Safety

Thank you for your prayers of safety. Yesterday as I traveled back from my visit w/ those in the country our Luke (our trip leader) and I were in an accident. Everyone was fine and there were no injuries. The damage to the cars involved was minimal. The accident happened 1 block away from the church so we were able to get Pastor Andres over there to help us sort through the details. The car is one we borrowed from a member of the church. The accident wasn’t our fault and the car is insured so there is nothing really to worry about…it is just an unfortunate accident.

I’m extremely thankful for the way that the church looks out for all of us and for the way that God provides for us. We didn’t choose to serve here in Monterrey because we know we will be safe, but because God is working here and we want to be a part of it. We trust Him alone for our safety on the work site and on the road. Thank you to all of you for your prayers of safety. Keep them up! We leave on Saturday morning (9am) on a bus from Monterrey to Mc Allen, Texas, where we will spend the night. We will then fly home to DFW arriving shortly before 1pm.

Thanks again for your prayers and support. We love and miss our friends and family as we love God and others in Monterrey!

Jeff

City Life: Lindsey Juarez

One of our goals as missionaries in Mexico is to look for opportunities to spread the message of God’s love. After being on this for two years I feel like I haven’t had much of an opportunity to connect w/ others who are not already Christians. Earlier this week, three children who don’t go to this church came over to join us in a game of soccer. After our ball went over a brick fence they offered us theirs. Now these children were between 4-8 years old so this “soccer ball” was really more of a light kickball. During the coarse of the game, in which they scored goal after goal, the ball went flat. We are hoping to get them a new ball and I have another gift for them that will share w/ them God’s great love for them. - Lindsey

David Nicholson

Mexico ’08 has revealed me at my spiritual best and my spiritual worst. Let’s start with the good news. I believe my spiritual life is most vibrant and alive when I’m actively praying for, looking for and taking action on opportunities to share my faith. I was able to do that today (6/24) with Nosario, a 65 year-old man with whom I started a relationship with last year, but never got to the point of sharing Christ. When I talked with him today, although I helped him with being assured of his salvation, he told me he had actually accepted Christ earlier in the year, when after he almost died from a heart attack; his niece had shared the gospel with him.

Now for the bad news. Despite the fact that Pastor Ruben and his wife Veronica currently have up to 12 children living with them in addition to their 4 daughters, and despite the fact that they are trying to adopt 7 of the little ones, they can’t help everyone. A cute little girl named Adriana had barely been there a week when we first arrived, but it had already become apparent that things were not working out. She was very distractible and distracting in the classroom, and would wander off on the property, putting herself at risk since Lugar de Gracia is in a rugged rural area. Yesterday, (6/23), officials from the government came and took her back to the federal institution she had been at before coming to live with the Sanchez’. This really broke the heart of one of our adult leaders, who had so much compassion on little Adriana’s plight. While her departure saddened me, and caused me to be concerned about her future, apparently I was not concerned enough to include her in my journal entry later that evening. As I was reviewing all of the memorable events of the day, I covered our work routine and my daily conversation with Nosario, but somehow totally overlooked about how a major reroute of a sad little Mexican girl’s life had taken place. I can be so self-absorbed and ultimately insensitive at times. I really did care at the time, but had already moved on to “other things”.

Wow! From a spiritual high to a spiritual low within 24 hours. I am so glad I am on this mission trip, getting to use my spiritual gifts and having my spiritual growth areas exposed. There is no other place on earth I’d rather be at this time. I encourage you to continue praying for us and whether God would have you go on some type of mission trip in ’09. In Him, David

In the Country: Jeff Jones

Today I visited the group in the country. They are spending the week with Pastor Ruben on his property called “Lugar de Gracia”, Place of Grace.

At Lugar de Gracia there are dormitories for abused women and their children. They also have a school so that they can teach the women and their children. Also at this school are their 15 foster children that Pastor Ruben and his wife Veronica care for…7 of which they are going to adopt. When I asked Ruben about why they considered adopting, especially in light of them being a family of 6 w/ little financial support, he said, “Christ promised to take care of the orphans, so I know I don’t have to worry about food or money.” When the government agency asked how many more they might adopt he told them, “Christ has no limits.” What an awesome man of faith!

I was blessed today to sit and visit w/ Ruben for 45 minutes (thanks to Luke our interpreter). Ruben shared story after story of his faithful dependence on God and God’s continual provision for him. Just as recently as last week Ruben found himself w/ a gas and electricity bill they couldn’t afford. When he asked what it would cost to have it for this week when our team was here, he was told $500, of which he had only $6. He and his family prayed for God’s provision and last week before we arrived he collected an anonymous $500 offering from one of the churches he pastors.

