Have A Heart

Please Help Us Replace the Roof on One of Our Feeding Centers

For many years Spirit and Truth Ministries has been a lifeline of hope in Mexico, serving nutritious meals to children who need them most. Our feeding centers are more than just a building -- they are a place of laughter, love and spiritual nourishment. But today, one of our busiest centers is in urgent need of repair.

As you can see in the pics, recent storms and years of wear have left the roof severely damaged. Corrugated metal sheets were peeled away and deteriorated wooden beams crumpled, threatening the safety of workers and the children we serve. We must get this repaired as quickly as possible!

The cost of the repair is $2,500. If just 25 people would give $100, or if 50 people would give $50, we will reach our goal. Your gift—large or small—will make a vital difference in the lives of children who rely on this ministry.

The Bible reminds us in Proverbs 19:17: “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will repay him for his deed.” Your generosity today is not only an investment in physical shelter—it’s an act of spiritual kindness that moves the heart and hand of God.

Please consider partnering with us to rebuild the roof of this bustling feeding center. Together, we can restore this vital facility and continue to serve meals seasoned with love, dignity, and hope.

UPDATE: Several have already responded generously to this need and we are well on our way to reaching the amount needed to complete the project! Contact us today and learn how you can be a part of putting a new roof back on this important feeding center.

Here are the many options that you can use to get your gift to us:

1) You can send your gift using a payment processor app on your smartphone. | Zelle: 956.802.7160 | Venmo: | Cash App: $STMMexico | PayPal: [email protected].

2) You can give online by going to paypal.com and donating from your checking account to [email protected].

3) You can give online using your debit or credit card at
https://www.paypal.com/donate/?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=7CBWRP4QTQTFW

4) You can mail a check or money order to:

STM
PO Box 2635
Mission, TX 78573

From our hearts to yours, thank you for standing with Spirit and Truth Ministries. May the Lord bless you!
______________________________________
It's all about people, people helping people, working together, changing lives, seeing the world through Jesus' eyes.

__________________
The Denton Diary
Fall 2025
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When it Rains, . . .
STM staff has endured great hardship but God was there through it all

To say the year 2025 has been an eventful year would be an understatement. For certain members of our STM team in Mexico, it has been a tumultuous time.

It all started in March as our wonderful staff that we lovingly refer to as our “boots on the ground” had to make a trade in footwear to become “waders in the mud.” Torrential downpours in just a matter of a few hours brought a year’s worth of rain on the area where our works are located. The murky, toxic waters slithered into houses and vehicles near the STM headquarters, swallowing everything in its wake. Thankfully, our main church is built on an elevated pad so it didn’t flood; some of our pastors and workers were not as fortunate. But resilience runs deep, and through your generous heart, God’s help and a strong community, life for our staff and residents has returned somewhat back to normal.

The soggy mattresses and mildewed furniture were still drying out when tragedy struck again.

On a Sunday afternoon after church, Analí, a 10-year-old daughter of one of our pastors, suffered a stroke. That’s not a typo. Yes, I said a stroke; at 10! Analí’s parents rushed her from hospital to hospital, trying to get help. The bleeding on her brain had reached a critical point, and it appeared that she was not going to survive.

At the third hospital, surgeons drilled a hole in her skull to relieve the swelling. Even after the successful procedure, doctors warned the family that she was still in danger of not making it. The wait was agonizing as prayers for little Analí went up from all around the world. And God heard; she not only survived, she thrived! Within a few days she woke up, and then after a few more days she began to speak and move her extremities. It wasn’t long after that she was walking, talking and eating on her own as if nothing had ever happened! Doctors were amazed at her progress; she was released from the hospital exactly a month from that fateful day. In spite of her recovery, doctors stated she would still need a year of therapy. But I’m happy to say Analí is back at home, back to normal, and playing with her 3 younger siblings as her therapy. But God!

Even through all these setbacks, I’m also happy to report that the feeding centers never skipped a beat. Children (and families alike) were fed during the flood; one of the centers was used as a shelter. Church services continued and there was even a baptism that took place for several new converts!

The title of this article reads, “When it rains, . . .” Anyone can finish the saying, but I would like to close by wording it like this: “When it rains, God pours out more grace.”

And that, my friend, He does!
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Want to Have a Heart?
Did you know that children who attend the feeding centers, before their meal, pray over the Day Sponsor (or the name of the Day Sponsor's loved one of their choosing) who provided the food for that day? In each feeding center, we have calendars with hearts posted on them for every day of the month. On each heart is the name the children pray over before they eat.
To become a Day Sponsor we ask that you commit to at least a year of giving $25 per month (or $300 for the year.) The program is called Have a Heart and you can enroll in one (or even more!) of our feeding centers. Check out below the various methods of giving that are available to you.
1) You can give automatically from your checking account each month by using Bill Pay or bank draft. Contact us or your bank to find out how to get set up with either one of these methods.
2) You can send your gift using a payment processor app on your smart phone. | Zelle: 956.802.7160 | Venmo: | Cash App: $STMMexico |
3) You can give online by going to paypal.com and donating from your checking account to [email protected]. Recurring giving is available.
4) You can give online using your debit or credit card at
tinyurl.com/stmdonation
5) You can mail a check or money order to:
STM
PO Box 2635
Mission, TX 78573
____________________________________________________
pages:
fb.com/stmin.mx
fb.com/randyrdenton
fb.com/donnadenton1
fb.com/haveaheartfeedingministry
____________________________________________________
It's all about people, people helping people, working together,
Changing lives, seeing the world through Jesus' eyes.

