Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,
It is our joy to recount to you some of the wonderful miracles the Lord has done since we last wrote to you. He is always faithful!
It is with grateful hearts that we report the Lord has done above what we expected in the Wednesday AM services. You may recall, in January a change was made in the way items are distributed to those that come to Manos for help. After a short, half hour evangelistic service in Spanish, an appointment is given to visit the homes to discern the best way to help meet the needs of the families. For the last four months, each week ten to thirty families arrive to hear the message and receive help. There are also at least that many children and babies.
Preparation for the service starts days in advance by picking up donated items, sorting and putting them away to be given on Wed. AM or at a later time. During March and April there is also food, given by Winter Texans returning north. And this year the Lord provided day old bread that was shared not only with the families and church, but with children’s homes and ministries in Mexico also.

While Pastor Joel shares the Good News with the adults,volunteers hold babies and play with preschoolers. It may seem like a small thing, but because the kids are safe their mothers are able to hear the Word of God. The Bible encourages us that one plants, one waters and the Lord gives the increase. As we each do our part in faith, the Lord blesses the joint effort with His Presence. And because He gives the grace, eleven people (that we know of) prayed in the services to receive by faith His sacrifice for their sins and were born again! Hallelujah!

There are more tremendous blessings to tell. The Lord sent a couple to come alongside and help us. Charlie and Linda Grinnell were full time RVers who decided to settle down in Alamo. They have worked hard with us for the last four months. We don’t know how we wouid have made it through without them. They both speak some Spanish, love the people and are willing to do whatever needs doing. They are an indescribable blessing. The Lord has sent laborers into His harvest! An answer to prayer! Another dear friend, Sophie Roberts, was inspired to start a "Ropa Group" in her park to benefit the children that come to Manos. Ladies signed up and each week a few went to the ropa usada (used clothes) to buy children’s clothes. It was such a blessing! Winter Texans graciously donate their clothes, but except for the ones that bring children’s clothes down with them in the fall, most are adult items. There is always a need for children’s clothes, particularly pants. These ladies dug through piles of used clothes looking for kid’s stuff, bought them, washed them and brought them to us. They enabled us to bless many families with needed clothes this winter. Iglesia Evangelica Gracia Abundante held their Sunday services in the upstairs of the incomplete Manos building until the end of March. Their meetings were moved nearby to a shared location with another church that has classrooms, electricity and bathrooms! There has been so much activity and ministry in the building this winter that further work on the facilities has been hindered. Hopefully as the work slows down for the summer, progress can be made before next winter. That leads us to yet another impossible thing the Lord accomplished recently. We told of the more urgent need for electricity and bathrooms in the building because of the increased usage. Although some fundraising was generously done on behalf of this project, we were still short on funds to start. We trusted the Lord would provide from an unexpected source what was needed. We wrote that over and over a hundred times in our Christmas cards. No matter who else believed it, our faith was strengthened by the repeated confession of His faithfulness, ability and willingness to provide. A beautiful 2000 model 5th wheel trailer was donated to the ministry. There were no stipulations of what we should do with it. These folks didn’t even really know much about us or the ministry. They just believed the Lord wanted them to give it to Manos! After an Afternoon visit and conversation that’s what they did. Wow! With a few minor repairs, it was sold and will really help the continuing construction on the building! Praise God! The Manos office was moved from our home to the small building (bodegita) we have worked out of for many years. Ole remodeled it this fall. He put a wall down the middle and now one part is used for clothing distribution and the other for the office. the ministry location most mornings. Winter Texans can stop by with donations or to visit. Families stop by when they see us there for prayer, a drink of water or just to say "Hi".

Dios le bendiga (God Bless) Ole and Debbie Olson