Author: Kathy Byram

Mission of Miracles Food Pantry in Baird, TX

In 2000, the year my father lived with us, I was freelancing from home and discovered that the local food pantry needed volunteers. It was that year that I was allowed the time to help families in Baird. Our church was gathering a group of volunteers and I met a woman by the name of Ruth Fisher (photo at the bottom of this post). She was in her 90s and had opened a food pantry and clothing location in the 1980s. She had been running this non-profit for the last 20 years. I started helping her sack boxes and bags of food for the 65+ families and individuals in Baird. I had no idea there were so many that needed assistance in our small community. Ruth was running a “faith-based mission.” She took orders from no one, except God. She was the most giving woman I have ever known. She taught me that our heavenly Father asked us to care for the needy in our community. A lot of people asked me: “Why do you keep giving that man stuff? He’s a drunk.” OR “That woman as 6 children. She just needs to get a job, or something?” OR “That couple just does drugs? Why do you even bother helping them?” OR “You have been feeding that man for 10 years, he’s a loser, lives in a dump, and smokes too much. He’s never going to change.” OR “That family is just lazy. They need to get a job. They just want free food and free cloths.”

Ruth told me that the Father asked her to do one thing. “Love and feed the people. He will take care of the rest.” This is our job. This is what we do. My friend Mark Hewitt with Love & Care Ministries in Abilene tells the same story. People ask him all the time, “Mark, why do you keep feeding the same drunks, prostitutes, gang bangers, druggies and dealers for the last 25 years?” He tells them, “I’m not doing this for you, I am doing this for the Father because he asked me to.” Because of Mark and Ruth’s relationship with God, they have taught me that when you choose to be a servant, it means we give up the right to feel the need to be in charge. We get ourselves out of the way and make room for the Father’s mission. We become his vessel by caring and loving those that many do not.

People need help. We are not all the same. If we are blessed to provide, then that is what we do. No one knows what difficulties people go through. God does. I am grateful Funeral Directors Life cuts out sabbatical time for their employees to volunteer in their local communities and abroad. The bonds I have with the ladies and gentlemen I work with, and work for, are my neighbors, attend our churches, and volunteer at this Baird mission.

Oh, and that woman we helped with 6 children is now involved in vacation bible school as a teacher in our church this summer. That man with the drinking problem has started a mowing business and is making his own way. That couple that was doing drugs is now in a recovery program and they both volunteer at the food pantry faithfully every week. They also have a small dog walking service. And that man we have been feeding for 10 years volunteers at the local Meals on Wheels for the lady that retired at the age of 92. He has been with them for 5 years now. See, God knew.

This is JJ. He works with his sister and helps run the mission. Their mother, Joann, passed in December of 2020 and ran it before them. They are continuing her legacy.

Food from the food bank in Abilene!

Lana Dobbs, my buddy, and Angie Dobbs mamma!

Church buddies, Carolyn and Penny!

Ruth Fisher, November 23rd, 1911-June 23, 2012 with niece Carrie

Mini-sabbaticals have changed this year along with the advent of the COVID pandemic. Those of us who are honored to participate in this sabbatical process are trying to find ways to serve our community in more creative, thoughtful and less invasive ways. Honoring our neighbors and social distancing have clearly given us time to think about what our community’s needs are during these times. Our Baird Community Coat Drive committee did determine that coats will always be a tangible item that kids, seniors, and needy families need during the approaching winter season. Last year we served 57 families/individuals in Baird..mostly kids. And with the donations from the 5 churches in Baird and the local businesses, we had several large boxes of coats left over from last year that we placed in storage for this year. Also, we had $300.00 cash reserved for special needs or coats that we did not have that we could purchase.

The question this year was how were we going to get the coats to the people? Last year we left coat forms with our churches, several local businesses, the school, and the senior citizen meeting spot along with 8 large coat drops boxes for people that wanted to make donations. We had several of our volunteers visit local businesses for financial donations. Last year everyone came by our Community Center and picked out what they wanted. But since we are being respectful about social distancing this year, we needed to keep person-to-person contact minimal. So, we had to think out-of-the-box about how to reach these families and individuals differently this year in 2020.

We simplified the process and decided to have one form that had all of their personal information and what coats they needed. We had them include their cell numbers and addresses. Our drop off location for the forms was where we left the forms. The school. The churches. The bank. City Hall. It simply says if you need a coat or know family or friends that need coats, then please fill out this form completely and we would fulfill these orders and have them delivered to you. Simple. And that is how it will go until the end of January. Baird First Baptist Church is allowing us to use their fellowship hall to organize the coats we currently have in stock and to package and fulfill the orders still coming in.

