Weather in South Texas and other things...

We have had wonderful weather in San Benito, TX.  It has changed from day to day, but it still has been better than almost anywhere else in the nation.  Most of the days are in the 80's with a nice breeze.  Tuesday was a very hot day.  It got up to 92 degrees inside the RV late in the afternoon.  Wednesday was cooler and today (Thursday) is a beautiful day.  A cold front moved through on Wednesday bringing us cooler weather, but caused tornadoes in Louisiana, heavy rain across the southern states and even heavier rains up the east coast.  We escaped the rain.  Tonight, we will have a low of 40 degrees.  That must sound warm to most of my readers across the U.S. but this far south (almost on the Gulf of Mexico), that is rather cold.  We have been spoiled with the warm weather. 

We have appointments on Sunday and then will probably leave this area on Monday and head back north (Yuck!!).  I rather like this area.

We continue to meet some very interesting people.   Sunday morning, we drove about 30 minutes west to Pharr, TX.  After the service, they had a potluck meal and we sat by a couple that moved to Pharr from North Carolina and knew someone that we know.  Another couple at our table were winter residents from Colorado.  After lunch, Ron also spent a lot of time talking with Max Morris, a man that lived in China for 10 years and did a lot of teaching while he was there, at a time when it was not nearly so safe.  Max is now heavily involved in mission work with Hispanics, both on the U.S. side and in Mexico.  He says he wants to go back to China someday. 

Sunday night, we have a good time with folks at 8th & Harrison in Harlingen, TX (only a few miles north of where we are parked). 

Wednesday night we drove about 30 miles southwest to Port Isabel (two pictures above).  We drove on a causeway for several miles with ocean on both sides of the road.  In a few minutes, this coastal city appeared in all it's tropical beauty.  We saw the bridge that may go on over to Padre Island, but I'm not sure.   Padre Island actually runs from Corpus Christi all the way down to Mexico.  I always thought it was off the coast near Corpus Christi only.

At Port Isabel, we met some of the Christians at the Dairy Queen for a snack before the Wednesday night class.  We are a little late to meet tourists that come to this location to "winter."  Most of them left last week to go back home.  One lady, from Michigan, was the only non-Texan present.  It was a very loving and friendly congregation and we enjoyed our time with them.

Ron completed much of the new tile in the RV on Saturday.  It looks so much better than the dirty, beige carpet that was worn out.  The tile will be much easier to keep clean.  I told Ron it will not show dirt (looks like brown and dark green stones) so I won't have to mop for about a month (when my socks turn black).  Once a week should do the trick and keep it looking nice.  Ron continues to work on the incomplete areas a little each night.  It has been a rather complicated job because  everything is built-in.  Ron is a perfectionist in most of his work and it has proven true in this work as well.  It will be difficult for anyone to tell that the flooring did not come with the RV. 

I did not try to help on Saturday because I got up with some back pain.  I worked on the computer and tried to stay out of his way.  By the end of the day, I noticed that my back was even worse than when I got up that morning.  I took a celebrex and went to bed early.  Sunday was an excruciating day of pain.  I could not find comfort in sitting or standing.  Bending was almost impossible but I managed to get dressed and go to church.  (Luckily, I had taken a shower Saturday afternoon before I got so bad.).  All day, I sat a while, stood a while and just endured the pain.  Nothing made it better or worse.  I took celebrex again that night and then on Monday.  I was a little better Monday morning but as the day continued, my back got better.  I have noticed a little discomfort the last three days but there is no comparison to the way I suffered with it Saturday night and all day on Sunday.

It is so difficult to understand something like this when I did nothing to cause it.  I often do physical work, bringing in sacks of groceries, helping with the car trailer and other things but there was no reason for the pain on Saturday.  I told Ron it was just too difficult having to supervise his work on the flooring.

As I think of our work with the children in China, I am often inspired to continue our hard work no matter what the discomfort.   These children depend on us for having a better life.  When a teenage boy continues to cheat, lie, steal and disobey the rules at the care center and has to be sent back to live with relatives, I cannot help but be sad.  The child does not realize that he is giving up his future, not only in this world but maybe in the next also.  

"Our children are our only hope for the future but we are their only hope for their present and their future."  

We can only change the world for the next generation by teaching the children we have today.