Packing food bags for isolated communities of Ixcamilpa

Paco plans a trip to Ixcamilpa each year around September 24- the anniversary of his first trip to these isolated communities after the severe earthquake of September 19, 2017 that devastated the area. 

With that trip on the calendar, a church in California, moved by the Lord, contacted us with a desire to send goods to these poor communities. What joy to have even more with

which to serve!  Others were especially generous this last month as well, which allowed us to purchase even more: a guitar (at the petition of a local pastor), Bibles, medicines, cleaning supplies, and more. 

Paco went shopping to prepare 50 loaded food and grocery bags for the Ixcamilpa people who will be suffering the effects of a poor harvest this year.  After insufficient summer

rains, the fall crops will be consequently insufficient to feed them during the next season. 

Our church gathered the Sunday before the trip to pack all the food bags and prepare all the goods and supplies for loading into our car- 1000 lbs of supplies!

Our church body marveled at all the food, amazed that people in another country (the United States) would show so much love to people here in Central Mexico so far away.  And, they rejoiced to be part of the ministry of packing and preparing the donations.  Most of the families in our congregation are very low-income, without the means to participate much

financially for our Ixcamilpa ministry.  However, their hearts of service to the Lord and love for others filled them with the desire to minister to the Ixcamilpa people. Through the food donations that they packed, they were blessed to participate in missions themselves.

Javier, a man in our congregation, asked for vacation time from work to join Paco on his 3 day trip.  The Lord continues to provide new companions for Paco’s trips!- which serves not only as a huge help for Paco in all the ministry, but also peace of mind for me that he is not alone out there isolated from cell phone service, and also as a one-on-one discipleship

opportunity for Paco with men from the congregation.

On Saturday, before Paco’s trip on Monday, his grandmother in southern Mexico passed away, and he left on Sunday, 4am with his siblings to drive to accompany the family at the funeral. Even in his absence, the church brothers took charge in preparing all the donations for loading into the car.  When Paco arrived at 10pm, everything was ready and waiting for him at the church. After packing the ton of materials, and filling up his gas tank, he finally arrived home at 12am. He only slept a few hours before leaving at 6am for Ixcamilpa.  Honestly, I was very

concerned about his sleep-deprived state and back-aches with so many straight hours in the car and packing even before his mission trip.  However, the Lord took abundant care of him.  (I am starting to recognize a pattern of obstacles before each of Paco’s trips to these communities- obviously the enemy, Satan, tries to deter the Lord’s work in this area.)