The Last Full Day
Mexico 2007 March 30th, 2007 by RudyHere we are after almost a full week in Mexico already thinking about packing up and leaving for home. This is our last full day in Mexico and for some of us it is the last time we’ll visit Mexico. It has been a great week of ministry, fellowship, and growth. Most of us are tired, some of us are sick, but all of us are thankful that we have spent our spring break serving the Lord in the Mexicali Valley. Here’s a quick summary of what we’ve done this past week:
-Welcoming service (We all reconnected with our families from the past year and sang songs in Spanish and English)
-Morning Devotions (We all came together in our towns, stopped working, filled our tanks with God’s love, and gave thanks for all the blessings God was pouring out on us)
-Construction (A two story parsonage went up right before our eyes and today we’re putting in a stove, plywood cabinets toilets, sinks, and painting the interior, we added more space and a covered patio to pastor Isaac’s house in Victoria so his wife Silvia can host bigger bible studies, and lastly in K28 Wes Emmerts and his team put a new coat of green paint on the church and we resisted the temptation to put a big “O” on the side)
-Teaching English (We went to two schools, one elementary and one college, taught English through games and duck duck goose, did the hokie pokie, played volleyball and basketball, and ate lunch together)
-Drug Rehab Center (Two separate groups went to a drug rehabilitation center where we sang worship songs in Spanish, gave testimonies, and shared the gift of God’s love and forgiveness to all those who had broken lives and hearts. We have found these people to be the most receptive to the love and compassion that we offer them through Jesus Christ)
-VBS (Monday through Thursday we spent an hour and a half sharing our lives with the children of Mexico. We had skits, crafts, and songs everyday, and we gave so many piggy back rides that some of our sun-burned necks started to ache. On the last day, kids were offered the gift of Christ’s love in their lives and many joyfully accepted. We continue to find this one of the most fruitful things we do as kids are so receptive and hungry for true love.).
- Youth Night (All the kids came together for a night of music worship. The Mexican group that sang for us was incredible. They outdid any worship we have ever done and weren’t even singing in their native language. Then Saul and Mimi sang a great rap song, Bethany Chase sang some Stacie Orrico, and Brita and her girls sang a beautiful rendition of Breathe).
-Basketball (We played three games in total. We had a pretty good record, 2-1, losing only to the Pistones by twelve points. Having one actual basketball player, we were a bit overmatched, but nevertheless, we fought hard to the end. Ever half time we shared a few songs in Spanish, Jeff, Saul, Tess Chase, Tessy Fraga performed a great mime, and then Rudy gave a short gospel message).
-Medical Clinic (we held medical clinics everyday that saw great attendance. We dedicated the new medical clinic building on the Victoria property and had many visitors. Jill Chase, Pattie Cabral, and Sharie Bantz helped as nurses and had a lot of assistance from the girls who helped out. This ministry continues to open new avenues to share the love of Christ through medical help that many need so badly).
Well that’s all the major ones we can think of for now. Hopefully that gave you all a good look at a lot of what we did down here. Thanks for all your prayers during this trip and all the things you did to help us out along the way. Please continue to pray for safety and that God would have his hand upon our health as we spend our last hours in Mexico. We are looking forward to the carne asada farewell party in Oaxaca and the dedication of the K39 parsonage before we leave on Saturday.
Dios le bendiga,
The Mexico Mission Team
P.S. We will try and send some more pictures from the hotel in San Diego.