Windy day in the valley. We just had our 6th annual spelling competition and all of the teachers were proud to watch each of their students come alive with the vocabulary they have all learned this year. It is so much fun to see the minds of these kids work so hard to produce the words which they has written, read, and memorized. I am excited to share that we had a lot of new students win this years competition in each class level. It was a fun night and I am truly proud of my five students, Isaac, Irvin, Karen, Gerardo, and Angel. The winner of the 5th level class was Jose Antonio this year, which 3 years ago he was one of my students and he was also the first one out in the spelling competition, then last year he moved up a class and again was the first one out, but the tables have turned and Jose Antonio won 1st place. A switch has been triggered in his brain and he is just soaking up all that he is learning and hungry for more information it is exciting to watch and to have been a teacher of his. We are all so blessed to see the little 32 lights of intelligence ignite for learning and the Lord. God is good.

Hugs all around

Wow have you ever been greeted from 7:00am to 11:00pm with hugs throughout the day? It is a great birthday gift to be welcomed with hugs. I am truly blessed to be alive and well. I am also grateful for the many children, staff, directors, friends, and family who have opened up their arms and embraced me with a birthday hug. HUGS are fantastic and if you haven't had a hug today or need one more then find someone close to you or open up your arms and wrap them around yourself for a great big hug from me. Hugs from Mexico!

Primavera & 4 yrs old

Everyone this spring we are welcoming a lot of new things. We welcomed the weather of rain and warmth. We welcome the flowers and birds that greet us early in the morning. We welcome the time change and enjoy our bright evenings to play longer outside with our children. We welcome our youngest RANCHER KIDO Juan Jose, 4 years of age who is living with Johnny and Amber Thompson who are parenting, and opening up their home to this young orphan boy who is being flooded with love and language. We welcome the visitors and groups who have blessed us with food, clothing, building materials, games, hugs, prayer, and words of encouragement, and we are preparing to remember and welcome the story of Jesus resurrection when he paid a price for all of us to be welcomed into his kingdom as a new creation, clean, blameless, and forgiven. We have so much to welcome this spring and take some time to welcome spring wherever you are. Hugs from Mexico

Corazon - Heart

Salmos 72:26 "Ya casi no tengo fuerzas, pero a ti siempre te tendre; !mi unica fuerzas eres tu! Psalm 73:26 "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

Dia de Amor/ Valentine's Day is just around the corner. This week in class we memorized this verse from Psalms. In order to help my class understand this verse I used mini toy parachute men. You all have at some point bought those little army guys with plastic parachutes that you would take up a tree and let go of or climb a ladder even to watch it slowly float to the ground. Well the example was in reference that each little parachute man was us/you/me and when we try to do things on our own or even worldly ways with our actions, words, anything then are parachute doesn't open up fully to guide us safely back to the ground. We fall and sometimes we fall hard when we want to do things on our own. The great thing is that we have a Lord and Savior who loves us and wants to be in our lives daily and when we stop and invite him into our lives then by his grace we are filled with the Holy Spirit who will gladly open our parachutes because He loves us and wants to be a part of our lives. So this Sunday my class will be demonstrating the mini parachute men as themselves and how God's love, his strength is our portion forever. He desires that and wants an relationship with us. The kids are excited open up their parachutes for Christ. Fun lesson to share.

In order to lead I must learn to follow

This morning I was reminded of what it meant to (FOLLOW) from our staff devotions. A follower is someone who pays close attention, someone who is alert, and in HEBREW follow means "foot steps." Whose foot steps? Well when I was in Israel I walked the many paths that Jesus walked and I can imagine his disciples doing just the same....so close even that they were covered in His dust as scripture tells us. His disciples were walking in HIS "foot steps" the roads were dirt and Israel is a very warm desert climate so the air was filled with dust as these men followed Jesus all over. They were learning to lead and before any of them could go out and lead others they first needed to learn how to follow. We have several older kids who are learning to lead the younger kids with chores, cooking, maintenance work,and basic living skills, but many of them first need to learn to follow. I am here teaching and learning to follow my leaders, as well as leading in the classroom. I do a little of both each day, but most importantly in order for me to even step out each day and lead for the Lord I need to follow him. I am always learning and I am thankful that each day I have the privilege to follow the greatest leader of them all our Lord Jesus Christ. What can I do today to follow? How can I draw closer to Him in this hour and in this day?

ITS A NEW YEAR

Wow we are almost done with January and have been enjoying every bit of the NEW YEAR! I am truly blessed to witness moments when my students are creating and writing complete sentences on their own. I am amazed to observe some of our older students get involved with job experiences in our local town. I am thankful for writing a verse, story problem, or sentence on the board and my students being able to read and respond. It is only January and so many little victories are coming alive here and the Ranch. I am blessed to share this new year with all of my friends, family, supporters, and many new faces that I get the opportunity to meet when groups come to serve here in Mexico almost every weekend. Each day is full of many blessings and many surprises. Enjoying the process of it all. One day at a time.

Feliz Navidad & Feliz Cumpleanos Jesus Cristo

We are enjoying some lovely Santa Ana winds (warm breezes of 70 degrees) on this Christmas morning. It is a great day to be alive and celebrate the birth of our savior. I was blessed this morning to share this day with 32 kids and 15 great friends who I am privileged to serve with here at Rancho Sordo Mudo. We were also blessed to have Francis Chan and his family here for Christmas. The best thing about this day is that it fell on Sunday...a day of worship, praise, and remembering the best Christmas present given to us all. A gift that can change our lives and provide for us eternal life. This is the day that the Lord has made ... let us rejoice in it. We are all given this gift and I was reminded that today as I worshiped with my hands, as I watched all of the kids open up their Christmas gifts, and listened to Luke and Francis Chan share about thankfulness, grace, and what it means to be a giver. A giver of time, or a giver of love, or even a giver of joy. We each can share something with someone and by just taking a moment to help or serve or just be available is all it takes. I am thankful for my family and friends who not only support me personally, but who are present in my life and who love me no matter what. A love that is everlasting and unconditional just like our savior Jesus Christ who died for all of us on the cross that his love could be poured out as a living sacrifice for our sins. His love is eternal. Feliz Navidad to all my friends and family. Hugs from Mexico