or so, and guess what the name of an organization VOB has recently aligned with for getting food to the poor in Mexico?    Hilarious Givers!  That’s right! And what hilarious joy it has been.  I found myself smiling and chuckling all day today as I delivered the first truck load full of nonperishable food that we have had the privilege to deliver.  As you know we have had bread, various sweets, occasional fruit and more often produce.  But today, along with these usual items, we carried in dried soup mix, rice and protein meal packs, bottled sport drinks, bottled Muscle Milk, canned tomatoes, jarred sun dried tomatoes, nut snacks, dried fruit (fruit ban at the moment prevents regular fruit from crossing) candy bars, cookies, vitamins and even a case of bar soap.  It actually was quite hilarious wondering what the Aduana agents were going to make of it all.  But above all, it gave glory to God because it is in HIS name that we GET to give.

HilariousGivers.org collects overstock nonperishables. Remember those dinged or mislabeled canned goods?  Those are collected as well, but by the semi truck loads!  These items are stored and then matched with other groups, such as ourselves, who are able to carry it into Mexico to the various needs.  And get this: these items are donated exclusively for the poor in  Mexico!  What a great, great blessing.  So our garage has now become a VOB storehouse week to week, as things are dispersed each day with trips to the border.  We are realizing that a real storehouse may be a coming need for VOB.  Would you join us in praying about that?

You Tube video – VOB News April 2010

This month we wanted to just bring special attention to our blog and invite you to surf around it some. We have a brand new slide show uploaded on Youtube for you to enjoy.  There are many things that you may not know about. For example, you may find it interesting how we came up with the name VOB, or realize that we have Carol’s worship CD’s available with total proceeds toward the “Karen Fund” for medical needs in TJ. Or perhaps there are archived newsletter’s you missed or would like to review again; such as why/how we returned to San Diego as detailed in the April 2007 post. Simply scroll down to find the post entry of interest. Other things to click around on are: outreach photos, video from one of the orphanages, links of other ministry associates, worship articles by Carol, Paypal link for donations and CD purchases, and blog visitor comments.

We so appreciated the VOB article featured on Last Days Ministries website last May – that’s a great re-read. Our blog has been a wonderful tool to expose what we are doing to a wider audience and we think that you may appreciate it as well.   Thank you to all of you for your valuable partnership with us!    Love Wayne & Carol

VOB News March 2010

With all of life comes dichotomy (the division of two contradictory groups). Pertaining to this weekend, Jesus was tried and crucified on what we call Good Friday.   A horrible death, preceded by a mock trial.  Devastating for all who knew Him.  But three days later, He arose from the grave, triumphantly overcoming death on behalf of us all who now know Him.  A huge victory, coming on the heals of a seeming defeat.   Much of life is like that.  We all struggle with pain and suffering, some things in life going so badly, while other things seem to be going quite well.

For VOB, this last month has seen the lessening of bread coming from regular sources, only to find more bread from other, new sources.  As well, the border crossing issues have been better, only to be turned around completely one recent Monday.

In light of this,  we thought you might find relevance and encouragement in a story from our personal life.   We always enjoy reading something personal from missionary friends and others we know, so this is ‘that’ for us today.  We hope the story below will bring encouragement to you, as you face the ‘dichotomy of life’.  And by the way, just keep remembering that, ultimately, Jesus over came it all for each one of us who choose to accept Him.  Blessings upon you!

“There is nothing too great for God’s power,

and nothing too small for God’s love.”

This quote is from Dutch Christian Holocaust survivor, and well-known missionary, Corrie Ten Boom.  Her family, during W.W.II, saved many Jewish people from death by the Nazi regime, and she certainly understood trials, both large and small.

I recently read the quote when a friend posted it on Facebook.  I ended up reposting it to my own status, as it spoke to me quite deeply in our current circumstances.  I thought I would share this very personal story with you this month, in hope that it might speak to you as well.

To some, my particular circumstance, will not seem like a big deal.  To others who know me well, you will probably understand exactly why this situation has been so difficult.   But either way, the implications of a GOD who loves us, and is intimately involved in every detail of our lives, continues to be a revolutionary and awesome revelation.

About a year and a half ago, we were blessed to be able to adopt a little dog from a local rescue I do work for at the ranch where I train horses.  This little dog brought a tremendous amount of joy and happiness to our home, because she is such a bright little personality, with so much joy and exuberance.  In fact, she is probably one of the happiest dogs I have ever seen. This, in spite of the fact that she was abandoned by the side of the highway, completely matted and filthy, tied to a shopping cart and left for 3 days before being rescued.

We named her Franki June, ‘Franki’, after Francis of Assisi, who loved animals and loved the poor, and ‘June’ because we got her in June.  She has become a real companion for me, as I travel back and forth to my job, quite a distance each day, keeping me company while I work, and bringing real joy and laughter to all of us at home, including rescue parrot, Gabriel!   I found myself being extremely thankful for Franki, because Wayne and I both love dogs so much and because she is just so happy all the time!   As time went on, I kind of felt like the Lord was speaking to me to pay attention to Franki’s ability to just ‘get on with it’, and be joyful and not dwell on unimportant issues.  Mind you, the Lord has always spoken to me personally thru animals, so this is not surprising to you if you have been around for awhile!  He has, on numerous occasions with the horses, revealed Himself  to me via one thing or another concerning the horses.  So I took this to mean I should pay attention, because the Lord had a life lesson for me thru Franki June.  I tried to be obedient.

In February, right before Valentines’ Day, Franki began to get sick.  At first, she simply became uncoordinated.  We thought maybe she had an ear infection.  But the uncoordination quickly progressed to an inability to stand, walk or hold her head up very well.   Thru the vet visits, foxtails were discovered deep in her ear, and removed.  These are nasty little plant-like spurs that go in, open up and don’t come out.  We hoped this would be the end of it, and indeed, she did get better.  Then she regressed again, only much worse this time.  She could barely move, and our happy little dog became almost completely incapacitated.

Through a series of vet visits and tests, it was determined that Franki had something called ‘Inflammatory brain disease’, a disease of unknown origin and somewhat unknown prognosis.   The vet did not have much information to offer us, but put her on medication for swelling of the brain, and we brought her home to try to nurse her back to health.

Nursing Franki back to health meant, basically, round-the-clock care for her every need.  When she could hold her head up pretty well, we were so glad.  Then she could stand up on her own, with some effort.  Finally, she began to be able to walk again, and has now regained the ability to get water on her own, play a bit, and even go on short walks.  She is still unsteady, & more so when tired, but we continue to pray for her progress, and that our ‘happy little dog’ will once again, be that same, exuberant, ‘let’s have a good day’ personality we have truly come to love.

So it was during the 24-hour care portion of this last 6 weeks, that I read Corrie Ten Boom’s quote above.  It was during a moment when I was struggling with what I was doing,  what was happening and what the outcome might be.  I had enlisted several close friends to pray for both us and Franki, and I was very grateful that they were doing so.  But it was still so hard.  When I read this quote, I felt a breath of fresh air, because I was reminded of how truly powerful the Lord is, how He can do anything, and nothing is too difficult for Him.  Not only that, but He is intimately acquainted with every little detail of our lives, down to the very hairs on our head. (Lk.12:7). He says that He takes care of the littlest sparrow, and how much more important are we to Him!  So I knew, and was reminded once again, of how this seemingly insurmountable problem that Franki had, was “not too great for GOD’s power” to fix.  And I knew that Franki, a little, ten pound rescue dog, not regarded with much value in the eyes of the world, but so deeply loved by us,  was one of those, “nothing too small for GOD’s love”.

So in this crazy, chaotic and mixed up world we live in, no matter what walk of life you are in, no matter what your own personal struggles are, no matter the burdens you carry for yourself, your family, the nation, or the lost, please remember, in those trying times (and there are so many), truly, “there is nothing too great for GOD’s power, and nothing too small for GOD’s love”.   I am standing on this for myself, for you, for Voice of the Bride, and for Franki June.   Thank You Lord……We hope you have a wonderful Easter season with your families!  Happy Resurrection!

p.s.  please pray for Franki June

“are not five sparrows sold for two cents?

And yet not one of them is forgotten before GOD”.

Luke 12:6

VOB News February 2010

Photo of the Statue of Liberty transposed over the San Diego Bay

The New Colossus

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

with conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

a mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame,

“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she

with silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

The poem above, by Emma Lazarus, is inscribed upon a bronze plaque on the interior of the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty.   I have always been intrigued by its wording “..give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse … send these to me!” What a prophetic message similar to Isaiah’s “…bind up the broken hearted to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound…”

No matter how one views illegal immigration, it is hard to see what we see every day and not respond in some small way to help those in desperate situations.  Such as Frank who, after being deported, has now overcome his drinking problem but remains separated from his family in the US where he spent most of his life.  Or Juan, who was 2 months old when his parents brought him to the US and now living in a culture and language that is foreign to him, birthplace or not.  Maria had a green card for most of her adult life, working for a family in their home, taking care of their children while she raised her own kids who were US citizens.  Maria returned to Tijuana to take care of her sick mother before 9/11 and was not permitted to return to the US afterwards.  Recently she asked me to call her son for her, as she was worried about him, and wanted him to know that she was fine.  Maria, for reasons unknown, died 2 days later.  My second call to her son was certainly more difficult!