We are grateful to the local businesses for supporting this Baird Community Coat Drive and to our local churches who have supported this call. Thankful to my hubby, Dennis, and our daughter, Ivy, for helping me sort and organize coats. Thank you to an anonymous volunteer who donated scarves and cloves for the kids. There was another anonymous volunteer who knitted hats for us. Inside each hat has a piece of cloth sewn in that simply says, “GOD LOVES YOU.”

The Baird Community Coat Drive will be serving families until January 15th, 2021, officially, but we always pull items for those that know us and have a need.

I am so thankful to FDLIC for allowing me and my family and my small group of ladies here in Baird to have the time to take this task and give me time to organize this charity that God has called us to lead. Everyone has been so grateful for the coats that we have delivered to so far. It is good to know that God has directed us to do this and that we have so many willing to help volunteer and help us financially.

Thank you FDLIC for being the arm of God in so many ways. Thank you, Father, for letting us be your hands and feet and providing for us. Amen.

Love and Care Ministries has been a passion of mine for years now. I am thankful that Mark Hewitt, the Executive Director, and his people are doing great work for the kingdom of God. Hundreds of poor and homeless are being provided for with food, clothing, showers, with personal and spiritual support from good people who know how to help. I was blessed to spend 4 days with Janet in the kitchen and Mike in clothing. We are thankful for the Love & Care volunteers who pickup food from the local restaurants and grocery stores. Because of their generosity they are able to  provide everything from mountains of bread and pastries to containers full of fried chicken, casseroles, and tons of fresh veggies for salads. It was good to see the walk-in freezer in Janet’s kitchen full of food ready to be served.

During this COVID time in Abilene, I was glad to see that everyone was taking precautions from food handling to wiping down counters and spraying areas where people were gathering to eat and in areas where they hand out clothes, hygiene kits, and other necessities. Mark’s daughter Magan helps operate Love & Care Ministries. Her two children, Branson and Trinity, have spent this summer helping as needed in all areas of the facilities. It’s a family operation. Mark’s mother, Carolyn, works in the front office. Maxine, Carolyn’s sister, works in the kitchen. Robert and his wife Paula, work in clothing and have been here for the best part of a decade or more. Tina is responsible for washing and hanging clothes, and then organizing them by size for men, women, and children. Mike runs the clothing and shower area. He and I spent 3 days getting clothes together for the homeless and poor that came to visit. The clothes are given to them. We give each person a large bag to carry all they could put in a bag. You see, they have a lot of clothing to move before Mission Thanksgiving this November. There is an abundance of clothing. For this, we are thankful to God and thankful for everyone who donates. The need will still be here this fall. Please think of them when you are cleaning out your closets. Their main needs for the winter are socks, blankets, sleeping bags, coats and warm clothes for all ages, men and women, boys and girls. Someone is always asking for a backpack. And food.

Probably the highlight of my 4-day visit was having Mayor Anthony Williams come and visit us and praying with us during his tour of Love & Care on Thursday. He had a good word of encouragement for everyone. After my day was finished that Thursday, I went home with a slight fever. Dennis watched over me for the rest of the weekend and on Monday my doctor decided I needed to get tested for COVID. I was positive. We immediately called Mark Hewitt and let the mayor know we had all been exposed. Needless to say, I was “THAT volunteer at THAT non-profit” he talked about in his press release announcing that he had COVID too. We found out that Mike and his wife and child also had it. Luckily, no one else got it during this time. As of today, we have all recovered, and we are all back at work, including the mayor.

I am thankful that Funeral Directors Life (Kris, the Executive Staff, Supervisors, and the Board of Directors) allows us to have these opportunities to minister to one another at whatever level we know best. I am thankful for the opportunity to serve the poor and homeless of the Big Country. I am thankful to all of the employees and volunteers who keep the Love & Care wheel turning. I am thankful for Mark Hewitt and his executive staff for their hard work. I am thankful for the doctors and nurses who took care of us during our quarantine. I am thankful for the medicines we were given that made us feel better and quickly recover. I am thankful that I didn’t have to go to the hospital. And I pray for those who are struggling because of this virus. I am also thankful to be back with my FD family who have supported me as I recovered. And I am especially thankful for the marketing department and it’s peeps who helped me continue to work remotely during this time by supporting me and helping continue to push projects along. We are supremely blessed here at this company. These are things I will take with me for the rest of my life. And thankful that God is in the center of us all.

More Help for the Needy Families of Baird

Acts 20:35 ESV

“In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Matthew Reynold’s, a deacon in our church (First Baptist Church in Baird), also works for Mark Hewitt at Love and Care Ministries in Abilene. One of Matt’s jobs is to distribute non-perishable food in the Care Pack for Kids at Abilene ISD and many other surrounding community’s schools, including Baird. We have 47 children that we give food bags to every Friday just in Bird. These are prepared by Matt’s team at the local Abilene Love and Care facilities.

