It started with a vacation and became a mission. In 1995, someone in our church gave us a free trip to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. We knew the place would be beautiful, but we never could have imagined how our hearts would be connected to the people in this place. But they were. Somehow, God wove an unbreakable thread from their hearts to ours. With each trip, this thread was transformed into a tapestry, a picture of what God might be calling us to do, as we saw how very different the world in Midwest America was from the world in and around Puerto Vallarta.
As we shared our heart for that place with our friends, we saw a vision begin to emerge. The choice for us was not to pick one world or the other, but to serve as a bridge between the two. We were being called to connect the abundant resources in our home country with the very real needs we had encountered in our new one.
So, in July 2006, Randy made a trip to see what God had in store. He went without an agenda, but came home with an action plan. Within two weeks, he had made connections in four villages, meeting mayors, principals, school board presidents, dads and moms. In short, though he went not knowing what would happen, he soon found opportunities were boundless.
Since then, the tapestry has become a beautiful weaving of color and depth. We now live in the community we serve. Our collaboration with local leaders has led to an extensive feeding program for SCHOOL CHILDREN and helped to lift FAMILIES and COMMUNITIES. Our partnership with friends in America and Canada has brought many down for visits, work projects, and sharing opportunities. Hope has taken root and is growing!
Be careful. You never know what might happen when you go on vacation!
Our Mexico Vision: to connect resources in North America with needs in Puerto Vallarta, partnering with local communities to improve the health and wellbeing of CHILDREN, FAMILIES, and COMMUNITIES; and showing God's great love for people.
We fulfill this Vision by:
- Partnering with local leaders to identifiy needs
- Motivating local volunteers to meet these needs
- Maintaining lunch programs in four village schools
- Addressing environmental concers to improve the living conditions of local families and learning conditions of schools matching medical solutions to health problems in partnership with qualified health professionals
- Building relationships with civic, academic, and family leaders in local villages
- Sharing God's love through yearly 'fun days' for children, and in relationships and friendships
- Opening up opportunities for people in the United States, Canada, and Mexico to donate funds and gifts; and to help firsthand in the program in Puerto Vallarta
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SHARE: PLEASE HELP THE CHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND SMALL COMMUNITIES OF MEXICO. WE NEED YOUR HELP and APPRECIATE ANY AMOUNT YOU CAN GIVE.
Tax-Deductible (in USA) checks may be made out to: Fountain of Life Church, with “Randy Barr-Mexico” in the MEMO
Mail to: Fountain of Life, 2 S 361 Glen Park Rd., Lombard, IL 60148
