“Well, last time I checked Virginia and North Carolina were still U.S. states”.

The U.S. border patrol officer actually seemed disappointed that he couldn’t find a reason to be more sarcastic, as we came to the check point, and he looked at our i.d.’s while we stated our birth states. For the last two hours, we have been in the car, slowly ebbing our way toward the border checkpoint out of Mexico and into the U.S. During our wait time, we see all sorts of things. People are selling various items, including ‘vas de elotes’, or buttered cup of corn with lime juice (delicious!), churros, or fried bread, bobble head animals, Aztec ‘artwork’, cute little children’s desks, flowers, and various and sundry ‘velvet’ paintings!!

We see drug sniffing dogs being pointed at numerous cars and trucks for checking. We see border patrol agents stopping vehicles and asking occupants to open their trunks and/or show their paper work. Every car that goes thru has to be stopped and have citizenship and i.d. checked. Usually we see children juggling balls for a few cents or addicts or amputees sitting on the street between lanes begging. It’s an amazing site, actually, when you sort of ‘step back’, and look at the entire process, and there is rarely a dull moment.

As we near the border, Wayne asks me, “where were you born”, so that I will be able to clearly answer back, ‘Richmond, Virginia’. I ask him the same. The humor in the question, is getting to the border crossing, being asked that very simple question, but, being nervous around the very stern border agents, completely blanking out as to my birthplace!! There’s nothing like being asked where you were born, and being totally tongue tied and not being able to answer that obvious question!! (Gee, where WAS I born??). Once, when passing from Mexico to the U.S. thru the border crossing, Wayne was asked where he had just been (a common question patrol agents ask). He answered, ‘Mexico’. “No @#*!*”, the border patrol agent said, “I’ll bet everyone behind you has too”, as he noted the thousands of people and cars lined up behind Wayne and friend Greg. Of course every person in line was obviously IN Mexico, waiting to go across, and he only wanted to know the town they had been in.

It’s just par for the course, when you go down to Mexico and return several times a week. And you have to find the humor in it, or it quickly becomes tedious and frustrating. This is something thousands of people do every day, making Tijuana the busiest border crossing in the world. But it’s worth the effort, when you know that you are bringing hungry people food. You see, resources in Mexico are no where near what they are in the States for the poor and hungry. We may not do a perfect job here in the U.S., but we sure do a good job. We have seen first hand how churches here in San Diego provide many wonderful meals for the poor and homeless, as well as healthcare, clothing, and sleeping needs. In Mexico, it is just not that way. And most of the time, the poor are made up of small families barely getting by.

The average salary for a person in Tijuana and the surrounding area, is $12 a day, with working
days being 10-12 hour days, 6 days a week. On this salary, housing, food, transportation and
paying for your child to go to school is needed. So, by bringing bread, fruit and vegetables to those in need, a large burden is lifted for these dear ones. It’s not saving the world. But it surely is helping the one right before us. And best of all, praying for each soul happens every time, for every person. All in Jesus’ Name!!

During this wonderful Christmas season, we want to say thank you to each and everyone of you for supporting and helping to provide for Voice of the Bride this past year. It’s been a year of changes, as you know. As always, your prayer support is so vital to this ministry. And please know that you are a part of feeding the hungry and helpless, and bringing the love of Jesus to those hurting, downtrodden and sometimes quite hopeless. May the Lord bless you richly and may the grace of the Lord Jesus, the love of GOD, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit abound to you and your families during this holiday season.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Love, Wayne and Carol

PRAISES:

-Day to day provision for our personal needs.

-For Wayne’s new job (that he did get just after last newsletter) and provision through it.

PRAYER NEEDS:

-Safe travel as we drive between the coasts to visit our families during December and January

-Divine appointments throughout the holiday season, as this time of year, people are often more open to the things of the Lord.

-Please pray for ‘Victor’, a friend in Mexico who wants to be free from his addictions. Wayne and his buddy Greg, have been ministering to Victor for awhile now.

-Pray for favor and divine appointments in our daily work, Wayne at Mental Health Systems and Carol at Suncoast Farms.

