FEEDING THE HUNGRY...

Have you ever seen or heard of a grown woman break down in tears because you handed her a loaf of bread? I have. As she prayed to God for food the bread was being carried to her door. Knock, knock..., Yes???, We want to give you this bread in Jesus' name. She weeps...she can't speak...finally is able to speak and mentions about her prayer for food. Her and her boys had been hungry for some time but there was no food. And there was nowhere to get any food. In no time the boys break into the bag and begin filling their bellies with bread. We had more bread to offer her. Back at the local church I had rice and beans for a new lunchroom that we were planning on opening in a week. We shared some of that food with her. We shared Jesus with her. She cried again. Heaven was moved. 

 

It's hard to believe that in the year 2012 there are people who go bed hungry, but many still do.  In the United States, in Mexico, and all over the world.

Kids here in Juarez, Mexico do not get lunch at school. If they don't bring something to eat they just go without.  Parents are struggling to feed their children and themselves.  Prices at the stores are the same or higher than in the United States, yet people are making less than $100US per week at work.  And that's only if they are fortunate enough to have a job.

I have been buying rice, beans, and potatoes and distributing them between to the two lunchrooms that I have opened up and a few other ministries.  Spanish American Evangelistic Ministries, on the El Paso, Texas side has been giving me bread which is donated to them for distribution.  The bread is outdated but still very good.  It's not just regular white bread, but good whole wheat bread with nuts. The bread is excellent and very nutritional.  I ask for continued prayer as I take this bread across the border.  I have not been stopped thus far but if they stop me they can take the food from me or they can be really nice and just make me go back to El Paso with it. 

At the two lunchrooms we feed kids and their parents.  The idea is to try to feed them one good meal a week.  It is amazing how much these kids can eat.  After a very full plate, most still want seconds.  And we let them eat until they are content.  Prior to the meal they have Bible study, songs, and games.  Many kids and some parents have accepted the Lord as Savior.  Hopefully in the future we can do this more than once a week.  But there are still tens of thousands going hungry everyday in Juarez.  I have been trying to encourage churches to open up a lunchroom in a similar way but many have a hard time taking that initial step of faith. 



                                                               TRIP TO EAST MEXICO



I recently went on a long trip to the East side of the U.S./Mexico border.  The invitation was made and I made a decision to go.  I know that the Lord will eventually take me all over the Nation of Mexico and it seems that doors are opening for me to do so.  I keep getting invitations almost weekly to go outside of Juarez.  Last week I visited Reynosa and Matamoros, Mexico.  Both are troubled border Cities.  They are located close to the Southernmost point of Texas.  Probably what caught my attention the most was that after an 800 mile trip to that side of Mexico things are the same, if not worse, than in Juarez, Mexico.  The violence, the dangers, the murders, the poverty, and the suffering still met me head on like a freight train. 

In Reynosa we visited a ministry just at the edge of a City dump.  The Pastor's wife greeted us and invited us in.  The dump was right behind their house.  From there you can see shacks built right in the middle of the dump with whatever material people can find.  Yes, families live there.  When the garbage truck comes they can sift through the trash and find things to recycle or eat.  I left there with a headache due to the smell.  

I got to meet some wonderful and dedicated servants of God.  One Pastor was walking on crutches.  Recently he was caught in the middle of a shoot-out and his knee cap was blown away by a bullet.  Initially they informed him that his leg would have to be amputated but God worked a miracle and he can almost walk without the aid of his crutches.  I heard stories like these over and over again. 

I could say more about what I heard and what I witnessed.  Maybe at some other point I'll do that.  But even now, days later, my heart is heavy as I think about that experience.  Mexico is a nation that is hurting, suffering, dying.  But God is moving and stretching out His ams to lift it out of the quicksand.  In prayer I ask God how He is going to change all this.  And I know that this WILL all change.  I just don't know how.  In the history of the world Juarez is 2nd as the City that is most prayed for.  Jerusalem is number one.  God is going to change all this but it will take miracles comparable to the ones in the Scriptures as God took Israel out of Egypt and brought them through the desert for 40 years.  Is God's hand too short that He can't do that any longer?  Of course not!!!  God will do it!!!  And when He does the entire world will know that there is a God in Mexico.  Yes, Mexico is going to be transformed.


Mexico needs your prayers, it needs your help, it needs men and women of faith who will step out and believe God for such miracles.  I know God is sending out the Macedonian call for believers to get involved.  If not in Mexico, then in other parts of the world.  Are you one them?  Do you hear His voice?  Take a leap of faith!!!





Daniel Torres
11985 Pellicano
Ste. G, Box 169
El Paso, Texas 79936









 
















 

TO LOVE AND TO CHERISH...

For several years Juarez, Mexico has been called the most violent City on the planet.  I know that eventually we will lose that unwanted image.  Yet, for now, the fact remains that there is a lot of violence here, even though we are seeing the numbers drop.  

There is another kind of violence that is just as troubling, yet not as recognized.  It is violence in the home.  I am not an expert on the subject, I don't have any statistical figures to share, but I am very well aware of the problem.  I see it almost daily.  The biggest known problem is the physical abuse of women by their husbands or boyfriends.  There are also many reports of women physically abusing their mates.  

I stated that I'm not an expert on the subject, so I write only my observations, opinions, and experiences. 

