We’ve been trucking at Discovery recently. Stan Thompson donated a very nice 1994 Ford truck with relatively low miles, a good body, and a paint job that still looks factory new. A team of our guys tuned it up, repainted the rims, and fixed it as needed. It was to be donated to Pastor Juan Carlos Magallanes in Quincy for his ministry to Hispanics who worked on farms. Our annual Thanksgiving Offering was designated for the repairs and pastor Juan Carlos.
Our guys worked on it over the winter until it looked even better and ran like a gazelle. The canopy was also cleaned and repaired before attaching it to the 7 1/2 foot bed. Workers included mechanics Joe Turco, Mitch Maesner, and Gary Horten. John Westermark also arranged a full load of good used clothing for Hispanics that Pastor Juan Carlos ministers to. Nancy and I fired up the rig and drove to Quincy. It ran great with our load so we fit right in with the the big truckers on the freeway.
We arrived in the late afternoon at First Baptist of Quincy. Pastor Juan Carlos and some of his family and friends were waiting. It was great to present this snazzy white pickup that looked almost like it just came right off of a showroom floor.
Since our mechanics donated time we only needed to buy parts and tires to get it running well. The remaining $41oo of our Thanksgiving Offering went to Pastor Carlos for personal use. When I presented it to him he told me he had been praying last year for funds to pay for major dental work he needed. This unexpected financial gift would go a long way toward that. God was at work in the truck, the timing, and providing the funds through our people. Thanks to all for helping with that Thanksgiving offering for 2022.
Note from Pastor Juan Carlos today… “I really have no words to express my gratitude to each one of the brothers and sisters that help us in this ministry, My wife and I pray for you, that God will provide for you, take care of you, encourage you, and show you his will every day. I believe that God's sovereignty is not that everything is in a fixed predetermined pattern that will never change, but that God's sovereignty is His work in the midst of a broken world, in the midst of rebellion, disobedience, reshaping the clay, including you and me (Jeremiah 18.1-6) . It is wonderful to be the clay and know that God is the potter.
Thank you Pastor, thank you all.”
While there we kept on rolling to Moses Lake to visit two elderly farmers we knew. Del had been very ill but medical care blessed this 89 year old wheat farmer. His daughter Karen happened to come across the state to see him that same day. It was a reunion God planned for all of us.
We also found the wife of a second farm family who lived near us. Edna Watkins was in a seniors home but looked incredibly good for someone 103 years old. She still walks briskly, has no pains, reads and praises God. It was a blessing to pray with her and talk about the Lord.
In case you missed it Tim and Martia Franklin this week went back to Natal Brazil after a brief furlough here in the States. Keep them in prayer as they get back to ministry on the East Coast of South America.
Pastor Mark
Rdp.