I am reminded of a friends observation while participating in our street outreach with the many deported immigrants, when she commented “setting all aside and making the lives of these strangers a little more bearable with kindness, a little conversation, and some food”.

February 2, 2010 (San Diego AP) – A statewide report on immigrants released this week reveals that 23% of residents in San Diego County are immigrants—and nearly half (45%) of those immigrants are citizens. Of all children in the region, 43% have at least one immigrant parent. These and other intriguing findings are based on data collected in the 2005-2007 American Community Survey from the U.S. Census Bureau.

VOB News January 2010

¡feliz año nuevo! January 2010 Happy New Year!

1400 lbs is a lot of Vitamin C

We thought it to be important to start 2010 with updates and answers to your prayers for 2009.  It is so easy to ask for prayer, a little more difficult to be diligent to pray, but often overlooked to give praise or credit to prayer.  We do not want to overlook what God has done with your praying responses to our requests.

One reoccurring theme for the past several months has been favor at the border with the Aduana’s (Mexican Customs).  Though I could not really tell you that a complete parting of the sea has happened, something has occurred with those request made that “obstacles be removed for caring for God’s treasure – the poor”.  Some of this change occurred over our willingness to jump through every hoop with each customs requirement presented to us.  This included our needing to be more willing to cross the border at certain times versus only when our schedule allowed. (yet how can we do this? Details below!) But overall, our persistence with your standing behind us, and the Lord who delivers the oppressed ahead of us – His Kingdom has prevailed.  We have not been refused entry, nor have there been any new requirements in recent weeks.

We have asked you to pray for the past 2 years that something would work out for Wayne to be a full time missionary to Mexico.  God is good and He, through you, has provided over recent months, that extra funding which has provided a budget for Wayne to do just that!  We are very excited about this new endeavor for 2010!  So, as described above, we are now able to make daily trips across the border if need be.  Today, one of the local wholesale produce distributors donated 2 bins of oranges. Tomorrow another 2 bins, plus 25 boxes of tomatoes.  Being able to undertake this large of a donation on a regular basis is certainly an answered prayer.  I have also been linked to another potential connection for large quantities of rice, beans & other nonperishable items.  I will have to keep you posted on that outcome.  But it looks very promising.

2 truck loads of oranges "Naranja's"

Flatbed of oranges 2nd load "Wow!"

We store donations here at this families home in TJ where they help us prepare to distribute it.

As I resigned from my position at my job with MHS, I was assured that both my program and a sister program would like to remain in contact as an ongoing resource for the people of Mexico.  Already I have returned to the office for donated baby items and clothes which were designated for Mexico.  It is a real blessing to have these former coworkers who provide services to families in need here in San Diego, desire to also help abroad.

We asked you to pray regarding our having a mercy fund for medical needs as we become aware of them.  As of now, we are accepting designated funds for such, but also look to explore possible grants available for foreign medical missions.  Just the other day, someone at Carol’s work told us of some medical supplies she would like to donate. These will be taken to the Camp of Faith in Tijuana, where the very ill are cared for.  In my most recent visit there, Vicente and I prayed with an elderly man who was severely depressed and suicidal.  He had 2 broken ankles from a first attempt to end his life jumping from a high roof.  He had bandaged wrists from a 2nd attempt, and, in a third attempt,  had taken a piece of glass to his throat just the day before our arrival.  As we prayed and loved on him, he accepted the Lord as his Savior, and invited Jesus to help him. I sensed that he was able to receive grace and acceptance from the Lord.  Vicente’s recent report was just that!  The man is now full of life, in high spirits, and is also helping others sick at the camp.  Also, to update you, the “Ancianos” returned to their elderly home, El Refugio, after damage from the fire had been repaired and restored.  They are also getting a new moble missionary nurse, whom I have been in contact with, who will serve full time between both El Refugio and the Campo de Fe.  Their basic needs will be well looked after and cared for!

Lastly, we recognize that our ongoing protection in Mexico, our good health, and debt free finances are all attributed to you, our faithful partners in prayer.  We are grateful for continued prayer regarding these same things, especially as we now walk the full-time ministry faith walk.  Also, as a bonus could you pray for Wayne’s increase in spanish to be muy rapido (very fast)!     Gracias, Wayne & Carol

VOB News December 2009

Merry Christmas Friends and Partners!

 

Maybe it seems cliché to say, but I can’t believe another year has gone by.  It seems like just yesterday that we planned our holiday travel to end sooner than usual, in order to be sure and not be in the air or out of town for Y2K.  And here it is almost 10 years later!  

 

I believe that this years activity with VOB, contributed to a fast paced year of  “time flying…having fun”.  And fun it has been!  We have seen so many things progress in the area of collecting food donations and networking with others who have helped provide for so many needs.  Thanks to many friends, local churches and home groups, we are building a community to bring awareness and promote serving our third world neighbors.

 

We are grateful for the produce company’s who think of the poor before throwing away fruit and vegetables that  don’t move fast enough in the business world.   These make a great treat to many who can’t afford  nutritious food.  Remember I mentioned having fun?  Well you should have been around when we distributed 2200 pounds of watermelon in Mexico one afternoon, right out of the bed of our truck!  

 

A sudden fire at one of the elderly homes forced 134 residents to be set up in emergency shelter housing in an old drafty dance hall.  But the response from various organizations around Tijuana, brought more attention to these overlooked elderly than they would otherwise have ever known.  This includes the reunion of an elderly man, who was suffering from dementia.  He was reunited with his family, whom he had wandered away from 8 years prior.  His family spotted him on the TV news, and he was quickly welcomed back into their home.  The same thing occurred with 12 other residents whose families were unaware of their current state of need.  It is not uncommon in a large metropolitan and crowded city like Tijuana, for many families to be separated (amidst the chaos) if even only by short distances.  VOB got to deliver a shopping cart full of “Depends” due to a spontaneous and quick donation! (thanks Jay & Facebook)  See last post for photo’s of the fire.  

 

Our Tuesday night bread distribution outreach has seen attendees nearing 200 at times, proving that hard times are being felt around the world and not just in our own households.  Unfortunately, some challenges with the border officials, as we have reported before, have made it difficult for us to transport the quantity needed to meet the needs.  But we are gaining some favor and the work has not been thwarted!  (continued prayers please!)

 

Really, there are just too many things to mention in a short Christmas letter.  But we did think that you would be interested to know that this Christmas season, VOB was able to collect over 150 toys for the kids in TJ along with an undetermined amount of clothes for their entire families.  And again this year, winter hats for everyone at the street outreach, which as already mentioned, meant 200 to wrap!   Worth each smile worn on every face!

 

We appreciate you, our faithful partners, as we end 2009 and begin again in 2010. May your Christmas and New Year bring abundant blessings from Jesus, and hope to your hearts.  Thank YOU!

 

With much love,  Wayne & Carol

Fire at Ancianos (elderly) home in Tijuana.

A recent fire damaged an area of the home that required all 134 residents to be relocated. There is a great need for food, clothes, blankets, and adult Depends to care for these displaced at this time. Thanks to the Lord they were all spared in this fire…. but need to return to their home as soon as possible to be better accommodated.

Click here for photos of fire damage

VOB News Oct-Nov 2009

During this “Give thanks” season we wanted to express thanks for the growth VOB has seen in our work in Mexico.  We have seen more people coming to get more bread.  This gives us a greater opportunity to reach those whom the Lord loves. We are continually thankful for the abundance of bread from Panera, and goodies from Starbucks. We are thankful for all those who have prayed for us in the last year; for health and protection, and for all the fruit that has been borne because of these prayers. We are thankful for more people who have come on board with VOB, helping support what is being done for the poor in Mexico. These include our new partnership with Last Days Ministries (we were so blessed by the wonderful article they did on VOB), and for others who have taken interest in VOB both through inquiries, and thru actually coming here to participate with us.   

 We were privileged to host a few friends from Kansas City for several days in October.  They have a wonderful ministry to the poor in KC, and we have experienced the good work they do in that inner city.  Having them visit us here in San Diego was an immense blessing!  We thought you might like to hear from them this month.  Thank you to Lisa, Ray, Bill and Lora  ….for coming to be a part of this thing we do, and for being so encouraging!!!  

“The greatest impact on me ministering Christ in TJ, was simply being there, looking into the peoples’ eyes and seeing the need. The need for food yes, but a deeper need to be really seen and known. The Lord is using you and others Wayne,to form relationships, trust, love, confident prayer and physical food. We can send our money and prayers, as well we should, but there’s nothing like really being there and being open to how Jesus wants us to serve. The need is great, but our God is greater.  Keep running the great race of faith brother.”  

