Chapter 6: The Vision Grows

Have you ever been at a time in your life where you just knew you were meant to be in a certain place? After the first several months in Cuernavaca it was time to return to New Zealand to visit my family and friends. I had been away for 2 yrs already.

During my stay in New Zealand, Anna Lee’s husband died (Anna Lee Carlton is the founder of the magazine, Bread For Children, that I was working with) and this created a need for help at the head office in Florida. I was asked to return to Florida for a time, rather than to Cuernavaca. However I had received a very strong impression during my time at home, that was to go to McAllen Texas.

Florida
I returned to Florida where Anna Lee assured me that as soon as it was possible, she would release me to go to McAllen where I could also be supportive to the work of the magazine since McAllen is a city on the border of Mexico.

The year spent in head office was a great time of further training for what was ahead of me. I learned a lot about preparing copy for the print shop and also had the opportunity to deal directly with the staff at the print shop.

My American Parents

It was in Florida that I met a couple who became my “American parents”. Their children still keep in close touch with me to this day. (This couple are now both waiting for us in heaven). I was blessed with 2 couples in the States who both became my American parents, and one couple in Mexico.

After just over 1 year in Florida, I was released to go down to McAllen, Texas. My american parents saw me off on the bus trip early that morning and we set off for the 2 day, 2 night trip to South Texas.

McAllen, Texas
Early in the morning 2 days later the bus finally pulled into the station in McAllen Texas where I was met by a new friend. At the boy’s orphanage I had met a couple who studied Spanish at the missionary language school. They made arrangements for me to be able to stay in one of the dormitories there since it was summer time. This would give me an opportunity to look for an apartment. The school was practically deserted.

Ideas Came Flooding into My Mind
During the first day ideas suddenly started flooding my mind, and I sat down with pen and pencil and started writing and drawing. For the next several months I worked with the preparation of what turned out to be the first of the series of booklets, Templos Vivientes (Living Temples). It was an incredible time as ideas seemed to come from “nowhere”. The time was right.

I had found an apartment within walking distance of shops and a cafeteria as well as some other stores including a copy shop. Inquiries at the coffee shop revealed that my budget would allow me to print 200 copies of the first booklet (I was planning to do this using photo copies to begin with).

The booklets are full of illustrations that would help parents who’s reading skills were not tops be able to read them to their children. My plan was to take the 200 copies back to one of the villages near the boys orphanage and give them to the mothers asking them to read the books to their children.

Templos Vivientes – The Vision Grew.
Before Templos Vivientes fully ready for the copy shop a friend introduced me to a Canadian missionary couple. They were looking for someone to rent an apartment adjacent to their home to have someone there when they were away. It seemed to be a good arrangement and so I accepted. Then they said “oh by the way, we also have a print shop in the back which you are welcome to use”.

My 200 copy budget ended up printing 2000 booklets for the first run, and in two colors! This booklet was reprinted many times to a total of 50-60,000 copies.

May your vision grow as you follow it! I would love to hear about the growth of your vision. There is plenty of room below in the comments to share. I look forward to hearing from you.