Friends & Family,

I apologize for the tardiness of this newsletter. We have been involved in making major changes to the website.  Because it is a new Website Program it has entailed learning how to operate in the new system which was vastly different that the old system.

December was an extremely busy month but not really different from any other December.  Of course, the month really totally revolves around what, who, how and when we will be involved with the Christmas outreach to the children and their families. And still teaching 4 days a week.

Dennis teaching at the local outreach.

I first want to thank Mike & Caroline for their daily help with teaching the children at the local outreach. They both left a lasting impression on the children and Faye & I.  I shouldn’t be surprised as they are also grandparents.  But it’s always great to see the sacrifices others make on their vacations in paradise.

In that same first week of December we had two Alaskan Airline pilots, Tish & David come to see our work and experience hands on English teaching of the children.  They were so impressed they promised to go back to Seattle and get others involved at Alaska Airlines.  We have known Tish for 4 years and she has followed our ministry throughout the poor areas of Puerta Vallarta. Thanks for joining us once again.

Faye and I want you to know we are seeing wonderful progress in many facets of these children and families lives.  We are seeing more interest from the families in their children’s education and health. The families are willing to attend our health clinics where they are learning basic health hygiene for them and their children. The children are learning to speak English because of the many volunteer teachers coming alongside Faye and I.  The local outreach & the Pastor and his wife are providing facilities to teach Spanish, math & parenting classes and give family counseling. The teenagers are learning the bible and about sexual abstinence. And the neighborhood is learning that their children can rise above poverty with general education of their children. Since the Pastor started Pan de Vida, over 15 children are now enrolled in public schools and he has the public school system partnering in getting all the children enrolled in daily school.

The rest of the month was a daily rushing around to purchase toys for children, gifts for adults, food for poor families, medicines for the sick etc.

The Pastor asked me to play Santa Claus and hand out presents to the children of the local outreach.  I was able to have each child stand beside me or sit in my lap for a picture by the Pastor's wife.  Then Pastor gave a prayer of Thanksgiving to Jesus as it was His birthday we were celebrating. Then the families and children were fed a wonderful hot meal.  We must have had close to 200 adults and children present and not one child or adult went without a present. Faye and I want to thank all our wonderful contributors throughout the year that made it possible to provide food and gifts for all. Especially want to thank Bubba & Linda for their generous last minute gift that put many smiles on many faces.

We also joined Dale & Marlene in their beautiful home in Nuevo Vallarta with a dozen other wonderful Christians to pull price tags off of the $5,000 worth of gifts purchased.  We all had swollen thumbs and fingers the next day as the stickers were extremely difficult to defeat. But what a group of Christian Americans & Canadians we are proud to know.  This was in preparation for our annual Christmas Caravan into the dump.  Last year we had over thirty vehicles in caravan. This year we had over 40 vehicles in caravan.  Our dear friend Vera purchased 600 broiled chickens for the poor. Also one of the local shoe stores contributed over 500 pair of shoes.

When we arrived at the dump we went to the very top where we placed all the mothers & children in one line and the men in another line.  As always I played Santa and gave every child or adult a handshake, smile and a piece of candy.  We estimate there were at least 1,000 people that received candy, food & gifts on this blessed of all days. I think there must have been at least 150 volunteers manning the various distribution points.  It is very difficult to describe this massive scene adequately.  Just suffice it to say the Lord’s blessings were everywhere and I know many first time volunteers joined us old timers with tears in our eyes for the poorest of the poor of Puerta Vallarta.  Faye and I want all our sponsors/contributors’ to know that the Lords love was present in every possible way and the Mexican people thanked each one of you with their words, smiles and in some cases tears. Dios le Bendiga (God bless you).

Angelica at the local outreach.

UPDATE: Remember Angelica (15) who became so sick with TB.  Praise the Lord she is now in full recovery. She has lost the sickly pallor, the lack of energy and appetite and is back to being a normal teenager. Faye and I want to thank all of you for your prayers and contributions that helped feed this poor child and provide her and her grandmother support.

Vaja Con Dios Mis Amigos

Dennis & Faye Janson