It's rainy and cold outside

It was a cold rainy day and I decided this was the Day that the Lord has made for Mari to tackle the MESSY JUNKY office.  This office room is near the gate entrance of our Conjunto (gated community of townhouses).  While I am unpacking I am constantly distracted by the sounds of a baby.  I go up to check on Mateo and it's not him so I continue cleaning.  The baby noises continue but go from a content baby to a very upset baby.  So I peak out my window and notice a young lady drenched by the rain holding her baby just standing under our gate trying to keep her baby dry.
Here where we live we are surrounded by mountains so rain usually means the sun is gone and it's very cold and windy.  I continue cleaning and then begin to wonder how I can help her.  She hasn't asked for help or rang my door bell so maybe she was fine.  But she didn't have a jacket on nor did her baby.  So I couldn't stop thinking about how to help her.  I went upstairs and rummaged through our closet trying to find a rain jacket that I could give her.  I looked but we all pretty much own 1 good rain jacket.  I finally went and found some garbage bags(very common to see people wearing these when it rains) and went outside and asked her if she needed them to cover herself.  She looked surprise to see me and was hesitant but then accepted them.  I asked her if the baby was wet and she nodded. Poor little thing would have had to stay the whole night in wet clothes until her mom was done working.

I ran upstairs and found some baby clothes a friend had accidentally brought down from the states that her son definitely had outgrown that she gave to us for Mateo.  It was sitting out just waiting for this perfect opportunity to be used!

 I opened the gate and let her in  and while she walked in I thought well maybe that was a dumb idea I have no idea who she is.  It was too late so I invited her inside the house so she could change her baby inside a warm house not in the out in the cold.  I asked  her what she was waiting for and she said I collect cardboard on your street and was waiting for it to stop raining so I could keep working.  Here in this country the poor collect cardboard on trash day and go through the streets rummaging through trash cans looking for cardboard. I brought her a clean diaper, a jacket and fleece pj's that were a size 12mos but seem to swallow her 14mos old up.  She took the pj's and diaper said thank you and went on her way.

I was so thankful that I decided to clean the office that day otherwise I would not have  heard her baby outside.  I was so thankful that this friend had accidentally brought this baby clothes from the states and had given it to us. Otherwise I would of have had to go through boxes of stuff in our storage room outside to find Mateo's bigger clothes and that may have taken forever to find. Once again I was thankful that the Lord was able to use me in something as simple as me cleaning my house.

Who knew how this Apple Pumpkin bread would be used

I decided to make some Apple Pumpkin Bread w/ Caramel Icing and the batch made 2 large loaves.  That is too much sweet bread just laying around my house so I decided to freeze one loaf.  Not even thinking that God was going to use this for His purposes.

I was at school and over heard a new young teacher sharing that she was leaving home because she was sick.  I didn't think too much of it but felt sad for her because I had heard that she had been sick for several days now.  Well as I was on my way home the thought popped in my head "call her".  I got home and decided I would offer to make her a meal and that would be my call.  I soon realized my day was packed with other errands and that making an extra meal that day would probably not happen.  So I just thought I would do it tomorrow.  Well the thought was still there to call her and suddenly I remembered the loaf of Apple Pumpkin bread in the freezer.  I called her and asked her if I could stop by with some homemade bread.  We had a good time getting to know each other and later she emailed me to thank me and said "you have no idea how your visit and bread ministered to me". 

I really don't but I am so glad that the Lord used something simple that I enjoy doing at home during the day while the boys are at school and Ben is working, to minister to one of His children. 
Such a wonderful reminder to me that He can use me wherever I am at even in the kitchen slaving over a hot stove, just kidding that's not how I view it.