5 Amigos Day 1

June 21st and 22nd

I’m using June 21st as our start date instead of the planned June 22.  We had planned on meeting at Casey Conner’s house Sunday June 21st and stay the night there and then leave early in the morning (3:am).  What we ended up doing is having a fundraiser Saturday evening that we didn’t get home from until early Sunday morning.  After church my family and I spent some time together and I didn’t get to Casey’s house until 10:45 pm.  After packing the truck we decided to skip “trying to sleep” for an hour and a half and decided just to get a head start on our driving.  I took the first shift and drove till I couldn’t drive any more.  Bob took the second shift  and Casey took the third.  We all managed to get a little sleep.  Those of us that were a wake were able to take part in some good theological discussions.  After Casey drove I took over for the rest of the day.  

 We did take our time driving and we stopped several times to stretch out our legs and get the blood flowing to the different parts of the body.

At one rest area an older lady was backing out of he parking spot when we heard something dragging under her car.  We brought it to her attention,  got out the tools and Ryan (the most agile one of our group) crawled under her car and removed the piece of damaged cowling.  Before she left we prayed for some of her health concerns.  It was clear that this had touched her heart.

After she left we thanked God for letting us be a blessing in her life.

We arrived at Troy and Rosa Conner’s house about 3:30pm.  The Conner’s are very hospitable.  They opened their house to us, let us shower and fed us.  After having 3 busy days with very little sleep, we were looking forward to a good night sleep.

                                                                                                                        5 Amigos Day 2

                                                                                                                         June 23, 2009

     We left the Conner’s house this morning.  I managed to find an internet “Hot Spot” and was able to upload the first days events.  We also

made contact with Jackie Scott at Casa Hogar and told them when we would be arriving.

     Our pickup load of stuff drew some attention at the boarder when we crossed into Mexico.  I was literally given a green light to pass but

was immediately flagged down and taken off to the side to be searched.  They took a quick peak under the tarp and in our ice chests and

then sent us on our way.   

      We stopped in Ensenada for lunch.  While we were standing at the pickup eating tacos,  a lady came up and started visiting with us.  

Her name is Miguelina.  She recently lost her fiancé to some sort of lung disease.   She was hurting inside.  We listened to her for a while and

then we prayed for her.  And she went on her way.   There was a guy who also came up to us while we were in Ensenada looking for food.  

Ryan made him a sandwich.  He thanked us and went on his way.

     From Ensenada we decided to visit La Buffadora.  After “running the gauntlet” of vendors trying to get those tourist dollars,  we reached

the “blow hole”.   Waves would come in and all that energy would get funneled through one small hole creating a geyser.

     We reached Casa Hogar late in the evening.

                                                                               5 Amigos Day 3

                                                                                 June 24, 2009

    We started off the day with a group worship session.  Later (About 7:am) Steve and Jackie joined us and we took part

In their daily bible study.  At 7:30 we went and had breakfast with the kids.

    After breakfast we went and helped Steve Scott poor a concrete slab for a house that another group is going to build.

We spent a lot of time getting the gas powered engine to run on the concrete mixer.  It has serious carburetor issues.  

I managed to regulate the fuel with the cut off valve enough to keep the engine running. And we were able to get the slab

Poored.  We are contemplating weather or not to use some of our funds to purchase a new engine for the mixer.  We might

just pay for it our of our own pockets.

    After that we came back and had lunch with the kids.  Then it was off to IDT, to say hello to some old friends.  We

learned that IDT was having a church service that night and we went back later for that.

    We returned to Casa Hogar before 3:pm so that I could ride around with Abel and see if any of the other kids were

sleeping on the floor.  Abel had already left.  I think he is the only guy around here that is not running on “Mexico Time”.

We will have to try again tomarrow.

    Since my afternoon was freed up by me missing the bus, we decided to go visit a rehab center near the Trique Village.

We will be headed back over there at 6:am to worship and pray with them.

     My lap top battery is dying so I have to stop here.  I’ll try and post some pictures tomorrow.

