Hello Mexico

I guess I could start by saying I'm healed? Yeah that's a good place to start. I'm actually out of my bed and eating, somethings. I have to take is slow. I got my last shot today, finally no more bruises on my butt. Thank God.  Now I can actually do what I came here for, or so I thought. I don't exactly know anymore.  I had my plans but apparently God has His too. He's definately showing me how He will work everything out for His will. I'm usually the type of person to go go go, and here I'm realizing I'm working more in the base with the people here than anything, also I haven't really been healthy to go out that much. You know, the mindset of "I'm going to go to Mexico and save Mexico" well, more or less, now for me is, "I'm going to go to Mexico, and help the people at the base be more equiped in their ministries." It's pretty hard to grasp, but is also extrmemly humbling. 
     
     My first teaching is on well gifts and strengths. I'm saying how it's a good idea to know the people that you are working with in a ministry on a pretty deep level to see where you can help and fit in. I find it really interesting also that the base director here wants me to teach them how to develop their slowly fading ministries, where on the other hand he is a father to a lot of the staff here as well as a couple girls he housed off the street. He teaches on the father heart of God, which is something very dear to my heart, especially now in this part of my life. He is like a father to me. Looking out for me. Trying to get me to have fun, not be sick, and grow with God. I think God is pretty funny. How He worked all this out, I have no idea, but He did. I'm learning how to rely on Him, and just focus on the little things as well. 


     We did Reto Urbano this weekend. It was pretty snazzy. There were about 8 kids. They showed up early on Saturday, and it began. We had some devotional time, (in spanish) some woship time that I played the piano for! (in spanish) a teaching on identity, (again in spanish) EVERYTHING is in spanish, I mean come on it's mexico, my point being, I understood it! They had an scavager hunt like thing, that sounded pretty great, and they we all headed out to the hospital to pass out bread and tea to the poeple waiting for their loved ones. We prayed for them as well. I was wandering around, pretty much scared to death, because I was wondering how I was going to walk up to a total stranger, talk to them and pray for them in spanish, but God told me to talk to a specific girl, so, well, I did. I asked her why she was here, and she told me her brother was having stomach problems, I KNEW IT. God likes to put two and two together. I explained that I knew how he felt, and I prayed, in spanish, or tried to, but it went semi well! The next day the whole group went to church then returned to sign contracts. I know it sounds intense and it is intense, they continue to come here once a month for a year, following a set of rules! Over all it went great!!!!


     Please be praying for encouragment, peace, love and for God's will to be done.


   

Props to Internet In Mexico

     It was basically killing me that I couldn't blog in Minnesota. I actually appreciate this. It's like a way to journal, but I can type, which is better for me, and the updates via e-mail,.... just weren't cutting it for me. I'm super stoked to be in Mexico, except for the fact that I was only physically healthy for 4 days. I then continued to get a stomach infection,.. joy of my life. I feel like I'm starving myself, but believeeee me, I'm trying so hard to eat. I went to the doctor, for 2 dollars, yes I said two dollars, and she poked my stomach and took my temperature, and prescribed drugs for me, two kinds, MASSIVE. The pills, yeah 6 dollars, loving the cheapness here. Still the fact that the pills are huge and I have to take one every 8 hours and one every 12 hours,.... meaning I HAVE TO WAKE UP AT 2 AM AND 6 AM,.... sucks. The one I have to take every 12 hours, if you have ever eaten grass when you were little, it tastes like that, only magnified by 10. So I was in bed for three days, feeling like I was just stick and bones,... UNTIL TODAY. I had quite the interesting talk with God, and laughed a little when He reminded me I should probably work off of His strength instead. yeah. The truth can smack you in the face sometimes. I was really struggling with letting the people at the base here take care of me, I didn't want to be a burden, yet God showed me that I needed to humble myself. The people are very lovable and kind and have no problem at all taking care of me. Shocker. Anyways. I ate soup today. You have no idea how successful that is. 


     So Mexico, what can I say. I love it, except for some of the food now,... scary. Oh well, the plants are awesome and there are cactus everywhere. EVERYWHERE. They even eat it,.. interesting. They also eat everything with tortillas. It's pretty normal here in a sense, they have walmart, starbucks, you know.. the usual, yet then you go into a house with cement floors, cement walls, steal doors, and tile bathrooms. Not to mention the fact that I constantly have to remind myself to throw the toilet paper in the trash can NEXT to the toilet. Ah, and taking a shower, well if you want hot water, its quite the task to get there. I have to go outside to the boiler, spin the top so it says "piloto" or something then I have to ignight the flame while holding the gas button and look for a flame then I need to press more gas, then I need to spin the thing again.... Its complicated, but its how we get hot water...DON'T DRINK THE WATER. EVER. Pretty laid back, breakfast at 8 lunch at 1 dinner at 6 or something, it really depends even. The people here actually trust me to roam the streets by myself, so the first couple of days I was with a friend I made here as she showed me the streets. I know my way around a bit, and IRONICALLY I'm actually usuaing my spanish skills. You know what I do hate thouhg, how its freeezzzzinngg in the morning hot in the afternoon, and cold at night, I just get confused it's too much for me. I actually miss America, yeah, I said it. Anyways one week down, and now that I'm better I can actually start teaching the people at the base some things I learned in SOMD. Then this weekend they have this ministry called "Reto Urbano" that involves teenagers who are willing to be discipled. So I'm gonna give my testimony and lead some worship. Then next week we're all going into Mexico City to work with the street kids ministry and go talk with some people in the prositution areas. YAY mission field!!!!! :)