God continues to hear and answer prayer — in so many ways, right?  We want to give Him thanks and praise for some special answers sent our way in recent months.

Early last Fall, director Steve Scott began praying  about the need for a pick-up truck for the Welcome  Home ministry. Much of the work Steve does outside the Welcome  Home walls involves hauling and distributing donated goods, and he sought the Lord in prayer about expanding this part of the ministry.  Specifically, he prayed that if it was God’s will for him to do more outreach like this, he needed a diesel 3/4 ton pick-up that could haul a heavy trailer, a 4×4 if possible.

Steve wasn’t really surprised, then, when he got a call from Randy Murieen of Horse Creek, CA.  Randy had visited Welcome Home last June with a team of 4 other men. When he called Steve in November, Randy said something to the effect of, “Steve, could you use a pick-up?”  Well, of course, you know Steve’s response! It was a direct answer from God.  Randy and his wife, Beverly, wanted to donate their 1994 Chevrolet 3/4 ton pick-up, with a rebuilt engine, to us. We made plans to receive the pick-up as we returned from Portland, Oregon, to Vicente Guerrero in late January. 

Not too many weeks after Randy’s initial contact with him, Steve said to Jackie, “It would sure be nice if we had a canopy for that pick-up.” Hmm.  You guessed it — the very next day, Randy called again and said, “I’ve got a canopy for the pick-up. It has a couple of broken windows, but could you use it?”  Wow. God is good!

We also have to give thanks to God for the generosity of the First Church of God of Tulare, CA.  These long-time friends of Welcome Home, who eagerly return to Vicente Guerrero each year to build a house, donated a 15-passenger van to Welcome Home in January. A new van for transporting our daycare children has topped our “wish list” for a long time.  Now, thanks to our amigos in Tulare, we have a wonderful new (to us) vehicle for transporting children and so many other errands.  It was put to use immediately and, many days, is packed beyond capacity with as many as 45 children traveling to and from the Welcome Home daycare!

Just so you know, we’ve chosen to pay forward our blessings… the old white van has been donated to another local ministry headed by our friend Cesar. He operates a transition house for men coming out of rehabilitation, as well as a Saturday morning breakfast ministry to as many as 100 children and Bible studies for adults.

Thank you, Lord, for the blessings we receive when your saints are sensitive to your leading.  Gracias a Dios!