Dear Friends in Christ,
For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. Hebrews 6:10
WHAT A MONTH: Bro Darrell and his wife Bobbie from Missouri, brought their truck and trailer to haul the backs and bottoms of 75 – 18 foot pews to a church on the west side of Mexico. We hauled the pew ends and legs, school desks, doors, windows, baby grand piano, etc.; 5 tons on each trailer.
A special thanks to the men of our sending church, First Baptist, Del City, OK who helped us load!
We had a problem with the temporary permit in Mexico for Darrell’s truck and trailer, that although we got part of it fixed, at each “police” check point, they still extorted money from us.
The first day in Mexico the goose-neck hitch on my trailer broke off! But by God’s grace, He kept us safe and a family by where we stopped called a welder who fixed it! That night that same family insisted we stay with them and fed us breakfast before leaving in the morning!
Because of one delay after another, one of the Mexican missionaries came to where we were stopped and picked up doors and windows, etc. for him and another church. Then Pastor Abel in Durango met us on the highway to pick up his doors and windows. Shortly after, our truck ran hot climbing the mountains, so we turned around and Pastor Abel not only had a place for us to park both trucks and trailers, but helped us as we spent several days trying to get the truck fixed. We attended Sunday Services at his church after which the pastor led his people to take up a special love offering for us, and the pastor’s daughter knew God wanted her to give us the money she had been saving!
It became obvious the Lord didn’t want us going any further west, so a man from the church in Los Mochis knew a trucker who lives where we were at, that hauled the 10 tons to Los Mochis, for less than the tolls would have cost! We sure missed not being able to fellowship and preach in those churches in Sinaloa!
While in Durango we changed the thermostat and water pump, to no avail. Daryl hauled our truck on his trailer to a mechanic I know in Chihuahua City. From there the Lord took us safely to Bearing Precious Seed in El Paso, and Daryl and Bobbie headed for home. We praise the Lord for their help!
The mechanic told me the truck needed a fan clutch, though our son Josh had just changed it. We picked up a replacement in El Paso, took an Uber to Chihuahua, where our friend Eber helped me put the fan clutch on and helped us drive all night to Durango, to pick up our trailer, and drive back to Chihuahua. That night, brothers Enrique, Azael, Eber and their families had a surprise birthday party for me! What a blessing!
The next morning, leaving Chihuahua, a transmission cooler line blew off. Again, Eber and Enrique came to the rescue and we made it to Ft. Collins, Colorado to pick up some pews, pianos, etc. on the only day we would have help to load them! We drove back down to Camargo, unloaded the trailer, attended a wedding and drove up to Wheat ridge, CO to pick up more pews, pianos, etc. which we will leave on the trailer for our next trip. We spent a few days in eastern Colorado with my family, so Bonnie could get to know them and them her, before heading home.
Praise the Lord, though a very challenging trip, He showed Himself faithful, protecting, providing, sending help and many opportunities to witness; reminding us that He is with us always!
Family: Praise the Lord, Bonnie and I just celebrated our first wedding anniversary!
Ron & Bonnie Winter
Your Co-laborers, Ministering to Churches in Mexico
Hands to the Work – Ron & Bonnie Winter
Missionary to Mexico