The True Treasure & First Day of Club

Today was a full day. We were up and eating breakfast by 7am. We had pancakes, papaya and cantaloupe. I have come to love the subtle taste of papaya in the morning for breakfast, yummy! After breakfast we talked about being “sent” and what does that mean. How does the one who sent us affect how we live out the mission of being sent? If God has sent us out then we have his authority behind us as we go to obey him. That should make us bold in our mission, it should remind us of why we strive to serve him and remind us also of what our goal is to accomplish. If we remember we are sent as missionaries to our world then   we stay focused on kingdom mission of disciple making weather we are delivering pizzas or preaching the gospel on a street corner. Then it was English church and we talked about how God is our king and he is our sovereign. We obey him trusting that while we do not understand his plan we know that he has asked us to accomplish a task based on his perfect love and perfect knowledge to bring about his kingdom for our benefit and his glory. We obey because we trust the goodness of our king and that is enough. It really challenges the team as to why we are here and what exactly has God asked us to accomplish.

Worshiping in English Church

After the English service in the morning (worship and devo’s with Greg and Shelli.) We all hoped into the van for a tour of the Shanty Town. The silver lining to staring poverty in the face is now I can say I drove in Mexico. Although as soon as my but hit the seat Christine laid hands on me and prayed for safety for the van even though we were driving where there were no other cars and doing 20km. ahh I love the smell of trust in the morning. Just kidding I appreciated the prayer and it spoke to Christine’s commitment to details, planning and safety all of which are huge assets on this trip. We drove quite slowly through the shanty town. We saw some children walking in bare feet when there was glass and garbage everywhere. They lived in cardboard and tarp shacks. The upgraded ones where made of pallets and lastly they would build a wall at a time out of cinder block. Most of their houses are the size of a shed. Shelli told us that many of the homes do not have fathers living there and there is abuse of substance and of the children. The governor out in a park in the Shanty town. It is tires, one slide that looks more like a death trap. They also had a swing set with no swings. It was hard to see but would take us till later in the evening to process. It felt surreal almost like the side of the van window was a TV separating us from the miles, the smells, and the reality of it.

Shanty Houses

We then came back to the church and assisted the Mexican youth in the setup of VBS. We decorated, we fixed banner (they lend out all their VBS supplies to churches who can’t afford it so more people are reached by the gospel but they do not always return in the best shape) We hot glued, drew and set up each of the rooms that would be used. Jacob was used for his extreme height to decorate the ceiling. The language barrier wasn’t as much of a problem as we worked together as I figured it would be. Miming, grunting and using Alexis and Rene got our point across and the crafts and decorations came together beautifully and quickly which let us have a little bit for free time.

Renee and Clarissa putting together crafts

The most stressful part of my day was trying to post the blog. Are you ready for a story. Snuggle in grab some coca and get ready to experience the thrill of posting a blog. I had stayed up late to write the blog in a word document so that I would just be able to copy and paste, insert a couple photos and publish online. Lane took me to the mission apartment so that I could use the wifi (wee-fee if you say it like the Mexicans.) I forgot that since I am using Lisa’s computer I wouldn’t be able to automatically sign into blogger to copy and paste. I tried to get in but forgot my password…. Of course. Finally with texting Canadian tech support (Kelsey) I was able to get in and started the process. Then after I inserted all the photos except one I hit a button that whipped the entire blog. Well no big deal right copy and paste again and it will be all good. BOOM RAIN STORM HITS LIKE NEVER BEFORE and power goes out….. My head reals…. What does this mean?.... NO WIFI DUN DUN DUN! I lowered my head to the table and prayed. The wifi turned back on and I posted that blog like a mad man and the edited it and added the extra photos once it was up at least in skeletal form. Who knew posting a blog would be such an adventure in Mexico but it all turned out in the end and the extra time it took me let lane finish the tasks he needed to do.

The youth where still at the church while I was out posting the blog with lane. During that rain storm the hopped in the big van with Shelli and drove through the shanty town again. It is amazing that the desert doesn’t absorb the water you think it would but it cascades and makes rivers out of road ways. The flash flood that hit those shanties and the rest of the city made our last Sundre flood look like a small rain. They were amazed but then realized how it could wash away those little shanties.

We went for a quick dinner of tacos. Unfortunately there was a miscommunication and we went to the wrong one first and sat down were just about to bite into the bread bowl and Victor says WAIT! We then awkwardly found out the truth and had to pack up and head to the right taco stand. As Canadians the sorrys where flying to the owner and some of our team left him a tip for the trouble of seating us getting a bread bowl and having a huge group up and walk out. We then had an amazing time as a group just hanging out and enjoying the tacos. They bring you the tortilla and the meat and let you go to a buffet of salsas and veggies to dress it yourself. We had fun and was just a good time as a group.

Back at the church a Mexican youth who speaks better English than I lead us in worship. His name is Abram. He is very talented on the guitar and we enjoyed ending the day in worship to the lord. Then we had a debrief time where we talked about the day and all that we saw. This is where the emotions that were suppressed during our tour of the shanty town erupted. In a beautiful act of honesty and community the group shared that they were angry, feeling guilty and really struggling with the fact that we have so much and we let the business of our life take from us the knowledge of how blessed we are and that out of that blessing we should be generous. We felt after discussion and thanks to Abram’s sharing as well that the answer was not in our guilt and it was not in our material possession for we cannot provide Jeans, food and shelter for every person in the shanty town but we can give them the greatest treasure. We can tell the about Jesus. If we truly believe that God is King and that he is God who is loving and will provide and take care of his people for their greatest interest and his greatest glory than we can have faith that if we tell them about Jesus and obey the Holy Spirit as he calls us then he will take care of them. From time to time he will call us to be involved in his work but as long as we are faithful in showing them the greatest treasure. The treasure that is worth giving up everything else even our very life to find then we do not have to feel guilty we rest in the knowledge that we were never called to do it all. We were called to be faithful and point to the greatest treasure in the universe. Jesus Christ, Saviour, Brother and our King.

Day four

We went to the Casa Hogar. We cleaned the roof and prepped it for a sealant today. Water runs down the cracks and in the ceiling of their family room it pours like there is not even a roof above their heads. The sealant we will apply tomorrow will keep out all the rains. What is amazing it their entire building has been built within a year and the only thing missing is the girls dorm.

Sweeping the roof for sealant

Moving rocks across the yard to use in building later

Kendra at work

This little boy is Miguel. He has been at the house a week but has all his brother and sisters there. He loved julio’s hat a.k.a. Blaine and hung out with us all day although he was mostly attached to Kendra’s finger and dragging her around the yard. It was a balloon duck he played with. We all played Quack with him. He would quack in a pattern and we would respond back. It was fun.

A giant ant appeared out of no where. We havent found Jacob since!

First day of VBS was great. Shelli said we bonded well and integrated will with both the Mexican volunteers and the children. Sorry this blog is just pictures didn’t have any time to write creatively today. We are just realizing now having boy and girls nights with Greg and Shelli. We grabbed some kreeze it’s like a frappicuino and went to sit at Greg’s house for a chat. So I need to sign off so I can participate in the conversation.

 

Singing at VBS