-Bill

“The thing that sticks with me is the need of these people … such a huge need! The face of all the people, sick and well, saved and lost. The Face of Tijuana; that is what sticks with me. You are taking in what they need: JESUS CHRIST.”  -Lora

“In visiting the world of VOB ministries with our trip to Tijuana, I was astonished at how many American Mexican deportees there were . Young men and women in their 20’s who were raised in the U.S., and their bout with the law promptly got them tossed over the border with only the clothes on their backs . It was like watching some kind of sci-fi movie and a horror flick combined . I was thankful and amazed as this ministry set everything aside, to, in some way make the lives of these strangers a little more bearable, with kindness, a little conversation, and some food . Thank you Wayne and Carol for all you do.”     – Lisa & Ray

“I am the Bread of Life”  [John 6:48]

And so, as we come up to another Thanksgiving (hard to believe, isn’t it?), we just wanted to thank YOU for being a part of what we do.  Large or small, every gift helps, and every prayer counts.  We could not do this without YOU….and by the way, we are extending an invitation to each one of you, to come out and be a physical part of Voice of the Bride serving the poor.  It’s not hard to do, especially if you live here in San Diego, you can come go with us anytime.  The rewards far surpass the risks.  You might find yourself blessed beyond what you could possibly believe!  And who wouldn’t be thankful for that!!!   Love, Wayne & Carol

VOB News Sept 2009

“That’s a negative…”

The U.S. Border Patrol agent shook his head as Wayne and Greg asked if they could stop just inside the U.S. border line, to hand out food to the Mesticos (indigenous indian people) who were on the other side.  The question came after spending 2 hours trying to get the Mexican custom officials (aduanas) to approve the load of food the guys were bringing in to the poor and needy.  After 4 weeks of jumping thru every hoop imaginable, this particular night the load was rejected.  And the 200 waiting people at the Tuesday night outreach, men, women and children, would not get  bread tonight.    What now Lord?……..

This has been a tough month for VOB in Mexico!  Serious hindrances and obstacles have made bringing food to the hungry a major undertaking, even as more food has become available!   A new thing that the Mexican government has implemented, in an effort to combat corruption at the border, is replacing the Mexican customs officials every 6 months.  Whereas Greg, Surrender Ministries founder, and Wayne’s ministry partner, has had great favor with the ‘aduanas’ for many years, the last two changeovers, have resulted in blocked access, higher fees and many more ‘hoops to jump’ in order to get food to the needy.

The first changeover was difficult, but when officials actually saw Greg on the street giving away produce and bread to scores of people, they realized the amount of food he was bringing in was legit.  So the harassment stopped.  However, about a month ago,  a new changeover occurred and a new head official was put in place.  This man has been bound and determined to make things difficult for Wayne and Greg (while some officials give them favor,  others stand in the way). Arbitrary rules have been enforced, making it difficult for them to know when they can even go into the country with food.   Hour long waits to be cleared, with no discernible reason, has become commonplace. The following gives an example as to what we must wade thru to get food in:

♦ food donations can only come into the country before 3:00pm (time subject to random  changes).

♦ produce MUST be inspected and only between the hours of 9:00am, and 2:30 pm (time subject to random changes).

♦ no clothes, no toys, no anything but food, and only at the right time, in the right amount, and the right  ‘type’ of food.

♦ load must stay under 20 bags of bread…(amount subject to random changes).

♦ load must be no higher than the bed of the truck… (hard to do when you have a lot of bread).

♦ fee charge to bring load into Mexico goes from $5 to $20 depending on who is charging you and when.

♦ a fax ahead must accompany every load, with specifics of load and day of arrival and must be gotten to official office the day before (and hopefully the right person will see it and give it to the next right person).

There is more, but this gives you an idea.  In the past, some of this has been in place, but officials were willing to bend the rules because Greg and Wayne had a good relationship with them, and they were ok with the guys bringing food in later than the stated time.  It would be impossible for them to bring food before 3:00pm in most cases, due to the constraints of both Wayne and Greg’s work schedules.  This has been especially difficult to work with over the  last few weeks, causing a multitude of trips, increasing both time and expense ($20 a night!).

Greg, who speaks excellent spanish, has worked diligently to have an open communication with the man in charge.  He has repeatedly tried to communicate the great need of all those being fed, resorting to asking those they are helping to write letters of recommendation for the officials.  The response, at one point, was that perhaps the guys need to ‘just stop feeding so many people’.…WOW!   While there has been some small progress made in discussions with those in charge, every day is a battle at some level.

“..For our struggle is not against flesh & blood, but against the rulers,

against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness,

against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places”

Eph. 6:12

At the heart of all this, in the natural realm, is the idea the Mexican government has that people try to cross into Mexico and sell food and other items to make money.  So they set certain rules in effect to prevent this.  And of course, the government wants people to buy products in Mexico, not be given anything for free.  But in the spiritual realm, this is definitely warfare.  There has been a huge increase in those being fed every week,  with the Tuesday night outreach now numbering up to 200 each week.   And so, an increase in the warfare involved in getting food to these needy ones.  As a dear missionary friend of ours told us recently, there is always extra warfare around serving the poor.  She called them the Lord’s treasure.   And of course, this sort of thing is quite normal for most 3rd world countries.  While the Mexican government is trying desperately and admirably to stop corruption and all of the drug violence, the effect of that battle, creates great difficulties for those who are trying to help.

Please join with us in prayer this month, to see these obstacles removed, the heart of the main official changed, and the poor and needy continuing to be fed.   As the battle amps up, we are calling out the troops!!!!  (that’s YOU!!)

Thank you so much!!

VOB News August 2009

Remembering Karen . . . 

Karen’s Quinceañera (latin American culture - coming of age ceremony held on a girll’s 15th birthday) photo.

I first met Karen [KA-rin] over two years ago.  She came to us with her mom, and 3 younger siblings. They were in need of food for their family.  My first impression of Karen was that of a pure and gentle heart with a warm smile (the name Karen originated in the Greek and means pure). Karen and her family came each week from then on, to meet us for a bag of bread.  When we prayed with Karen she would often weep as she prayed out.  The Lord was so evident on this young girl.  As the months went on I noticed that it appeared as if Karen was pregnant.  With my little Spanish, and unsure of how to question a then 14 year old if she was with child, I waited a few more weeks until her showing became obvious.

In Mexico, things are very different as I have noted many times, and children do not usually continue school beyond 8th grade.   Families cannot afford the costs as they increase beyond grade school.   Also children are needed to go to work for income to help with the family household.  So it is not unusual for many teens to become involved with one another and begin a family of their own.  I was not sure if this was the case with Karen. But I could not shake my concern that she was 14 and might be pregnant, and that her mom was often altered in one way or another by either drug or alcohol influence.  As we do with many who we encounter each week, we consistently ministered and provided for this family.  

Eventually, Karen gave birth to a beautiful little girl who now accompanied them to the families’ weekly pilgrimage for a bag of bread from the ‘whetto’s’ (Mexican slang word for white folk).  A few months went by and, once again, I was concerned that Karen’s abdomen was growing again.  Still unsure about asking her such a private question, I waited a couple of weeks before I could no longer go without knowing.  After asking, she and her mom quickly responded – “no not pregnant – something’s wrong!”.  Knowing the family would not have any money to have Karen checked by a doctor, like so many in Tijuana, I began asking medical professionals I knew, about possible problems Karen could be experiencing.  Specifically, if there could be a complication from her pregnancy – having delivered, of course, her baby at home.  I was advised about a couple of possibilities, but was unable to find someone who could come and examine Karen directly.  Eventually Karen was seen by a doctor who diagnosed her with a tumor that was growing rapidly in her uterus.  Unable to pay for a surgical procedure, she was sent home.  This is, unfortunately, a case scenario often heard over and over again in Mexico.  As Karen’s stomach grew much to the capacity of the days she was pregnant, she was weakened and unable to come to the street outreach for food.  We learned where her family lived (quite far actually, if traveled by foot), and informed them that we would be happy to bring food to their home.  

One night, Karen was particularly weak, with the tumor stealing all her nutrition.  We scooped her up out of her bed and carried her to the hospital ourselves.  The scene at Tijuana General Hospital was unlike anything I had ever experienced.   Sick people were lying on the sidewalks outside the hospital gates, awaiting acts of kindness or in hopes of a miracle for their physical needs. They are not permitted to enter the gates if it is known that they have no money for attending their needs.  The guards opened the gates upon seeing our truck pull up (common treatment toward Americans who are believed/known to have money), driven by whetto’s.  Karen’s friend walked her inside as we watched, preparing to return to the outreach to dispense bread to those awaiting us.  That was the last time we saw Karen.  

We saw her mom once more, when she informed us that she had to move, as the garage where they were living was being turned over to someone who could pay more, and she herself had decided to enter a rehab.  We did not see Karen that night. But her mom told us that she had only been given a nutrition boost that night in the hospital, and was released again. We lost touch with the family for weeks until this past month. Karen’s mom came to the streets to tell us that Karen had died.  I quickly remembered my thoughts as Karen was escorted into the hospital.  “She is going to die if she does not get help”. My thoughts now became, “Karen died because she could not afford help”. 

Though many needs in TJ are similar and often great, I never want to personally be this close to a situation where I can’t offer greater help.  This situation, and others, is eye opening discoveries particularly with our present health coverage concerns in this country.  We are contemplating a way to create a fund where specific funds/grants can be raised where needs in Tijuana such as these can be addressed.  Please join us in prayer for clarity, to ensure that the “Karen Fund” will never be in vain.

“He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.”

 Proverbs 14:31

VOB News July 2009

VOB Shout Outs!

“From the mouth (and hands) of babes!”

Two large boxes of canned and boxed foods, as well as bags and bags of clothes were donated from a local school!  The daughter of one of our VOB partners’, did a school drive just for Mexico.   The school kids really stepped up when they learned of the needs of children their own age who are less fortunate.  Thanks Bobbie Lynn and Haven for all the hard effort including washing and sorting all the donated clothes.  Special thanks as well, for efforts with potential new resources for donated bread and various foods.

