Dear Family & Friends,

Well we are at the end of our winter and the beginning of our spring. So it depends on which day whether it is extremely cold here or not. Cold is 75º to 80º during the day and 65º to 70º at night. I know it’s tough but someone has to do it. Hehe. You laugh, but the natives here start putting sweaters on their dogs and parka’s and sweatshirts on themselves. It is very difficult to recognize the seasons here until you become a native. But this time of the year the natives in Canada & the USA start to get restless as they are still suffering in the snow or wet seasons. So the languages will start slowing changing as the Canadians, Eastern Coast and North Coast Americans make their annual trek to Paradise. Then we natives start to complain that our streets and restaurants are getting crowded and the prices are accelerating. But that is then a benefit for us as we receive more volunteers to help us teach. Who wouldn’t want to come to Paradise and teach English to the cute little kids? After all you can only lie on the beach so long and drink only so many Margaritas. Don’t you have at least 1 hour to spare for the less fortunate? Sure you do as many of you do join us year after year and give of your time, energy and resources to show the gratitude for what God has blessed you with in your life.

Casa Hogar

A busy month for the orphanage where we had many first time visitors plus the old crowd who are always there for the kids. Let me name a few of the new faces like Brian & Jean, Glen, Mark & Terry and their two children, Jerry, the Gallagher’s, Shirley Petty and her granddaughter Hannah & sister-in-law. Then the old crowd of Garry & Karen and their daughter and son-in-law, Bev, Bonnie & David, Sissy, Wayne & Delores, Rita & Ed & our daughter Junko from Japan.

Of course we had the arrival from Des Moines Church team who brought lots of love, hugs and presents for the kids and helped to teach.

You probably wonder what happens with all of these wonderful volunteers. That is the easy part. They come and are humbled by the precious children as even though the circumstances are tough for the kids they always have a smile and reach out for the attention of loving adults (volunteers). It is interesting to study the reactions of the children and volunteers. It is like God is directing traffic and bringing the right adult to the right child. This then meets the need of not only the child but also of the volunteer. It is a very special time of bonding and the volunteers sometimes leave with tears in their eyes but always leave with special memories and the desire to return. Some of the volunteers will come every day of their precious vacation time and in the case of Garry, Karen and their daughter and son-in-law they have been coming for years and this April came off the cruise ship in town. And also in April the whole Brenda Clutter family came and brought tons of toys etc. to the children. So I don’t want to hear you are not qualified because if you speak English and want to be blessed you need to join us when in Puerto Vallarta. Schedule is as following so you can plan. Hehe.

Monday, Tuesday & Thursday 11 am to 12 pm. We will pick you up at the parking lot of SAM’s at 10:30 so just call us at 322-113-0205 to make arrangements for pickup.

AGAPE Home for Abused Girls

Many of the above same volunteers end up going with us as we leave the orphanage and go to AGAPE. Agape is a little different as it is not as many children and the girls are mostly older with the exception of two girls. But we have now opened our English tutoring program now to the whole neighborhood.
Garry & Karen & family brought all kinds of toys & girl things for both Casa Hogar and AGAPE.

The church team from Des Moines came and painted the whole interior of AGAPE. What a blessing.

Daily schedule for AGAPE is: Monday to Friday 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm and Saturday 4 pm to 6 pm. call me to arrange a ride.

New Items of Interest

Garry & Karen also brought me Starbucks coffee beans.

We have been asked to join Calidad de Vida Hospice as spiritual counselors. Hospice is a new concept in Mexico. This hospice has been started by an American Registered Nurse, Lisa & John Ossello her husband. I have been asked to form a committee of spiritual advisors. Because there are many
Ex-pats here we are sure the hospice is very much needed as the general population of the ex-pats is up in years like yours truly. But it also gives us and our wonderful Pastor and church an opportunity to fill a much needed gap in the community. We will also be seeking a local native pastor as we will also reach out to the Mexican population as well.

Faye has arranged to have her CHILDREN”S EVANGELISM teacher to fly from the San Francisco Bay Area & come to Puerto Vallarta in May. She will put on two seminars, teaching children’s evangelism with one at the AGAPE Home for Abused Girls and one at our church. Lunch will be served and it is open to all the pastors and their congregations in town.