Several years ago Nathan felt the Lord leading us to start a
Christmas event in the Rio Bravo, Mexico area.  We wanted
to bring more opportunity to sharing the Gospel & focus on
the unsaved.  The 1st 2 days we had teams in MX going door
to door sharing the GOOD NEWS!  Others built a kitchen onto
a small house (think Mexico) while still others sorted,
counted, & made more KID BAGS from all the supplies you
sent.  The 3rd day was our FIESTA!  Each morning the 68 folks
plus those from the Valley area spent time in Praise &
Worship along with a WORD led by Nathan.  

Last year we were thrilled beyond belief that the DONNA
International Bridge had opened to allow quick access to
cross to Rio Bravo.  We're still happy about it BUT this year
we had to cross over the Pharr Bridge (which takes a bit bit
bit longer) BUT we were allowed to come back on the short
way.  We were told by different ministry that was crossing
another border that the 'People Mover' buses couldn't cross.
 Nathan went to check & they gave us permission, just a
different crossing...  Nathan had also made several trips to
the CUSTOM officials getting the paperwork completed
granting us permission to cross with our trailer loads.  They
gave it to us but also went through the list of items marking
off what we couldn't bring in which included used bicycles
(bummer).  The 80 boxes of LITTLE DEBBIE'S made it though!

*We learned last year to buy everything we can at the Rio
Bravo grocery store so that we wouldn't have to haul it over.  
The young manager (30's is young) is always so good to work
with us...he ordered our cooking beans, popcorn, 3000
weiners, buns & fresh produce...& it was there waiting for us.
 Even paid a couple of little kids to help load the trailer.
CELEBRANDO NAVIDAD
3000 IN ATTENDANCE!
500 MADE DECISIONS FOR CHRIST!
SEE YOU AT THE 2012
CELEBRANDO NAVIDAD!
The only true hardship was that our stage & sound system
didn't show up the day of the fiesta.  God even knew about
that as last week we purchased a flatbed trailer...it was a
short stage BUT IT WORKED.  One of the pastora's brought
her sound system for us to be used.  

Before 10 a.m. arrived the folks in the community had already
formed lines for the games, cake walk, face & nail painting,
raffle tickets (they're free!) & popcorn areas.  There was
preaching, testimonies, singing, counseling areas, one on
one witnessing, 16 pots of beans cooking, hot dogs grilling,
KID BAGS being positioned.  Before the finish of the
activities 1,000's started lining up in the food area (had
barricade fencing this year & it helped tremendously!) for
their hot dog, charro beans & gift.  Who you wait 2 hours in
line?

By the end of the day WE WERE BUSHED BUT HAPPY when we
heard of the salvations.  During testimonies later that night
on stateside we heard how the Lord had worked in their own
lives through these 3 days of ministering.   

To those who prayed, donated $, gifts & supplies, make KID
BAGS, made deliveries to Krebs, paid semi's to bring pallets
of gifts....WE THANK YOU!

Several from FBC Donna & El Sendero de la Cruz Iglesia
volunteered to serve as translators & cooks for the
Breakfast & Supper meals!  This allows me to be able to
travel with the mission teams to minister across the border!   
I did my cooking ahead of time for those meals...73 dz
cookies, 20 dz. hot rolls, 5#'s of fudge frosting & 2 gallons of
enchilada sauce!  
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GO FIGURE..I didn't know the dorms had went from $5 to
$6.50 per person per day, till I paid.  This past weekend I
found $100 in my work bag that someone snuck in AND as I'm
going to pay the dorms someone else gave me another $100.  
God already knew & had the money ready as I walked in the
door!  Just how cool is that!
Every
morning &
evening  
we met
with the
Lord thru  
music,
testimony
& His
Word.
This was MY table!  If we
didn't know where to put
it, it went there!
Hunter was always
looking for more work...
Putting together KID BAGS from supplies
sent!  If you're making them back home -
KEEP DOING IT!
Sacking beans in gallon size bags to give
away at CELEBRANDO NAVIDAD!
Bikes for the free raffle.  Large
garbage bags were filled with
many prizes, each one was 1
prize.
You've heard us talk
about the EVANGICUBE..
they also make them on
cards.  Nathan used
them on his last trip to
Nicaragua.  The E cube is
a tool to share the gospel
The Americans split up into teams and went
door to door handing out invitations &
several witnessed 1 on 1.
The 4 sisters (& 1
husband) from the
Reynosa Dump
church came over
on a bus the day
before.  Our official
BEAN COOKING
TEACHERS!  They
kept throwing them
in my hair.  They
were onery this day.
16 pots were
filled with beans,
onion, garlic,
tomato, salt
pork, weiners,
cilantro &
jalapeno's to
make CHARRO
FRIJOLES!
Several of our guys built a
kitchen onto a home.
Only 1 trailer load of many that was taken
across with loads of supplies.
We had lots of games & lots of
prize candy!
Chopping ALL those veggie's for
16 pots of frijoiles!
Had a face painting class taught to
make everyone pro's.  (did not get a
pic of the 'NAIL GIRLS.'
The POPCORN crew popped
100#'s...you should have seen
their line waiting for a sackful!
Testing reading glasses by reading
from the Bible.  Look to the right
corner..see the blue?  That's Jim
Bowling, our almost 80 yr friend
who always says...'think this is my
last mission trip.'  Since then I've
been w/him to Africa twice,
Nicaragua twice, & MX..several
times!  He'll go out LIKE ELIJAH!
Brian preaching with Leo translating.  
Guess who's in the cowboy hat?
Looking for their ticket in the
official ticket jar.  We had to eat
mucho pork rinds & Cheeto's to
get those official raffle jugs!
Brian's espousa giving her
testimony.
Our cupcake cooking bunch made over 300 of
them for the CAKE WALK.  Jason played the
guitar while Dale called out #'s.
Food & KID BAGS in hand...with
smiles.  
What's w/my hand on the hip?
This was the KID BAG zone.
Our friend Hector from Reynosa let his workers
bring folks from our Dump church to Reynosa to help
for the day!  Manual (left) & Beto (4th from left)
spend much of their time liquored up.  They were
told to come sober...& they were!  
Let me introduce to Rhonda...THE BAG
BOSS!  She's been at it for a few yrs..but
this was our best distribution yet!  But
that was later in the day - she's handing
out prize candy here.
Happy campers by the end of the day.
When we worked at a
similar event a few yrs.
back...Yuri was the
winner of the grand
prize - a small house.  
She didn't smile much
back then.  It wasn't
long after that she
started coming to the
church in the dump
along with her sisters,
parents & oodles of
other family.  That
house was torn after
after the floods 2 yrs.
ago.  Only the Lord is a
sure thing!
Here is the Lord's Army (minus a few) at the end of the day!  3000
people, 500 decisions, hot dogs gone...  WHAT A DAY!
This year we included T Shirts in
the trip cost...so that we could find
each other on the field.  Nathan &
mine were ORANGE so you find us.
 Only thing, HE forgot to wear his
so I put him in a green one.  He
wondered what that orange shirt
laying on our bed was for?  It's
been suggested for next year to
have the translators in a different
color also SO WE CAN FIND THEM!  
Great idea!
Snowflake using her creative talents in
sharing about Jesus.  She drew crowds
everywhere she went.
Pastora Ruth
organized
the Rio
Bravo
pastors.  
Word is they
are already
talking
about next
year!
No language barrier here!  Sierra
(right) & Michael (r/below) have
grown up coming on these
Navidad trips!
Local Christian musicians provided
music throughout the day.