Check out the trophies awarded! (made by David Finch)

Who knows what a cornhole toss is?

Well, I never realized that it was the name of a popular game I see played around the beach area here all the time.  As it turns out, the game is loved and appreciated in the Raleigh Durham area as well.  Recently a Cornhole Tournament  was held to benefit VOB Ministry.  That’s right, a good brother of ours, David (stood with us in our wedding), had been sharing about the ministry in Mexico with his home group and voila, an idea was born.  Thanks guys for an amazing offering, and most of all we appreicate your interest.  We look forward to your support in person…as these guys are planning a missions trip to come join us sometime soon!

Flatbed truck times 2!!!

Truck filled with bread.

The masses.

The kids love to help us!

Recently my dear friend, Peter, who donated the flatbed truck (now used 4 days a week for deliveries to Mexico), asked if we wanted another truck he had available.  Immediately thinking to myself that donations increased when we received the 1st one, I thought FOR SURE!  But please pray with us that my TIME can increase in order to handle the 2nd increase potential.  We, without doubt, want the increase Lord!  Help us be ready!

Coworkers go beyond the call of duty!

Although I work with those who are committed to providing family care through mental health services, these coworkers have also maintained ongoing efforts to bring  bags of extra clothing to be distributed in Mexico.  This has included baby clothes and various baby accoutrements.  One gal said, “ I really like donating this way because I know you take it right to where it’s needed, rather than just dropping it off somewhere where it is decided on whether it can be sold or not”.

Visit your local Panera Bread and thank them for their “Giving Policy”!

We so appreciate and value the commitment of this family owned and operated national bakery, for desiring to bless beyond their paying customers.  We are given a heaping shopping cart full of bread and pastries “baked fresh just that morning” 3 nights a week!

Special thanks to Henry’s Marketplace…

where a conscientious bakery manager makes a special effort to hold the bread for me, working with my schedule,  2 days a week.

Kudos to Starbucks…

where we go to 4 different stores for donated pastries and coffee beans at various times a week.  I recently made a special effort to thank an employee who has consistently individually wrapped each pastry (just as Carol mentioned last month about the Panera Bread employee – remember AwesTruck) that is put aside for me to pick up.  She replied, “I figure if we are going to donate, it should be worth donating!” I so appreciated her careful thoughts and effort.  I wish I could say that all donations are thoughtfully considered that way… but not always the case.

And finally, you know how great it feels to have good spiritual direction and encouragement from your pastor or a mentor in your life? We have that with our Board of Directors and are so thankful for their accountable support emotionally, financially, relationally, and spiritually.  No ministry should be without one!  “Where 2 or more gather!”

And on that same final note, we are so so thankful for those who have sent support recently  (both new and faithful fews) to this ministry.  We are encouraged that we are on the right track.

Thank you and blessings, Wayne & Carol

We also appreciate your ongoing prayers for the following:

♦ ongoing protection  in Mexico
♦ physical health
♦ monthly support for full time
♦ creativity
♦ food resources
♦ some vehicle repairs needed
♦ spanish language growth

VOB News June 2009

Dateline:  May 23, 2009, Saturday night:

I just returned from picking up bread at Panera Bread.   Wayne is in Kansas City this week, so my job tonight was to pick up the bread, and tomorrow, I will be delivering it to Greg, who will then take it down to Mexico.  Although I have picked up the bread from various places with Wayne before, this marks the first time I have done it alone.  And while it is still fresh in my mind, I wanted to share with you what I experienced.

As I pushed the shoppping cart into Panera Bread, I saw a young man struggling to put a box together, which would contain some of the pastries he would be giving to me.  I told him who I was, and he pointed out where the bags of loaf bread and bagels were.  So I dragged them up into the shopping cart (bread is HEAVY, MAN!!), and stood waiting for him to finish up.  He asked me if I wanted the other pastries too, and I told him yes.  As he scooped up the various muffins, cookies and other items, and carefully placed them in bags, I found myself becoming overwhelmed and I even started to cry.  The first feeling that flooded my thoughts, was that all of this food would be thrown out if someone hadn’t been standing there to pick it up.  And the realization (which we continually have, in actuality) of stores, restaurants and bakeries all around the country, throwing out food every single day, just absolutely almost broke me at that moment.  So many could be fed by so little.

The second thought that flooded my mind, was how very, very carefully this young man was packing everything up for me.  You see, oftentimes, the people who pack up the food at closing time, just throw everything in a plastic bag, and whether it has cherries or icing or filling or whatever inside or outside, it all gets dumped into a big mishmash. It gets kinda gross, and sometimes we feel bad about taking it down like that.   We are still really thankful, and we know that the sweets get doled out even in pieces.  But somehow, the care this young man was taking (he was probably 18 or 19) just created a picture of how much the Lord loves us, and how lovingly careful He is about taking care of our lives & our needs.

I asked the young man how many times he had made those boxes, and he said, ‘actually, that was my first one, you can probably tell that’.  I told him that I couldn’t (having never put a pastry box together, I thought he was doing great).  I noticed his name tag, and the name on it,  Awes Truk.

At first I thought maybe it was a Filipino name or something.  When I asked him about it, he said, ‘Awestruck’, and I realized this was something he came up with, himself.  But the thing that stuck out to me, was the ‘T’ in AwesTruk…  He had made it huge, and it looked like a cross…  And when I asked him about that, he proudly told me that, yes, it was a cross.  His smile was so huge when he realized that someone had taken note of that.

Well, “AwesTruk” doesnt’ know it, but the Lord really ministered to me thru his care and humble heart.  And he doesn’t know that the food he so carefully passed on to me will go on to feed multitudes of hungry folks in Mexico.  And he also doesn’t know that just today, I read in John, about the miracle of the fish and the loaves, and how Jesus multipled just a little, so that thousands could be fed, not so that their bellies would be full, but so that He could tell them that HE was THE BREAD of Life!!!!

And so, after packing up my car with all of that, and driving away, I went ahead and cried…  I just thanked the Lord for showing me how important something so simple is  (picking up bread), and how much more could be done, and for touching my heart so profoundly.   Tonight,  I was the one who was truly  AWESTRUCK…..

p.s. come on out and be a part of what we do, and you can be ‘AWESTRUCK’ too!!!!!

Last Days Ministries Partnership

We are excited to announce our affiliation with Melody Green and Last Days Ministries.    Melody is a dear friend and shares our heart for Mexico.  LDM has had an invested interest and ministry in Mexico for many many years.  I (Wayne) was inspired and motivated early on in my Christian walk, through Melody’s book “No Compromise” and Keith and Melody’s music,  to be an advocate for the poor.  Please see a new article, featuring  Voice of the Bride and ministry in Mexico, by Amy Rachel Peterson, Executive Assistant to Melody Green on the ministry site here Last Days Ministries Mexico

VOB News April 2009

Greetings and Happy Tax Day!  How great is it that at least this dreaded event followed a life proclaiming, resurrection powered occasion.  We had a wonderful time on Sunday with some house church friends here in San Diego . And we hope you enjoyed your celebration with friends and family.  It is especially fond for me (Wayne),  as this season marks what is now 20 years since dedicating my life to the Lord and His service.  It is hard to believe that much time has gone by, although two decades of experience makes it more familiar and believable.

I started the holiday weekend with an early morning Good Friday breakfast in Mexico .  I was grateful that both my client families canceled scheduled appointments, due to the holiday, allowing me to take the day off as well.  Mind you, it was not a day to sleep in as my friend Vicente answered, when I asked what time I should meet him across the border, “siete”(7).   Ah, ok that means a start for the border at 6:15 a.m. for me!  But I was so glad I did, as once again it was a joy and a blessing to see the wonderful feeding ministry Vicente provides 4 mornings a week with the food we deliver to him.  This morning routine feeds some of the very poor in a very poor colonia where Vicente lives.  The colonia is situated up on a hill  near the border fence across from East San Diego .  (Funny thing is,  the border fence runs all along from the ocean to far East county yet ends right in the side of a high peaked mountain.  I could see a border patrol vehicle parked on a bluff where they monitor 24/7, here just above Vicente’s colonia). The colonia has no paved roads and the potholes were impossible to avoid. There is no garbage pick up in this area so everyone burns their trash.  Electricity comes to a few utility poles where “every man for himself” connects wiring to them if they want electricity at their homes.  Of course there are no sewage lines, so no modern bathrooms. This is just over the fence from the U.S. line, mind you.

Kids at breakfast

The breakfast was wonderful in that about 40+ men, women and lots of children had a warm plate of corn, mac&cheese, shredded chicken and a roll for breakfast.  Also each family was given a small bag of bread to take home.  There was also a small clothes rummage as a group of ladies went through some bags of clothes, we brought down, sizing them up for their family.  We have had consistent donations from friends and coworkers of clothing after presenting the need over the past few months.  And what a blessing it has been to so many. This leads me to something I want to bring special mention to, for each of you.

Vicente (left) distributing food to families.

We have frequently made you aware of the great need for ongoing food donations to meet the needs in Mexico .  Particularly due to a growing ‘lack’ of food being delivered to the places we go.  Often, we hear account after account of orphanages, elderly homes, infirmaries, and rehabs  skipping meals due to not having enough food.  We have shared with you my vision and desire to discover more potential food donations and ways to connect with local merchants who would be willing to hold their discards for us to pick up.  Although I hope one day to be able to do this full time so that time would permit me to do more, I can’t wait while others suffer without.

