Church Wiring in Canoas

For the first time ever power lines were recently extended to Canoas, a tiny mountain Mexican village. When we were holding services there at the Christian church recently (see Easter Service at Mexican Mountain Village Canoas), we made a material list of what was needed to get electricity in the church building. A few days later True Path Ministry set out to install the needed wiring with a small team that included Arlen, who was visiting from Texas, Evangelist Ramiro, Stephen and local pastor Alfredo.

When we first arrived many of the children from the village came to greet us. They were curious about what we were going to do there. We also had a couple of men leave their sheep herds to check out our work. They liked seeing Arlen’s battery powered tools and were especially interested in seeing how we connected the plugs and switches. CFE, the electric utility in Mexico, still has to run a service wire to the building, but it is wired and ready to receive electricity.

The pastor’s family also fed us a simple meal of tortillas, beans and rice – their tortillas are wonderful. They use the corn they raise, hand grind it and cook it over a small wood fueled stove. It was a fun day serving the Lord and installing the wire, boxes, conduit and fixtures needed. We have been to the village many times and they are always welcoming – they are our family in Christ.

Ramiro (left), Arlen, and local pastor Alfredo were the wiring team (click on a photo to see it closer).

Stephen was also part of the wiring team.

Their homemade corn tortillas were very good.

They were proud to show us their new corn grinder.

Their wood fueled cook stove is typical of those used in many mountain villages.

The people of the village live off the land raising corn, sheep and goats.

Farming small fields and raising livestock is how most folks make their living in Canoas.

 

 

 

God’s Plan

We are always amazed how God uses us to work out His plan.

Berenice, pastor from San Francisco, NL, sent out a facebook post requesting a wheelchair for a family she knew. She has gone with us many times to remote villages in Mexico.

I immediately responded and said Steve and I would be happy to get a wheelchair for her.  We were in Texas but would be headed back across the border soon. I knew it would be much easier to get a wheelchair in Texas than in Galeana.

I mentioned the need for a wheelchair to our daughter but soon forgot about it. The lord reminded me the night before we would be heading to Mexico. We were staying at Arlen and Linda’s, Steve’s brother and sister in-law’s house.  Arlen was going to Mexico with us. I asked them if they knew of anyone that might have a wheelchair. Linda began calling her connections but there wasn’t one to be found.

Belinda and Larry had a wheelchair they were excited to donate.

In a last ditch effort I called our friends, Larry and Belinda Bookman, who lived close by and left a message asking if they knew of anyone.

It was getting late and we had to get up early the next morning so I (Tonyia) went to bed. Soon after I went to bed, Steve came in and said that Belinda had called back and she had her mother’s wheelchair in their barn and she would be happy to donate it.

We arrived at Larry and Belinda’s house the next morning before the sun came up and loaded the wheelchair on the trailer.

Once we got to Galeana, I let Berenice know we would be happy to bring the wheelchair to her. The wheelchair only a few repairs which Steve and Arlen did: oiled the moving parts and taped the arms.

In a few days, we went to San Francisco, picked up Berenice and she took us to the couple’s tiny adobe home. The man and his wife looked to be in their 80’s. He was already in a worn-out wheelchair because his legs have been amputated at the hips.  His wife is his primary and only caregiver.

They were very excited to get the new wheelchair and he asked if we would help move him into it. We gladly helped him transfer to his new wheelchair and we all gave hugs and praised God.

THANK you Jesus for allowing us to be a part of your plan!

Easter Services at Mexican Mountain Village Canoas

(There are many photos too.) A group of Christians traveled two hours on Saturday, March 31 in the True Path Ministry suburban from Galeana, NL, Mexico to the tiny mountain village of Canoas to share an Easter service. “It was so awesome to see how grateful these people were to  share this time with us,” said Arlen Williams, who was visiting from Texas.

The worship service was Bible-based and Christ-centered. Evangelist Ramiro brought a great message and Lulu, with her acoustic guitar, brought the music. Pastor Berenice, from a village near Galeana, taught the children during a special time. The kids especially enjoyed making a donkey out of a paper sack. It represented the animal that Jesus rode into Jerusalem. We also gave each child a small gift and some stuffed animals after they told us what they learned.

They were very welcoming.

After the services we shared donated clothing, reading glasses, tooth brushes and soap. The pastor and another Christian invited us to their homes and fed us a simple meal of beans and potatoes.

It was a worderful day serving Christ in these beautiful mountains with happy and grateful people.

The group who traveled from Galeana to Canoas (click on a photo to see it larger)

We always start with prayer.

The clothes are loaded on top of the ministry suburban.

It is a long, rough road, but beautiful.

We travel through various natural environments.

There was a soccer game going beside the one room school when we arrived.

The children were the first to arrive.

Local pastor started the service with a prayer and a Psalm.

Lulu play the music on her acoustic guitar – there is no electricity in the church.

Pastor Berenice from San Francisco, NL, has a beautiful voice.

Evangelist Ramiro delivered a powerful sermon.

Pastor Berenice lead the children’s time outside during the adult service.

The kids made a donkey out of a paper sack.

Arlen helped with the art project.

The gifts for the kids included a Christian tract.

Pastor Reynaldo help people select reading glasses, soap and tooth brushes.

 

We gave out donated clothing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The people were very grateful.

We had a meal at the pastor’s home.

It was a great day in Canoas.

There is a lot of preparation that goes into our trips to remote villages.