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| Saludos de Mexico!
Hey everyone! I know it's been like OVER four months since I last made an entry...and it was prolly 4 months before that one... But... this time I'm writing from Mexico. I've been here for 3 weeks already...and the time has FLOWN. I'm working for a missions organization called "Youthworks" as the Kid's Club staff person. I live with 3 other staff and we form a team to work this site in Juarez, Mexico. Basically every week a new group of teenagers come down for a week long mission trip and we lead the trip. We had training for a week and then a week of prep. to get the site up and running and ready for our first group of 50. This past week was the first week of youth coming, and they were great. I'm not gonna lie...it's been crazy, busy, tiring, hard work, nonstop work...but i knew what I was getting into and that's why I agreed to join. It's so great to have to seriously rely on Christ for every breath and to get you through every moment of the blistering HOTT day. My staff team is AMAZING we all have completely different personalities, yet get along SO well. God has truely blessed. We have had no free time in the 3 weeks I have been here, we hope in the future to have at least a few hours on Saturdays off :) It's tons of responsibility...ranging from buying groceries and making 3 meals a day for over 50 people...to safety at the work project sites and at kid's club as well....organizing, planning, and running my own community kid's club...translating .... leading worship(what me?...yea....) evening activities like climbing a crazy huge desert mountian every week (watching out for rattle snakes...and YES...the first time up the mountian we ran right into one...went around it and then on the way back down...I was about a foot away from stepping on it again...NO JOKE)... we have to kill the mice and cockroaches living in our "house".... take cold showers...try to convince the youth that cold showers are better than no showers :) ... And in the midst of all of it we have the opportunity to show Christ's love through our servant leadership not only to this Mexican Community we are living in, but also to each other as we live together, and to the large groups of youth and adult leaders that come. Especially this first week was challenging getting into the routine and trying not to forget anything... but it's humbling to know that God works in every situation...He can even use my mess ups for His glory...wow... Please keep me in your prayers if you could, this will be a challenging and rough summer....but so amazing too! Praise God for good health, I feel great....not even too tired :) I've been blessed, almost all the staff at ALL the Juarez sites have been pretty sick off and on. Please let me know what's going on with you guys and how I can be praying for you! | | |
| So I've been reading Noel Piper's book "Faithful women and their Extrordinary God," it's been so encouraging to hear these women's stories...not all missionaries...but just regular women who gave themselves completely to God...
"Many of us have said and sung with all our hearts “Anywhere with Jesus,” but at the same time we did not realize all that it meant for us. Indeed at home, and surrounded by all that home means, we could not know. When the test comes we must not forget that “anywhere” means for missionaries something different from life in the US, and let us take very good care not to make a misery of anything that “anywhere” brings us.
…sometime or other it means…food. Do we object to it? And mice, do we mind them? And mosquitoes, do we think them dreadful? In some parts it means close contact with dirt and repulsive disease. Yet if Jesus is there, what have we possibly to complain of? It means living among a stiff-necked and untrue people and struggling with a strange and difficult language. And yet, let us evermore write over all our miseries, “with Jesus”…and we shall be glad." – Lilias Trotter (missionary to Algeria from age 40-death). | | |
| Happy 21st Birthday Richie :)
It's kinda tough to think this might like the last time Richie and I will be together for his Birthday. Next year this time, I'll be in SPAIN...and then he graduates and is off to who knows where! :) I thank God so much for our relationship, HE has truely blessed us. | | |
| So...it's been a LONG time since an update...
Thought I'd put this awesome sketch of my amazing roommate and I up here.
Life back @ Cedarville ROCKS! Sophomore year! Changed my major to Spanish Education and still have the Bible minor. I love my life and my classes. God is always good through the hard days and the happy days! | | |
| So...I'm back home in PA! It's kinda nice to be home I suppose...I'll miss everything about "college life" and it's hard to think things will never be the same as they were for my freshman year. I worked over 40 hrs. my first week back between my good old Subway job and babysitting for the Wolfgangs. Then there is always tons of family things going on (being 1 of 7 living in this house). I'm running and getting ready for the anual 5K run in my town. tryin' to get the little bro to run with me...but after his responce to the 2 miles today...i dunno... It's been nice to catch up with my close friends from back home...it's awesome those people ya haven't talked to in forever, but you click right away :) I love them!
Alot is going on in my life...my mind is always racing with a million things. most of you know one of my best friends was diagnosed with bone cancer about a month ago...had to drop out of the end of his sophomore year in college and come home right away. He has had a MILLION tests and the cancer just keeps spreading :( it's really sad and I hurt seeing him hurt... we've got to hang out a few times since i've been home and it's been great...like we talked just like we used to...but there is still this underlying saddness. It's really tough.(yea...even I have cried ALOT over this) He started his 2nd dose of Chemo tonight...just got off the phone with him...he's tired already. Please pray for him, his family...and me...
On a brighter note...I'm officially going BACK to ECUADOR...well...provided I can raise the $ I need to go back... I have a TON to do to work everything out. I'm going back as an Individual through International Missions Board to join a team of 10 for 3 weeks (July 13th - Aug. 3rd). I won't know anyone :) that's 1/2 the excitement and fun for me. I don't even have plane tickets yet...so there are a million things for me to do. I kinda feel all alone in this too...like cause i'm going on my own. My parents are all into my bro going to Texas in a few days for the whole summer...and plus my Dad just ruptured a disk in his back and has been flat on his back for a week. Guess just more time to be alone and lean on the Lord (story of my life)... He's always there to be my rock, my refuge, my strength. I know that everything that happens is His will, So i'm good with whatever. God is stretching my faith more than ever.
I trust my amazing God! | | |
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