3-26-11

  hey everyone.  This past week was, once again, fun, tiring, and busy.  This week I was the host of a youth group from Kelowna Canada.  The group was about 15 people with three adults and the rest ages 14- 18.  Since I was the host for the group I was responsible for getting them from one place to another, communicating with my leaders the plans for the day and then communicating that to the group, making sure there were lunches and food prepared, and helping the group with their ministry.  For ministry this week we went helped a local pastor clear a vacant lot of weeds and trash for a up coming youth conference he was hosting.  We also spent three days at a orphanage nearby.  At the orphanage we would help clean and do some labor in the morning then in the afternoon we would spend time with the kids.  It was the first orphanage I have ever went to so it was a new experience for me as well.  It was cool to see the group from Canada playing and communicating with these kids at the orphanage despite the language barrier.  The kids from the group from Canada didn't know to much Spanish but they were still able to get to know the kids and play with them despite the barrier.  The orphanage was run by Christian and was a pretty good facility, but by being there kind of opened my eyes to see how much effort needs to go into making a orphanage run well.  It takes a lot of manual labor, a lot of consistent cleaning, a lot of administrating with the kids, and a lot of love.  These week was stretching for me in different areas.  I was in position of more responsibility and it made me have to be more conscious of my time and actions.  It was stressful at points, especially because some stuff I had to deal with at the last seconds, but I learned from it.  God has been teaching me this week and I am sure he is going to teach me more this coming week.  Keep me, my team, and the students coming in your prayers.  Thanks.

3/20/11

hey everybody.  This past week we had our first team come in.  The group was called neighborhood christian school.  They were pretty much the ideal group to have for the first week of being on staff.  The kids were all in middle school so like age 11-14.  The kids were all friendly, well behaved, and fun to work with.  The parents and teachers were also very friendly and kind.  This group was very good to have for the first week of the Mission Adventures program becuase I did not have experience with the program before and didnt know exactly how it worked or what to expect.  The group was well organized and had skits and stuff already prepared so i didnt have to do to much administrating.  It allowed me to get to know the kids on the team and the parents.  It also allowed me to participate more in the ministry stuff that we did.
     We did some cool ministries this past week.  The group had between 30 and 40 people so we split up to do ministry work so i'll just share about what I helped out with.  The first thing we did was go to a local church and do some skits and dramas for the sunday school and the church there.  Next we worked with the ministry at the base called homes of hope I worked with the team to build a house for a poor needy family in the area.  It was cool to see the group's heart go out to the woman that we were building the house for.  Next, I worked with the team by doing some drama's on the street and we went to a local school to help hand out food to the kids and the students also did a program there.  Then for the last day we went to a migrante worker camp.  I have never been to a place like that before and it was eye opening.  The place was basicly and old horse stable but the stall were closed up and made into rooms.  There were pretty many people living there, mostly kids, there were probably about 20.  There we did a program and handed out some clothing, candy, and other stuff.  Two things that stood out to me with my time there.  The first I saw shortly after we arrived at the camp.  The group took a walk around the camp.  We were looking around the rooms and the property and I walked passed this one room and I had to stop and think for a few minutes.  The room was empty except for used toilet paper all over the room and some old poop,which was probably human.  It was sad.  It made me ask, why would these people not clean this up? It obviously wasn't a bathroom, but yet the room had old toilet paper everywhere.  To me, it spoke on the apethetic attitude of the people living there.  I don't want to blame that on them, but I think that just by living in such a low living standerd for so long does stuff to you.  You start to become apathetic and you never think you will get out of the situation.  It was sad.  The second situation occured when our group was almost about to leave.  I started talking to this girl.  I asked her child what her name was, but she was only like one years old so she didn't respond and the mom answered for her.  Then i asked her mom what her name was and how old she was and she told me that she was 16.  It was a little shocking, but i think that is a familiar situation especially in that place.
    Now another  group just came yesterday.  There is like more than 70 people on the base right now, its busy.  Life is busy right now.  But God is here and is opening up other people's hearts as well as my own.  keep me, other staff, and the students in your prayers.  I need to run to breakfast. peace.

ps sorry for my spelling errors. much love

back in mexico 3/9/11

Hi there everyone.  If you didn't know, I am once again in mexico.  I went back march 5 to work with a ministry in Ensenada mexico, the same place I did my DTS, called Mission Adventures.  The Ministry is basically a week long DTS.  High school students come down to the base here in Ensenada for one week.  Throughout the week the students will have the opportunities to learn more about God through lecture sessions listening to the weeks speaker but also through local ministry outreach times.  The students will do a lot of different things for local ministry outreach times such as building houses for the poor people in the area, going to orphanages, working with local churches, vacation bible school stuff with kids in the area, giving food to the homeless, and other ministries.  I will be helping to staff the different groups of students that come to the base and lead them in their activities throughout the week.

I have been at the base now for four days.  So far we have been doing some unorthodox training.  Usually training for Mission Adventures consist of sitting through lectures for a week, but not this year.  The leader of Mission Adventures is trying to try some new things with the program so we have been doing much more then sitting in a classroom all day.  So far we have climbed a mountain to work on team building, filmed a movie to inform the students of the rules, brainstormed innovative ideas for the program, and made encouraging signs for a future event.  The week so far has been pretty busy.  I am scheduled to be a co-host for the group coming in next week so I am sure next week will be busy as well.  I am looking forward to see how the program works exactly, meet the students I will be working with, find out the things we will be doing, and see God at work throughout the week.


Thanks for the encouragement I have gotten from so many people.  I appreciate it.  Keep my team and I in your prayers.  Thanks, much love.

Prayer request:
- that the Mission Adventures staff will continue to grow closer with each other and build a strong team.
- That God will be present throughout the week.
- That we listen to God's voice and be obedient.
- For strength to be obedient.
- For the kids coming, that their hearts will be open to what God has for them for the week.
- That the kids will be able to have an experience with the Lord that they won't forget.
- And more stuff along those lines.

I'll try to update my blog every saturday.  Until next time, Peace.