I cannot understand why this is so prevalent in this culture (and I do know that the problem is huge, even in the United States).  I cannot understand why a man would raised a finger to physically hurt another human being, much less someone that he supposedly loves.

Women's shelters are all over this city.  Women go there to find refuge from the abuse.  Many women just take the abuse for various reasons.  Some may have kids and some may not, but they know that if they report their mate to the authorities they will end up behind bars.  Who then will help put food on the table?  Is there another man who will be willing to take her and a host of kids to provide for them?  Her mate beats her, beats the kids, and may be having an affair that she is well aware of, but she feels trapped and must remain in the situation.  

I know that poverty is often used as an excuse.  In a society where manhood or MACHISMO is taken very seriously a man is said to feel very frustrated with life.  He feels that he is a failure as a man.  His manhood is being threatened.  He has not attained the things in life that make him the man he dreamed of being.  One option is to join some Cartel and have all the money he desires at the expense of someone else's life and health.  He can also use the last few pesos the family has to go out and get drunk and temporarily forget his ego problems.  Then he can go home drunk and beat his wife.  And while he's at it, he can beat his kids, also.  And sometimes he doesn't have to be drunk to do that.  Just the frustrations of not having a job and not providing for himself and family is enough to send a man into a rage that leaves bruises and scars on his loved ones.  They are the easiest targets.  He saw his dad do it, so it's o.k., or acceptable in his mind.  

As Christians we know that the enemy of the soul is behind all this.  But even churches are faced with this problem because it's generational.  The cycle must be broken.  I have spoken on this subject to men and some have gained conscious knowledge that this is totally unacceptable.  Some men have wept, as if a veil had been removed from their eyes and they realize their errors.  Many men have changed their way of thinking, but untold millions have yet to be reached.  

I'll share a typical story dealing with another part of this problem of spousal abuse:

A young woman calls me and wants me to visit her.  She has 3 children and her ex-husband is long gone due to the beatings she was receiving.  He is re-married.  He pays no child support.  She is fortunate in that her parents have the means to help her, along with a job that she is able to do from her house.  I go to see her and visit with her on the street by my car.  Her problem:  Her 7 year old son beats her and she doesn't have it in her to discipline the young boy.  It's something that he saw his dad do and he learned quickly.  In his young mind women are objects of abuse.  The young man is frustrated because he wants to be with his dad.  He wants to live with his dad.  Her daughter does not want to be with her dad.  She fears him.  The mom spoke to her Pastor and he suggested that she place the young boy in a shelter where he will receive guidance and counselling.  But the young boy has to live at the Center.  The young mom drank her tears as she spoke to me about all this.  She loves her son, and can't bring herself to let him go for 5 1/2 days out of the week.  She just wanted my opinion.  I spoke to her about tough love.  For his sake and for the sake of his future family she has to let him go.  I promised to keep them in prayer.  My heart still hurts over this encounter.  How many other families are having these same issues?  I hate to even know.  May God help us. 

I want to make one suggestion to church families.  If you know of a single mom, especially one who has sons, please help her out.  If you have a family with a dad, a mom, and children of similar ages then you can help.  Bring her son(s) over to your place and let them see how you interact with one another.  Don't go out anywhere, just do family things at home.  Make sure both parents are there.  Let these children observe how a wife and a husband treat each other with love, dignity, and respect.  Let the dad help the mom.  Let him show her open love.  Let him treasure her and honor her before the children's eyes.  Set that image in their minds.  SHOW them how to treat a woman.

I came from a broken family and I was about 15 years old before I witness a husband and wife interact with each other in the confines of their home.  It was my sister and her husband.  He loved my sister and he was not afraid to show it.  I studied his moves and actions.  He helped her around the house, kissed her, laughed with her, spoiled her.  He planted an image in my mind that never left me.  Yet, he didn't even know that he was impacting my future life.  It was so simple, yet so powerful.  I will always be thankful to him for those unexpected lessons.  

We need prayer for the peace in Juarez.  But obviously, peace and love start in the home and are carried into the streets.  Please pray for the families here.  If the enemy can destroy the fiber of the family he can destroy a Nation.  This Nation is suffering.



Daniel Torres
11985 Pellicano
Ste. G, Box 169
El Paso, TX 79936
1-501-827-7679

For tax receipts:
Covenant Fellowship
P.O. Box 8126
Searcy, AR 72145  





















 
   

CHRIST IS THE ANSWER

How many times have you heard it said, "find a need and meet it"?  In Juarez, Mexico the needs come at you faster than you can think. But along the way come some needs that require something more than a prayer.  

Recently I received a call about a some kids that needed a good meal at least once a week.  I had been in that neighborhood before and I visited with a family there.  As with most places in Juarez the houses in the neighborhood have been abandoned due to the mass exodus caused by the violence.  Hundreds of thousands of people have left Juarez since 2007. Most of the people who remain in Juarez are the very poor.  They can't afford to leave.  At one time there was a place in this particular neighborhood that was feeding the kids on Saturday morning.  However the people running the small feeding center decided to use the donated food for themselves and sell the rest to appease their drug habit.  When they fed the kids, for entertainment they would have the boys fight each other.  For three months the kids have not received anything.  Some were still coming on Saturdays in hopes of finding something to eat.  They returned home with empty stomachs.  The Christian people living close to this place spoke to me about all this.  When I was there a few months ago I gave them my number and now they were calling me for help.  I went back, visited, and investigated the problem.  I knew something had to be done but I did not want to deal with the people who were stealing the food that a group from El Paso was giving them to feed the kids.  I asked a family, Juan and Lupe and their kids, living a few houses from the "feeding center" if they would be willing to help set up a lunchroom using their home and the two abandoned houses next to them. They agreed and we got things rolling.  I knew a ministry that was selling chairs so I went and bought them. Nineteen chairs for $60US.  Juan found some plywood and made 2 tables.  I also purchased the food and delivered it a couple of days early so that a menu could be planned. 

