orale!!!

Well, I have to say, I am really enjoying my time here! Things are going really well! Sunday I went to the church service, and praise the Lord, my whole host-family came too!!! The service reminded me a lot of being back in Costa Rica. I really, really enjoy the church family here. They are truly a family, very warm and sweet. Alejandra and I were asked to help Mayra (Rod´s wife) to do a little intro skit for the children´s sunday school class. Afterward, we went with the youth to another house a few blocks away. The church is actually a house that they use for ministry purposes. This place is used daily with English classes, Bible studies, hang out, whatever.
Last night, I had the chance to talk to my sister about a lot of things. In fact, we stayed up until about 2.30am discussing things. But what was most special to me was to see how much she enjoyed church and how welcome she feels here. She has felt like part of the family. Coming from a traditional Catholic background, where her family would usually just go to church for occasions like Christmas and what not, this was quite a change for her. She said that before recently, she had only known one Christian in her life, and was very impressed by her. What she loves the most is she has seen that God is not just something we talk about on Sunday mornings, but He is part of all our lives. WOW!!! Please keep praying for her and her family!!!
Yesterday, I slipped away to have a devotional time, and she came out and asked if she could study with me. OF COURSE!!! I think she enjoyed it, and actually in our talk last night, she made reference to what we had learned in our devotional. I´m so excited about the way things are going.
My host-mom said she also really enjoyed the service and would like to go back. I was impressed to hear when my sister told me that Alejandra´s cousin kind of made fun of her for going to a Protestant church and accused her of betraying the Catholic faith. Fabi remained firm and stood up for herself and her actions. Praise God for giving her the strength to do so!!!
On another note, I made a new work-out buddy. One of the ladies at the church asked me if i wanted to go to the gym with her this week and next. Today was our first day and she really worked me hard, but I enjoyed spending time with her. Then she invited me for tacos later on today. We are very much alike in a lot of things (besides the fact that she has 2 kids...). I have really enjoyed her, she is a really cool person!!!
Things are going well. My schedule still is not really busy as far as activities go. When the most of the rest of the group (make sense?) comes next Wednesday, we are heading to Mexico CIty for some orientation and site-seeing. Then we will come back and probably be a bit more busy.
This Friday, I am trying to get the girls from the youth group together so we can have a sleep-over and I can get to know them a bit. I have decided to start a ministry with them because they don´t have any girls that are leading them and so, I want to do what I can while I´m here. I was talking with one girl, who´s parents are leaders in the church (Melany). She said her home was open for the night. As I was talking to her, and she was telling me about things that would be good to talk to them about. I was very grateful for her input and I told her I would do what I can. It´s a little weird for me to be in this position of leading girls. I still like I should be in a youth group myself. Please pray that the Lord will use me and that I will be able to reach their hearts in a memorable way. Please pray for open hearts and open minds.
Well, I think I am good for now. Thanks for the encouragement. I love you all!!!

Check out this video about ministry here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0blQIoiNcE

fotografias

this is a picture of me and my host-mom, Fabiola


















this is a picture of Brigam, ¨tree-head¨or ¨cabeza de arbolito¨and our daily english class












this is a picture of Alberto, one of my new friends here from the church, me and my little sister Alejandra

i´m alive!

Well, I´m sorry for keeping some of you waiting, but I really haven´t had a chance to post on my blog. I arrived well in Mexico on Tuesday. My flight was delayed a few hours, but I was greted warmly by a group of seven people. I have gotten to know them quite well the past few days.
My host family is REALLY nice! I have gotten along really well with them. They have made me feel at home here. My host-parents are Fabiola and Arnulfo. My sister´s name is Alejandra. She is 15 years old and we get along really well. They are not believers as of yet, However, they are very open and beginning to get involved. I know that the Lord is working in their lives. Please pray with me that God will use me as a tool to bring them to Him. They will be coming with me to church and hopefully to some Bible studies.
Wednesday was my first day to help Brigam (the guy working here for a few weeks from upstate NY) with the English class. We´ve had quite a few attendees. It is a lot of fun for me. I really enjoy teaching people languages, so this is a great opportunity. We have lessons 7 days a week. And believe me, the people are eager to learn. I´ve even gotten my host-mom and sister to come and learn. Fabiola, my host-mom was studying before we came come this evening. I´m so proud!!!
Today I went to the women´s Bible study after English class. I had a wonderful time. The ladies are all very sweet. They actually recruited me on the spot to accompany Mayra, the missionary´s wife, to play the guitar and sing for worship. I didn´t know all the songs, but I did what I could. Soon I´ll be going to Mayra´s and she´s going to teach me the songs for the following week.
Well, I´m off for now. Thanks again for your love and encouragement. God bless!

