25th Anniversary......

Last weekend, something amazing happened here in Tijuana, Mexico!!

We Celebrated 25years of the Homes of Hope ministry, building houses for families here in Mexico that are in great need for homes.
This was a small idea about a year ago and last week it came about, we didn't know quite how it would all come together as it seemed impossible to build 25 Homes in one weekend but God is bigger than our thoughts....
So we Celebrated in style....

We are latino at heart so we celebrated with a big party for 3 days!! For 2 days about 400 or more people came form different places, who have been involved in Homes of Hope in the past and we hosted them and we all went out and built 25 Homes for the families and we did this in 2 days!!
Usually a busy weekend build is 8 Houses, but we managed to do 25 houses!!!

This was crazy but so much fun to be a part of this event!!

Knowing that 25 families received homes and that we can celebrate the 5,000 homes that have been built over the last 25years here in Tijuana Mexico!!

Homes of Hope started with one man that was obedient to God and said yes i will build that family a home  they need one, so when Sean went and built this home for a family in need, he took his family to, His daughter was very young and was playing with the local children and saw that they didn't have a home either and said "Daddy can we build this family a home too?" This was the beginning of the last 25years of Homes of Hope that started in 1990!!

God is faithful to one mans obedience, who saw a need and met it!!

We ended our celebration of sunday with 800-1000 gusts come to our home here in Tijuana and celebrate with us, what God has done!! We had children from the local school come and sing, the children fem our ministries come and dance and sing too...

We had music, the nationals anthem, special guests, pastors from all over Tijuana, we had visitors from Hawaii, Costa Rica, you name it everywhere!!

Homes of Hope Tijuana grew so much that we also run Homes of Hope international, so we are growing and building homes in more than 10 other countries too!!

It's amazing what God does when we say "Yes"!!!

So heres to the Next 25 years of Homes of Hope ministry who knows what is next!! 

Humbled once again!!

When I watch this short clip I am humbled, I am reminded of what a father is, a selfless person who put his kids heart and desires above himself, who loves greatly, who sees and cares for the one in front of him before himself!!

For me this is an example to me of what God is like to me, sometimes we can see him as a massive God up in the sky and so unreachable for us to have relationship with him, but this video reminds me what God is really like to me, he is personal, he is kind he is selfless, he is not putting himself above others, he is loving, giving, generous, righteous, he cars for his kids (thats us) 

I will just leave you with these thoughts I have had this week and how I am humbled that a all powerful all knowing, the created can be so personal and know me so so well!!! 

Really the Cross??!!!

Yes really the cross!!

Today I was reminded of what Jesus did on the cross for me specifically and for each one of us!! I think recently I have had material things stolen from me and that has been a frustration and difficult but when I think on it they are things they are phones, keys licences, bags, computers, yeah all them things are fun and cool, and yeah they help out in life, but Jesus keep reminding me what really matters in Life what really is important to you?

The Cross Equals Perfect Love... 

Our hearts are important; our friendships, our family, our love for each there is so important and is worth so so much more than anything we can buy!!

This love that we have from Jesus what he did on the cross is so real and is actually everything we could ever imagine and more and its a free gift!!

This is forever, it won't just last a few years or months, no one can steal it from you and it is real, it will never disappoint or leave you!!

It will fill you with love, purpose and peace through every step of life, every circumstance and situation!!

This is what I am reminded of today the perfect unconditional; never changing love that I have daily from Jesus!!!

"Your a Good Good Father"

This last house build was amazing, we built for a dad of 3 children, his wife had left about 3 years ago.

This family, were surrounded by helpers, Carlos(Dad), His dad was there and his mum, his Nice, the neighbours and others from around the community.

What am amazing family the incredible humbleness and gentile heart of Granddad was so welcoming to all our team from YWAM and Canada, he was so Kind and loving, mostly with tears in his eyes throughout this weekend as he worked so heard for his son and his Grandchildren to have a house that was theirs.

His Son Carlos worked so hard this whole weekend and never lost the incredible smile that was permanently on his face, also his son and two daughters helped paint, hammer and build their new home, with incredible joy and smiles too.


This was a very precious family that had been living in a very sad situation, they had been living further away in a little room of a friends house and now they could have their own house, be near the kids school, be near Grandma and Granddad!!


One of the Team from Canada Asked "How do you manage to work and take care of your children and be smiling so much and be a man with such joy and peace?'
Carlos said it's all thanks to God, this is a testimony of God in his life, since his wife left he found the Lord and Carlos said he would never have been able to be who he is today and be the father he is today without God his Father in Heaven......

One more of my favourite moment was when we dedicated the completed house to the family and they could enter in.
From behind us all came a massive cheer, shouting, clapping, screaming and such joy...... we all turned around and it was so many people in the neighbourhood who know this family and were overjoyed for this family to have a house of their own, if anyone knew how much this family deserved it, it was their neighbours, we were all in tears too of such happiness





This was another testimony for me of the impact that this kind loving family are in their community and I believe it is the fruit of having a Loving, Loving, Father in Heaven.....

Thats our Father....

First Glimpse inside.... after it was all decorated and decked out with house things... 

Really living in "No fear"

So for the last few weeks or months maybe to be more realistic, I have been living in some fears in areas of my life to do with my future, of living in a different land that is very different to my culture, where I have no family there, I don't have a YWAM base there, right now I don't have a solid team. So really God thats my future, so many questions how will it work, how will I be safe, I can't be there on my own? So many questions....... One that have been holding me back from the plans of God.