-Pray for some finance needs: We recently had to overhaul our Blazer’s transmission. While we are both working, salaries are part time at this point, and horse training work can be sporadic. We count on missions support to supplement our time to do ministry part time as well.

Greetings dear friends, 

These two months living back in San Diego have been so wonderful.  We know you have been praying 
for us and we have certainly benefited from such.    Although I have yet to find a job, and we 
have yet to feel like we are doing all that we are called to do, we feel the grace and provision 
of the Lord.   

With your prayers and financial support, along with God’s provision of more work for Carol and a 
few odd jobs for me, we have been completely provided for.  We really give God the glory and thank 
you for being obedient.  In the natural, it does not make sense to move somewhere with higher 
rent, where income may be lower.  But once again, we are believers in a provisional God and His 
perfect will.   

With that said, I would not be honest if I did not also add that we need you to continue to 
support if you are able and we also could use additional support as my prospective job is delayed. 
 I have applied with a division of Mental Health doing field work with troubled kids in their 
present placement.  Some may still be in their own homes but risk being forced out or taken away. 
Others will be in foster homes and group homes.  It is a great job with flexible hours to allow 
time for Mexico ministry and alike. 
I am hopeful that this work will allow me the flexibility for continued ministry trips abroad.   I 
am hoping, at this time, to be a part of the ministry team at the Philippines Living Waters 
training in November.  The leaders  are counting on my coming and continuing the mentored training 
that I have been able to provide for the past 3 years.  I would like to go but have left it in the 
Lord’s hands.  Still, our ultimate dream would be to be free to do full-time ministry.  The Lord 
knows! 

Trips to Mexico are Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday nights.  Each night I am there, I am honored to 
have the opportunity to minister somewhere outside my comfort zone. It is never dull nor has it 
become common to see the overwhelming differences in 2 nations separated by only a dotted line (or 
rather the 12 ft. wall that stands along that line).   

Let me take you along on a Tuesday night in a neighborhood called Postal (poe-stall).     Tuesday 
nights are probably the most unpredictable.  We take the truckload of bread I mentioned last 
newsletter, to a certain area of Tijuana that is known for where drugs are used and sold.  In fact 
one end of the street is just simply known as “the connection”  The ‘policia’ are aware of 
 this 
area but I am told are also paid well to overlook.  Just a simple part of why Mexico trails behind 
in a third world state - government corruption!   

We start on one end of the street making a few selected stops where we have met particular 
individuals and families in need.  My partner Greg, has been coming here 3 years consistently, and 
so we are expected each Tuesday night.  We give them some bread for their household and a little 
extra to share with others - but the greatest trust that we have earned is to take their hand and 
pray with them.  It is not required but has become desired by each of them.  One man told me he 
appreciated the bread but was most dependent on the prayer!  I could tell you hopeless story after 
hopeless story I have heard.  But I am encouraged to continue by the hopefulness that I see in 
many who we pray with.   

We eventually end up on a corner where as many as 50 and as few as 30 gather to meet us.    

Here we usually dispense bagels, muffins, and rolls that are easier to share with those who may be 
living on the streets or living in a room without electricity.  Some of these are drug addicts, 
and some are those who have been deported from the U.S. and have not managed to get on with their 
lives.  But each man and woman there is the very one I picture Jesus hanging out with.  At first I 
found it overwhelming  not to be able to offer a consistent approach of therapy to help them 
identify triggers of addiction.  That is how I am trained, right?  But though many do speak 
English and though my friend does speak Spanish, the most immediate opportunity I have is to point 
them to Jesus and trust Him to bring them to their knees.  We just try to be a consistent witness 
and demonstration of the Gospel.  

For example my new friend Victor who is a heroin addict, yet is probably one of the most seeking 
and giving people I have ever met.  He sleeps in an abandoned truck but always gives whatever we 
give him  to someone he is hanging out with.  He has gone along with us sometimes to other areas 
to help someone move or help us take bread into the prison (another stop - another story).  He 
likes hanging out with us but eventually he needs his fix.  He calls it “getting well”.  And 
 in 
truth that is how it feels because otherwise he gets really sick from the withdrawals.  But I know 
and believe that He is going to be able to overcome it as soon as he is ready.  And Jesus is 
already there waiting to keep him “well”.