SAMARITAN'S PURSE: THE OTHER END OF THE RAINBOW



TAKING A HEAD COUNT

LOADING UP THE BUS AT THE CHURCH

Have you ever prepared a Christmas shoe box or boxes for Samaritan's Purse and wondered where in the world it would end up?

First, let me say a hearty thanks to you for touching the life of a child.  And secondly, I want to share my experiences at a Samaritan's Purse distribution area last Saturday in Juarez, Mexico, where I serve as a missionary.

BEACH BALLS FLYING IN THE TENT

THE CLOWN ACT

Pastor Roberto Nuñez, who pastors the church where we have one of Saturday lunch rooms, signed our kids up for gifts from Samaritan's Purse and we were selected to receive gifts. There are not enough gifts to supply the needs of the entire City of Juarez.

Pastor Roberto had been preparing the children for several weeks for this wonderful event. This past Saturday the kids eagerly arrived at the church. Excitement was in the air, but so were the freezing temperatures. We had a total of 74 kids who had to be transported to the site, about 40 minutes away. We only had four vehicles so I decided to rent a bus. It was only 500 pesos ($42) round trip and we would be at the distribution center a little over 2 hours. The bus ride over made the day even more special for the children. Several adults rode the bus with the kids and the rest of the adults followed in our cars.

When we arrived there were over 300 children from another church who had arrived in 4 buses. We were the second wave of groups that day. We were received with all the warmth and love that anyone could possibly give. 

 I met an incredible group of Christians who were helping with the event. They were the ones who handed the children their Christmas presents. The group came for The Simple Church in Bossier City, Louisiana (This church of 5,000 people has an incredible history).

When we first arrived I was expecting to get the kids off the bus, file them in, pick up the Christmas presents, file them back unto the bus, and return home. But there was a special service planned for the children before gifts were given out. It was another major excitement to make this Christmas all the more meaningful. The kids were welcomed with animal balloons and bead necklaces. Then they had them all to stand up and then big and huge beach balls were bounced around the 450 seat capacity tent for about 15 minutes with upbeat music. Then 2 clowns entertained us with side-splitting comedy. And after that the gospel message was presented by Lion King characters. This lasted about 40 minutes. Mufasa, the head lion led the kids in prayer. Then we were filed out for the main event: The Christmas presents!!!



I watched the children's faces as they passed by to receive a box. I thought that I would see happier faces but there was so much excitement, wonder, and awe that they were in a dream. It was as if they couldn't grasp the moment. They were afraid to get too outwardly excited because maybe they would...wake up. Once they got back on the bus the emotions flowed.

We drove back to the church and once the bus doors open the race was on to get home in a hurry and open the Christmas gifts. Some couldn't wait so they went inside the church and open their gifts there. The faces were classic. The place was quiet. Each item was studied carefully.

As I looked at the happy faces on these children I thought about the many millions of people who had sacrificed to make this possible. I wanted to be able to thank them all personally and individually.

And as I looked at the happy faces I was reminded of many, many years ago when someone donated a beautiful little candy-apple red Volkswagen. I was the fortunate one to receive it. There has never a greater gift given to a child. Yet I'm sure that every child last Saturday would say the same about their gifts.

Thanks so much to all who gave. A million thanks!!! And many thanks also to Spanish American Evangelistic Ministries and Missionary Susan Kirk (Thru His Mercy Ministries) who donated presents and other items so that I may distribute them to kids at the other lunch room and a few other places.

 

 

AN UNFORGETTABLE DAY. A MILLION THANKS.

(Double click on the pictures for enlargement.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Daniel Torres

11985 Pellicano

Ste. G, Box 169

El Paso, Texas 79936

1-501-827-7679

For tax receipts:

Covenant Fellowship

P.O. Box 8126

Searcy, AR 72145

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



PASTOR TINA'S MIRACLE

PASTORS WHO RECENTLY  RECEIVED A NEW STUDY BIBLE. PASTOR TINA IS IN THE CENTER.
 

The more stories that I write the more I realize that this blog has the perfect name. It's amazing that a city with as bad a reputation as Juarez, Mexico can be so full of miracles. Romans 5:20 says, "...where sin abounded, grace doth much more abound". The power of God that we witness so much in Juarez proves that His presence is here and He has not forsaken this city. And once again I am writing about God's supernatural presence in the lives of His people and in the history of Juarez.

