Joseph Goes to College

       For a couple of years now Sandra, Joseph, and I have wondered and watched for direction as to what would be God's best for Joseph's continuing growth and education. One afternoon as we were questioning Mike McDonald, a friend and bible teacher for the local Calvary Chapel Bible College, he began to think that we should check out a bible college and training program that New Tribes had here in Mexico. Later he arranged a visit and Mike, Joseph, and I went to check it out.

       The idea of Joseph going off to a tribal group to learn their language, create a written system for that language, and then translate the scriptures into their language was a completely new thought for me. God quickly showed me, however, that He had been preparing Joseph all of his life to do just that. We weren't sure that He was directing Joseph to go to the New Tribes school but it seemed that tribal missions were in his future.

       We continued to seek God's direction. We didn't have the money but more and more it seemed clear that Joseph's desire and God's were converging on IMT Bible College. Then two missionary families that we work with, within a few days of each other, told us that they wanted to help with the cost by sponsoring Joseph a certain amount each month. The total was almost exactly equal to the tuition! We decided to proceed with the application process and see if God would guide by opening or closing that door.

       After several weeks, with the deadline nearing, we still had no response. Then Mike, who had been intending on giving Joseph a ride to the school (~1000 miles), had to cancel. We were counting on that ride because, at the time, we lacked the funds to get Joseph there any other way. The days ticked by and it seemed that perhaps the door might be closing. This was very confusing because we had felt God had been clarifying in our spirits that He wanted Joseph to go.

       At last it seemed time to buy a bus ticket or admit that we had misunderstood. There were less than two weeks before classes would start and we still did not have an acceptance letter or the money for travel when the School Administration called one of Joseph's references and asked, “Who is this Joseph Fruin? We have no application for him”. Apparently their email had blocked Joseph's application because it was too large. It really looked like the door was closing now.

       In faith we prepared a smaller version of the application, resent it, and Joseph began to pack. It seemed doubtful, though, that they could review the application and make a decision in time. We prayed and prayed some more.

       Only a few days later the school had emailed that the decision board had unanimously agreed to accept Joseph, we had received some unexpected money, Joseph's bags were packed and we were heading to the bus station. Joseph is now attending, and doing well at, the Instituto Misionero Transcultural Bible College in Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico.

       Many times throughout the process it would have been easy to succumb to anxiety or doubt but hindsight has taught us over and over how foolish that would be. God is faithful! I think He purposely unfolds His plans with unexpected turns and delays in order that we can learn to rest and trust in Him.

       It's been more than a month but instead of the pain of missing Joseph fading it builds with time. We miss him increasingly but there is no question in us that he is where God would have him.  

Olympic Bible Fellowship

      We had the privilege of working with a fantastic group this week. Pastor Rich Hay and his wife, Diana, brought 5 others from their church to work on a variety of projects in our area. They are not new to Mexico, they were just new to us. A fellow worker here, Ivan Martinez, has been working with them for years and invited us to come along side this week. My children Sarah, Mary, and Jonathan worked as translators for the group in there Vacation Bible School program they conducted at a feeding kitchen for poor children. They used the AWANA Gate Test as their curriculum it worked well. They also put on an AWANA Grand Prix (pine wood derby) race for the kids. The children received a piece of paper to design their cars then the group worked that night to cut each one out and shape it. The next day the children decorated them with markers and stickers. It was a huge hit!
      One of the men that came, Jerry, was a contractor so I worked with him on building new stairs and a deck to replace a delapidated and completely unsafe set. It also turned out beautifully.
      The theme that God had for the week was loving those who you come to serve and serve with. The people are more important than the program, the schedule, the project, and even more important than our own desires. Through many trials, schudule disruptions, and difficulties the group faithfully reminded one another of that throughout the week. It was a great bit of wisdom that I would highly recomend to anyone in ministry and everyone in ministry knows how hard it can be.
      They showed how experienced they were at doing missions trips to Mexico by scheduling two visits to the beach and a little time to go rock climbing. Always a good idea! Two of the men that came, Jed and Cory, love to climb and found a nice spot nearby. To bless us they invited our boys, Joseph, Jonathan, and David to see how they would like it. They loved it! Jonathan was absolutely hooked.      They come every year so, like most groups we have worked with, we will miss them all year and anxiously await their return.

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God's Soup Kitchen for Kids

           A common ministry in our area of Mexico is a thing called a comedor. The word means something like "a feeding place" but they are really soup kitchens for poor children - children that may not get a nutritious meal at home. They feed the children and make use of the time to tell them about Jesus Christ. From my observation most of them are ministries that are after God's own heart.

