More from Mexico

Last week was a tough week. This team was hard to get the kids motivated and for some parts of our program that was kind of frustrating. They were quiet and reserved and their youth pastor was the same. Sunday we found out that the bus they are using would not make it up the steep hills we need to go up (basically straight up) and so we had to shuttle up the hill with our van every day while going up and down to the church. Sunday it also rained so we were not able to do the ministry with skateboards and that was disappointing. We ended up going downtown Ensenada and were able to walk around. Martine, Amanda and I got coffee at one of the local coffee shops and had a chance to sit down and enjoy life. Monday we went to work on the land of the church in the morning and then in the afternoon we went to do a kids program. First off, there were down power lines and so we had to go down two different streets to get over to the one which we found when again, straight up. We walked up; I had to several times because I needed to get things from the van. Yes, this one the van couldn't even get up. The kids program was a wreck. They had a puppet show to do but the pastors computer had to be restarted and wouldn't work and so we taught the kids the dance to "Every Move I Make" in Spanish and then stalled for a billion seconds. Also, Martine told the girl to read the wrong chapter so she read David and Goliath which is a really long story. (I do however believe that God can use this even though we may not see it) Then they still couldn't get the computer to work and play the puppet show music so the translator from the church and a student who is bilingual translated the words into Spanish as they read. It was crazy! They did a good job however and the people thought it was funny. Then Monday night we went downtown to prayer walk. As we were praying for the Red Light district a car broke down right in front of us. This was the second one, the first one was hanging off a cliff on Sunday and we helped to pull it up off the cliff. As we had been praying, I had been noticing some prostitutes hanging out on the opposite curb. Before we left I had debated bringing a Nature Valley bar with me and giving it to someone if I felt like I should. Well... I didn't bring it. And I felt God telling me to give the prostitute something to eat. I asked the leader of the team if I could walk to the OXXO and buy something for her (which ended up being a transvestite). So I grabbed Amanda and we walked together. As we were there, they were able to get the car started (the guy ended up being a missionary from Oregon who had just been to Sierra Leone). As we walked back, we walked straight through the group. Another girl that was with us, Jacque, asked if we were going to go talk to the prostitute because God had laid on her heart to give him/her money. So we walked down to where we were and gave the food, drink and money to the prostitute, prayed for him/her and then said we wanted this to be a blessing to them and that God loved them and they had worth and value in God's eyes. Pretty powerful! None of us talked as we walked back to the van. As I was walking back, God told me that I need to have respect for his children and show them that respect by the way I treat/talk to them. **In sharing this, I am not giving any glory or praise to us but all to God. He is the one who prompted us and made us act. Tuesday we had a couple kids who had stomach aches, had thrown up and then Neil, who is working with the girls and I, wasn't feeling good either. We walked around in the hills Tuesday and talked to people and told them about the church. I felt like a mountain goat because we were climbing straight up hill and in dirt and all that. Then we went back after lunch and continued our work on the church. They got a lot done and we were proud of them. Wednesday we went to a day care for the kids of the migrant workers and then the Bufadora (a local tourist attraction). Yay for cheap tourist things!
I’ve been translating for the team that I’ve been working with and that has really tested my Spanish skills. Thankfully there have been others who have been with the teams and we have team translated.
This week the team I’m with is from Canada and they have been pretty sweet. They are a very flexible and musical team so that helps out since we are not sure what our schedule is day to day. I stayed back at the base sick today. People have been getting sick the past few weeks and I thought I had made it out safe but I guess not. Tomorrow (Tuesday) I am hoping to go out again with the team. I am going to try and sleep. Thanks for reading. Please comment if you have questions or comments!
***Please pray for health and renewed strength for us as staff.

Mexico!

Hola from Mexico! I'm here and it's great so far. I am translating/hosting for a team I've worked with the last two years. I am so thankful for the friendships with the team members from years past and now from this year. We built a house for a family of five (finished today). They have three sons and all the family members were very sweet. I really enjoyed our trip to Wal Mart yesterday with the family. The youngest son loved the experience and the older two had fun as well. I had fun joking and laughing with the older two sons. Today I had a chance to roof half the house with a few others. It was great. We did it really fast so that was pretty sweet. I love to be up on the roof and I wasn't afraid as I thought I would be. I almost slid off a roof on a ladder when I was younger so I am afraid of it now. But I wasn't afraid until I had to get down.
It's been great being back here in Ensenada! I have eaten tacos four times already since Friday. They are so good! Our speaker this week is a friend of Sheril, one of my friends from DTS and he is so good at reaching the middle high ages. I really appreciate his experience and love for the middle high age students. I'm learning from him. One thing that was really cool is that I've been asking God why I'm here in Ensenada for this month and someone gave me a word from God that I am here looking for God and his strength. So that was amazing to have that question answered. I really am looking for renewal in my relationship with God because I feel like I've been slidding lately. So anyways, that is a bit of what I'm up to. I need to run and call my parents then read some Psychology. Adios.

***The top picture is our house and then the one on the right is me, Teresa and Brian on the roof!

I Made It...

I made it to San Diego! It's cloudy right now. I feel like every time I come the city wants to welcome me with clouds. I normally love cloudy weather but today I was in the mood for some sun. I think cloudy is normal for this time of year. I guess I could consult Ron Burgandy (Anchorman) but I probably will leave that for others.
I'm taking a homework break right now. I am waiting for my friend Marla to cross back over the Mexican border so we can go get tacos for supper and then go to the YWAM base to do some work. I really hate waiting. I'm really bad at it, always have been actually. When I was younger I think my dad would make me wait on purpose so I would "learn" patience. Probably not because my dad isn't like that but it felt like it sometimes.
My homework is actually pretty interesting. I'm really liking psychology and I can't wait to get past the basic information (I'm only on chapter two) and get to the other information. Geography is another story! I am avoiding it like the plague. It will get done though. I'm kind of freaking out because I have to have both classes done by May and I'm down here in San Diego/Mexico for a month and I'll be occupied most of the time. Oh well. I guess I'll just be reading text books as bed time stories.
Summer plans have been established! I'm going to nanny over the summer. I'm excited. I let the family know yesterday and then found out last night that I did not get the job I applied for at a ranch in Stillwater, MN. So the peace I felt about telling the family was right on.
So that is a little update on life. I'm going to try and update and put up pictures of what I'm doing in Mexico but I'm not sure how much time I'm going to have.
Peace for now, from a quiet San Diego apartment.