We set last Saturday morning as the first day the new lunchroom.  I asked them to pass the word around.  They commented that some people were afraid to come only because they thought that it was the same lunchroom as before.  They reassured them that this time things were going to be different.  We had 20 kids show up on Saturday.  The Lord provided a lady who wanted to do a Bible study with the kids and I also gave them the plan of salvation using the wordless Bible.  Within minutes all the kids, except for a little boy (pictured above), knew the plan of salvation.  The kids had a great time.  Most had 2 big plate fulls of good food.  I have not become insensitive to the constant barrage of needs that I see daily.  I fought back my emotions as I watched the children eat and learn.  

I stay busy in Juarez.  A lunchroom was not something that I was looking for.  But when the need smacks you in the face you must take action.  I'm sure this will grow quickly.  Soon parents will start coming as well.  Before long there will  be a church there.  This lunchroom will be a huge blessing to these kids who need to be loved and need to hear that Jesus loves them. 

Four miles from the lunchroom is where Juan and Lupe and their kids go to church. They walk to church. Their Pastor wanted to meet me. The name of the church is CHRIST IS THE ANSWER. The Pastor, Enrique Ramirez, showed me a few burned timbers around the church. Their old church was burned down. Arson.  For five years they have struggled to rebuild a new church.  When I first saw the church I swallowed hard.  It looked like maybe a handful of people congregated there. I was wrong. Almost 200 come to the Sunday service. But there are no funds to continue to build the church.  These are very poor people. Most of the church is without a roof.  They placed tarps over the top to try to keep the sun out. The wind whips the tarps around and you can hear the snapping during the delightful and joyous services. The church is in the middle of the desert, about a 1/4 mile from a hardtop road.  The real cold weather will be here soon.  Pastor Ramirez dreams of enclosing the building which is actually 2 donated trailers with a large open space between them.

Last Sunday Pastor Ramirez baptized 21 members with a baptistry that I let him borrow.

It's hard to believe that so many walk so far to get to this church.  They are almost outdoors without heat or cold air, and no running water.  Water for the commode is hauled in.  Yet the people smile, sing, and rejoice before the Lord.  They seem to be the happiest people on earth.  

Life here is very simple.  No one worries about big houses, where the next vacation will be, the car payment, and so on.  They have something to eat today and something to wear.  Tomorrow is another day.   

Daniel Torres
11985 Pellicano
Ste. G, Box169
El Paso, TX 79936

For tax credit:
Covenant Fellowship
P.O. Box 8126
Searcy, AR 72145

COME OVER TO JUAREZ...AND HELP US.

CITY OF JUAREZ: THE BIBLE IS THE TRUTH. READ IT. 

TWO OF THE LATEST ADDITIONS

FRONTERIZA BAJA

HUECO TANKS PARK 

HUECO TANKS PARK IN EL PASO

 

I put in 222 miles on my SUV in three days while visiting different Pastors and Ministries in Juarez this past weekend. 

HUECO TANKS PARK IN EL PASO

I had the joy of visiting a ministry that I had never visited before.  It's called Emmanuel Ministries (visit www.emmanuelgo.org).  This ministry has celebrated 50 years in Juarez.  They are located very close to a landmark mountain in Juarez (see picture).   They work with orphans and children who have been abused and mistreated.  Currently they have 40 kids who have parents but the State only allows the kids to be with their parents from Friday evening through Sunday morning.  If the child is not returned by Sunday morning the authorities are contacted.  As soon as the children are brought back Sunday morning a nurse examines the kids for abuse.  Then they are signed back into this ministry.  After 50 years of ministry Emmanuel has grown into a facility with excellent services.  I was given a tour by the daughter of the man who founded Emmanuel.  He still lives across the street from Emmanuel.  He is 77 years old. She told me that before the crime wave hit Juarez that they had about 20 teams a year visit Emmanuel Ministries.  Today they are down to one team of Americans from Minnesota.  This team from Minnesota uses a basketball camp to minister to the children.  The kids love it.  When I entered the building many kids ran up to me and started hugging me and asking me all sorts of personal questions.  They wanted to know why the Americans have quit coming (gulp!!!).  As with all ministries in Juarez, Emmanuel Ministries struggles financially.  But the Lord always puts something in their plates.  The government does not help these ministries.  If anything, they just keep making the rules more and more difficult.  Some ministries have been forced to shut down due to the new government regulations.  A can of corn on the shelf that expired a day ago is enough to shut down a ministry.  

Emmanuel Ministries has living quarters for teams that come to minister to the children.  I would like to see such a place filled with visitors.  

Two hours before arriving at Emmanuel Ministries I found a place where I can buy bulk food at good prices.  I bought 250 pounds of potatoes (5 bags at 50 lbs. each) for $59.  I left 100 pounds of potatoes at Emmanuel. 