Step back to November of this year, Matt and I were handing out Thanksgiving food baskets to the Care Pack for Kids and their families at Baird ISD on a Sunday afternoon after church. Matt and I were talking to some of the parents and asked them if they had any specific needs and many of them were asking for coats. As we handed out the food, we took coat orders at the same time. There are so many needy moms and dads and grandparents and uncles and aunts and older siblings. The needs are many in Baird. So, we decided to start a coat drive for mid-late January.

The organizers of this coat drive start with 7 individuals:
1. Myself
2. Matthew (First Baptist Church)
3. Carrie (Church of Christ)
4. Leslie (Church of God)
5. Debbie (Presbyterian Church)
6. Cathy (Methodist Church)
7. Dela (City of Baird)

Many of these local Baird businesses are helping:
1. Seth Goldsmith Enterprises
2. Hanner Chevrolet
3. Dairy Queen
4. Allsup’s
5. I-Hop
6. Love’s Truck Stop
7. Doller General
8. Clay Jacobs Parker Funeral Home
9. Baird Drive In
10. AM Donut Shop
11. Don Louis Restaurant
12. Mary’s Restaurant
13. Baird City Hall
14. Baird ISD
15. 1820 Restaurant
16. Baird Motor Inn
17. Senior Citizen Center
18. Baird Police Department
19. Baird Volunteer Fire Department
20. Callahan Appraisal District
21. Callahan County Clerk’s Office
22. Dr. Raul Calvo, MD
23. City of Baird
24. Brian and Monique Wheat
25. Grumpie’s Specialties
26. Billy Harris Auto Repair & Service
27. Kelton Flower Shop
28. Market Street Beverage
29. Robert McCool
30. Old Shoppe Antique Dealers
31. Mike Parker, Attorney
32. Robertson’s Hams
33. Shady Oaks Golf Course
34. Texas Department of Public Safety
35. Texas Farm Bureau Insurance

We have lined up the Baird Light Plant (it’s a giant venue in Baird for parties and such) as the distribution center for the day we give the coats out. Nearly all of the local businesses have promised to participate in one way or another. We are happy that financial donations are coming in. We have been blessed. We are still working through the details of the time of distribution, but the process is moving along. Trying to get everyone together is easier now that Christmas and New Year’s is over. Everyone is excited to start a new project.

I am thankful for Kris Seale and the Board of Directors of Funeral Directors Life for allowing us as employees to have these opportunities to spend time reaching out to families in this capacity. I am also very thankful for the fellowship we have as a team by building our community with the love of Jesus.

This week I am volunteering at First Baptist Church in Baird, and in my community. My pastor has given me a “laundry list” of thigs to do. I am happy to serve him. 😊 They are as follows:

1. Tidy up the VBS rooms upstairs. Trash anything torn or unusable.
2. Straighten the craft supply room upstairs. Sort and trash the old supplies.
3. Shop for fresh supplies for craft room and VBS room.
4. Paint old table with brown spray paint for Pastors office.
5. Retouch black paintings of Jesus and cheerleader and basketball player in the youth room upstairs.
6. Organize and re-hang the costumes in the costume closet. Rearrange in logical order according to adult and child sizes.
7. Help the music minister update 2 years of library archiving of sheet music and books. He is behind and needs help.
8. Visit and welcome the new family (Bob and Cheryl Arbuckle) across the street in Mrs. Gillette’s old house.
9. Go to the nursing home in Clyde and visit with Shorty. See if she needs anything.
10. Wednesday night help with the meal they are serving for “Jesus Table”.

I painted that 6-foot Jesus on the green wall in the high school youth room a few years ago and he had taken on some damage from the last few VBS activities we had and scratches from just normal kid stuff. So, taking care of him and the cheerleader and a basketball player was a nice time to spend painting alone in the kids room where I had not been a Sunday School teacher for a while since Ivy was younger. She is now 26. Lots of good memories in these rooms and halls. Shuffling and herding her friends and new kids that didn’t know Jesus. There was always some kid who got hauled in last minute and just came to eat a grilled cheese sandwich and ended up coming again next week. We have some pretty welcoming kids in our youth group. To make 100 grilled cheese sandwiches on a Wednesday evening was my job. But there is nothing better than having a group of starving football players and cheerleaders and track runners or basketball players running in the fellowship hall because Miss Kathy will make you as many grilled cheese sandwiches as you can eat! Every Wednesday night this happened when Ivy was in middle school and high school. I had a good 6 year run of it. I miss that!