      We have been working (doing construction) at one of these comedors for some time now and I have been so moved by the ministry that I wanted to tell you about it. It is run by a small family. Daniel and Dolores and their two daughters Nancy and Joanna. They also have a five year old boy named David but he is very little help. They are some of the poorest people I have ever known. Their home is not what most of us would call a house. There was no bathroom until recently. The whole family sleeps in one room. Their only vehicle is a very old van that was a gift. It is nearly completely delapidated and no longer functions at any level that could be called reliable. Families like theirs are not terribly uncommon here. There is no shortage of poverty. The interesting thing is that this family works hard and sacrifices much to reach the "poor" that live at the railroad tracks a couple of miles from their home. Daniel is a night watch-man for a shopping center in one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Tijuana. After work each morning he comes home to help Dolores with the comedor. They feed fifteen to thirty children three days a week. The schedule changes from time to time depending on how much money is available.

       They started ministering at the railroad tracks by purchasing a little shack and hanging a sign that said Torre Fuerte Casa de Oracion which is Strong Tower Prayer Chapel. Their focus has always been to reach the impoverished people that live along the tracks with the hope of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Starting a comedor was just a natural progression in their search for ways to reach the people.

           I have grown to love them and they are an encouragement to all of us. But I'm not writing this to honor Daniel and Delores. Their amazing life and choices are a witness to the Lord Jesus, the Son of God, the Light and Savior of the world. Please join with us and all who know of their work in glorifying God for the great love He shows this world through those who love Him and are called by His name.

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The Langley Immanuel Youth Group

by Sarah E. Fruin

       Over the last three years we have had the pleasure of working with the youth group from Langley Immanuel Christian Reformed Church(LICRC)from Langley, British Colombia, Canada. For many years now, youth from LICRC have given up their spring break to serve here in Tijuana. This past March we were able help with translating and project direction. We spent about eight days translating, handing out invitations for an outreach, shoveling dirt side-by-side with them, and eating ham sandwiches with chipotle mayonnaise. God truly blessed us through them.

       They met our physical needs in a variety of ways. Before they even arrived they sent the funds to grade our driveway! Our driveway had been a point of great difficulty because we could not drive out when it was muddy, and we had spent many hours working on it. Then when they came they helped to shovel away the extra dirt that had been deposited on the sides. At that time we were very tight financially, so we were very grateful when they brought cart-fulls of groceries and household items.

       They invited us over to their base for dinner twice to eat and fellowship with the entire family. A few were quite taken with the little girls and made them very happy by listening to their little stories and playing with them; the rest of us had fun getting to know everyone better in a more relaxed atmosphere.

       We were also very encouraged by their hard work and willingness to serve. As we all went to work in different places, sprinkled all over Tijuana, it was clear that God had sent them to bless many people. One work site where big things were accomplished was a children's feeding kitchen. They built a bathroom and a retaining wall there that were much needed. They handed out fliers to neighborhoods to invite people to a church outreach. They taped and mudded the drywall at a pastor's home. They also weeded for another missionary family.

       Finally, God grew us through them. Andrew had to learn to trust that God was going to take care of his three oldest children in dangerous areas of Tijuana when he was not with them. Joseph grew in confidence and leadership skills as he was leading a construction crew. Sarah and Mary took another step toward being comfortable translating. And our faith was strengthened through seeing God fill our needs through some of His children.

Click to view video

4 Ninos Group

By Mary J. Fruin

       We just had a group of three families, similar to us in many ways, come all the way from central Canada to help build a comedor infantil (a feeding kitchen for poor children). It was a huge blessing not only to the directors of the comedor and the children that go to eat there, but also to us.

       It was an interesting project because the mission board required that the building must be able to be dismantled, put it on a truck, and hauled away at any time. The building is 16' x 32' and is built entirely out of 4' x 8' panels bolted together. Floor, walls, roof, and all! It was a lot of work both designing and building it. The group were lovely people and hard workers. Even though many of them were young, everyone worked together and got the building built in two weeks.

       During the second week some of us did a small VBS for the children that attend there, with crafts, stories, games, and singing. Everyone had great fun! Each day we also ate with the children and enjoyed Dolores' (the director's) wonderful, traditional Mexican food! The group not only brought money down for the building and supplies for the VBS, they also brought with them money so the children could eat a full meal every day they were here. They were a blessing to all.