Even to the fact of who am I trusting? God or other people in my life to keep me safe, to protect me and to keep me from harm.....

But tonight I was so challenged of How does God see me? How does he look at me? How is he towards me?

I asked him, and He showed me a picture, and reminded me of a moment that had happened in the past. One night I was standing at the back of a room whilst we were having a worship night and I saw my friends little girl sitting playing on the floor, she was just playing then after a while she realised she was on her own and she started to look around and as she was doing this she was seeking out her dad. He bottom lip started to go and she was looking lost and a bit nervous for where was her Dad.

Then all of a sudden she sensed him right behind her, He was reaching down to get her because he had seen her seeking him.

As soon as she turned and her eyes met his eyes her face changed and she relaxed, she had peace, she was SAFE, her Dad was wrapping his arms round her and pulling her into his embrace, she was safe, she was no longer alone, she was secure.

This is what God showed me and said this is how I see you everyday, this is how I hold you and take care of you, this is how you are to me, I will take care of you, I will keep you safe, you are safe in my arms!!

How does God see you? Ask him.........

You are my everything.....

And I will adore you? .......

Tonight I was singing a song, in Worship and I felt a challenge and I wanna share it with you...

"Worthy, Worthy, Worthy,
is the Lord God almighty, 
who was and is and is to come, 
with all creation i sing, 
praise to the King of kings 
you are my everything and I will adore you" 

I was like do I realise what I am singing? "You are my everything, and I will adore you", in my heart I was thinking is God my everything is He enough for me or am I always seeking more from life or things....

God reminded me of a time when I was travelling the first time to Brasil, this trip was a miracle its self, it was a dream that came true from the age of 14yrs and 14yrs later I was on my dream journey to Brasil.

At the time of embarking on this trip it meant I had to give up my job at home in England, I was leaving Mexico, flying on 11 flight in the next 2 weeks to get to Brasil and return finally to England.

This journey was huge, I was alone, it was my first time to Brasil, I didn't speak the language, my bank card had expired, I had no international phone, no internet, the money I had on me was all I had, some of it was $10 Canadian dollars, $10 USA dollars and Reals for Brasil!!

It was me and God, I had nothing to fall back on in emergency or anything no credit cards or nothing, this was a true adventure, however what God showed me on this trip was that he supplies all my needs, he provided me large coffee when I only had the money for a small, someone gave me a $5 Starbucks card for a 16 hour layover in Canada, and I only had $10 for food. He provided me free hotels when flights were disrupted, I made some friends, who would help me rebook flights, and talk to the people I was meeting on their phones as I didn't have a phone and couldn't speak Portuguese. He protected me in situations that may have been unsafe, 10 out of the 11 flights I sat next to Christians who really helped and encouraged me and still today some are my friends. He also gave me such peace, when I felt lost and alone, when I didn't know what to do He showed me!

When I was thinking back on this story, I was so overwhelmed by God and His greatness and that He knows my every need, He is my everything, He is greater than any circumstance we find ourselves in, He is more powerful than any of our needs, hurts and disappointments, He is Victorious and He is worthy of so so much!!

So "You are my everything, and I will adore you"!! 

Circulo Adalante ..... Walking circle

This is an amazing ministry that has been happening for the last 5 years here in Tijuana, Mexico. It is something that has grown and grown over the years and has seen many children the ages of 3yrs to 14yrs old though over the years.

Susie has been running this every week, there are between 30-40 kids that come and they have activities crafts and learning activities, they learn to read books and learn how to spell and they also learn rules and boundaries for their lives and they learn how they are loved an accepted by Christ.

I have only been to this ministry about 10 times but for the last 4 weeks i have been attending and teaching the 6th Grade they are from 11yrs and up and there is about 30 of them, i have loved it so much we have been teaching them the redemptive steps of the old Testament!!

Its been so much fun and this last week i took them on a Exile walk, we did it very dramatically, i lined them up and we were very military style with them they had to hold a string and not let go, they had to be silent and just walk. I lead them through the streets and told them stories of what it was like for the Isrealities in Exile. Back in Exile the people were chained together and had fish hooks from lip to lip and they were to walk miles and miles, they were falsed to live in a pagan culture and they had to learn new languages and live in a very violent, inhuman way. In this time because God is great and loves his people he still sent them prophets who brought messages of Hope and promise. It was fun that we acted out this experience and the Kids loved it, the DTS students acted out scenes as the kids walked down the road.

It was so much, they really learnt that when they are going through hard, dark times that God is still with them and he is never going to leave them and he will always bring a message of Hope and Love for his people!!!

Circulo is an incredible ministry that is helping children to learn and be educated to a higher level and to bring in so many values to their lives.

When Circulo started in Antorcha the Colonia it has been in for 5 years, there were really poor houses, that were nearly standing, no constant electricity or water, but now it is a triving community that has electricity and water, that has some little shops, it is safer and it has many Homes Of Hope Houses. this community has been really transformed and now it is time for Circulo to move to another Colonia (Community) and to begin serving and seeing transformation in this new community!!!

This has become a real precious family environment.... for the kids to learn how to be take care of each other, love each other and be a real community!!