Spanish American Evangelistic Ministries (which I have mentioned in the past) also welcomes small teams (less than 20) who want to minister in Juarez.  S.A.E.M. is on the El Paso side of the Border.  The facilities there are very good.  Teams that want to visit Juarez but prefer to sleep on the U.S. side may get permission to stay at S.A.E.M. 

What am I saying?  I'm saying that the American teams need to return to Juarez,  and Mexico.  The blessings are on a two-way street.  You can't bless someone without being blessed also.  Mexico is ready for the teams to come back.  The Macedonian call has been sent out again.  We need help. 

One of the frustrating things that I face once in a while is when corrupt individuals take advantage and abuse the help to the needy.  Case in point:  I found out about a small group of people who are taking food given for hungry children and families and selling it to appease their addictions.  Someone called me to tell me of this.  So for three months kids and families who normally get a free meal on Saturdays have been left waiting.  But some still show up in hopes that things will change.  This place is about 15 minutes from my house.  I found a church that will help me.  I asked them to run a feeding center close to this area and I'll take care of providing the food.  We will have nothing to do with the people stealing the food.  We will let the Lord handle that.  I already took them potatoes, rice, and beans (25 lbs. of each).  We start next Saturday inside an abandoned house.  This week I will try to find some used chairs and tables.  I will also purchase disposable plates and spoons.  The church will provide the cooks and the Bible lessons.  I'm sure before long we will have 100 or more people show up.  (James 1:27:  Religion that our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress....).  Juarez is loaded with orphans and widows.  Here is where the heart of God beats. 

I took the rest of the potatoes to a girls refuge (to Marycruz, for those who have been here and know her), and to another orphanage (Cesia's). 

I want to share a story about a trip I made to Cecia's orphanage 2 Saturdays ago.  This orphanage is struggling to feed their kids. On Sundays they also try to feed people from the surrounding poor neighborhood.  I keep them on top of my list for food.  Two Saturdays ago I had two events planned but both fell through.  I had some rice and beans that I was taking to Cecia's on Sunday but since I was not too busy on Saturday I decided to go to Cecia's that day.  I brought them rice and beans (25 lbs each).  When I got there  one of the ladies asked me about a man who had been there the previous day (Friday).  Surprised, I told her that I had no idea who that man was.  She said that she was washing dishes and when she looked up there was a man on the other side of the window.  Then he walked inside the orphanage, which he is not supposed to do.  She asked him why he had walked inside and all he could say was that he came to tell them that Brother Daniel would be in the next day with food for them.  She kept telling him that he was not supposed to just walk in.  He repeated himself about Brother Daniel, which is what they call me at Cecia's.  Then he calmly walked out.  She followed him out the door and when she looked up he had disappeared into thin air.  Then she remembered that I never have sent anyone to announce my coming before.  Besides, they are practically in the middle of the desert.  She asked me again who that man was...she even described him to me, including the colors he was wearing.  I had no explanation...I told her that I had just made the decision to go there 2 hours before arriving.  We just stared at each other with big eyes and a silly grin. 

We have had more rain than normal lately, a welcomed blessing.  However, this is a desert and the system in Juarez is not prepared for even small amounts rain.  Some parts of the city had floods.  The pastor in whose church we are raising chickens was proud to tell me that only one chicken drowned.  A church member found them in water that was knee-deep.  A couple of people around that vicinity also came close to drowning.  

About three years ago I was in Juarez on a missions trip with the Arkansas team.  On our last day of ministry it started to rain.  We witnessed how God miraculously cleared up the heavens around us while we ministered outdoors.  It rained all around us for hours but not in our circle of ministry.  We got up early the next morning to depart and it was still raining.  We had to push the van out of a mud hole to get on the road.  On my return to Arkansas I was informed that the rains had continued and that Juarez was flooded.  I asked if I needed to fly back to help with a few outreaches to the needy and I was asked to come.  Within days I was back in Juarez.  It was a very different Juarez than the one I had just left.  The bare and rocky mountains that I had seen before were now covered with a tint of green as seeds which had been blown up there months and years before began to take on new life.  The streets were littered with debris as they had been turned into rivers washing away pallet houses, frame houses, and even vehicles.  Many people drowned, including children.  Dead animals were all over.  We visited two Colonias, Fronteriza Baja and Fronteriza Alta, that were hit especially hard since they were completely surrounded by mountains. We brought a lot of food and clothing to these poor people. The government brought in no help. It was here that, after a long day of giving out all we had, that a group of about 30 people stood around waiting. The sun had long gone down, we were using car headlights to see. These people were loaded down with bags of food and clothing. I walked over to them to tell them that we had nothing else to give. They said that they were waiting around because they wanted us to introduce them to our God. I couldn't believe my ears. Did I really hear that? I spoke to them for a while and led them all to the Lord. All those unforgettable memories of that trip filled my heart when I visited those two Colonias again last Sunday. I even wept again. I drove around and came to the same spot where all that occurred. I went to a church just a few blocks from that site. I was thrilled to walk in and see the church fill up with 250+ people. I wondered how many of these sitting in church I had led to the Lord during those days, and if they would remember me. But what mattered was that this Colonia and these precious folk had survived. 