       They came over to our house for their second to last evening in Mexico. It was a wonderful time of fellowship with christian brothers and sisters. That night we said a sad goodbye, but with the hope of seeing them again the following year.

       It was a very encouraging couple of weeks filled with hard work, lots of laughter and singing, and a lot of hot sun on the construction site.

       Click here to view the photos from the cultural day - thefruins.shutterfly.com.
       Click here to view the photos from the construction project - thefruins.shutterfly.com

Where has all the money gone?

       For many years I had told God that, if we could ever afford to, I wanted to go to Mexico to try and help the orphans and extremely poor children there. In November of 2002 my mother passed away leaving us a property in Atascadero, California. God confirmed that it was time to go to Mexico. We had God's direction and His provision. Our church, Berean Bible Fellowship, wanted to support us but that just didn't seem to make sense. We had sold the property and had sufficient provision for at least two years. God had blessed us and we were set. The church prayed for us and sent us on our way.

       Mexico was much more expensive than we had expected. Most everything was the same cost or more than California. By the two year mark we were out of money, or near to it, but God has faithfully provided every day. “Please give us this day our daily bread,” Jesus said. In many ways it has been a joy going through this faith building time.

3D model we did of our church

       At one point we thought God was directing us to start a new business of creating 3D computer models (3dcomputermodels.com) to provide for our ongoing needs. If an architect, contractor, or home owner sends us CAD files and/or pictures we can email them back a 3D model. Though we have not had any paying clients to date, it has been very useful for the construction ministry. It has been invaluable as a tool to estimate costs, manage construction phases, and communicate to volunteers what needs to be done.

       We want to continue in ministry here, serving the poor orphanages and comedores (feeding kitchens for poor children), but the financial realities are limiting. Currently we do not have the funds to continue. Please pray that we would clearly understand what God would have us do.

       You can view photos of our some of our models at thefruins.shutterfly.com.

The Langley Immanuel Youth Group

       We were privileged to work with the group of Dutch high schoolers from Langley Immanuel Christian Reformed church again this year. They have become our favorite group and we look forward to their coming all year long. They are a focused, hard working, fun crew. 

       This year we took part of the group to insulate and drywall the house of a man named Lamberto. Lamberto's testimony is one of persecution and forgiveness. He used to work for the railroad but after being injured on the job the railroad compensated him with a small piece of land adjoining the railroad tracks in an undeveloped area east of Tijuana. A few years ago he offered his land to be used for a church plant to minister to the surrounding, extremely poor, neighborhood. Two years later, the church was thriving and Lamberto had a small house built for himself and his family.

       A woman who was attending the church was the wife of a drug addict. Her husband did not like that she was attending church, yet the woman continued coming. One day, as Lamberto was walking down the street, her husband attacked him from behind. He beat him almost to death with a baseball bat. His skull was fractured and the resulting brain injury left him mostly paralyzed and unable to speak clearly. He was housebound and his house was not insulated or drywalled and it gets very hot in the desert where they live.

       To insulate and drywall the house would be a big job, especially since the group was made up of high school students. It was made more difficult by someone starting the job and doing such a poor job that we needed to redo their work. We only had three to four days so, all things considered, this was going to be a real challenge.

       Work, however, progressed quickly and we finished before our deadline so that we were able to add an awning onto the front of the house to provide a shaded porch. We were also able to build some much needed shelves in the kitchen.

       By God's grace Lamberto has been healing and is now able to speak clearly and use a wheel chair. He is slowly regaining control of hands. He has forgiven his attackeer and prays for him that he, too, may know the grace of Jesus Christ.

       Another project we were privileged to help them with was replacing a dilapidated fence at the Alcanzando laVision orphanage. This is an orphanage of about fifty children in a very dangerous area of Tijuana. The existing fence was falling down but the wire was still usable. Our task was to dig eleven holes in rocky ground to support new fence posts, cement the posts in, and rehang the cyclone fence wire. No one but the locals were prepared for how difficult the digging phase would be. The ground was like baked clay filled with large rocks. This was truly a labor of love. It turned out to be a real test of endurance and perseverance. God blessed our efforts and in the end there stood a beautiful and secure fence. It had taken the whole team but we were all able to enjoy a great sense of accomplishment.


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Our First Tests/Trials

       Shortly after getting settled in Rosarito Beach my motorcycle was stolen. The following Thanksgiving our house was broken into and many expensive things were stolen. What was God up to? Well, in regards to the motorcycle, it had been a distraction from family and my God and was an icon of pride and escapism. It needed to go. Thank you, Father! God also used our responding to His grace and praising Him right from the start to be an encouragement to others.