You who live here locally in San Diego can help!  Check with the markets you frequent, and find out the answers to these questions:

What happens to split bags/boxes of product that aren’t sold but are perfectly ok?  

What happens to day old bread?  

What happens to bruised or ripened produce?  

How about canned foods with missing labels?

Can you provide this to a nonprofit for feeding the poor?

Those of you who visit your own markets each week, may discover some potential donations that you could collect and pass on to us for delivering.  You could be a part of feeding the poor in ways you never thought possible.

For those of you who receive this newsletter who are not in San Diego .  Find out how you can do the same thing and assist a ministry in your neighborhood that is feeding the poor.  In addition, please pray for us and those you know who have similar mandates from the Lord.  Pray for favor for more opportunities to turn that which is thrown away into needed provision for others.

Just the other night (before Good Friday), I called one of our weekly providers of bread, on a whim (a God thing – only I was slow to respond), to see if perhaps the bread for that evening was not picked up by the scheduled organization for that night.  I had been asking this donor to please keep me informed if another night opens up for a pick up need.  Not only had the pick up not happened, but the bread and pastries had been thrown away.  I was devastated with feelings of, “if only I had called sooner”, and “I knew I should ask more often”.

That feeling of devastation revisited me the next day, when after the breakfast, we went on to deliver bread to the various residential’s, and there was not enough to finish the deliveries!                Thank you for your partnership!

Clothes give away.

Home for kids video – Tijuana, Mexico

This is one of the places we take food to each week, where over 75 children live.

VOB News March 2009

Regarding Climate in Mexico . . .

If you have listened or read the news of late, you have undoubtedly heard about the growing concern for what is happenning in Mexico right now.   Due to a massive power struggle between rival drug gangs for trafficking drugs into the U.S., murders and kidnappings are escalating in Mexico, particularly in border towns.   Most of the violence seems to be directed toward and involving drug traffickers, most specifically.  Many people have been asking us, ‘what do you think?’.  Many in San Diego are afraid to go down to Tijuana these days.  We have asked ourselves what to do also.   Do we stop going down and feeding the hungry, as so many seem to be doing?   As Wayne is the one doing most of the work in Tijuana, I, of course, am most concerned.  I pray every day for his protections.  But there is only one thing I can ask myself… What would Jesus do??   And so I would ask you for a concerted prayer effort for safety and protection, along with great fruit for Wayne and for his buddy Greg, as they continue to feed the hungry, broken and down-trodden of Mexico.  As things get worse here economically, they get worse there.  But for us, as believers in Christ, we arise in prayer, asking the Lord of heaven and earth to put a hedge of protection around all of those who are still going, trying to help those in need…..  And by the way, what a great time for revival in Mexico, right???    Thank you!!!!

 

“Along the way”

Climbing the rocky, dusty, bumpy road to the Camp of Faith, tucked away on a high bluff overlooking a small chicken farm and some fields with a couple of horses, I appreciated a beautiful picture of the layout of the land in Mexico .   It was a nice place, away from the hustle and bustle of urban life in Tijuana .  The hills are really green right now from all the rain and are quite breath taking.  Having just enjoyed taking in that picture and appreciating the fresh outdoors, I was next faced with the reality of those shut in and unable to enjoy the same freedom.  I met Arturo, a 39 year old man who had fallen a year ago and broken his back.  He was unable to afford a six thousand dollar surgery to correct his back and has since developed numerous problems due to the stress on his muscles and organs from injury and bed confinement.  As I prayed with Arturo I was deeply moved by his wonderful sense of peace and love for the Lord and trust in Him.  I was personally convicted, myself often complaining of chronic back pain, by Arturo’s spirit and faith.  (Pray for a resource connection we have contacted that may help help Arturo).

Next we visited a place I have shared about before, where many other sick are cared for.  This was the garage exposed to the elements which I asked for prayer before for a new place.  Well, glory to God, these needy ones are now in a new place where someone opened up a large home for them.  I can’t tell you how blessed I was to see God’s provision for a warmer, cleaner place for these sick people.  The young man I mentioned praying for before who had aids, had died the day after we were last there.  I had suspected him to be certainly near the end as we prayed for him then.  There are still many needs here of the most basic type. We hope to bring a team of medical missionaries here  through some other connections as well.

At place after place, I was graciously thanked for providing the simplest (in my opinion) of food and assured that it was greatly needed and appreciated.  I heard over and over that food once  provided to these places had been cut off due to the economy, as well as those who fear coming to Mexico at this time.  One place we arrived had just begun to serve up bowls of broth to the residents.  This was all they could provide. They were delighted to have the bread to serve along side the broth.

As expressed many times before, I am challenged to discover a way to fill this gap as the need is way beyond my small contribution 2 days a week.  There is need for daily food to be delivered to many places. I have only mentioned these few.  We only know to ask you to please pray: #1 For the provision of the most basic needs for those I have come in contact with.  #2 Please pray that I will have clarity about how to commit to bringing provision in the most practical ways.  I am willing to do so and find it more fulfilling then anything I have done in my life.  #3 We still need you to commit to provide for us full time to expand what we believe is crucial to meet the needs.

 

Crisis Phone Update . . .

We received a call from a young girl who was being regularly beaten by her pimp.  She had had enough and wanted help.  We met her and took her to a safe hotel room and bought her dinner as we encouraged her that there is hope for her.  She was very afraid and had been hurt by this man many times before with broken ribs, sternum, and jaw.  Her right eardrum was ruptured from blows to her jaw.     She had just turned 23 but her story begins . . . running away at 16 from her adopted home where her brothers molested her from age 3 on.  Classic story continues, she met a guy who told her he loved her and would provide and keep her safe, only before turning her out to do tricks.  As we talked with her the control he had on her was evident from her cell phone ringing the entire time.  We encouraged her to ignore it and assured her we along with law enforcement would keep her safe.  The next day, after all our assurance she was convinced that she was in greater danger unless she returned.  We also discovered that the pimp had left her threatening voice mails accompanied by the fact that he was torturing her puppy that he had in his possession.  Coersion tactics that we are not unfamiliar with.  Last heard, she called and said that she was ok; to our relief as we feared for her life.    Please pray!

Click on “Balboa Park” below, to see a short video of a rally we participated in on

National Human Trafficking Awareness Day.           Balboa Park San Diego January 11th 2009

 

VOB News January 2009

Human Trafficking is a modern day form of slavery . . . it is the fastest growing source of revenue for organized crime and terrorist networks and it happens everywhere.

Think about how often you may have an international person wait on you in a restaurant or perhaps provide some form of service at your place of work or along your travels. It may never have occurred to you that they may not be there of their own free will. I have been making it a priority to be more aware of my surroundings, particularly when children are involved. I have received training in my part-time job, to become qualified as a mandated reporter of child abuse. I also see a lot of little children moving freely about Mexico, often unsupervised and uncared for. In Mexico it is common to see little children begging or being expected to earn some change for cleaning your windshield or whatever. They then bring the earnings to a parent or adult somewhere nearby – who is out of sight. I can’t help but wonder how many are being used in unspeakable ways through abuse and criminal activities.

“Victims are subjected to force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of sexual exploitation or forced labor. Victims are young children, teens, men and women. Approximately 600,000 to 800,000 victims are trafficked across international borders annually, and between 14,500 and 17,500 of those victims are trafficked into the U.S. each year, according to U.S. government estimates. More than half of these victims worldwide are children, according to the U.S. dept. of State.”

 

 

 

In an effort to become more qualified and aware, VOB, has joined a coalition of professionals headed up by a group with offices in San Diego and Tijuana, called Bilateral Safety Corridor Coalition The group meets each month to discuss collaboration on plans of action for creating awareness, as well as seeing that justice is served to those who attempt to take advantage of these victims. One of the tools we use is a crisis cell phone. This is a hot-line that is used by law enforcement, social services, vice units, and victims as well. It is designed to help with immediate placement and needs of victims of human trafficking. On occasion, these calls require our coming to the scene in order to best serve the victim and innocent parties involved. I soon will undergo training to help with this crisis hot-line, and would appreciate your prayers for wisdom and discernment. It is an amazing opportunity to be clergy in a desperate situation.

Highlights from the Christmas Give Away!

The winter hats give away was a big success and covered many heads that rainy night! Unfortunately we ran out with 85 wrapped and distributed. I guess next year we wrap 100!

 

Vicente slices up some sweets for the antiguas at another outreach.

 

 

 

The children loved the toys you donated!

We had over 50 wrapped toys to distribute.

I hope you and your children are blessed as they were.

 

The kids take a moment to inspect their new gifts.

What a fun photo. By the way it was raining and

muddy during this gift exchange Christmas day!

 

 

 

 

Thank you from

the children!

VOB News December 2008

“Peace on earth, goodwill to men”  Luke 2:14

We pray this newsletter finds you with peace in your heart and goodwill on your mind!

