December 2019 Newsletter
Dear friends!
It seems so unfair!
When we are the ones receiving the hugs and smiles for your faithful support, and gifts so
faithfully provided! We are the ones seeing all the excitement from our children and adults from just knowing a person in the United States cares so much for them. It brings warm smiles and just makes Christmas for them just a little better!
We hope you had a blessed Thanksgiving! Our blessings come from our Father in heaven! No one can deny we have so much for which to be thankful! We thank our Lord God for His goodness and faithfulness!
Let me share some love in action as we draw into Christmas time.
Today Yessenia is a 30 year old single mom. We have known Yessenia since she was about 17 and a member of our youth group. During her young searching years, she developed a relationship and left us to live with a man for about 4 years before having a beautiful baby girl, named Stephanie. But her dad did not want the responsibility of being a father. “He became very jealous
,” Yessenia tell us. “We began fighting over everything and nothing! Stephanie’s father became uncaring for us both to the point of looking in the streets to find something to eat. We took food from any place we could get our hands on it!
In an act of desperation, I took a job at a bar and lived without the privacy of a door in our open room. When Stephanie’s turned 3 years old her father left us for another woman.
I became depressed and anger filled my life. I’m ashamed to admit this, but I was dragging my daughter down with me. Deep down, I knew God was the only way out of this big mess!”
Then, somebody came knocking at Yessenia’s room inviting her to church! This was like going back home to La Roca and she knew this is what she needed to do.
The pastors received her back into fellowship, forgetting about the rebellious Yessenia of ten years ago. “I will never forget their embrace and warm welcome,” Yessenia tells us. “I was invited to the House of Grace and I said yes! Immediately, I quit my job at the bar, I was so ready to start over again!” Yessenia is now working at the House of Grace and her beautiful daughter is in school and happy! Yessenia is working very hard in trying to finish high school and also enrolled in our church Bible classes. Yessenia says she is so blessed and wants to thank each one who supports La Roca making her recovery possible!
Felipe was born in Guadalajara, moving to Tijuana at the age of 3. “My family and I crossed illegally into the US from Tijuana when I was 4 years old. My single mom raised 14 of us children because, like many others, my alcoholic father beat us including my mom. The pain and suffering of our life drove us into drugs .I lived in the US for about 35 years before getting caught with drugs and deported back to Mexico. I was in Tijuana without family, I had no friends and no money. I started working in the streets with all the bars and discos.
This didn’t solve my frustration and I couldn’t get out of this life even though I was making some good money. I was locked into this kind of living for about 4 years because I wasn’t strong enough to get out of it on my own. I started looking for someplace I could go to get away from all the drugs, alcohol and everything that goes with this kind of life. I found a place called La Roca! It became my refuge and I started living there and listening to God’s Word. Here at La Roca men were sharing their testimonies of how their lives had changed. They spoke about having peace on the inside and hope. I wanted to know what itwas they were talking about. One day I was invited to a men’s retreat at the La Roca Ranch. I was anxious to go and hear God’s Word! It penetrated my heart. I knew I was where I needed to be!
Now I am the one sharing to others that Jesus is the only way! I have been set free from all addictions, but the greatest thing is, God has restored me to himself and also to my family. I now have a very good relationship with my family. I am so grateful to be serving God and my fellow brothers.”
Last but not least, is Lupita! She is a very sweet and shy girl who has turned thirteen-year-old. She is so grateful that she is able to study, play sports and lacks nothing!
She is very grateful, even though she finds herself in an orphanage, that she does not have to live life that is surrounded by drugs and immorality! She is glad that she know Jesus Christ and has been able to learn His ways! So she gives each one of you a big embrace, and thank you for your support in making this possible! Please keep Lupita in your prayers!
These are some examples of changed lives through the means you provide to La Roca Ministries. We are a small organization but our team has a big heart, but more important than that, we have Jesus and a very big, powerful God!
As 2020 approaches, considering a work project here in Tijuana or perhaps Sonora which is a little longer trip. Encourage your church to get involved thru participation, we would love to work with you!
Thank you for standing with us and being part of the La Roca family, who are not ashamed of the gospel of Christ! For its His Truth that sets people free! Pray for us as we move forward in Sonora, Oaxaca and if God willing Chiapas!
May you and your family have a very blessed Christmas, and Happy New Year and an anointed 2020!
Lots of love and many hugs from all of us at La Roca Ministries.