People all over the world face traumatic experiences in their lives. But when they reach out and grab Jesus by the hand, as Peter did one day when he stepped out of a boat and he began to sink, they learn that they can survive anything. Christians here in Juarez know just how to do that. They have faced obstacles that their fellow brothers in other nations cannot even begin to imagine. And they know how to survive, because if there is one thing that they have learned, it's to reach out and grab the extended hand of Jesus.  

Thanks to all those who are keeping me here with their support.



Daniel Torres 
11985 Pellicano
Suite G, Box 169
El Paso, TX 79936
1-501-827-7679

For tax receipts:
Covenant Fellowship
P.O. Box 8126
Searcy, AR 72145    

CONNECTIONS....WHAT MAKES THE BLESSINGS FLOW.

ITALIAN MISSIONARY LEONARDO CINGARY AND MYSELF.

One of the things that constantly amazes me is the way in which the Lord uses me to connect the body of believers to work in harmony in accomplishing His work.  From the simplest of tasks to major accomplishments the Lord is working to see that it all gets done for the furtherance of His kingdom.  This is what the Lord wants us to do...to find a need and meet that need.  In order to connect blessings with needs the Lord has led me to meet a lot of different people with different types of ministries in the 13 months that I have been serving as a full-time Missionary in Juarez, Mexico.

CHILDREN RUNNING TO HELP SET UP.

LEONARDO'S TENT.

For instance, recently I met Pastor Marie Lara who didn't have anyone to lead the worship services at her new church.  The Lord had provided her and her husband with a great looking building to hold services. They started having church services 2 months ago. But they were without a worship leader.  Pastor Marie told me about her need and asked me to help her.  This was not a problem.  I just happened to know the perfect individual who could help her out.  I went to look for Manuel Ojeda, who is not only a great worship leader but he also plays the keyboard so well that you would think that an entire orchestra was in the room.  Manuel is also an excellent preacher.  Manuel was looking for a place to use his God-given talents aside from serving at his father's church.  Pastor Marie has services on Sunday at 11:30am and Manuel's father's church meets at 5pm, so there was no conflict in time.  Manuel could minister in both churches without a problem.  All I had to do was make the connection.  I made plans with Manuel last Sunday morning.  I picked him up at home and we both showed up at Pastor Marie's church.  Manuel not only led the worship but Pastor Marie also asked him to speak.  I made the connection and now Manuel will be coming to work with Pastor Marie on Sundays.  

CHILDREN ENJOYING THE OUTREACH

PIÑATA TIME....

A similar connection happened recently.  I was visiting the offices of Spanish American Evangelistic Ministries, a Spanish tract ministry in El Paso.  The Director of the ministry, Bety Garcia, showed me a small shipment of medical supplies that she had received as a donation to the people in Juarez.  Bety asked me if I knew what she could do with the supplies.  I knew of a Christian clinic in Juarez that would be thrilled to receive the donation.  I made the connection and soon a Doctor showed up at the tract ministry to take the supplies across the border to the clinic in Juarez.   

THE TENT CAN SEAT 450 PEOPLE.

GOODIES TO BE GIVEN OUT TO KIDS.

I realized the need to get Christians in Juarez baptized.  Very few churches have a place to baptize their people and since we live in the desert there are no ponds, rivers, or lakes to baptize them.  I contacted a portable baptistry manufacturer and they donated a unit, free of charge to the work in Juarez.  I actually have 2 units, and both were donated.  Last week there were 12 people baptized in one of the units. 

Last week I finally met another full-time Missionary to Juarez (I'll write more about him in this article).  His name is Leonardo.  He has a tent ministry and last weekend he had set it up at a Christian School for a three-day outreach.  He had a major problem.  He needed a team of men to help him take down the tent on Monday morning.  The Christian School offered him some students, but he needed major muscle power.  I knew that just a couple of miles down the road Pastor Javier Castrejon, who runs a Christian rehab center for ex-addicts and alcoholics, may be able to send help.  I made the Call to Pastor Castrejon and on Monday morning 20 men from the center gladly showed up to help with the tent.  The tent was down and put up in only 6 hours.  The men from the Rehab Center were thrilled to give back to God's work and Missionary Leonardo was blessed.  The connection was a blessing to both teams.

CLOWNS REACHING KIDS FOR JESUS

HUSBAND AND WIFE TEAM

Recently a new project was started in Juarez by a hand full of people to try to bring more blessings to the City of Juarez.  We meet every Tuesday to come up with ways to help the multitudes here in Juarez.  There are tens of thousands of widows and orphans in Juarez due to the murders of the past few years.  There are an untold number of kids and elderly folk who go without food daily.  The basic necessities of life are far beyond the reach of the majority of people in Juarez and surrounding areas.  Our small team was very excited when a ministry in McAllen, Texas, about 800 miles away from El Paso, offered to donate 20 tons of food, clothing, and shoes.  This would be a huge blessing for the City of Juarez and its people.  The problem was getting the 20 tons of donated items from McAllen to El Paso.  But I had my connections already. I just made a call to Francisco (Paco) Salas, President of Root International in Mexico, who lives in Juarez.  I met Paco a few months ago and we have worked together in the past.  I invited Paco to join us at the next meeting and....yes, Root International will be able to help get the 20 tons of blessings from McAllen to El Paso (more details on that later in this article).  As an added blessing Paco informed us that Root international has received a gift of another 20 tons of nothing but rice.  The shipment of rice has already been brought to El Paso where it is waiting Mexican government approval so that it may be crossed over to Juarez.  This is, without a doubt, a great blessing. 