Aside from the random cleaning of the VBS rooms and restocking new paints and glue and construction paper, markers and crayons, and foam craft kits. These are the times I think I miss the most with the little kids. I think I was the craft leader since Ivy was in Kindergarten until she went off to college in 2012. In the 6^th grade she was too big for VBS, so she was the music leader for her dad, and she led the VBS music until she graduated. Oh, because Dennis, her dad and my husband is music director. He has been since 2000. Those were busy years.

“Jesus Table” is a ministry the deacons wives have in our church for the surrounding community. This week they made delicious pots of stew and pans of homemade cornbread, along with homemade cookies and tea and coffee. Every Wednesday evening, they invite anyone and everyone that wants a hot meal. Most of them are the poor and low income in our community. It’s heart warming to see these families and individuals come in and cool off during the heat in July and rest themselves in our air conditioning and get a hot meal. Aside from a handful of church members eating, the fellowship hall is full of people I have never met before that live here in Baird. They all come through the line and the deacons wives make sure each plate has a healthy serving of everything. Once they are all seated, my favorite thing to do is walk around with the tea jug and make conversation. There are some mighty sweet and appreciative people every time we do this. It’s heart-warming to see this. At the end of the meal, we send them home with as much food as they can carry. By the time we have our bible study, most of them stay with us and get a great lesson, plus Dennis always sings a couple of great praise songs. My last-minute job while we clean up is to pack cookie bags for the kids that hang around. They know when I head for the kitchen at the end of the night that I always make sure they have treats to take home. Love these kids.

Today is another day and I am heading over to the Clyde Nursing Home to visit Carol Maddy, we just call her “Shorty”! She is 73 and her husband just passed away a few months ago. She is happy to be in the nursing home because this gives her a chance to visit with the other elderly folks who are not as mobile as she is or clients that have very little family contact. She is the “social butterfly” of the nursing home. She is a member of our church in Baird and taught me to sing alto in Dennis’s choir 20 years ago. She is a masterful vocalist. I know God sent her to us when we joined this church to minister to her and her husband. First Baptist Church Baird has cared for her and Harold, her husband who passed, for as long as they have lived here. She loves to go for walks, so I am picking her up today to walk in the Clyde park which is just across the street from the nursing home. She hasn’t walked in a while and we make a few stops as she catches her breath in our one-mile circle. We talk about Harold a lot and she is lonely for him but is adjusting with all her new friends at the nursing home. We finally stop and sit at a picnic table and talk about some of the things she needs. So, I take down her sizes of clothes and some articles she needs and promise to make a visit to Walmart and get her some comfy socks and a new rob and pajamas. I feel like this helps with her transition. She is so appreciative. Shorty will always be a part of our life.

Today, I ran across the street from my house in Baird to meet the new neighbors, Bob and Cheryl Arbuckle. I take a cherry pie and find out that they are from Colorado. They left because of the legalization of marijuana and the complications of life and attitudes and culture. They have custody of their two teenage grandchildren. It’s complicated and intense. Cheryl stays home with the kids and is unpacking boxes after their move in. Bob works three weeks out of the month in Midland for an electrical company. He is looking for work in Abilene. But they are a cheerful and happy couple. It is hilarious how God sends new friends to us. She is an artist and a little bit crazy like me. Bob is an electrician and rides a Harley like Dennis rides a Harley and is an electrician by trade! And he and Bob look like BROTHERS! We have lots in common, and we are all close to the same age. Looking forward to developing this relationship. Making plans to have them and the kids over for dinner soon.

Just want to say how blessed I am to work side by side with my husband in this church. He is associate pastor now and leads worship through his music. He is well loved by our members. So, I feel like this task my pastor gave me was to help Dennis get his office in order. One major task I have is to archive 2 years of sheet music and books that have been piled on shelves and in boxes gathering dust. This is one of his least favorite tasks to maintain. So, it literally takes me a day and a half to recover his office for him as these white boxes are filled and titled according to their rightful placement on these shelves, along with entry into a log book as to where they are and what they are called. It is not an activity I look forward to, but I find that it rattles my artistic need for something “crafty” to have such an analytical activity. I find myself enjoying the work as dreadful as it presented itself. Needless to say, it was done, and Dennis looked at me like “who is this woman?” Enough said. I love how God shows us new things we learn about each other just as we think we know each other so well. Thirty-four years together can sometimes create comfort that can become everyday life, but Dennis and I have artistic impressions of each other and ourselves and we love it when these moments happen. The situation is embraced. The task was a blessing, even though I went into it with great dread!

Painting a table for the pastor…uh, yeah!