ready or not, here i come

Well, considering it is 1:30am, I will try to make this brief. My bags are packed, I'm ready to go. I got my passport Monday with no problem. Friday I only had to wait about two hours. Not bad, really.
Praise #2: Jessica, the girl I mentioned previously, said that her surgery went well and she is recovering very quickly!!!
On a side note, I have a very cool story. Well it’s the night before my flight, and it wasn’t until Mom asked, that I realized I didn’t have a phone number for the coordinating missionary in Mexico (Rod Fry). I was trying to figure out what to do. Then I got online, to this program I have for chatting with friends (MSN Messenger), and it turns out that my Mexican sister, Alejandra, got in touch with me. I’m actually chatting with her as I type this, and I’d have to say, I’m so pumped about meeting this girl and her family in person!!! But the crazy thing was that I was able to get the phone number that I needed!!! Anyway, I got to chat with her for a while and ask her several questions before I head down. I found out that I will be sharing a room with her, and in case you were wondering, I will actually have internet access in our room.
She is so sweet...she said to me: "ya te hice un espacio en mi closet para tu ropa y en los buroes para tus cosas y en mi corazon para que pongas tu amistad!" ("I already made room in my closet for your clothes, in the nightstands for your things and in my heart for you to put your friendship!"). How sweet! I'm going to have a little sister!!!!

never fails me

Wow! All I have to say is that our God is awesome!!! Today (and by today I actually mean Friday) has been amazing!!! The Lord is so good. Last night I was beginning to get a little anxious about my passport situation, but before I went to bed I decided to surrender it over to Him. Since He has bigger hands than I do, I figured He could handle the matters better.
Dad and I drove down to Houston today, and althought things were a little crazy at first, God had everything under control. Thankfully, the clerks honored my travel dates and made the paperwork process a little speedier and allowed my to skip through a ginormous line. I didn't make it in time to pick up my passport, but all the work is done, so now I can go back on Monday and pick it up (hopefully without even having to wait long in line)! Praise God!
As if that were all, I was a bit bummed about this unexpected expense, thinking I would have to pay for this on my own since support had quit coming in. Oh, but the Lord showed His unmerited kindness! Yesterday, someone gave my mom a check for me. Wow, what a blessing! I was only going to have to pay for about $30. Way better! But then when I got home from Houston, someone had left a few notes and a check for $30 at my front door!!! God is sooooo cool!!!!

long awaited reward

Oh the EXCITEMENT!!! Today I officially ordered my Aggie Ring and am officially a bit more broke. Whatever, it's worth it! I'm so excited!!! I will get it this September, yay!!!!

begin on bended knees

This is what I had on my Mexico Prayer Card. Please continue to lift these requests with me to our Father.
Please pray:
- For the preparations for travel and ministry
- That I would completely trust God and depend on His strength
- That I would serve with energy, passion and an attitude of humility
- For protection from spiritual warfare and discouragement
- For spiritual and physical safety
-That I could reflect Christ in my actions and words
- That God would glory through the whole process of taking me to and using me in Mexico

I would also like to ask for prayer for the rest of the interns that I will be serving with. I want to mention Jessica Steele, from the University of Florida, in specific. She will be going into surgery on Friday to have her tonsils and possibly her adenoids removed. She asks prayer for a speedy recovery and for her nerves.
Thanks again!

coming to life

Well, I leave for Mexico in a week, and it hasn't started to click until this week. Yesterday I started buying some of the little things (band-aids, hand sanitizer, medicines, etc.) that I will be needing. I think at that point was when the next two months started becoming a reality to me. Then I went to check my e-mail, and I received a message from Mr. Rod (the CAM missionary that's working in Ixatapaluca, Mexico). He was sending me a few more of the details of the trip, and as soon as I confirm a few things, I will fill you in on them.
I have been greatly encouraged by the words of many who have asked me about my trip. This past week, I've been going through some of the material that I will be teaching to women while I'm there. Honestly, as I thought about it more, all I could think of was, "What in the world have I gotten myself into?! I'm going to be teaching women older than I am?!... in SPANISH?!" But the Lord is sovereign and He has shown me through the encouragement of others that He can use me, especially if I am willing. As I type this, I am praying for a heart of faithfulness and passion in service.
On a more, um, frantic note. Well, for some time now, I've been looking for my passport and cannot find it. "UH!-OH" is right! I made an appointment last week to get the express thing this coming Friday (4 days before my trip). So as embarrassing (for some stupid reason called pride) as this is for me, I ask that you pray with me that I will have peace as I seek the Lord's hand in all of this and not grow frustrated, but rather understand what I can learn from my Father in this. (And at least my closet is clean now that I've searched through it and cleaned it out.)
Anyway, I will hopfully post a few more times before I leave next week (Lord willing). God bless you all. Thanks for your love andfe support!!!

just the beginnings

So, yes, I realize that it is 1:19 am...but I have had this on my mind for some time, and I finally decided to sit down and do something about it. I have debated about getting a blog for the longest time. I figured, if I ever were to get one, now would be a great time, for my trip to Mexico this summer. Hopefully this entry is just the start of many. I must admit, I am not always faithful or even innovative when it comes to things like this. So all i ask for is a little bit of mercy and understanding on your part. As for me, I will do my best to keep you updated.

For those of you who don't know, on May 22nd I will be going to Mexico for 2 months to serve the Lord with missionaries from CAM International there. School is out, but I don't think it has hit me yet that I will be leaving this place for 8 weeks. I'm excited, but it all still seems a bit surreal.

Anyway, it is bedtime. I finished setting this up, and I have posted my first entry. Mission complete. Oh, speaking of, I must say, I'm pretty proud of my web address, but I'm funny like that!