       The house robbery was good for us as well. It was a good reminder of how little “things” really matter. Much money in goods was stolen and yet nothing that we really cared about or missed. God showed us that we had (and still do have) many items left over from our opulent life in California that are neither appropriate for Mexico or for His children. How can we say we love the brothers and sisters around us and yet hord such comparatively great wealth. He has blessed us with many opportunities to share and meet various needs that His family has had. We have since begun to downsize even more, selling what we can on eBay and Craig's list. We have a long ways to go but it is freeing to be headed in the right direction.

        Another test was the difficulty of living in town. We are country folk unaccustomed to dogs barking all night, sirens, horns, loud speakers mounted on cars, etc. The lot behind us was used by some local fishermen to clean their daily catch and repair their nets and the house next to that had a pig farm on their cement roof. The noises, smells, and interruptions seemed too much. We weren't sleeping well or living well. God had given us this wonderful house but we were struggling with the surroundings. He had an important lesson to teach us. We were excited about being in exotic Mexico but there are uncomfortable, or even bad, things about this culture. We were called to come to Mexico and commanded to love His children. This wasn't going to be cozy and that was OK. At home in California much of our effort was focused around creating our version of heaven on earth. How perfect, comfortable and rewarding can we make all of our surroundings? Well, that was sin and needed to go, just like the motorcycle.

       Once we had settled in a little and began to learn these lessons He provided us with a beautiful country home in the middle of a large ranch near the coast! Much more to our liking! In addition, the house was owned by the mission we work with and they wouldn't let us pay rent!

Getting Started With Work

       Scott Pepito introduced me to an orphanage in Tijuana called Alcanzando la Vision B.  A local church started this orphanage on faith (they didn't have the means to support it) and found an amazing couple, Victor and Gaby, to be the parents and run it. There are twenty-five of them living together in a fifty's vintage, two room, one bath bungalow. In the states it would have been condemned. On our first visit we worked to get the bathroom in working order. The tub had fallen through the floor revealing a situation that defies description. The plumbing had been broken for some time turning the sub-area into a cesspool. The Pepito's oldest daughter became quite sick after working to clean out the area below. With God's help we were able to replace the plumbing and the floor. A couple of weeks later their was a working toilet, hot water and a cement double shower. The double shower was a blessing because many of the young children were afraid to bathe alone and required the help of an older sibling. Thankfully sibling groups are not usually separated in Mexican orphanages.

       Our next project was to build twelve beds in a ten by twelve foot room. This required custom mattresses and a special bed design. God provided a man who could design the beds and also a factory that was willing to donate custom mattresses at their cost. As if that wasn't enough He brought that man and his whole family down to help build the bunk beds! Now the girls had real beds with storage drawers underneath.

        The boys were not yet so fortunate. The twelve of them slept on the cement slab floor in the living room. It wasn't too bad though, most of them had a blanket to themselves. It was heartbreaking really. We asked God if He would provide for an additional room for the boys. He did of course. He sent a group of young people who had some experience building in Mexico. They got the foundation, a few walls, and the roof up in just one weekend. God also brought another group of young people who were interested in a long term relationship with the orphanage. With their help (financial and labor) we were able to add two new bathrooms as well. One for the parents and one for the boys! Wow God!

       The next hurdle was beds for the boys. My sons and I had designed and built a triple bunk that was rock solid. It seemed perfect for orphanages. It was simple enough to be constructed by teams of volunteers and they were stout enough to last through a hundred years of abuse by boys. The problem was that they were quite expensive. God's solution, a team of men, rich men, wanted to come and do something for the orphanage. Thanks again God! They came and not only paid for but also built four sets of triple bunks for the boys. The day before they arrived I discovered that the beds wouldn't fit! We would need to make some creative adjustments. Help God! He wasn't as surprised as I was. He had already arranged for a couple of carpenters and some other very handy men to be on the team and they came up with workable solutions for every difficulty. For the first time in over a year (and for some the first time ever) the boys slept in real beds, with mattresses and linens.

       Victor and Gaby, the parents, had been living in what most of us would call a small office or a large walk-in closet but now, at least, they had a private bathroom. It is hard to express how special God has made Victor and Gaby. They gave up all expectation of a comfortable life for a life of complete servitude. They don't get vacations. They seldom get any sort of a break. They have three children of their own that now have to share their parents with many others. Not just twenty-three to thirty children at a time but that number of children, all with extra needs. They seldom have enough of anything. They have no privacy! They never get to experience a peaceful night. They took up this cross with no promise of regular support. Just an abiding faith in God's goodness.