Connections are of vital importance in God's kingdom.  I have been very blessed as the Lord continually brings new people in my life.  Every time that I meet someone new I know that He has brought them to me for a purpose.  I know that sooner or later my new acquaintance will play a major role in God's work as He brings together the members of His Kingdom to hold hands with one another in unity and love...all for His Glory and Honor. 

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MORE GOODIES THROWN OUT TO ALL

KIDS ENJOYING THE CLOWN ACT

I continue to purchase Bibles to give away to those in need of them.  I never cease to be amazed at the joy in a Christian's face when they receive a new paperback Bible.  I know that most Christians in the U.S. have a super abundance of Bibles in their homes.  I have seen grown men weep as they receive a new Bible.  Most Christians in Juarez cannot afford a Bible and there are very, very few Christian bookstores in Juarez. 

I keep a steady supply of beans, rice, and other things with me to give out as I run into people with needs.  You don't have to look hard in Juarez to find families and ministries who have no food. 

I also carry reading glasses with me to hand out to those who can't see to read their Bibles.  This has been a great blessing to many.

Recently I have also been helping many people avoid surgery by providing them with the means to pass gall stones.  People cannot thank me enough when I show them how to avoid this type of surgery, plus it provides a means to share the gospel with many.   

I wanted to mention Missionary Leonardo Cingary again. He has been in Juarez for 8 years.  He comes from Italy and his wife is from England.  He speaks perfect Spanish.  He has used his tent in 50 outreaches thus far, and each outreach lasts for several days.  I have posted some pictures of the most recent outreach to children in Casas Grande, Juarez.  I have been blessed to meet Leonardo.  I no longer feel like the Lone Ranger in Juarez.  The Lord is preparing more full-time Missionaries to come to this City to help with the great move that He has already begun. 

Lastly, I wanted to briefly mention some of the Mexican government requirements for bringing bulk items across the border to Juarez.  First of all, used clothing are not allowed, no matter how clean and de-contaminated.  Even new clothing has to be approved.  If the clothing is made in China it may not meet Mexican standards and may be refused.  A list of every single item has to be made, including brand, size, amount per box, and amount per pallet.  Expiration date is also a must.  If the items expire in less than 4 months they will not be accepted.  The list is turned in to Customs in Juarez, they send the list to Mexico City, where it goes through the channels of approval/disapproval, and it is returned to Customs in Juarez, who then contact the organization making the initial request.  That's why anything that expires in 4 months will not be approved.  We will follow the government's requirements to the letter in hopes of getting help to the Mexican people.  We realize that governments are set up by the Lord and they have their purpose.  We pray that the channels will be opened for us and that favor will be on our side so that we may bless and reach as many for the Kingdom of God as possible.

Some of my days here are long.  There are days that I get home at 9 or 10 pm.  Yet, I still ask the Lord why it was me that was chosen to receive such a huge blessing.  Why was I chosen to come to Juarez?  What did I do to be so honored? I didn't do anything!!!  I am just a small part of the over-all team.  It's all God's abundant grace.  It's all God's great love.  Truly we are all very blessed. 

Daniel Torres

11985 Pellicano

Ste. G, Box 169

El Paso, Texas 79936

STARTING THE SECOND YEAR IN JUAREZ

Gregoria Reyes

On August 1st, I started my second year as a full-time missionary in Juarez, Mexico.  It is hard to believe that time has gone by so fast.  It has been an incredible and blessed first year.  The most amazing thing is that I KNOW without a doubt that God's blessings will be even greater as time goes by.  I have seen a lot of souls come to the Lord in the past year and multitudes blessed.  I have struggled with loneliness, extreme cold and heat, and attacks of Satan.  Untold number of times I have come home and broken down over God's blessings and how He has used me.  And many, many times I have come home and travailed in tears at the sufferings that I have seen and in which I felt so helpless.  The sufferings here are indescribable and almost impossible for those in the U.S. to visualize and understand.  After a year here I still do not have a kitchen, nor do I have hot water.  Those are comforts that I sorely miss.  My biggest pain right now is that I have not seen any of my 3 daughters in 5 months.  I have never gone that long without seeing my girls.  Yet I have been blessed with wonderful daughters who understand the work that I have been called to.  Yet, my pain remains.  (My oldest daughter, Christina, will be receiving her Master's Degree soon and she also landed the job of her dreams, which is working at the Orpheum Theater in Memphis,TN). My comfort is that our life on earth is but a candle in the wind, and we must seize every moment to make it count for God's Kingdom.

Margarita

Antonio, Ruben, and Margarita

Pastor Abel's kids. Bath time.

My first year in Juarez was to close out with 14 days in which we had 20 services planned with a family that came from Orlando, Florida.  The first week was great, but at the start of the second week I received a call at 2:20am telling me that they were going back to Orlando.  Nothing else was said and I thought that maybe I was having a nightmare.  Unfortunately, it wasn't.  So I was left with several churches to call and apologize to.  I still have no idea what happened, but a few of those churches had gone through great pains and expenses to host the family.  I also went through some expense.  I covered the preaching in most of the churches, however it wasn't me that they were expecting.  I was sick to my stomach for the rest of the week because I felt so bad for the Pastors who had programmed all this at my asking.  I felt very responsible.   

