July has arrived and we are now suffering through very hot and very dry weather. Usually the hot/dry does not start until the middle of this month. Well it is Texas and with only three seasons, “almost summer, summer, and still summer”, we should be climatized by now. The news from the mission this month is good. We have not had any major mishaps and our staff is working well together. The food donations are still going strong and the bills are all being paid so we rejoice in the provision of our Lord.

Over the last few months we have had a low population of residents. As you can see that has now changed. We have seen an increase in resident and non-residents this month as the economy seems to be a little worse here in Lufkin. Until this month we were wondering where the recession was. We still see our residents getting jobs and some have come to the place where they were ready to move out. So keep us in your prayers that the Lord will continue to provide the means to help as we watch to see what the Lord will do with America.

We planted a garden this year on the vacant lot across the street from the mission. Mary and I bought the property across the street a couple of years ago but this is the first time for a garden. We planted tomatoes, sweet corn, garlic, peppers, two kinds of squash, okra, egg plant, blue lake beans, purple hull peas, cucumbers, and field corn. We have harvested everything except okra, tomatoes, and field corn and we are looking forward to some good eating in the days to come. The residents have been most helpful and we have had other volunteers that have done their part. This garden was an experiment to see what needed to be done to have a really great garden next year. I am going to bring in some compost and manure and till it in over the winter and I am going to kill out the grass that grows so well when you really want vegetables.

The building project in Nacogdoches is progressing. The Staff house is almost complete and we are anticipating that the Lord will open the door for us to start and complete the next building. We have several grant applications in the works and hopefully some of those will be granted. We are still excited and anxious to be in the new buildings so if anyone has a spare million let us know, that would finish the project in style. Just kidding of course but who knows whom the Lord will use to provide what we need.

Mary is working very hard, as I write this, on the end of the month beggining of the month stuff. So I know that some of you will be hearing from her in the next few days.

So each of you keep up the good work and remember us when you pray.