Day 4

6/25/09

   We started off  today worshipping with the rehab center in

the Trique Village.  Casey provided music with his guitar and

Ryan backed him up with the bongos.   We were very

appreciated.  They asked us repeatedly to come back.   We

Donated 5 bibles to their ministry.

    We started pricing materials for the beds today.  It looks

We will be able to stick to the original budget of  $75.00 per

Bed or $150 per bunk bed.  That includes the mattress.

    We met a man today who is an ex drug addict, and he has

2 different ministries.  One ministry is working with the

Troubled youth.  The second is working with guys fresh out

Of rehab.  It is his hope that he can keep the guys off drugs and there by keeping their kids off the streets.

    We sent Steve out to find some mattresses today.  He was able to find one.  I’m hopeful that he will be able to find more

tomorrow.  We need 12 mattresses at this point.  We are going to start building beds tomorrow.

6/26/09 As per my wife’s request here are some more pictures of the kids.

Day 5

6/26/09

We started building beds today.  We have one complete so

people can see what we are doing.  We have a good start

on anther 4 sets of bunk beds.

    This afternoon I road around with Steve as he took the

kids home.  I found a couple families that were in desperate

need of beds.  One family was a single mom with 4 of her

own kids and 3 of her sisters.  They had one bed in the

house.  Most of the children are sleeping on the floor.We

are going to give them 2 sets of bunk beds.

    This evening we shared 3 large Pizza’s with the other

people that are staying here.  After that we had a time of

sharing testimonies.  It was a good experience.  I think there

was some emotional healing that took place as well.

Day 6

6/27/09

  Ryan, Randy and I traveled down past San Quintine to pastor

Daniel Garcia’s house.  We had a good visit.  He is coming

along with the remodel of the church.  They expanded the

sanctuary to accommodate a growing congregation.

  On the way back, I was getting low on fuel so I decided to stop

at the first Gas station and get some diesel.  One of the workers

came up to us and said they were out of diesel.  So I went to the

next station and they were out of diesel also.  And so was the

third.   I was begining to think that I would have to park the truck

when I finally found a station with fuel.

   While we were gone, Bob and Casey finished the prep work

On the other 4 beds.   We now have 5 ready for delivery and I

Have a list of who needs them most.

I added some new pics to the 5 Amigos page today.

Day 7

6/28/09

    Our group went to two different churches today.  Casey, Ryan and Randy went to the Church of Restoration

And Bob and myself opted for the Calvary Chapple church where there was a translator.   

     We also said good bye to Josiah’s mother and sister today.  They are headed back to Oregon.

    After church a fellow that we are working with in the Trique Village came by and made fish tacos for all of us

at Casa Hogar.

     We spent a little time at the beach before all of us went to the big church near the orphanage.

Day 8

6/29/09

    We went and visited the big orphanage here in Vicente Guerrero Mexico.  It has an interesting history.  It started with

a woman who had a vision from God and through much prayer it has turned into a major opperation that meets not only

the needs of the children, but also the local communities.

    After the kids went home, we delivered the first 2 sets of bunk beds.  Abel shared a message with the 2 families and

we gave one family a bible that didn’t have one.

Day 9

6/30/09

    I had a rude awakening this morning.  I woke up sick.  I think that is Gods way of telling me that I need to back off and

take a break.  I was able to catch up on my bible reading.  The cook made a special tea for me out of local herbs.  It seams

to have settled my stomach.  But I’m still not 100%.  The rest of the guys delivered two beds to the halfway house in Trique.

    Casey and Ryan went to a local soccer out reach in Trique.  I should have pictures of that tomorrow.  Most of the beds

are ready for delivery.  If God shows us more kids,  Bob says he is willing to build more.

Day 10

7/1/09

     To day was better for me.  I woke up with no stomach pains.  It was back to business.  We installed 3 sets of bunk beds

Today.   Bob, Casey, and Ryan went to the Trique village this evening for the second half of the soccer out reach.  Randy

And myself went with the other Church group and watched as they led the Wednesday night service at a local church.   I

Joined up with Bob, Casey and Ryan after church.  The soccer out reach continued until dark.