Jesus came to give us peace and abundant life, and it’s easy to lose sight of that when the stresses of the holiday season come up.   But, as we reflect on the love and commitment the Lord shows us through His birth AND His death, it becomes much easier to say, as Mary said,  “be it done to me according to Your will”. . . . Luke 1:38

This Christmas season finds Voice of the Bride abundantly blessed with being able to give 85 winter caps, with candy canes hidden inside, to the poor in Mexico.  Those men, women, and children who come to the Tuesday night outreach, will,  once again this year, find a small, gift wrapped item in their hands, along with bread and other goodies!  We have had a wonderful VOB partner come up with the idea of a ‘cookie bake’!   She sent out an invitation asking others to come over to her house, bake many dozens of cookies, and put them into little gift baggies, to be distributed to the Tuesday night group.  We are so excited to have this participation of our VOB partners!!  (Thank you  LL and all those involved in the cookie bake).

Other VOB projects for Christmas, have included a small toy drive to garner used toys to be given to our friend Vicente, who then takes them to children’s home’s in Tijuana.   Clothes and hygiene items will also be given, as well as 130 individual pair of new socks (also gift wrapped), for the elderly home.  Remember when getting a pair of socks seemed so boring as a child?   Not so for these ‘antigua’s’…  Thank you to all those who have given toys, clothes and hygiene items!!

It is truly a joy to be a part of giving to those who are so needy this Christmas season.  And we are so thankful to those of you who contribute to our ability to do this.  You each share a part in these wondrous opportunities, and in being Jesus to those who may not know Him. So, whether it be through your church, or through a worthy organization like the Salvation Army, or some other group,  may you find joy this Christmas, in the knowledge that ‘it is better to give than to receive’. . . Acts 20:35

We would like to ask just a couple of prayer requests this Christmas:

-please pray for our safe travels during the holidays, as we fly to the East coast, and travel between Virginia and North Carolina.

-please make it a priority, if you would, to pray for Wayne and Greg as they go back and forth to Mexico.  You have probably heard of all the violence going on in Tijuana and other border towns on the Mexico/U.S. border.  Although we have not seen anything specific, and have been safe, we would really appreciate your prayer covering as we do this work.

Thank you, bless you and MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!     Love, Wayne & Carol

p.s. we still have that briefing on Human Trafficking coming up . . . next month for sure!

Photos from TJ outreach.

Tijuana River Aqueduct Outreach Photo Journal (click here)

VOB News November 2008

How did you manage your stress level on voting day? I managed mine by fleeing the country!

I joined Vicente, one of our ministry partners, in Mexico on some all day outreaches he does each week with the bread we bring to him. It was such a blessing to see first hand what Vicente has been telling us about. Mind you, he knows probably less English than I do Spanish, so we are quite the pair. But we have fun figuring out what each other is saying, and above all, we just love what God does in the midst!

Vicente had been telling us about “the people who live under the doors under ground”. I always thought, ‘wow” what could he be trying to tell me? Well, I got to see first hand! We drove down into the concrete canals or aqueducts of the Tijuana river were people live in the tunnels behind the levee doors (pictured above left). Many of these are drug addicts and many are deported immigrants or both. As we arrived, the driver of our vehicle would shout out “free sandwiches” and those interested actually began rolling out from underneath some of the propped up levees! It was surreal as I realized there was an entire underground (literally) culture of really broken people. It was the closest I had ever come to those who literally live on trash heaps. The trash, the smell, the filth of the sewage water were all indicators of why I may not want to hang around there long. But after seeing the sunken eyes of the human beings that lived in the midst of it, I got a second wind and renewed passion to assist feeding and praying for them.

One guy (pictured above right) was actually going through withdrawals and desperately crying out for help from us to help him get off the powerful drug of heroin. Another guy was in the process of shooting a syringe into his neck, when we walked up to him, so he just left it hanging there as he took the sandwich and allowed us to pray for him. I will never forget that scene. Several others, coming across to meet us on the other side, attempted to leap the path of sewage flowing down the canal only to still land one foot in the contaminated water. I myself did the same as I skipped across a couple of tires to bring a sandwich to a lady who feared crossing the waters. As we drove away from there, I was left with the stench of my own wet feet to serve as a reminder of the conditions that these human beings live in everyday. Though some may be addicts, some may just be having hard times. One example is a man named Franciscan, who I prayed with. Franciscan explained in good English that he had lived in Oregon since he was 2 yrs old, and made a mistake at the job where he worked as a non-citizen which resulted in his deportation. He had no idea what to do in Mexico, having never been there in his adult life. He did not know where to live or how to even survive in Mexico.

After the aqueducts, we also visited a place where elderly people (the elderly in Mexico, are called, ‘antigua’s') live. In Mexican culture, the elderly would normally be taken care of within their own family. However, these 120 antigua’s had no family at all. They are being cared for by some special folks at this ‘Casa Hogar Para Antigua’. Unfortunately, the recent violence in Tijuana, affecting the climate for visitors and tourists, has prevented food sources normally brought from the U.S. to this home. Vicente delivers bread here after we bring it to him. Our current economy has also affected the amount of donations we get, thus these dear ones are lacking as well. At times, they may only have one meal a day provided. When we arrived with a few small bags of bread and a single small bag of pastries, Vicente began to spoon out small portions of the pastries into cupped hands of each person sitting around in their wheelchair (pictured above right), or on their bed. Again, a surreal picture of those who may have been forgotten – but not by the Lord. It stirred a greater passion in me for discovering new resources for donated food, so that I could get it to Vicente to distribute.

Finally, we visited a facility where the extremely ill are cared for. This is not a hospital, but it is for those in need who are very sick and have no funds to be cared for in a hospital. Many were elderly but a few were very young. One young man I prayed for had HIV, and he appeared to be extremely close to death. He just looked like skin stretched over bones. As I placed my hand over his, his only effort in return was to look into my eyes. I prayed that he could see my hope and faith for him as I prayed that Jesus would comfort him. The building they were in was really just a large garage, so it was full of gaps in both the walls and ceiling. As it was a very cool day, many of them were covered in thick blankets for keeping warm. As I prayed with this desperately sick young man, I thought to myself, the last thing he needed was to experience the cold that could so quickly be remedied by a warmer building.

Please join me in prayer for the ongoing needs that I have shared with you here. Thank you to those who responded to our request for 15-20 partners of $100 monthly gifts. We received about a quarter of our goal for this support so far. Please know that a gift of any amount is much appreciated. Remember we can give tax deductible receipts for 2008 until December 31st. We pray a wonderful Thanksgiving season for you and yours.

To see all the photos from this outreach click on TJ River Outreach under Links.

p.s. Last month I mentioned telling you more about Human Trafficking in this report. I bumped that to next month as I was excited to share this recent outreach with you!

VOB News September 2008

A team from Germany, visiting a local ministry in the States, went to Mexico with us to distribute bread and pray for people.

Was your summer as fast as ours? As cliché as it sounds, I can’t believe the holidays are around the corner. We have found ourselves as busy as usual with work and ministry.

The outreach each week in TJ is going strong. We have seen a large increase in the numbers (including women with their children) who show up for bread. We meet a lot of people who are still struggling through their drug addictions and some who may even have a current or past criminal involvement. But honestly, down there in the streets of Mexico, I am not sure if I would be able to do differently if given the same circumstances and without the Lord. The dirty streets, abandoned cars, the strangest saddest dogs you would ever see – all make up the dynamics of a forgotten world. Guys we minister to explain that the “Policia” often come and round up random people without ID’s, and haul them off to jail in order to get some free labor out of them. One person told me that in addition to working for free on street repairs or whatever needs to be done, if you have any money on you when you are taken to jail, it is collected and not returned. We have taken bread to the near by jail in order to establish some rapport with the local Policia but also because we learned that those held there are often not fed because there is no food.

Not too long ago, we were late in getting to our street corner to do the outreach at the normal time. Everyone who was waiting on that corner was harassed by the Policia. Anyone without an ID who was not able to scatter fast enough, was carried down to the jail. When we went to this jail to take bread, sure enough, we saw many of our regulars there lined up, chained to one another, waiting to be strip searched and put in a holding cell for the night. Often, when we have taken bread to this jail, while carrying the bags into a kitchen, we pass right by a row of naked men, standing outside of a cage-like jail cell, waiting to be cleared for hiding anything on their person. The amount of humiliation and intimidation tactic is overwhelming. Not unfamiliar to how you would imagine a zoo is run. Mind you, these people are not necessarily criminals. They were just on the street and got rounded up because they had no i.d.

I realized, upon seeing friends we pray with each week being treated like this, a greater picture of what setting the captives free could look like. I also realized how fond I have become of many on the streets, as I was so grateful for those who were not in the jail, yet knowing that they may have been there many times before. Yes, they may be an addict, yes they may have been a criminal, yes they (we) are sinners. But they (we) are not without a Savior Who comes to set us free. Just as the Lord showed me a vision of a clean and saved Victor (who last I heard is doing well, clean and sober), I can have the same hope for so many more we meet each week.

We need you to pray about something, each and every one of you who reads these updates! We are asking the Lord to show us where to best put our “hands to the plow” regarding ministry we are called to. We have been here a year now, and feel that our transition has been made and provided for along the way. Those of you who are faithful in sending support, have made it possible for Wayne to commit 10-15 hours to Mexico each week, thus only working part time 30 hours for our own cost of living. But there are endless ways for expanding the amount of potential donated food. And an even greater amount of need that could be filled with that expansion. It is our feeling that we want to be more readily available to work at meeting those needs. In addition to serving and feeding more, Carol is ever burdened to work toward worship and intercession outreach, that has long been on her heart.