I am thankful that FDLIC has allowed me to take this time to serve my community, minister to church family, meet new neighbors, and enrich my marriage. I am truly blessed to be a part of this company and will forever be indebted.

Blessed to be working with “Friends of the Elderly” in Palacios, TX. Mark Hewitt has helped advise their direction on how to change their mode of operation from a government-based facility to a faith-based facility. The goal is to provide more service to the community and to allow the community and local churches to participate more, thus having more resources and providing more services to more people that come here. Currently, this facility is for the elderly. They have a new Executive Director, my friend, Becky Rusk. Her staff has been working so hard to improve all of the services. There is so much going on, and there is so much to do. I am honored to have had a minor hand in their projects this week. They serve hot meals and provide activities for the seniors at the center. John Anthony Guerra, their Senior Center Supervisor, is working hard to help deliver these meals to the home-bound in Palacios and the surrounding communities. They have amazing vision for all the new things they are doing. God is present everywhere. Thank you, FDLIC, for helping to make it possible for me to be here on my sabbatical this week. Your prayers are felt for these people. I work for an AMAZING company!

James. John Anthony Guerra. Me. Linda. My new family.

My mom volunteering and helping me break down old metal chairs to be turned in for cash for metal.

Ripping the old fabric off metal chairs.

Old metal chairs seats separated from the metal frames. They recycled the scrap metal for cash.

Doug and my mom. He entertained us during our work with his piano playing.

Taking a break with Toby. He comes here every day for a hot lunch and dominoes with his pals. So many stories about growing up in Palacios. He was my favorite buddy!

The entrance.

Linda is the facility Activity Director. She has a heart for these lovely people. She’s a jewel! In the pink shirt.

My new friend Doug. He’s waiting for his lunch!

Friends of the Elderly facility.

Bagging 150 pounds of rice in quart baggies. My job for one of the days I was there.

One of the gals in the kitchen carried this 50 pound bag like it was a pillow. No messing with that girl! She was a beast.

Bagging the rice for the facility.

Tammy. Maggie. Me. Susie. My girls in the kitchen. Love them.

Tammy and Maggie working hard to get out a nice hot lunch for the elderly.

Saturday, November 1, 2014

We left at 4:30 AM this morning for Fabens, Texas, just a few miles from the city of El Paso. I had forgotten how fabulously beautiful the mountains are in this part of the country. My road companions are Dennis, my husband, and three dear friends from our church…Penny and Galen, who are married and he is a deacon in our church at First Baptist Church in Baird. And then there’s Matthew. He is our mighty leader and had been on this mission trip before. As have the others. I am the newbie on this specific trip.

Our first stop was to visit a small church in San Elizario to visit Pastor Mario. His air conditioner and heater hasn’t worked in over a year in his little church. Dennis, Galen and Matthew brought tools to fix it. Pastor Mario was so happy. As the men were working I sat in the turquoise blue velvet pew seats. The buttons were missing and the covers had slipped out of position. I reached for the tattered bible in the slot in front of me. It was in Spanish and as I read the books of the bible I was intrigued at the book’s names not being in English. But what I noticed mostly is that very few bibles had covers, nearly all of them were missing. All were completely worn out. I looked around the church. 6 rows of pews on 2 sides. 4 slots on the back of each pew to hold bibles and hymnals. Nearly all of the slots were empty. I walked up and down the isles and there were, maybe, just 7 or 8 bibles in the entire church. 2 bibles in English and the rest in Spanish. I suddenly knew what this little church needed and when we left for the day I told Brother Mario that our church was going to send him a new set of bibles, English and Spanish. Some of the children in this community know English and like to read in English. Can’t wait to get home and ship them off for him.

As we drove back to Fabens to the Tapestries of Life compound we meet Danny Brewer and his wife Stephanie, Trinity, their daughter, Amanda Brewer, Danny’s sister and all the children that live there. There are 5 of them. They immediately take care of us and make sure we have everything that we need. The kids are vibrant and love visiting with us. I am taken with each one of them. Tomorrow, we attend a big church in the community. Looking forward to that. We met the two groups from Iowa who have come to work with us. There are about 15 of them. Some drove. Some flew. Lovely people of God. The ladies are bunking in one section of the compound and the guys are on the other side. All of the comforts of home are here. There is a large kitchen and community area. As we wound down for the evening, Matthew and I taught Penny how to shoot pool while the kids played foosball. She beat us both at pool. We think she already knew. Beginners luck. Ahaha!

Looking forward to church tomorrow in El Paso at Abundant Living Faith Center.