I met Pastor Tina a few months ago. Not very long ago Tina's husband (who was a pastor), herself, and a few others were caught in the middle of a shoot-out. Tina was the only survivor. Pastor Tina has metal screws in the middle of her back as a reminder of the horrible ordeal.

After she lost her husband she asked God for guidance and direction. She felt that God wanted her to continue pastoring. But she struggled with her small church. She always wanted to have a lunch room in her church. Pastor Tina spends hours a day in prayer. She asked the Lord about a lunch room many times and one day the Lord showed her a vision of a man who would make her desire a reality. And one day not too long ago I showed up at her church door asking her if she would be willing to open up a lunch room in her church. The kids in the neighborhood were going hungry and we needed to do something. Of course she was delighted about the answer to her prayers and her tears showed it. She's had the lunchroom for almost 2 months now. All I do is supply the food and other material things.  

Last Saturday morning, before feeding time started, I payed Pastor Tina a visit and brought her some supplies. She shared with me these incredible events that happened to her while I was away from Juarez visiting friends and family during the Christmas holidays.

A couple of women, whom she had never seen before, came to her church door wanting to speak her. She escorted them through the church and into her small house. She asked them to sit down while she prepared something to drink. But as she turned around they tackled her down, quickly tied her arms behind her back, threw her inside the bathroom floor, pounded her with their fists, and told her that they were going to kill her. Then two more men joined in with the two women.

Pastor Tina's back was hurting from her recent surgery. But she still had the strength to make a statement to them from the bathroom floor. She told them that in as much as she was a child of God and that Jesus was her Lord and King they had no authority over her life. She told them that if they killed her, it would only be because He authorized it, not them.

The team of four proceeded to collect things from Pastor Tina's small house to carry off. She mentioned the microwave, the 5 gallon water dispenser, her T.V. set, a large mirror in the living room, drinking glasses, and other items of value. They carried these into the church and put them by the front door. By this time Pastor Tina crawled out of the bathroom and into the living room  to see what they were doing.

They started to take the items out of the church door but they were unable to. One by one they would pick up the items they had collected but when they got to the church door an invisible force would not allow them to get them past the door. Pastor Tina witnessed how they would have a tug-of-war with the items taken from her house. They picked up the microwave but it wouldn't go past the door. They would pull and then push but it would not go beyond the threshold. Someone was pulling the items back inside the church. Someone who they could not see. Finally they set the last item down and took off running. Pastor Tina set herself free and eventually carried everything back into the house. Not one thing was broken.

I was reminded about the two times that someone came into my house property and things were stolen from me. The second time they broke my car window and took what I had in my car. It is not a good feeling to know that someone has done this to you. I remember standing there and telling the angels who were supposed to be watching over me that they were fired. Of course, I was teasing...trying to find humor in a bad situation.

Was the Lord late? Were our angels asleep or off somewhere else? Did God forget us for a few minutes and the enemy took advantage of it? NEVER!!!

Pastor Tina and I both know that the Lord was just as present with us while I was being robbed and she was being beaten as He ever has been.

I reminded Pastor Tina about Paul and Silas in Acts 16. They were severely beaten because Paul had cast out a spirit of divination. Later, after they were thrown in prison, they are miraculously set free by the power of God. Was God late? Was He unaware that they had been severely flogged? No, He was there the whole time. God has His purposes and His divine plans.

Do you feel that God has departed from you? He is closer than you can possibly imagine. Faith! It's all about faith.

It doesn't matter what the circumstances are. As a child of God He is all around you and in you.

In Joshua chapter 1, the Lord continually tells Joshua to be STRONG and COURAGEOUS. That is what we must be. Pastor Tina told her assailants that they had no authority over her. We are children of the King. He has authority over us and no one else. And He allows things to happen to us for a purpose. Let that purpose have its perfect way. Faith...it's all about faith.

Daniel Torres

11985 Pellicano

Ste. G, Box 169

El Paso, Texas 79936

1-501-827-7679

For tax-deductible gifts:

Covenant Fellowship

P.O. Box 8126

Searcy, Arkansas 72145

P.S. To enlarge picture just double click on it.

TRAGIC EVENTS

Christians are the salt of the Earth. The light of the world. And no other nation comes to the aid of those who have been hit by catastrophic events like the United States of America, especially the Christians in America. The United States has been called the 911 of the world.