RUBEN

Yesterday morning I was with a group of Pastors and leaders from the U.S. and Juarez.  We met to discuss a 3-day crusade that is coming to Juarez in October.  The crusade is estimated to cost $50,000US, so it will be a massive venture.  It's also a faith venture, we're trusting in the Lord to provide the funds.  We have more meetings planned before the day of the crusade.  

One most recent blessing to me has been a ministry in El Paso called S.A.E.M., Spanish American Evangelistic Ministries.  They have been printing gospel tracts for Spanish countries for about 48 years.  This ministry has a small campus which has several buildings, each with a purpose to aid Juarez.  One building is used as a small warehouse for clothing, shoes, and other much needed items to be taken to Mexico.  People send donations here and Pastors or leaders can come to S.A.E.M. to pick them up.  The ministry goes through great trouble to keep the donations neat and organized.  They also get food to distribute to Mexico.  I have taken lots of rice and beans across the border which were given to me by S.A.E.M.  The ministry is also able to house small teams who want to come to minister and bless Juarez.  One such team from Ray of Hope Church in Comanche, Oklahoma was there a couple of weeks ago.  I was invited to cross over and meet these fine folk who truly have a great heart for Juarez.  My hope is to stay connected with this team.  Thanks to Ken and Carolyn for their love for Juarez.  Another personal blessing from this ministry was that they have opened their doors and are allowing me to stay at their premises anytime I wish.  I took advantage of that a week ago and I was gone from Juarez for almost 24 hours.  The house that I was given to me for that day had a bedroom and a kitchen/living room combination.  It is fully furnished and has pots and pans, and plates, and everything needed for a comfortable stay.  My most exciting part was the use of the shower with HOT water.  Thank you, Jesus!!!  This ministry is looking for a full time missionary to help in the office.  They need computer experience and must be bi-lingual.

Pastor Abel's kids

I still seem to keep finding folk who are suffering from gall stones or have been scheduled for gall bladder surgery.  I have helped many people like this with remarkable results.  Few things make a person happier than to know that a simple 4-day fast will avoid a surgery.  My most recent case was Gregoria Reyes, 60 (pictured).  Her daughter is single and has 6 kids.  I often take food to her.  Last week she was in tears because her mom (Gregoria) was in the hospital.  Later I found out that Gregoria had been released and scheduled for gall bladder surgery.  I went to see her.  I knocked and knocked and she finally came to the door.  She was bent over as she came to the door.  She was in deep pain.  She told me that she was in the bedroom praying that her Jesus would send her another way to get rid of the stones without surgery.  I smiled and told her, "I'm here!!"  During her hospital stay, even in her pain, she was helping one of the ladies in her ward who had just had gall bladder surgery.  She would get up and help her with the wounds and try to make her comfortable.  She saw the terrible pain that the lady was in and could only think that in one week it would be her turn.  She came to fear the surgery.  When I told her how I could help her she was very excited.  I returned home and I had everything she needed for the fast and headed back to her place to start her immediately.  On the same day that she had been scheduled for surgery, Gregoria passed almost a cup of stones.  She didn't need to but when I visited her that day she had saved them for me to see.  It really wasn't necessary. Gregoria now keeps thanking her Jesus and me and all the folk who help me so that I may help folk like her.  She now walks upright and is in no pain.  She had me laughing as I saw her overwhelming joy. I have other people on the list for non-surgical gall stone removal.  I just need to keep making trips to El Paso to buy what I need for the fast.

I posted some pictures of three brothers during bath time in one of the hundreds of poor neighborhoods in Juarez.  The temperatures are over 100 degrees during the summer, so a cool place to bathe is a lot of fun for these kids.  There are many, many places here without running water so they have water delivered by a truck.  But that water is usually contaminated with worms and other unhealthy critters.

Finally, I posted some pictures of Antonio, 76, his wife Margarita, 78, who is very short (she is actually standing next to me in that picture), and their son Ruben, 43.  I met this poor family about 7 years ago on a one of my first mission trips to Juarez.  I also still take food to them when I can.  Ruben is my spiritual son.  When I first met Ruben, a few years ago, he walked up to me and was demon-possessed.  He roared at me like a lion and his eyes rolled back.  I placed my hands on him and rebuked the demon(s) in Jesus' name.  Immediately he fell to the floor and when we helped him up he had no idea where he was at.  Today it is a joy to visit this dedicated man.  He continually reads his Bible and just the other day he asked me for another on.  His is getting really worn out.

People like Ruben are my joy.  They are the ones who put a sigh in my lungs and make my journey a remarkable one.  Changed lives, transformed by the power of God is what I am blessed to see everyday that I'm here.  It is what makes my life without hot water, and a kitchen a blessing.  The smile on Gregoria's face is all I need to feel that I have given someone that "cup of water" that our Master spoke about.  Taking bunny rabbits to visit orphans may not seem like much to someone who has it all.  But to this precious ones it is life changing event.  A pair of reading glasses that cost us less than a dollar is the difference between not reading the scriptures or growing in Christ as they partake of His word.  Or it may be the difference in a child's school work...will they fail or pass...due to a pair of reading glasses. Giving someone rice and beans is the deciding factor of whether that family will go to bed with full bellies or empty ones.  Telling someone about Jesus will be the turning point in that person who is hell-bound.  A hug, a smile, a pat on the back, a visit, a tear shared with someone hurting.  Jesus' strongest word to His saints is GO.  He will not tell you the how, where, or what, just yet.  He waits for the first step in obedience to His GO, the slowly the rest comes.  It's all about faith.  I can't ask if He has called you to GO, because ALL are called.  But I can ask you if you are...willing.

