Mexico 2007

Monday, July 2, 2007

Posts from the Team- Day 1

So this would be round two for Mexico Mission trips, its cool to see how much things have improved from last year…I mean yeah it’s the same old Mexico and Mexico smell, But its neat to see the casa building finally be just about ready to move into and the church building grow from where we left off last year with the beams.

This year we are split up into teams in my team is Cynthia, Tony, and Sue (our adults) and Hannah, Brook, Mariella, and I…Together we are “the ocho”(because we are team 8 and we are just cool like that) we already have our inside jokes because we have been the most “mischievous?” we get stoped and checked at a check point and God bless mariella (she’s our MVP) she speaks fluent Spanish and when we got pulled over by the military men she translated for us!!! She also helped when we got pulled over at the border. “The Ocho” We joke about how we are going to wright a book about all the “danger” we have been through. Later “the Ocho” we are going to play a game of uno to bond even more.

-God Bless Katrina Slater

This is my first year going to Mexico and I can already tell that this is gonna be an awesome experience! The kids here are wonderful and are very clingy!! Once you ask them “como te ahma” ( what is your name..) the will eventually tell you and from there on you are their best friend. When we first crossed the Mexican border, you could immediately tell the difference between California and Mexico. The poverity strikes you right away. Even in the dark you could see the garbage along the ground everywhere and as you drove in this foreign place you felt no since of security. One example was when we were on our way to the hotel and we had lost some of the vans so we pulled over and waited for them and as we waited for the vans a fight of locals broke out. I haven’t ever seen anything like that in my life except for on TV shows like CSI or Law and Order.

Today we worked with the kids and we played soccer with them and I can’t believe how good they are at soccer! We are al so comforatable with the kids and the surroundings now and are having a blast! Tomarrow we start working on the church and even though this is hard work I have the greatest group of people. My group is Nikki and DeeDee Handy, and Savannah and her mom Lisa. We call ourselves “the Lost Girls” because on the way to the hotel we got lost and after about half an hour we made our way back to the group. This is our experiences so far and hopefully there will be more to come. God is really working here!

-Sincerely, Salish Slater

Today has been amazing. I am seeing God work in miraculous ways. Although we have not done any physical work yet, God has been working in my heart. Last year I came because I wanted to go to Mexico, see kids, and have a great experience. I got that. This year I want a little more though. I want to truly deepen my relationship with Christ. But it hasn’t just started this week. I have been preparing my mind and heart for the work that I will be doing this week. I am ready to sweat, to feel dirty, and to do any job the Lord calls me to do. I did not come for friends, nor to be able to say that I went on a mission trip. I came to further the kingdom of Christ. I came to experience what God can do through myself and other Christians who have given themselves up to answer a calling. A calling to “…go and make disciples of all nations…teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you (Matthew 28:19-20)”

-Atum Knutson

After the long, long bus ride (24 hours!) we entered Mexico. Even though I have visited Mexico before, it was a culture shock to me. In a matter of minutes and miles the landscape changed. It is awesome to see our friends to the south live so poorly. Our soil connects, our air flows both ways and yet we live so differently. It was then that I felt the push again to be here. Love your neighbor as yourself.

Sunday was our first full day. The day started our cool and overcast, then broke open to sun and heat. We went to church, in a garage. We were surrounded by cement walls, hand made benches and a garage door over our head. Church lasted over 2 hours with the heat melting us all. God would give us a breeze now and then to refresh our souls. The people of San Vicente are welcoming and loving. Their smiles were wide as we entered the church. Sunday evening was a women’s bible study. We were joined by the women from the shelter. As we sat together in one room (“The Hut”), we blended together as mothers. Stories and testimonies were told. Friendships were made. I miss my family a lot, but I know I’m making a family here in San Vicente. (I love you mom, dad, Tommy and Brea so much!!)

-With love and peace, Jamie

posted by MrBilly @ 4:18 PM

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