      The children who are not actually orphans all have a horrific story that is their past. The Mexican version of Child Protective Services (DIF) doesn't take a child from a home unless the situation is criminal and Mexico doesn't call the same small things criminal that California does. Most of the children were not only unwanted but hated as well. Some could not come home until they had begged, stolen, or earned enough money to placate their parents. Some were put into childhood prostitution by their parents. Virtually all were abused. One boy could no longer make himself speak and all that DIF knew of why was that he had seen his father cut another man's throat. God is amazing though and all of these children have repented and confessed their need for Jesus to save them and are well on their way to leading blessed lives. It is beautiful to hear the boy who could not speak tell his testimony of how God has changed him and helped him to forgive his father.

View the photo album.

GOD Brought Us In For A Smooth Landing

       We had been planning on going to Mexico to be any help we could to the orphans and extremely poor children in the Tijuana/Rosarito Beach area since December of 2003. Life is life though and with one delay after another (a new baby, house remodel, a major earthquake, quitting work, house sale, another new baby, etc.) it took 4 years to get going.

       In February of 2008 we were ready to go. We had waited for God's timing, truly trusting Him. Initially we could not find anyone who would rent to a family with nine children. Our realtor was at a loss. We were telling God that we would take anything, even a shack. Anything! God then moved the heart of the real estate group's accountant to offer us his six thousand square foot castle and, because he had no room for them in his new smaller home, we could buy the furnishings too. God was showing us that He was only waiting for us to give up our expectation in order to bless us beyond what we would have dreamed.

       It's always hard to move to a new place. A foreign country is much harder. Our Spanish was marginal. We didn't know the culture well. We couldn't find the foods that we liked. Was the water safe? Where do you drive when there are no lane markings? God had it all worked out though. He surrounded us with people to love and help us. We had the family that we came to work with, the Pepitos, working hard to help us get settled and acclimated. God gave us dear Mexican National friends, the Aguilars, to help us with language and culture among other things. The director's of YUGO Canada, the Hooples, befriended us and were a blessing in so many ways. God even provided neighbors across the street that did everything they could to be helpful. They were Jehovah's witnesses and really wanted to convert us but God meant if for good and they were a great help!

       We are truly blessed to have God for our pilot!

Why did we go to Mexico.

Around 1987, when Andrew was in the Navy and living with a friend in Ensenada, Mexico, they would cross the border to go to work at the San Diego Naval Station. In order to cross the border without a long wait, they would cross between 4 to 5am. There were usually many little children begging for money and selling chicklets (gum). Upon learning that these children were orphans or the children of very poor families, God put it on his heart to look into what could be done to help them.  At that time only the Catholic church was allowed to have orphanages so he didn't see anyway to make a difference.

Extremely poor children in east Tijuana

For years he told God that if I ever had the means he would love to help the orphans of Northern Baja California. After Andrew's mother passed away and left us a property in Atascadero, California, we started to see the doors opening up.  Around Christmas 2004 a missionary that we had worked with on short term trips to Mexico spoke at our home church, telling about their work of building orphanages, their successes, and their needs.  God let us know at that time that we were to go and help.

Four years later, in March of 2008, we moved to Rosartio Beach, B.C.N., Mexico and we began working with Firm Foundations doing construction for orphanages and feeding kitchens for poor children.

Other goals we have are for the family to learn Spanish and for the children to have an opportunity to experience a different life and to spend considerable time serving others.  

Still trying to get to Mexico...

 For two years now we have been saying that we are headed to Rosarito, Baja California, Mexico to work with a couple of orphanages there. I quit my job about 19 months ago to prepair and we have been prepairing since then. We have been getting the property cleaned up, the remodel of the downstairs is still going slowly, and we still need much practice with our spanish.

Andrew is currently replacing all copper water pipes in our home. This is new to him and, although he has enjoyed the learning the project is moving slowly.

God has been shaping work perfectly for the transition to Mexico. All of Fruin Communications clients are in good shape to be maintaned or repaired remotely. We believe a few more solid customers would be good though.

Please pray that the children would learn to focus on obeying and studying despite a multitude of distractions.

Please pray that Andrew could finish the remodel well.

Please pray that Sandra would experience the joy that our Father has promised in the midst of lifes trials.

Bye for now...