My sincerest thanks to all who have helped to keep me here for a year and for taking a part in the work that Jesus is doing in the City of Juarez.  This City is the catalyst that He will use for end-time world revival.  This place is a ticking time bomb that will release God's glory throughout Earth.  I stand in awe that He has called me to be part of this.  And all those who support this work though prayer and finances have their share in this blessing. Blessings to all.

And girls, I hope to see you soon. Your dad loves you very much.




Daniel Torres
11985 Pellicano
Ste. G, Box 169
El Paso, Texas 79936
d_torres 53@ yahoo.com


For tax credit:
Covenant Fellowship
P.O. Box 8126
Searcy, AR 72145   

MEET A HAPPY LADY

I met Pati through her sister, Elena.  Elena told me that Pati was soon to have gall bladder surgery.  She asked me to call Pati and see if I could help her.  I called Pati and arranged to visit her.  I gathered up what I needed and I proceeded to Pati's house.  There I met her husband, her mother, her brother, and 2 of her kids.  Elena is the only one in the entire family that is a Christian. 


Pati has been in and out of the hospital for a year.  Her gall bladder was full of stones which needed surgical removal.  However, the doctors wanted her to lose weight before the procedure.  Pati tried several diets but her weight loss was going too slow.  She had a huge amount of prescribed medication at home for her pain.  When the medication did not help with the extreme pain she was hospitalized for 1 to 3 days to alleviate her pain with stronger medication.  Pati had a great fear of being operated on.  Here in Juarez, Mexico you hear horror stories of people going in for a simple surgery and never walking out again.  Pati has 3 kids and she feared dying on the operating table and leaving her youngest one without a mom.  Her youngest is a 4 year old daughter who is very attached to Pati.  She will not allow anyone else care for her except her mom.  Pati did all she could to avoid the surgery at the cost of great pain.  


In recent articles I wrote about doing a four day fast with a group of Pastors.  As a side benefit, the particular fast cleans the body of kidney stones, gall stones, and in several cases living parasites were expelled.  


I brought Pati all the liquids needed for the fast, plus a Bible.  I know that Pati and her family were very hesitant about the fast and the results that I promised them.  But Pati was "between a rock and a hard place".  Her options were not good.  Yes, she was willing to do anything to avoid surgery, which in some cases leaves the patient suffering from the actual surgery for some years to come.  Pati knew of such a case, where a lady had the laser surgery but 2 years later had not recovered from the wounds inflicted on her body.  Not to mention loss time at a hospital, time of recovery, and the huge costs involved.  To Pati four days of fasting was a great option...if it worked!  She was willing to try.  I gave her all the instructions as she carefully wrote them down.  We reviewed everything carefully.  Finally I handed her the Bible and asked her to start reading in the Book of John.  She was very hopeful and thankful when I left.  We agreed that I would call and check on her periodically. 


Finally, the third day of her fast came. Pati had been a model patient.  The third day is a little hard because the patient has to drink half a cup of olive oil, along with doing other simple things.  The oil is hard for some to drink.  Pati drank it in one gulp.  After the oil, the gall bladder begins to eject the stones, which by then have been softened.  Most people sleep through the night before the body eliminates the soft stones all at once.  Pati started eliminating stones in less than 3 hours after drinking the oil, and it took her 4 trips to the restroom before her body was cleared of stones. 


I spoke to Pati on the fourth day of her fast.  I don't know that I have ever spoken to a more grateful and happy person.  


Yesterday I visited her and her family again.  She said the stones looked identical to the ones she had seen in her ultra sounds.  She collected some of the stones but the softening process kept working and just turned them into a black liquid.  She had been worried that some of the stones would remain in her stomach but when she saw them turn to liquid she knew that she was totally free of gall stones.  Pati is now pain free and medication free.  She had been scheduled for another ultra sound next week.  She told me that she was going to keep the appointment.  She couldn't thank me enough for her experience.  I always remind people that I have an army of prayer warriors who keep me in Juarez.  She wanted me to pass on her profound thanks to all.  I spoke to her about the Lord Jesus for a long time.  Her family knows so very little about the Lord, but she wants to start attending church.  She said her family WILL come with her. Her heart is now very opened to the Gospel message.  God has giving me favor with this family.   Pati, even more so than her husband, is the head of the family.  


Before I left Pati's house she said that on Friday her whole family was getting together to celebrate her new-found health.  I told her that I was glad that her family is so close knit and that she had marked a day of celebration.  She looked at me with pleading eyes and asked me gently if I would please come and be her guest of honor.  Before I answered I offered a silent word of thanks to God for the favor He had given me with a family that does not know Him.  I smiled and told her, "Yes, Pati, I'll be here".








I apologize that I couldn't load up a picture of Pati. The connections here are always bad and that could be the problem. I tried for a long time. Sorry.


Daniel Torres
11985 Pellicano
Ste. G, Box 169
El Paso, Texas 79936




For tax credit:
Covenant Fellowship
P.O. box 8126
Searcy, AR 72145