Laynes' Line

M E R R Y C H R I S T M A S        I ask your forgiveness for not getting my regular update out about two weeks ago. Some friends and family depend on our update to know that we are alive. Fortunately, we have been busy as well as being without Internet three different times. Our country here hates being listed with Third World countries because they say they are as fully developed as are other countries. If you lived here a month, you would see the great differences that makes them be included. If the power goes out because of wind or rain, it is usually because the circuit breakers on the lines have opened. It requires a man to come by and close a blade type breaker overhead. It may take two to four days for him to do that!      Last week we lost power as did the whole village across the highway. No electricity means nothing in the house works, the Internet was out as well as our phone. No power means we have no water. Ann’s cell phone w...

     Today, the weather has warmed a little and so has the house. Ann has been down with some stomach troubles, but otherwise we are well.      Here is November's newsletter. November 2010 3 Blessed  be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly  places in Christ: 1 Peter 1:3 Dear Praying Friends, We praise the Lord He is still working in the hearts of His people in spite of the problems around them. We just celebrated the union of Carlos Salgado and his new bride, Guillermina. Pictures are posted on our blog as noted below. Both have become avid soul winners that approach their friends about Christ, without intimidating them. We pray them a whole lifetime of service together for Christ. Pastor Armando is in Monterrey for 2-3 weeks to help with the care for his father once again. The doctors are hoping to re-connect the intestine and restore its functioning on Thanks...

     Yes, I know, it's cold in the US also. It reached 28 degrees last night. Our houses are masonry with no provision for heat. To try to heat with electric heat would require doubling our support. We are looking into a small gas heater to cut the cold. Since Saturday, the temperatures at night hover right at freezing, but the days are comfortably warm (72). INSIDE our house was 56 this morning. We always worry about those here who have much less than we in homes of much poorer quality.       We had a good weekend with good lessons taught by Pastor Armando. He is doing an excellent job. He returned yesterday to Monterrey to help his father prepare for upcoming surgery on the 23rd. They are hoping to re-attach his intestinal tract to put him back to normal. The only problem is that the doctor warned there are risks. I will be having the services this week.       When one lives in a foreign country, he always finds a...

     After several days of no Internet service, we are back on-line (obviously). Imagine, somewhere around the 20th of September, a truck struck the telephone pole outside the property on the main road. The jerk it sustained broke our telephone lines, cutting both phone and Internet. I managed to investigate what damage had been done and found the broken connection. I filed a report and then I proceeded to reconnect our lines. Last Friday morning, I heard a terrible bang, but thought the washboard highway had just caused a dump truck to rattle his bed. Later in the day, our neighbor came home to no phone or Internet. We investigated and discovered that another pole in front of the property was cut off at ground level by a blow from a truck (the terrible bang above). At least four of us filed reports of the cut wires. Finally, on Monday, they sent a truck with two new poles and four workers. The poles were installed quickly, the wires re-stretched and left hanging. Th...

     We are finally home and are recuperating from our travels. Did you ever realize that you don't travel as easily as a senior citizen as you did when young? We had a really good trip and were able to accomplish much. The property was in need of a lot of little repairs and we were able to scratch a few of them off the list. We certainly enjoyed spending the time helping, as the Kilpatricks are always a joy to be with.      Praise the Lord. Brother Kilpatrick is doing well with his treatments. After he started the treatments, he had a few side effects and the doctor cut the quantity to half. He seems to be tolerating it well. We are praying that this takes care of the two small nodules when the entire process is finished.      The problems at the border continues to get worse. While we were there, the state of Texas again announced that no Texan should travel into Mexico after a series of shootings, including the incident at...

Psalm 107:8  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!       Yesterday was another terrific day with the Lord. We had a good attendance and everyone paid really close attention. Hector, whom we see every other year appeared. By the way, our wayward Pedro has not been back since he declared he was returning to be faithful! After the service we had baptisms with two of our newer folks getting baptized. It is always so good when a person gets saved and wants to be baptized without persuasion. We all know that baptism is only the good testimony before the Lord and others and is not part of a works salvation. How wonderful that these folks come forward on their own and ask when they can follow the Lord in baptism, without any pressure from the outside.       Our wayward deacon has declared that he will not return, ever. We are heart-broken that a brother for 25 years feels he ne...

     Praise the Lord for another wonderful Lord's day. We had good attendance, good preaching and good attitudes. Our dear friend, Pedro, says he has returned. We trust that is true and that he continues to be faithful.      Folks are getting excited as we are planning our Independence Day celebration for Mexico. Just as we celebrate the Fourth of July, they celebrate the 16th of September. The church is planning a big day on the 12th as a means of inviting more deaf as well as celebrating liberty. Pray that souls will be saved this day.       Please really pray for our country. We have now confirmed that the cartels are approaching churches in northern Mexico and demanding a monthly fee, or pay the consequences (two eye witnesses and an AP report). Some are giving in and some say, "Shoot me." The President of Mexico admitted this past week that in places, the cartels are not just interested in the money, but are taking ...