Our goal this past year was to adjust to the relocation and be sure about what we were committing to do, before presenting it to those of you who can help us DO IT. We felt that we needed a break from full time ministry as we took on secular jobs to pay the rent. Now that we have an idea based on what we are already doing and the potential to broaden it in a full time way, we need help backing it.

To be very specific, we need 15-20 partners to commit to $100 a month in order to cover Wayne’s part time job income as we prepare for full time ministry again.

As awkward as it is to ask for support, I always search my own heart and realize that I love to invest in and support others who I believe in, who are serving those Jesus called them to serve. With this in mind, I realize it’s not that awkward to ask you to do the same. Many of you already are doing just that, and may not feel led to sow into this ministry and that’s certainly ok. But many of you might consider this. Though true that times are tough right now, God’s Kingdom continues on a different system. And I know He will reward you! He rewards us with daily bread and has not left us hungry yet!

P.S. Just last night, one of the guys we regularly minister to (who I might add made an honest effort to stay in a rehab for 2 weeks before ditching it), had a few beers too many and started hitting on his girlfriend. She stopped the Policia and told them to come inside and get him. We were standing right there next to the Policia pick-up truck (praying for another guy), which was full of guys arrested with no i.d. They had just collected these men off the street. We watched the Policia chase this guy across a roof as he jumped down onto a van and ran down the street. I know what you’re thinking…”like right off TV” I don’t know if he got caught or carried to jail but I know that I will see him again and get yet another chance to offer hope, grace and redemption to him through Jesus.

Praises!

“We give thanks to the Lord for some financial blessings through the benefits of our work in Mexico. Our connection to the orphanage led us to a repair on Carol’s truck where we saved much money by doing the work with our neighbors “on the other side”. And we continue to save $40 a week due to gas being at least a dollar or more less per gallon by fueling both vehicles there. Gas has been the same price in TJ throughout the entire gas rage these past few months.”  Blessings to you, love Wayne & Carol

DID YOU KNOW?

. . . that between 14,500 and 17,500 human beings/victims are trafficked into the U.S. each year?

Stay tuned to our next update for more information, and how VOB has become involved in this statistic!

VOB News June 2008

Moscow, Russia, May 1994:

Upon checking into our hotel room for a 2 week mission trip with OMS International, we were about to become acquainted with a stark reality: being in Russia was like stepping back into the 1940’s. Everything was old, worn or archaic. It was a bit of a stunner, as we realized that this nation everyone thought was right on par with the U.S., was, in fact, pretty far behind in many, many areas. The fact that most of us, as Americans, had no idea what it was really like in Russia, was apparent with the shock our team encountered. And really, there was no way FOR us to know, was there? Who had traveled to the U.S.S.R? What did we really know about the Soviet people, now broken up into many, many nations? What did these Russians know about us, as Americans? And what do they know today?

Similarly, knowledge about Mexico, for most Americans, is limited to sporadic, and usually bad reports on the news. And for the Mexican people, it is equally limited, unless someone has had relatives come here and live in the U.S. Many of the Mexican people we encounter, ‘south of the border’, dream about a better life, more food on the table, better schooling, greater job opportunities, and the chance to just LIVE better. Some, to be sure, are shady, and are considering illegal options, such as drug running. But many of these people just want a better life for their children. So, they consider the United States. They dream about living here and what that would be like….what the opportunities might present, what prosperity living here might bring, etc, etc. In fact, some of them might think it would be ‘easy living’ here in the U.S. Just as we expected life in the former Soviet Union to be have much more of a resemblance to our country, many in Mexico have unrealistic expectations about life here, “in these United States”. It’s hard work, as prices are much higher in general. Gas is considerably more expensive here, and getting higher. If you are not a citizen, of course there is much more to consider, specifically, jail time and deportation if you are caught. And, if you are trying to become a LEGAL citizen, years of waiting, red tape, and money can make the attempt difficult at best. Are the rewards worth it?

Over time, we have met those in Mexico who feel living here and the struggle for citizenship is worth it. We have also met those who come here and work seasonally, and then prefer to go back ‘home’. After all, home is where the heart is, right?

But week to week, we mostly meet those who simply dream of what has become known as ‘the OTHER side’…. They dream of what they believe would be an easier life. They dream of clean streets, clean buildings, public school for kids, plentiful jobs, an uncorrupted government (by Mexican standards), and a freedom unknown to many of the poor of Mexico. Do they make it here? Some do, but most just dream on.

And so, we travel 20 minutes south of our city, delivering bread or vegetables, or eggs, or fruit to those who have less. We distribute to those on the streets, to those with small children, to those deported, to the Salvation Army, where sometimes they have run out of bread for those living within. We take things to those ‘on the other side’ of OUR border & try to bring the hope of Jesus to those who think living here will be the answer….. And we always want them to know that, no matter what SIDE of the border you live on, JESUS is the only one with the answers. He is the only One Who will make life better.

Blessings on you as we head into the summer season. And just so you know, we understand that everyone is tightening their belt, with gas skyrocketing (though it is $2.70 a gallon in TJ), as well as so many other basics of life. We are certainly doing that as well. We thank you for continuing to support us in these times, as so often, giving above and beyond tithing goes by the wayside. We ourselves realized that while of course skimming on our tithe was a non issue, we also realized that cutting back on our offerings to missionaries whom we support, was not an option either. Our kingdom is of Heaven, not of this world, and so in these tough times we can only boost our faith and trust in the economy of His Kingdom. Thank you for standing with us, and for being part of the arms of Jesus to the needy. May His peace be upon you this summer and always.           Love, Wayne & Carol

 

                        Imagine living on this hillside . . . . . . looking across this wall . . . . . . at this view!

 

 

 

 

“The Other Side”

I remember the first few times I kept hearing this from the locals we ministered to in TJ. “Are you from the other side?”, they would ask or, “I have family on the other side!” I realized at some point, this was more than just a slang reference – it was a life perspective for our friends who live south of the border. A perspective that I would have never imagined; Tijuana was Tijuana and I had certainly not dreamed of what it would be like to live there! Funny thing though, in efforts to be accepted as a familiar face I find my self answering now, when asked,  ”I am from the other side”.

VOB News March 2008

Black, red, blue, yellow, green, and striped ones were all the colors of the 50 winter hats (or beanies as they call them here) that you helped us provide to the men and women at our Tuesday night outreach in Tijuana. Remember the street in Postal I told you about where the addicts, recently deported and homeless, hang out? We gave each person a gift wrapped, rolled up hat. Every hat was quickly unwrapped and promptly put on each head. I wish I had a photo of the bright colored hats as they walked away and disappeared into the dark night after the outreach. Everyone was very grateful for the warm gift in addition to their various bread and sweet items. The hats looked like burrito’s when stacked under our tree.

Once again we drove home for Christmas to the East Coast. Though we ask ourselves if we are getting too old for it, we actually do still enjoy it. We had a wonderful time with family, and an unexpected extended time in Virginia due to Carol’s dad having a mild stroke while we were there. It was surely a scary time for us all, but we were so grateful to be there when it happened. Initially, he went to the hospital for a severe headache, which later turned out to be a sinus headache, and unrelated to the stroke. The Lord was truly with him. We are happy to report that he is doing excellent after a surgery to clear a blocked artery in his neck. Thank you Lord for your protection and warning signs! We are grateful for every moment when we get to visit our family and we pondered that sacrifice during the drive back . We returned to San Diego more than a week later than planned. Carol flew back to Virginia for her dad’s surgery in February. So most of January and half of February is a blur from all the extra excitement.

My job with Mental Health has certainly been interesting. I am challenged by working within a non-ministry environment where every need presented is actually a huge need for ministry. Though I am a believer in the science of psychology, and understand the principles therein, they act only as a band-aid for symptoms and they rarely address the root cause – a created human desperately needing to connect with their Creator. I am convinced that total mental serenity and good health is impossible without God. So, though I feel stuck at times with implementing behavior modification interventions to curb youth delinquency, I am grateful to be on the inside of knowing how to pray for some desperate situations and how to be Jesus with skin on in the midst. The boys I work with, the oldest being 18 and the youngest being 5, all have huge odds stacked against them. But they are worth every effort. I have just recently encountered the first father on the scene (barely with supervised visitation rights) of one of my clients. All others are being raised by single moms. My pay is often a challenge because it requires so much time for so little compensation. And my struggle is wanting to be free for more time applied to Mexico and ministering to the poor.

I, with my partner Greg, continue to go across the border every Tuesday and Sunday night, in order to deliver donations to the local Salvation Army, various orphanages, several families, and to individuals who give to other needy people in Mexico. I had to give up going on Thursday nights in order to work an additional night shift for my job. Tuesday nights continue to be holding an outreach from the tailgate of our truck. We pass out bagels, rolls and sweets (pan-dulce) to 40-60 people. These were the same people we gave the hats to for Christmas. You may remember me mentioning my friend Victor in a previous letter. He is still around and still on the streets, but is now free from heroin, praise the Lord! He is getting closer to being completely free!

Very recently, a good friend donated a used 1-ton pickup truck to our work in Mexico. This is a huge blessing! The truck has a large flatbed, and will allow us to bring more food at one time, across the border. In the last month or so, we have had alot more donations, and have had to drive two trucks over. And with gas, that costs a good bit! So this truck will allow us to be more efficient and to not have to turn away any donations that won’t fit in the other smaller trucks! Thus, more people are able to get food! We are so blessed to have it (thank you P & N) and anxious to get it registered and insured, and ‘on the road again’.