It was a typical Sunday morning in early May. The birds were singing, the sun was shining, it was another warm start of the week in the tropics along the northern border of Mexico.

For the Ponce’s, one of the pastoral families who serve in our ministry, it was the day to make their way to church. The oldest of the four Ponce children, 10-year-old Analí, (pronounced ah-nah-LEE) scurried about, getting herself dressed and helping with her younger siblings.

It was a great day of worship in the Lord’s house, and now the family was ready for an afternoon of relaxation and preparing for a busy work week ahead. On the way home from church, Analí began to feel unwell. She told her parents that her head hurt……

A month later Analí made her way out of the hospital and down to the waiting car, anxious to start her journey home.The protective helmet covered an open puncture in her skull that was awaiting corrective surgery. It was the only indication that anything was amiss. Her steady walk, her ready smile and playful demeanor of a pre-teen gave no glimpse of the tortuous month that she had just endured.

As the Ponce family frantically pulled into their driveway that Sunday afternoon, Analí held her head and started throwing up. By the time her dad had gotten the vehicle stopped, her eyes were wide with panic, she could not speak and she could not move her right side. In the throes of a stroke, she went unconscious.

The next several hours became a blur as she was rushed from hospital to hospital. Scans revealed that there was bleeding on her brain. The hemorrhaging eventually reached such a critical point that without intervention, she would surely die. They finally got her to a third hospital that was better equipped for this type of emergency. Quickly, surgeons drilled a hole in her skull to relieve the pressure on her brain.

And then everyone waited, not sure that she would wake up. Doctors told the family that without a miracle, she would not make it. But God! With prayers going up from all around the globe, Analí did wake up!

In an incredible turn of events, doctors had to admit a true miracle had transpired. Within just a few days, Analí was breathing without assistance. A few days later she was speaking, and then eventually she was eating and walking, all on her own! It wasn’t long until she was back to her normal self!

What had been projected as a year’s recovery at the very best, God did in 30 days. The hospital said, “You know what? You don’t need to be here any longer, you’re doing great. We’re discharging you!”

You prayed, God answered. Analí’s family is so grateful for your prayers. They have their little girl back!

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The Denton Diary
February - March 2025
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Ordinary Gifts Become Extraordinary Blessings
Children and families receive love of Christ through Christmas gifts

They say that the truest measure of life isn't in what we gather
but in what we give away. Pouring into the lives of those who can
offer nothing in return has been the signature of this missions
journey for over three decades. And let me tell you, there is no
greater joy.

Christmas, the most wonderful time of the year, arrived once again
like a sparkling invitation to give extravagantly. Over the years
we've had the privilege of lighting up the faces of children in
Mexico with gifts tucked into shoeboxes -- simple treasures that
spark a lot of excitement. This year was no different, yet it was
uniquely beautiful in ways that only God could orchestrate. The love of Christ on display changed lives.

How amazing it would be to know where those children are today that we blessed way back in the beginning of the Christmas outreaches. It's hard to imagine, but those little ones have grown up and are now well into adulthood. Only eternity will reveal the impact that was made on their futures.

But life is a cycle and each year there are always more children to
which we can give, and they offer us the most adorable smiles.

In addition to the shoebox toys, we honored our pastors and staff
with gifts. We also selected some families to bless who had suffered
extreme hardships. We call them Sponsored Families.

One family in particular included some children who had been orphaned just a few months prior to Christmas. Their parents had been kidnapped by a drug gang. The children are now living with their grandparents who are having trouble providing for themselves, let alone grandchildren. We gave them many gifts, and one of the children wanted a bicycle. Guess what? She got it!

The heart-rending stories of loss, injustice and destitution prevail
in the communities in which we do mission work. But at least for a
moment, perhaps a day, perhaps more, they get to experience some joy.

So, on behalf of every child whose excitement and laughter filled the crisp, December air, every family whose burdens were momentarily lifted, and every worker who felt the weight of your love, we say Gracias!

Thank you for turning ordinary gifts into extraordinary blessings.
____________________________________

Want to Have a Heart?

Did you know that children who attend the feeding centers, before
their meal, pray over the Day Sponsor (or the name of the Day
Sponsor's loved one of their choosing) who provided the food for that day? In each feeding center, we have calendars with hearts posted on them for every day of the month. On each heart is the name the children pray over before they eat.

To become a Day Sponsor we ask that you commit to at least a year of giving $25 per month (or $300 for the year.) The program is called Have a Heart and you can enroll in one (or even more!) of our feeding centers. Check out below the various methods of giving that are available to you.

1) You can give automatically from your checking account each month by using Bill Pay or bank draft. Contact us or your bank to find out how to get set up with either one of these methods.

2) You can send your gift using a payment processor app on your smart phone. | Zelle: 956.802.7160 | Venmo: | Cash App: $STMMexico |

3) You can give online by going to paypal.com and donating from your checking account to [email protected]. Recurring giving is available.

4) You can give online using your debit or credit card at
tinyurl.com/stmdonation

5) You can mail a check or money order to:

STM
PO Box 2635
Mission, TX 78573
____________________________________________________

pages:
fb.com/stmin.mx
fb.com/randyrdenton
fb.com/donnadenton1
fb.com/haveaheartfeedingministry
____________________________________________________

It's all about people, people helping people, working together,
Changing lives, seeing the world through Jesus' eyes.
____________________________________________________