Visiting Ohio and Colorado

We hope to see you while we are in Ohio and Colorado!!

Our Plans so far...
Ohio April 10- 28

• April 10th Kim and Corrin arrive to Ohio
  
• April 12th Champion Presbytarian Church (morning service)
• April 16th Robin arrives in Ohio
  
• April 19th Bristolville Church of the Brethren (morning service)
  
• April 19th Southing Christian Church (6pm)
• April 20th plans already made
• April 21st Mexico Building Trip Reunion at Tana Michaels house (7pm)
• April 26th Mecca Community Church (morning service)

Colorado April 28- end of May

• April 28th Robin, Kim and Corrin arrive to Denver, CO
  

Ohio Building Trip- Cerro Gordo

TEAM MEXICO 2009
Charles and Jackie, Janet Banner, Bryan Ayers, Leah Dickson, Gary Wildman, George and Nancy Bradley, Ed Shafer and Tana Michaels

Hearts ready to serve and to receive as the third Ohio Building group arrived in Puebla, Mexico. The team, full of faith and expectancy, came to finish the project that was initiated the year before- a functioning kitchen and bathroom for Tina, a 50+ year old widow from Cerro Gordo, Mexico.

Tina has 7 children and has lived in a two room house which used to be a grain shed. Several years ago her husband was part owner of a restaurant and his partner took him for everything he had leaving them without work or a home. Since then, Tina and her family have made home in the two room buildin. A while back, Robin and I visited one weekend and the family gave us the one "bedroom" where she and her son and his family all slept. Their hospitality was humbling to say the least! I was impacted as she heated up water for us the next day to take our bucket shower! That day she shared with us how much she would like to have running water for a bathroom!

I was so thrilled when Pastor Charles Kindle agreed to come to Mexico to help build an addition onto her home for a kitchen and bathroom. Last year the building team got all of the walls up and in the transcourse of the year the family was able to put down the cement floor in the kitchen, put up a laminated roof and some cement counters.

This year the team came to help finish the bathroom! Tina and her whole family expressed how grateful they are! Thank you so much for your prayers and support of this team coming!

This year we were able to reach out to the community more as we stepped off of the bus and walked the length of the community each day. It was more than obvious the 12 "gringos" were in town- they were curious to know why and we were able to let them know that it was because we have the love of Christ in our hearts and we want to share that with others. Over 50 received Christ over the 9 days!

Learning the trade...

Don't think that Corrin only slept on the trip. Oh no! He was learning the tricks of the trade along with everyone else.

Here he is helping to make tortillas with Nancy and Mayte! Can you see the tortilla dough in his little hand?? He needed a little assistance from Nancy and it turned out to be a "mini" tortilla. Yummy.

Dad also got his son in on the work. Here he is with the spatula ready to spread some cement on the walls.

Everyone appreciated his help!! Corrin was named the "youngest" man to have participated in one of the 44 building trips of Charles Kindle!

Corrin's new friends!

Corrin sure did not mind being in the arms of Janet and "Uncle" Ed. Janet held Corrin and put him to sleep more than once during the building trip! He was so content!

Corrin wore his first ever "Harley Davidson" shirt that Ed and Sue Shafer bought him! The shirt says, "Me Want Harley Davidson"- too cute!

Translating and Plastering

The difference from last year to this year was remarkable as Robin's Spanish had improved enough that he was able to help communicate between the sons of Tina (Chavo and Ariel) as they worked on site.

Here is Robin and Gary plastering what will be the shower for Tina and her family. Tina has a 50 gallon barrel full of water in her current bathroom that she uses to flush the toilet with and shower. We are so blessed to be able to build her a bathroom with running water and a hot water heater! She is so thankful!!

Outreach in the community...

Saturday night we invited the whole town to come watch the newly released movie, "Magdalena". Several children and adults watched the movie that was projected onto a sheet hung on the side of and unfinished house. That night 6 people prayed to receive Christ in their heart!

The children gathered around us all week!! Pictured: Leah, Janet and George sharing Christ's love with them!

Playing hard after working hard....

We not only worked hard but we also got to play hard. Here we are with Ed, "Magic" from Xalapa, and Leah playing the train game. Ed is the master player and the challenge each night was to try to beat Ed. Robin was able to win 4 of the 20 games that they played! It was so fun hanging out in Xalapa where Kim lived for 4 years!

Robin took the team to the nearby waterfalls to cool off after a week of hard word in really hot weather! He and Edgar made the jump together!

Friends and Soccer

Over the last year I have been able to participate in a soccer league. It has been a joy to meet new people, build relationships, and burn some energy at the same time. Last year in December our team played for the championship and we won 6-2. I scored 2 goals for our team!!
But the most exciting part has been the friends I have made: brothers, Omar and Jorge are two of those people. Omar is a senior in high school and has an amazing heart to love God. They both expressed a desire to grow in their relationship with HIM. Pray that God will give me opportunities to love them more. Also, pray for their family as they tragically lost their younger sister,shot and killed by a jealous “friend” a few months ago.

Sharing Christ on Campus

It has been a blessing to take part in what God is doing on campus here in Puebla. This year I, Robin, have been a part of seeing 7 people come to know Christ in a more personal way.

I have been reminded this year of how powerful God is, how effective his Word is and how “in need” we are of his love. Before going on campus, we start by praying and I find myself asking God to amaze us with his great power. I am seeing that much of ministry is just being willing to show up and take small steps of faith and allow God to do his mighty work.
One day on campus we were talking with Marco and Jaime. We shared with them how to have a personal relationship with God; one that is not based on works or a religion but a true relationship. We asked them if they had any question or comments, and Marco replied, “It makes me want to cry, it is amazing.”.


We had 5 of the 7 guys join us for a more in depth bible study the following week. Please continue to pray that God will change their lives dramatically and that they would not be like the seeds that fall on hard ground or in briar bushes that die off; but, on fertile ground where they grow and remain faithful.

Grandma Laura's visit

We were so blessed to have Robin's mom come to visit us after Corrin was born. They bonded immediately and enjoyed the week together January 10th-18th. Corrin loved falling asleep in her arms!