![\"The](\"http:\/\/www.vitwministries.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/Disc.jpg\")
<\/a>The long awaited disc.<\/p><\/div>\n
Friends, I need your concerted prayer as you open this blog today. <\/span><\/p>\n I am currently in Laredo, Texas. Theresa has stayed in Cd. Valles in order to continue to teach the sewing school classes.<\/span><\/p>\n I arrived in Laredo yesterday in order to try once again to bring the disc and box blade across into Mexico. You will remember that about a year ago I purchased these implements for the farm. We desperately need the disc for ongoing weed control and light cultivation. When I purchased these implements I had no reason to think that there would be any issues in getting them imported into Mexico since we had such wonderful success with the import of the tractor and the implements that came with it through the help of Rafael Due\u00f1as. Brother Rafa has an import business based in Laredo, and it was directly due to his generous help that we were able to get the tractor and first shipment into Mexico in February 2012.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Now, almost a year since first trying, we still have been unable to get the disc and blade across the border. I honestly have no idea what the brick wall is that we keep hitting, but it will not budge. The snarl up is with the necessary permits due to the fact that the equipment is used. But, honestly, none of it makes any sense. But we need God to perform a miracle quickly and smash down the solid wall that we hit every time that we attempt to import the equipment. <\/span><\/p>\n God certainly knows that we need the disc very badly on the farm. It is his equipment, and his fields that we are attempting to take care of. It is a simple piece of paper with the correct signature that we lack. Please pray that God will move the mountain out of the way, and that I will be able to get the implements in very, very soon.<\/span><\/p>\n Today I attempted to import them at two different crossings. At the first one I was told that I was at the wrong bridge and would need to return to the States and cross at the other one. Upon arriving at the second crossing I was told that I didn\u2019t have the correct paperwork and that I would need to get permits from other Mexican agencies, etc., etc., and would again need to return to the States. All of this, of course, means having to re-enter into the U.S. with a full van and a questionable story as to why I am dipping into Mexico and then right back out again. Not to mention that each time I need to re-enter the U.S. there is about an hour-long line up waiting to be inspected. All of this in blazing, triple digit heat. It all adds up to not being much fun. <\/span><\/p>\n So, now at 9:00 o\u2019clock at night I have set up office in a McDonald\u2019s restaurant and am catching some free wi-fi and grabbing a \u201cseniors\u201d coffee and taking advantage of having my laptop with me. <\/span><\/p>\n I don\u2019t say the following to have any sort of bragging rights, and in fact I am somewhat embarrassed to say it, but it is the truth nonetheless – I say it to emphasize that I really do need you to pray for a breakthrough soon; sleeping in a hot sweaty van is getting tedious. On my last gig here in Laredo in November I was also alone, Theresa having stayed in Cd. Valles that time as well. That time it was about four or five days of sleeping in the van. At least that time the weather was somewhat milder. This time it is still very hot and uncomfortable. This is now my second night this time around, and unless God breaks through soon, it looks like it will be another long marathon. It is no more fun for my \u201cflesh\u201d than it is for yours to try to catch a couple of Z\u2019s huddled in the driver\u2019s seat in the Walmart parking lot. But when I am alone, and when I can, I prefer not to have to spend God\u2019s money that should be used for ministry purposes just to sleep. I am not trying to be a hero; I am just trying to spend God\u2019s money wisely. Our funds are limited enough without spending where we do not need to.<\/span><\/p>\n Onto other, more edifying things \u2013 I am very pleased to say that Jason Funk, our fearless webmaster has done it again and has made a smashingly beautifully upgraded website for the ministry. The information is updated and current now, and I no longer have to cringe with embarrassment every time that I send anyone to it. I really encourage you to take a look at the site and see the changes in content that have been made. The basic site looks the same, but the content is very different. This will give you a much more clear idea of what is happening, beyond the blog alone.<\/span><\/p>\n Also, and very cool \u2013 there is now an \u201cArchived Letters\u201d tab along the top of the website. If you tab onto this you will find old ministry newsletters dating way back to August 1998 and onwards. These are missionary letters that I sent out during the early days of the ministry. You will find them interesting in order to see where to roots of the ministry began, but they will also provide the historic and contextual perspective of the current work of Voice in the Wilderness Ministries in Mexico. I encourage you to take a peak at these as well and see \u201cfrom whence we have come\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n By the way, Jason Funk\u2019s contact information is as follows. If you have any need for web design I couldn\u2019t recommend a better guy. Thanks again Jason:<\/span><\/p>\n 204.355.8932\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span>\/\u00a0\u00a0jf@jasonfunkdesign.com<\/a> \u00a0\/ \u00a0www.jasonfunkdesign.com<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Also, something very, very cool that happened today thrills me to pieces, and almost makes up for the rest of the aggravation of the day. After we finished loading the disc and blade into the van this morning, Rafael asked me if I had time to go to see the new pastor of the church in which he is an elder. Apparently the other year when we were here, the now-retired pastor (with whom Theresa and I stayed for several days and learned to appreciate very much), had hoped to have a team from the church come down to spend some time with us in Cd. Valles. Rafael now thought that we should see the new pastor to follow up on this. Of course I said \u201cyes\u201d to the proposed visit with the new pastor, and Rafael and I headed over to the church office. There I met a young, energetic pastor with a keen interest in what we are doing in Mexico. Plans are tentatively set for Rafa and the pastor to come down in an exploratory trip sometime in November or December of this year in order to see if it is a good fit for them as a church to link with us on an ongoing ministry basis. They also spoke about the possibility of bringing other churches in the Laredo area into the teams as well. Wow! Thank you Lord. This is exactly what we have been praying and hoping for. This church is Baptist. Others that they may bring into the team are Assemblies of God, and others across the city. All of them will have a very strong majority of Hispanics, and certainly Spanish speakers. Praise the Lord. Pray with us that this networking can begin. Maybe this is why we are having this prolonged (and aggravating) time in Laredo trying to import the farm implements. Maybe it was exactly so that this networking could begin. If this is the case, then it is worth it all in the end.<\/p>\n Well, <\/span>I think I will have a second cup of coffee and see how the night develops. It is still too early to head over to the Walmart parking lot for the night.<\/p>\n Blessings, and please don\u2019t forget to pray that there will be a breakthrough at the border, and that I will be able to import these implements and get them down to the Training Center farm where we so badly need them.<\/p>\n Your friend and brother,<\/p>\n Steven<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Friends, I need your concerted prayer as you open this blog today. I am currently in Laredo, Texas. Theresa has stayed in Cd. Valles in order to continue to teach the sewing school classes. I arrived in Laredo yesterday in order to try once again to bring the disc and box blade across into Mexico. 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