Sunday, November 2, 2014

We are up and out of the Tapestries of Life outpost to drive to El Paso to Abundant Living Church. Beautiful. Amazing. It’s a non-denominational mega church. The presentation of God’s word is much like the format that Beltway has in Abilene. Every person we met was welcoming and loving. I love seeing children’s ministry as a major focus on these young churches. And as I stood outside after the service, I watched as young couple after young family led their toddlers and teenagers to the service. It made my heart warm to know that these families of young and old were preparing the foundation for the future. God is good. This church had four services today, and one Saturday night. Tapestries of Life has a major presence here and the pastor recognized our attendance during the announcements. We were humbled to be there. So many handshakes and kisses on our cheeks. The love of God so present in these gracious families. They knew we were going to Juarez on Wednesday and gave us canned food to take with us. Pallets of food. What a blessing this church has for missions and people. We are blessed. I could hardly keep from weeping at this level of mercy that God presented to us.

We headed back to Tapestries of Life in Fabens for lunch. Danny, the camp leader’s son, took us into Mexico to see the orphanage outside of Guadalupe. As we crossed the border it was immediately evident what the drug cartels have done to this community. What once was a thriving community, it is clear these people are at the mercy of crime in Juarez. The homes and businesses are tattered and crumbling. There is nothing newly constructed. There is no infrastructure to support businesses. So many tiny stores with dirt porches. Men, women and children sitting in cars watching us as we drive by in two vans full of Americans. The vans have the Tapestries of Life logo and they know where we are headed. They nod and wave at us as we drive by. Smiles on their faces. It’s about 30 miles to our destination on dirt roads that wind through the hills. The mountains are beautiful. And as we pulled up to the orphanage, the overwhelming presence of God is enveloping us as we drive through the gate. This place is meant to eventually house 400 children and 25 babies, all for adoption. 55,000 square feet on 27 acres. 2 stories. The building is shaped like a giant cross from above. Each wing facing North, South, East and West. There is a 5 foot stucco fence protecting the perimeter of this place. Today we are just visiting to look around and see how much has been done since the team from our church was here in July. Although there are weekly teams that come out, our group was amazed at the progress and they were smiling as more of this place was getting finished out. Girls rooms painted with Disney princesses. Water falls. Castles. Forests with animated animals. Noah’s ark. They boys had images of shielded warriors. Medieval horses. Farm animals. I have heard the stories that his place is covered with the sweat of loving, hard working, skilled Christian men, women and children. Yes, entire families from all over the country come in the summer time and the thresholds of these rooms are designed with mosaic tiles by children. Tomorrow, we come to work.

My heart is full.

Monday, November 3, 2014

It’s 7:00 AM and we are all here at the compound. There are ladies at the orphanage who are preparing our breakfast. We will be there by 8:30. But first, Pastor Steve, gives us a word and tell us about how God is bringing money into this very large project. The kitchen needs a roof. It’s going to take $30,000. He tells us of a man he doesn’t know at Lowe’s. This man runs up to him and says, “Pastor Steve need to talk to you.” OK. “I have a very large gift I need to give you in in December.” OK. The man gives Steve a card. He owns a roofing company. The man is coming to build his $30,000 roof over the kitchen and cafeteria which is a separate building. Steve is in tears as he is telling his story. This is how God moves in the mission field for those who have the faith to follow. This is how this entire 55,000, 10 million dollar, commercial site has been built. Faith. Money and people and brick and concrete and windows and stone masons and painters. Today, I worked with a group of ladies painting children’s rooms that were unfinished. A clay pot for an unfinished butterfly bush in one of the girl’s bathrooms. Dennis is hanging light fixtures on the first floor. Some of the volunteers are laying stone in a wall, hanging windows, grouting tile, and varnishing doors. We are busy walking up and down the 2 story facility. They only need $800,000 to finish this orphanage. It will come. We know it. They know it. Working here is hard and fulfilling. I am so glad I came. This physical work is a blessing. Such a good day.

P.S. I should tell you about this evening at the compound. There is a young woman here named Jean. She lives here with the family that runs this outpost. She was rescued from the streets. Abused. She is 31. She wanders the hallways quoting scripture. She has completely covered all her body with clothes, including covering her head with a hood. She is beautiful and looks 14 years old. But she is distant and is making the others here uncomfortable with the wall she has created for herself. I was drawn to her the moment I got here on Saturday. We have become friends and many of the women here, including myself have befriended her. She is very private. She cannot be touched. Her OCD makes her wash her hands a lot. She is afraid of germs. She does not want to be touched. No hugs. No patting on the back. After talking to her tonight at length with much laughing and crying, she allowed me to hug her. Just for a moment. Twice. More on this as the week goes on. God has us here for more than one reason. For real.