 

Last month I was in Oklahoma City visiting my daughter Melissa during the Christmas holidays. While I was there we decided to visit the site of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building.

 

On April 19, 1995 at 9:02am, 2 terrorists with 4,000 pounds of explosives in a rental truck destroyed the building. The death toll was 169 lives. There was a day care inside the building. I believe that 19 of the children perished. It only took the clean-up crew 150 pounds of explosives to bring down what remained of the building. The site where the Murrah building once stood and its surroundings are now a National Monument and a Memorial Museum. It is impossible to walk through the grounds and the museum and not weep over the events of that day. Every inch of the site is filled with history, stories, pictures, videos, remnants, and memories. My heart was squeezed as with a vice grip as I toured that place. Your heart will be moved beyond comprehension at the stories of heroes who came to the rescue and the response from millions around the Nation and the world. The entire Nation poured out to help in ways that cannot be expressed in words. Professionals from every area showed up immediately to assist.

 

My heart was already heavy and grieved before I arrived in Oklahoma City. I arrived there just days after the school massacre in Newton, Connecticut, where 28 were killed, about 20 of them were children. Once again a grieved nation responded only as Americans can. The assistance that the City of Newton has received is a testimony of the greatness and love of our nation and those who are the Salt and the Light. 

 

While I walked through the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum I had flashbacks of another event.

 

It was Tuesday September 1, 2001. The world watched in horror as the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City came tumbling down as a result of 2 airplanes in the hands of terrorists. The death toll there was almost 3,000. The heart of the Nation and of the World sank in disbelief as those images came across the television screen. We all know where we were when we first heard the news of this horrific event. I grew up in New York City and for a few years I saw the construction of the massive buildings until they literately disappeared into the clouds. To think that they were now in the streets of the city was more than my mind could capture. Again, a loving nation with a huge heart responds to the catastrophe as only America can.

 

These are just three tragic moments in history that have changed the lives of those who were immediately present and many more millions who were affected as a result. Sad to say but in today's modern world we expect more of these things in our future.

 

In Oklahoma it only took from 9:01am to 9:03am to completely change those lives. Just two minutes!!! In New York City and in Newton, Conn. it was a matter of minutes.

 

I live in a City that has been hit by tragic events. But they haven't stopped yet. The attacks have not lasted for minutes, but years. For several years now, Juarez, Mexico has been attacked like few cities in history of the world have been attacked. In May of last year the death toll in Juarez, Mexico reached 10,000 people since 2008. As a result many factories and businesses closed down causing unemployment. The families that could afford to leave and wanted to leave have left. Missionaries were called back by their supporters. Today the City is filled with widows and orphans. Many of the families of the murdered were forced to see the criminal act. Their lives and minds have been shattered.

 

What remains? I see a desperate City. A City with little hope. Most of the people here are very poor with many needs. Not just financial. Not just for food. I give out food and sometimes medicine. But I'm just one. Yes, there are more. But what are we with such great needs? There is a generation of widows and orphans who need serious counseling. The type of counseling that shows up in the U.S. hours after a major tragic event.

 

I have had many people in Juarez ask me a tough question. They want to know why their brothers and sisters from America, who spoke of faith, deserted them in their time of greatest need because they became fearful.  

 

The good news is the dust is beginning to settle down in Juarez. The number of murders continues to decline. People are coming out at night again. Hope is on the rise. The time to come to the aid of Juarez is now.

 

Yes, we want to bring food, clothing, finances, and counseling. But if we give them those things and fail to give them Jesus we have not given them anything. When we give them Jesus we give them everything. We need bold people to come and love these who have suffered for so long. They are distraught, in a state of shock, emotionally hurting, bleeding on the inside, lonely, feeling rejected, looking for more hope, wondering what happened to their lives, looking for normalcy, trying to get back up on their knees, needing a hug, needing a friend, wanting to know that someone actually cares for them.

 

There is poem inscribed at the base of the Statue of Liberty. In part it reads:

 

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!

 

The people of Juarez can't come to America. America must come to Juarez. Let's make 2013 the year of Juarez. 

 

Come on, America. It's time. Let's roll!!

 

 

 

 

Daniel Torres

11985 Pellicano

Ste. G, Box 169

El Paso, Texas 79936

1-501-827-7679