"The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever..." (Deuteronomy 29: 29).

Two realms exist--the secret things that belong to God, and the things that He has chosen to reveal to us.

We don't always know why certain things happen to us, but God does. So many times we want answers. We want to know why, but sometimes God's response is simply, "Trust Me."

We won't always understand what God is doing, but He is faithful. He will reveal His secrets as we wait upon Him. And one day we will thank Him for the trials we are enduring now, because the secrets of God were revealed through them.

Well, the Lord is at work in and through us. I marvel at how fast time passes us. How I want to redeem the time, for I know the days are evil. People are discouraged and indifferent, in a state of slumber. Many times I feel that way too. I realize how important and vital it is for us to know the Lord never changes. The way I may feel is irreverent, He is the same, He remains faithful, His word never changes. I have His promises which never fail. I want to share this with others, I want others to find the reassurance we can only have in Him in this ever changing and corrupt world we live in.

Today, as last Thursday, most of the girls went again to help in Doña Florencia's house in Navojoa to help clean the place some and bathe the children. It is amazingly sad to see the filthiness and ignorance these people live in. It seems so helpless, but we know the Lord can make a change, not only in their hearts, but also in the way they are living. When He comes into our lives, He is concerned with all aspects of our being, so we continue to hope. When we got back home, both Carla & Lolis felt sort of physically sick, same as last week. I think it is the helplessness they feel being there. Their place is very, very unkept, the ladies sit around and have no initiative to do much of anything. The room where they all sleep, is very unkept, and it is filled with images of idols they honor. The spiritual blindness in this place is overwhelming. Good thing we serve a mighty and all powerful God, who specializes in the impossible.

Carmen, (pictured above with the twins), is one of Doña Florencia's daughters. She has 6 children, the twins are the youngest. Her oldest is14 years old, her name is Flor, and she has a10 day old baby girl, (pictured above far right). Lolita, (picture above), is cutting María Elena's hair. The children were glad to be bathed today, It didn't seem like they had had another bath since last week. We provided lice shampoo, they need it badly. Trini, another one of our girls, did their laundry, another one did dishes, etc. It was neat to hear some of our girls commenting, (after their first visit), of how glad they were they were not themselves living that way anymore. I tell them often how the Lord will reward them even if it is a cup of water they give to drink when we give it to some one in His name (Mark 9:41). Also, how neat it is for them to touch these children. We will never know how much good the human, loving touch will do to these little ones...The moms there are loving to their children, but they really need help in so many areas.

Hugo is another one of Doña Florencia's grandsons. He is about 5 years old. He is a neat kid. His mother Mónica seems interested in learning about the Lord. They said they would come to church with us on Sunday. They said that last week too, but didn't show up. I hope they do this time. I heard though Carmen say they were going to baptize the twins with the priest.


Gaudencia, (picture of lady on left), rededicated her life to Christ on Sunday. When my husband started visiting Jusibamo, over 20 years ago, it was in this lady's house where he started Bible studies, and continued for about 12 years. Gaudencia and her family moved to Navojoa and that is when we started going with Irma's family. Anyway, we were so blessed witnessing the germination of these seeds planted more than two decades ago. Also, Malena, some of you know her, a girl that came to our children's home back in the year 2000 when we started. Before she turned 17, she insisted on wanting to go live with her father, whom she hardly knew. This man had recently gotten out of jail for murdering Malena's mother when Malena was about 7 years old. She wanted, she said, to have a chance to get to know him. We really didn't think this was a good idea, but there was nothing we could do to persuade her other wise. Her father passed away about six months ago, and Malena found herself pretty much lost without much purpose in life and with a 15 month old son (next to her in picture above), not that she was doing any better while her father was still alive. She has made quite a few real bad choices. She says she wants to come back to the Lord, and to the ranch. We love Malena and want to help her. We are hoping she is truly repentant and wants to be right with God. She is presently staying with us on the ranch.