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Mercy Day happens when Tapestries of Life takes $4,000 and buys food at the grocery store in Juarez. We purchase enough food for 350 families that includes beans, rice, tomatoes, lettuce, jalapenos, onions, bread, cheese, bananas, eggs, butter, canned green chilies, canned vegetables, and toilet paper. Specific gifts come in boxes from churches as far away as Iowa and Pennsylvania and include tooth brushes, suckers, bibles, cookies and home made quilts for the children. There are three Tapestries of Life vans, one pulling a flatbed trailer with all of the groceries. The other two carrying the mission team of 26 people. We drive deep into the heart of Juarez, passed the fancy buildings, passed the nice neighborhoods, passed the busy streets. Suddenly, the houses get smaller, the roads very narrow and there are no yards, just dirty roads and tiny houses with tin roofs. It was like switching a channel on the TV. I can’t imagine in my mind what has happened. We drive deep into a neighborhood and up a terribly steep hill. Before I know it there are parked cars on both sides of the narrow road and we are but one lane pushing up the hill. To my right are nearly 500 people sitting outside on the side of a hill in fold out chairs, under a tarp. The pastor is a the top of the hill preaching to them in Spanish. They see us pull up and the service continues. As we pull the food from the vans and trailers, they turn to see us with these huge smiles on their faces. They know why we are there. Each family has a ticket to receive food from this church through us. As we organize the food and carry food up a steep stairway into the tiny church, the pastor continues to preach in Spanish. Before I know it, there are men and women lined up at the front of the group, about 30 of them, receiving Jesus into their lives. I know what is happening. I don’t understand their words, but I know that God is present and that these people have committed their lives at this moment. I thank God for allowing me to be here for this. We are blessed to witness such an event. I cry.

Each of us has a job here. Some are giving away food. Dennis is passing out beans and rice at his station. One of the ladies is handing out bibles, another toys, others…more food. A church up north has sewn handmade bags for these Mexican people to carry their goods in. They will use these bags again and again to carry things in them. They are happy to have them. My job is to walk among the women who have babies they are carrying. I reach out my hands to a young mother of a sleeping baby. She is not reluctant. I speak only a few words I know in Spanish. None of them know English, except “Thank you” and “God bless you.” I hug and kiss on about four of these moms and babies, and then I see out of the corner of my eye an elderly woman nearly slipping on the last step as they come down from the steep incline from the little church high above. I reach her quickly and help her down with her bag in hand. She speaks to me and kisses my cheek. So there I stayed for the rest of the time. Reaching out to each mom and grandmother there. The dads and grandfathers shook my hand and blessed me with something in Spanish. I just shook their hands and patted their backs. Their sincerity and love was overwhelming. The gratefulness in their hearts was so genuine. I am not sure I have ever experienced this kind of love from people who didn’t even know us. That’s how God is. Just love them, He said. That is the language of Jesus’ entire ministry. Just love them. There are no words necessary. We can see it in each other’s eyes and in our touch and hugs and kisses. And even though I wanted to speak something wonderful to each of them in Spanish, I knew this gift of love was enough for them. It was the same for them to me.

And as we handed out the last bag, it made my heart full to see little children running around with half eaten cookies in their hands and crumbs on their faces, wrapped in blankets that came from the sewing rooms of churches that would not see this joy. How could I be so blessed. It was also a blessing to know that each family had food for a week and that we had some to leave behind in the church for others who would not be here this day. Before we left, we all gathered in the tiny church. We prayed with the pastor and his wife and their children and immediate family and workers. We took up an offering for them in a ziplock bag and it was full of pesos and dollar bills.

Right before we left, my buddy Jason who spoke Spanish is one of our guys from Iowa. He helped me talk to a little girl named Abby. She was eight. She had a new bracelet from one of the ladies handing out toys earlier. She was looking at the bracelets on my arm and touching each one and stopped on one that had turquoise beads on it. I rolled it off my wrist and I touched her hand. As I gave her the bracelet, she grinned and rolled it up her arm. She said, “For my mama!” in English. I said yes, yes, yes. And as I leaned over to Abby and kissed her on the forehead, it dawned on me that I never wanted to leave these people. How much they have changed me.

By now it is dark. Pastor Steve did not want to leave Juarez in the dark. But I had such a peace about me, never once was there fear. Not once. Even in these dark places, no fear.