As Ruben recanted story after story of God’s provision I thought to myself that there is no other place that I would rather be or our students be than working w/ Ruben. Tonight while we ate mucho tacos, we all told stories, sang songs (thanks to Josh and his stirring rendition of James Taylor’s Mexico) and we laughed and laughed. We were tonight one big…and I mean BIG family!

First Timer

This year my roommate is Garrett Spencer. This is his first year on our High School trip. It has been so great watching him experience this trip for the first time. On the way down, I was telling him about all the great food he was going to have in Mexico and how despite all our hard work, he might even gain weight.

How great was the food Garrett ate during his first 24hrs in Mexico? I’ll let you decide…

When we arrived to the church in Monterrey, we were greeted with our first meal…Ham/Cheese sandwiches on white bread. Es muy bien! Then later for dinner we picked up a pizza from the Dominoes Pizza inside a local Wal-Mart. The next morning, before church we poured ourselves a bowl of Frosted Flakes “con leche” (w/ milk). We laughed about how it was almost like we never left Texas…as we ate our Little Debbie Snack Cakes…

You know what else is funny? How different we think we are from our hosts. Sunday we worshiped w/ passion to great music, we heard a great sermon from Ephesians 6 by Pastor Andres. We played soccer; we laughed, told stories, and shared life together.

One of the great things about is learning that loving your neighbor can really be like loving yourself. We often over think what it is God called us to, but in the end its all about finding people to share life with…loving both God and Others.

Even better if it’s over a good bowl of Frosted Flakes con leche!

Parting Thoughts

Mexico was really sunny and hot w/ lots of work, Español, and fun. Our family was very nice and very grateful for the new house. I’ll take back more of a focus on missions because God loves the people of Mexico so much, he sent his only Son for them. -Tom Parker

It was a great time both at Mexico and at the camp. I feel like I grew a lot and will take a lot home. Time went by fast, but I still managed to read half of Proverbs. –Luke Nicholson

I am glad that I decided to come to Mexico. I grew in my relationships w/ those from church and God. Its good to be able to help others. –Max Perry

This week in Mexico has really changed my life. I have seen God work through me and others more than I ever have before. I’m taking back how fortunate I am for everything I have. –Mallory Gerner

I liked helping our family and I hope they like their new house. I liked hearing more about Jesus and I like Jeff’s talk. –J Kurtz

It was amazing to be a part of a group of 11 that built a house in 4 days. It is great playing with the family. –Atlee Spencer

This was the first time to go to another country. It was amazing to see what people of other cultures are like and it makes me thankful for the things I have (like electronics, electricity, air conditioning, etc). The people made great relationships with us even though they didn’t speak our language. It was VERY hot outside and we had to build a house in the heat. I’ve never helped someone like this before. –Emma Parker

I had a great week and I had an amazing time building new relationships and getting closer to God. I hope I can do this again someday, and yes, this trip was as good as Serbia! –Rebekah Bell

I’m so thankful for Tom Parker and Luke Nicholson being able to translate this week; it was invaluable to our communication w/ our family. I’m proud of our kids and how hard they worked. We loved the worship and Jeff’s teaching of the entire camp. He was very encouraging…and funny! We also used every bit of toiletries that were donated – such a gift to all the women of Mexico and us! –Pegi Spencer

What a trip! There was one verse that I had rolling around in my mind all week. “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine…” Eph. 3:20. I had no idea what this week would look like, but I knew that God was going to make the very best! Be very proud FBCA as your students set out to build a house…but return having changed the world! –Jeff Jones

Day 5: Jeff Jones

Thank you to all who took time over the last couple of days to pray for our team while we were in Mexico, and a special thanks for praying for Maria. I posted that request because I desperately wanted to see God heal Maria’s foot while we were here. We talked on Thursday night about putting our selves in a position where only God could deliver us and I hoped that by asking for your prayers and by praying myself, that I would arrive Friday and see God do something only He could do.

Sadly, there was no miraculous healing. Maria’s foot looked just like it did on Wed when we last saw her. There was a small part in me that felt let down by God.
I asked…God said “No”.

Or did He?

Later that night I was scrolling through pictures taken of the days events when I noticed this picture of Pegi Spencer washing Maria’s feet. It occurred to me that when the women began to get their feet washed that Maria may have feared that her feet wouldn’t be touched, washed, or polished. Given her condition could you blame someone for not wanting to touch her feet. That picture became a significant God Sighting for me because I imagine that for that moment, while her feet were being washed, that she felt normal...that her feet were no different than anyone else’s.

God did heal Maria for a moment and I almost missed it. It may not have been how I imagined…but then again He is able to more than we ask or imagine. (Eph. 3:20)