This lady blesses me. The other day, when preparing for the women's Bible study in Jíjiri. Reading in 1Peter 4: 4 where it says, '...they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation...' I could not help but think of her. People in her community mock her and speak evil of her because she stopped worshipping idols. This lady was very devout to a particular idol, and she would save her money, (I don't know what money, she lives in a one room hut that has black cardboard for walls and no door or window), but she would manage to have a party to honor this idol and would make food for everyone in the community and have drinks for them. People were telling her the other day, how bad it was that she had stopped worshiping idols, that she needed to continue to do so, and some were even offering to contribute for a party, but she told them she didn't want to do that anymore. They told her she couldn't be going with us because she didn't even know how to read. This was her answer, she told me, 'I have ears, I can hear.' Wow! I said to her, ' you are so right, because there are so many people that can totally read and write perfectly, but they do not have ears to hear.'

I am very excited that I started a Bible study in Alamos for my relatives. Emir's wife Luli, together with him, are not doing so well, they have grown quite cold. Yesterday was the first day of the Bible study and Luli was there, together with Chuy, Miguel Héctor's wife, Ofelia, (she is Luli & Chuy's mother-in-law, my brother Miguel Angel's ex-wife, and mother of his 4 children), my sister Elia, and cousin once removed, Edith. I was glad to be there, very aware of the great opposition from the enemy, which I was already expecting. I will be going once a week, Lord willing. I am very excited too because two of the ladies from our congregation, (Trini from Mezquital, Tesia, and Yolanda from Mocúzari) will start doing the Bible studies I had in their respective communities on Wednesdays. They are both very capable, with God's help, to do the job.

Carla & I are praying about starting, again, something in Jusibampo and Osobampo. Both communities have believers that are quite discouraged and in need of something to get them going again, it seems like to me. I know it is only the Lord that can lift someone up, it is by looking to Him alone that we can find what we really need, but He does use His children to bring encouragement to others. We want to be that kind of people, those that help carry the burdens of others and as the Scripture says, 'And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works' (Hebrews 10:24).

Miguel Angel had baptisms in his community last Saturday. Three people that he has been witnessing to got baptized. He had other believers come from a near by community (Aguaje Verde), neat people that love the Lord, who came, and together with him, baptized the new believers. These brethren from Aguaje Verde come to visit Cieneguita (my brother's community), twice a month. We know them and love them. They are neat and simple people that love the Lord. We are so thankful they can be an encouragement to my brother. Miguel Angel continues to seek the Lord for guidance every day and has been faithful in sharing His word.

Thank you so much for your love and support. You bless us beyond words! Our Lord is faithful!

PRAYER REQUEST FOR RANCHO MARANATHA
Please pray for the communities and for the work that goes on in each one for them. For the Bible studies we do during the week. For us to be faithful in all the Lord allows us to do, for us to continue to look to Him for strength and guidance, that our focus would always be where it is supposed to be, on Him. For us not to grow weary...
Please pray for Emir & Luli to start attending church in Alamos, and for the rest of the family there. Pray for my brother Miguel Angel too, that he will endure till the end, that he stands firm on the Rock that never moves.
Pray for Rogelio as he is visiting in Baja California for two weeks, (Tijuana, Tecate, Mexicali), the place where he was ministering before. We miss him here. Also mother is visiting her oldest daughter in Nogales. Pray the Lord uses her while she is there.
Please pray for groups coming next month. Warren from MT, a group from MN, and a group from California.
Pray for the one day women's retreat, Lord willing, April 10th. We want the name of the Lord to be lifted up high.
Continue to pray for the adoptions. The lawyer we had (a Christian one we were very hopeful for), won't be able to process our cases, he is leaving the area for about a year. We found ourselves needing to look for someone else. I went to talk to this new one today. We want him to do Josie's adoption for us, we are also starting on Carolina's, we still have the problem with Lolita's birth certificate to get rectified. He'll have an answer for us on Monday. Please pray for all these things to get done. I also have some paper work needing to be finished for the children's home. I have a hard time dealing with government things. Pray for God to make me wise and diligent in handling these things, please.
Pray for the Coopers (Paul & Pam) as they plan to move to the ranch the third week in March.

Pray for a trip to TN in April. I miss Rochelle so much and am so looking forward to spending some time with her and her family. Please continue to pray for Rochelle & Brian and their boys. We thank God for their lives!

"The harvest is truly plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send laborers to His harvest" (Matthew 9:37-38)


May the Lord richly bless each one of you.

Daniel & Ana