Day 11

7/2/09

    We had a blessed day today.  We delivered 2 more beds to day.  One house was so tight, we had trouble using the drill

to drive screws.  The other house was made out of card board.  That family was extremely grateful.  The father was in tears

when Able prayed for their home.  The house had a low roof and we made a custom bunk bed for them.

Day 12

7/3/09    We placed 4 sets of bunk beds today.  1 went to A mother and

2 children who live in a new house built by the Church group that has been

down here this week.  3 other bunk beds went to the half way house in the

Trique village.

    We also helped out a local missionary by getting her generator installed

so she can have power and move into her own house.  She is down here

working with IDT.  She has taken on 2 orphan boys.   And the people that

she is renting her house from are coming back soon.  So she needs to get into

this new house.   Bob and I also vented the propane water heater,  So that she could use it.

    Ryan and Casey went south to do a soccer ministry with pastor Daniel.

Day 14

7/5/09    We decided to walk through the Trique Village today.  We stopped at various places in the village and prayed for

The people and the land.  Casey brought a list of scriptures that we read at various points also.  In the evening we went to

Church at La Harmosa.  Neri (Neddy) translated for us.

Day 15

7/6/09   We said good bye to all our friends at Casa Hogar

today.  Jackie Scott said we had become like regular

fixtures around there.  The kids from the day care came

back in after breakfast to thank us for all the beds we

made and said good bye.

    At the first military check point we were thoroughly

searched.  One guy got pretty excited when he found my

stash of road flares under the back seat.  He asked what

they were and then took one over to his supervisor to

show him.  I think he thought it was an explosive devise.

     Our next excitement came at the U.S. Boarder.   The boarder guard said he could not search our pickup in the line that

we were in, so we were suppose to go park next to a motor home so the other guards could search under the tarp in the back

of the truck.  We parked next to the motor home and were told that we needed to be in another line for the search.  So we

got in that line and a boarder patrol officer walked by, looked at the truck and said we could not be in that line and sent us

around to another line.  When we finally stopped a boarder patrol officer came up and looked at a not that the original

officer wrote and wanted to know why we were there.  I explained every thing to him and he said an officer would be by

to search the back and we could get out of there.

    As we were waiting we noticed a sign that said our conversations were being recorded.  We were watching other cars

pull in get searched and get out.  Casey said he still had some verses left over that we didn’t read on the Trique walk.  I said

that sounds great,  out conversations are being recorded,   maybe we can save some one up in the office.  Casey and I took

Turns reading verses.  We didn’t do that very long before an officer came up and wanted to search the pickup.  I had

finished  reading a passage from 2 Timothy 1. Which says, starting at verse 7:

    For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

    So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner.  But join with me in suffering

For the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us ad called us to a holy life - not because of any thing we

Have done, but because of his own purpose and grace.  This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the

Beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearin of our savior, Christ Jesus, who has

Destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.  And of this gospel I was

appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher.   That is why I am suffering as I am.  Yet I am not ashamed,

Because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him

for that day.  

     The officer confiscated Ryan’s apples. And then left again.  We asked another guard if we could go and he told us, not

Until the officer doing the search returned.  I said to the guys that I can keep on reading scripture and Ryan asked that I read

The above passage again.  2 verses into it the officer returned and said we could go.  He also made the comment that he

Could never make it though Genesis.   We stopped for the night at Troy Conner’s house.

Day 16

7/7/09  We all arrived home safe and

sound.   We left the Conner’s house at 3:15 am.  It was a long drive and we made several stops to stretch our legs.

    Thanks for following this missionary trip.  If you have questions or would like more information on helping the people of

Baha California, Mexico please contact us.

    For those of you looking for the financial accountability that was talked about during the fund raiser.  I will post that I

information on the 5 Amigos page.  It might take a few days before we get it posted.