Carol’s horse training and teaching job is going well, and she is very thankful for the work. She is very serious about ministering to those she is working with. If you think about it, this would be a great area of prayer for her. There are some serious needs among those she works with, and she knows the Lord has put her there for this very reason. She is also continuing to sort out the possibilities of worship and intercession here in San Diego. This would be another area she requests concerted prayer in.

Thank you so much to each one of you for standing with us, supporting us and praying for us. As always we really appreciate each and every gift that you share with us and we do ask that the Lord would return blessings to your household as you have blessed ours! Our prayer is always that we would be good stewards of what the Lord gives to us and in return give to those whom we are called to. Your partnership is so valuable and equally a part of that calling! Please do not hesitate to ask any questions you might have when considering giving to VOB on a monthly basis. We have a lot of vision ahead and expect that the Lord will be faithful to provide for the glimpse he has given us.

“Remember, before getting rid of that “whatever” that you don’t need anymore . . . someone else just might!”

This photo of a family who received sweatshirts that had been pre printed before Super Bowl winners were determined. New England Patriots “Super Bowl” sweatshirts donated to World Vision (www.worldvision.org) ! This 3rd world family appreciated them!  Champions or not!

VOB News December 2007

“Well, last time I checked Virginia and North Carolina were still U.S. states”.

The U.S. border patrol officer actually seemed disappointed that he couldn’t find a reason to be more sarcastic, as we came to the check point, and he looked at our i.d.’s while we stated our birth states. For the last two hours, we have been in the car, slowly ebbing our way toward the border checkpoint out of Mexico and into the U.S. During our wait time, we see all sorts of things. People are selling various items, including ‘vas de elotes’, or buttered cup of corn with lime juice (delicious!), churros, or fried bread, bobble head animals, Aztec ‘artwork’, cute little children’s desks, flowers, and various and sundry ‘velvet’ paintings!!

We see drug sniffing dogs being pointed at numerous cars and trucks for checking. We see border patrol agents stopping vehicles and asking occupants to open their trunks and/or show their paper work. Every car that goes thru has to be stopped and have citizenship and i.d. checked. Usually we see children juggling balls for a few cents or addicts or amputees sitting on the street between lanes begging. It’s an amazing site, actually, when you sort of ‘step back’, and look at the entire process, and there is rarely a dull moment.

As we near the border, Wayne asks me, “where were you born”, so that I will be able to clearly answer back, ‘Richmond, Virginia’. I ask him the same. The humor in the question, is getting to the border crossing, being asked that very simple question, but, being nervous around the very stern border agents, completely blanking out as to my birthplace!! There’s nothing like being asked where you were born, and being totally tongue tied and not being able to answer that obvious question!! (Gee, where WAS I born??). Once, when passing from Mexico to the U.S. thru the border crossing, Wayne was asked where he had just been (a common question patrol agents ask). He answered, ‘Mexico’. “No @#*!*”, the border patrol agent said, “I’ll bet everyone behind you has too”, as he noted the thousands of people and cars lined up behind Wayne and friend Greg. Of course every person in line was obviously IN Mexico, waiting to go across, and he only wanted to know the town they had been in.

It’s just par for the course, when you go down to Mexico and return several times a week. And you have to find the humor in it, or it quickly becomes tedious and frustrating. This is something thousands of people do every day, making Tijuana the busiest border crossing in the world. But it’s worth the effort, when you know that you are bringing hungry people food. You see, resources in Mexico are no where near what they are in the States for the poor and hungry. We may not do a perfect job here in the U.S., but we sure do a good job. We have seen first hand how churches here in San Diego provide many wonderful meals for the poor and homeless, as well as healthcare, clothing, and sleeping needs. In Mexico, it is just not that way. And most of the time, the poor are made up of small families barely getting by.

The average salary for a person in Tijuana and the surrounding area, is $12 a day, with working
days being 10-12 hour days, 6 days a week. On this salary, housing, food, transportation and
paying for your child to go to school is needed. So, by bringing bread, fruit and vegetables to those in need, a large burden is lifted for these dear ones. It’s not saving the world. But it surely is helping the one right before us. And best of all, praying for each soul happens every time, for every person. All in Jesus’ Name!!

During this wonderful Christmas season, we want to say thank you to each and everyone of you for supporting and helping to provide for Voice of the Bride this past year. It’s been a year of changes, as you know. As always, your prayer support is so vital to this ministry. And please know that you are a part of feeding the hungry and helpless, and bringing the love of Jesus to those hurting, downtrodden and sometimes quite hopeless. May the Lord bless you richly and may the grace of the Lord Jesus, the love of GOD, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit abound to you and your families during this holiday season.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Love, Wayne and Carol

PRAISES:

-Day to day provision for our personal needs.

-For Wayne’s new job (that he did get just after last newsletter) and provision through it.

PRAYER NEEDS:

-Safe travel as we drive between the coasts to visit our families during December and January

-Divine appointments throughout the holiday season, as this time of year, people are often more open to the things of the Lord.

-Please pray for ‘Victor’, a friend in Mexico who wants to be free from his addictions. Wayne and his buddy Greg, have been ministering to Victor for awhile now.

-Pray for favor and divine appointments in our daily work, Wayne at Mental Health Systems and Carol at Suncoast Farms.

-Pray for some finance needs: We recently had to overhaul our Blazer’s transmission. While we are both working, salaries are part time at this point, and horse training work can be sporadic. We count on missions support to supplement our time to do ministry part time as well.

VOB News Sept. 2007

Greetings dear friends, 

These two months living back in San Diego have been so wonderful.  We know you have been praying
for us and we have certainly benefited from such.    Although I have yet to find a job, and we
have yet to feel like we are doing all that we are called to do, we feel the grace and provision
of the Lord.   

With your prayers and financial support, along with God’s provision of more work for Carol and a
few odd jobs for me, we have been completely provided for.  We really give God the glory and thank
you for being obedient.  In the natural, it does not make sense to move somewhere with higher
rent, where income may be lower.  But once again, we are believers in a provisional God and His
perfect will.   

With that said, I would not be honest if I did not also add that we need you to continue to
support if you are able and we also could use additional support as my prospective job is delayed.
 I have applied with a division of Mental Health doing field work with troubled kids in their
present placement.  Some may still be in their own homes but risk being forced out or taken away.
Others will be in foster homes and group homes.  It is a great job with flexible hours to allow
time for Mexico ministry and alike.
I am hopeful that this work will allow me the flexibility for continued ministry trips abroad.   I
am hoping, at this time, to be a part of the ministry team at the Philippines Living Waters
training in November.  The leaders  are counting on my coming and continuing the mentored training
that I have been able to provide for the past 3 years.  I would like to go but have left it in the
Lord’s hands.  Still, our ultimate dream would be to be free to do full-time ministry.  The Lord
knows! 

Trips to Mexico are Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday nights.  Each night I am there, I am honored to
have the opportunity to minister somewhere outside my comfort zone. It is never dull nor has it
become common to see the overwhelming differences in 2 nations separated by only a dotted line (or
rather the 12 ft. wall that stands along that line).   

Let me take you along on a Tuesday night in a neighborhood called Postal (poe-stall).     Tuesday
nights are probably the most unpredictable.  We take the truckload of bread I mentioned last
newsletter, to a certain area of Tijuana that is known for where drugs are used and sold.  In fact
one end of the street is just simply known as “the connection”  The ‘policia’ are aware of
 this
area but I am told are also paid well to overlook.  Just a simple part of why Mexico trails behind
in a third world state - government corruption!   

We start on one end of the street making a few selected stops where we have met particular
individuals and families in need.  My partner Greg, has been coming here 3 years consistently, and
so we are expected each Tuesday night.  We give them some bread for their household and a little
extra to share with others - but the greatest trust that we have earned is to take their hand and
pray with them.  It is not required but has become desired by each of them.  One man told me he
appreciated the bread but was most dependent on the prayer!  I could tell you hopeless story after
hopeless story I have heard.  But I am encouraged to continue by the hopefulness that I see in
many who we pray with.   

We eventually end up on a corner where as many as 50 and as few as 30 gather to meet us.    

Here we usually dispense bagels, muffins, and rolls that are easier to share with those who may be
living on the streets or living in a room without electricity.  Some of these are drug addicts,
and some are those who have been deported from the U.S. and have not managed to get on with their
lives.  But each man and woman there is the very one I picture Jesus hanging out with.  At first I
found it overwhelming  not to be able to offer a consistent approach of therapy to help them
identify triggers of addiction.  That is how I am trained, right?  But though many do speak
English and though my friend does speak Spanish, the most immediate opportunity I have is to point
them to Jesus and trust Him to bring them to their knees.  We just try to be a consistent witness
and demonstration of the Gospel.  

For example my new friend Victor who is a heroin addict, yet is probably one of the most seeking
and giving people I have ever met.  He sleeps in an abandoned truck but always gives whatever we
give him  to someone he is hanging out with.  He has gone along with us sometimes to other areas
to help someone move or help us take bread into the prison (another stop - another story).  He
likes hanging out with us but eventually he needs his fix.  He calls it “getting well”.  And
 in
truth that is how it feels because otherwise he gets really sick from the withdrawals.  But I know
and believe that He is going to be able to overcome it as soon as he is ready.  And Jesus is
already there waiting to keep him “well”.