Our annual trip to the colonia took place last Saturday (December 1). What a blessing! There was an ocean of children there to get a toy. Getting enough new toys for the event is probably the hardest thing to accomplish because of the cost per toy. We collect used clothes, shoes and blankets but only send clean stuff in good shape. They also get a grocery bag of food, flour, oatmeal, beans and rice and those are all purchased from the ministry's budget along with boxes and boxes of uninflated soccer balls. We inflate them at the church so that we can carry more of them.

The toys though... another story. A new toy from our ministry will be the only Christmas present these kids get and we barely had enough to pass out to all the kids. If fact we handed out the "if all else fails" toys. This year I am making it my mission to provide a second toy for the kids. So today I hit the 99cent store and had a blast! I found some "Miss Mexico" dolls, lots of crayons and coloring books (with very little English on them), some great Barbie, hawk and Superman kites, a kit with two dinosaurs in it and other goodies. But the best find were some toddler books in Spanish!

Now... I checked on the yarn for the P150 knitters and guess what? They are totally out of yarn! They love the looms and keep busy, busy, busy with them. What I learned later that day blew me away and brought me to my knees with a good cry. Those sweet, wonderful, generous ladies are making hats and scarves for the people in the re-hab clinic and the local orphanage! God is so very awesome! Who knew that His plan would ripple this out so quickly. They are also selling some of it and giving the money to Lupita so we can buy some more yarn. How precious when a plan comes together.

I brought back all the empty containers and have a huge stash to fill them with. I plan to go there in February to teach the slippers to them. They are very excited about that!

This is such a great lesson for all of us. We can all find someone to help that is less fortunate than us.. .even if you live in a small, impoverished village in Mexico, you can still find someone with a greater need.

Heavenly Father, I am humbled by the lessons you continue to teach me through P150. I pray that my hands and heart are always willing to say "yes" to your perfect plans and ideas. You are an AWESOME God!

Amen