Friday, November 7, 2014

We have been so busy at the orphanage. This is the last day we are all together. Our friendships we have made here with the two teams from Iowa have become a life long bond we have with each one of these men and women of God. Each one will be missed. We have connected with each one on Facebook so that we can keep in touch. We have posted pictures on Facebook and by now many of you have seen the pictures. If you are not connected with me on Facebook, then I encourage you to send me a friend request and see the hundreds of photos that we have taken and shared with each other. My heart is so full of love for these people at the outpost and their devotion to the Mexican people, my church family that is with me, the cooks at the orphanage, the Mexican workers that we picked up in Guadalupe on the way to the orphanage, the Iowa people’s love for this place. For some of them it is their 9th visit. Our church has been here 4 times. This is my first with them. There are so many stories at so many levels. I am forever changed.

One young woman I should mention is Rut Sanchez. She lives here at the outpost for now. She quit college to live in Fabens to care for her 4 nieces and nephews that were abandoned by their mother in Oklahoma. They are Vladimir (15), Arley (12), Adaley (12) and Emilio (12)…these three are triplets. Two identical girls and a boy. We have been quite the buddies at our stay at the outpost. Their birth mother left them in a shack in Guadalupe all alone. Their grandparents who live in Guadalupe were taking care of them. These kids are American citizens. Pastor Steve found them and brought them to the outpost so that they could go to school and be taken care of here in Fabens. Rut has full custody of them. She quit school and works at the local convenience store around the corner so that she can care for them. She is the same age as Ivy. I cannot imagine such responsibility for a young woman. But she loves them and is taking such good care of them. She is waiting for housing assistance in an apartment complex down the street where she will live with them. Pray that she qualifies for help. Pray that CPS will let her keep them. Pray that she can go back to school. Rut calls me “mama!” She gave me a bracelet before I left and hugged me and said, “Please do not forget us.” I told her of course I would not. My heart is breaking as we leave tomorrow for our journey back to Baird. My mission in life has been changed and now I know of so many things that will happen because of this experience. I may ask you for help. You may feel led to reach out. Please do. I welcome it. Our mission for Fabens and Mexico will be ongoing, but I will tell you now I have many missions in mind for my local community. And even though we are so blessed here, there are still hurting people that do not know Jesus. I am making changes there too for people here.

Tomorrow is Saturday and a full day of travel for us. So much thankfulness to God for this experience and the changes we can make in our lives to help those who do not know our Lord. We are blessed.

Sunday, November 9, 2014

It is full day of church today. Morning service was awesome as our mission team is welcomed back with open arms from our church family. Hugs and love and appreciation. We have choir practice at 5:00 for our Christmas musical in about 4 weeks. I am buying groceries this afternoon. No nap today. It’s good. I am rejuvenated by my experience. I should be exhausted. Choir practice was amazing. Our evening service is time for the five of us to give an account for our trip. Our testimony. And as each of us stood in front of our church, the tears and compassion in our community was evident. I told them about my first day at San Elizario with Brother Mario and about the bibles he needed. I said all I needed was $80. $40 for 32 English bibles and $40 for 32 Spanish bibles. They have cases of them at Lifeway. I mentioned that they could get with our Pastor Jimmy about the money. By the end of the service, Pastor Jimmy came to me and showed me a handful of cash and checks over $400 and said we would be able to buy them more than paperback bibles, we could get them some nice ones. You see, God gives more that what we ask for. I am humbled by His generosity and love he places in the hearts of His people. I pray every day that I can remember to ask him for these things and expect more when His will is in our hearts. Other requests were fulfilled and I am humbled by the compassion and generosity of our little church in Baird, Texas.

P.S.S. Remember Jean? By the time we got ready to leave, I had her laughing out loud with us at the outpost. The dozens of cookies I baked before I left Baird ended up being the tool I used to get to her. She blessed me every day by thanking me for leaving her two cookies every morning and evening beside her bed on a napkin. Her appetite increased during the week. She was smiling and allowed me to hug her each day. But on the last day, when we said goodbye, I told her I needed just ONE thing from her. She smiled like a ten year old and walked up to me and gave ME the hug. This was a huge thing for her. And I could see that darkness that Satan had begun starting to leave her. I noticed her bible was in pieces and asked her if I could get her a new one. She was hesitant, but said if I could send her a Catholic bible, then she would accept. You see, the book of Maccabees is in the old testament and that is one of her favorite books. I told her I would. You see, it’s just love, just love, just love. While others were afraid of her presence, God took this big old mama’s heart, and first born sibling of my family and tugged me towards Jean. You see, she and I have the same name. I am Kathryn “Jean” Byram. God makes each of us for special things. We each have a purpose in His kingdom. Every one of us. This week, Jean was there for me to reach out to when others did not know how to help her. I was really the odd man out. But God takes our oddness, my oddness, and turns it into His work. Never doubt your place in growing the kingdom…what seems odd to you is the light of Jesus Christ to someone else, even if it‘s just for one. NEVER forget that!

Amen to you, brothers and sisters.

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