Our Savior

Friday...We're Almost Finished!

                                                                                                  The first thing I have to say about today was that it was very hot. While we all sat and listened to Dave Berdett this morning, many people were using newly received letters or other pieces of paper to fan themselves. After listening to what he had to say, our church loaded up into our three vans and left for an orphanage. Stepping out of the air conditioned van initially felt like opening the door to an oven. I am so thankful that God created trees, shade and breeze.

The orphanage itself was in a very poor condition. From what I saw, there were two rooms filled with bunk beds stacked two or three high for the girls. All of them had a mattress and a cover for the mattress but I don’t remember seeing all of them with pillows or blankets. In each room there was a bathroom containing one toilet, sink and shower. For the older girls, there was a closet with clothes for them all to share. The younger girls had no closet but shelves stacked up with theirs. I realized that they didn’t own any of their very own clothes except for a few who had their own undergarments hanging on the headboard to their bunk. The floors were picked up and clean (I noticed a caretaker make two little girls pick up some clothes off of the floor later that day and place them onto a pile that was on an unused bunk bed) but the bathrooms appeared to be less promising. The boys lived in a house that was directly next to the girls. I didn’t get to personally see them, but I heard that those rooms were a lot messier than the girls. That sounds pretty typical to what happens at home!

The children were all absolutely beautiful! They smiled, they played, the babies cuddled and clung to you and fell asleep in your arms. I saw so many little boys running around with newly decorated faces and masks that they decorated from the art box we brought. Some of us were giving the kids piggyback rides while others were kicking a soccer ball or throwing a Frisbee. And there were others who were just sitting and following some of the kids around wherever they led us. We got to enjoy pizza with them for lunch. It was truly a blessing to get to play with these children. I could spend hours describing all the individuals that I met there; but I’ll let other team members share those stories when we all return!

Finally, we would love to continue to have your guys’ prayer because we still need it. You can pray for the orphanage that we went to. In English, it is called Jesus Tribe. You can pray for the health of the children and caretakers. You can pray for the maintenance of the building there as it is run down and looking a little neglected. You can pray for the faith of the children and their parents; some children get to see their parents still and get regular visits from them.

Also remember to thank God for keeping our team safe and healthy so far. Pray for travel mercies as we are leaving Mexico tomorrow and will soon be flying back home. And lastly, pray that our hearts will be open to what God wants to teach us this week.

Oh, Elizabeth Pebley is alive. J She is doing very well!

Posted by Mollye Evans

Whew! Just got back from dunking my head in a bucket of water and I’m still hot J This trip has been so amazing for me! I’m getting to know more about my Heavenly Father’s heart for the world and learning to follow what he wants. I won’t write what we did today because that’s already been covered by Mollye. I’ll just say a couple quick points about what I’ve been experiencing. First of all, sleeping in tents is not that bad. The scariest thing we’ve had to deal with is a cricket in our tent and a mouse burrowing under another of the girls tent, (we named him Scott). Camp life is kinda cool. I imagine myself like an Israelite living in the desert in tents. Next, the culture in Mexico is AMAZING! I’ve never had people invite total strangers into their house for snacks. They are such an open and friendly culture. The first family I built a house for Florencio and Isabel and their six kids, I only knew them for two days but it felt a lot longer. They may be poor, but the more I think about it, the more I think that America is the one that is a sad place to live. Because, socially, we are not concerned for others at all. I think of the little amount I strike up random conversations with people, let alone invite them in my house! Ultimately, I built families a house, but I think I was the one who was blessed the most. The speakers here are wonderful and are really challenging my world view. I’m realizing how focused I am on solely myself. Not a happy realization but I’m glad I’m learning. Also, I know everyone says there is violence in Mexico and Tijuana is dangerous but I’ve not seen a single thing to worry me. Now we are taking a lot of precautions, but I feel really safe here. Our guards are so nice and we have a police officer on campus too. And, we got a police escort from the border! How cool is that? And we’ll get another one tomorrow back to the border. Please continue to pray for our team. We’re learning so much! I’m so blessed to be here and I’m so thankful you are praying for us! God Bless!

And Elizabeth Pebley is alive and well.

Posted by Lauren Fulton

Friday….. wow the time we have had here in Mexico has gone by soooo fast. This Serve trip has been very exciting, eventful, and full of Mexican ladies who like to give us delicious food. Besides that, this has truly been a hard week to get through. The night before we went into Mexico we (the team) sat in a circle and said whether or not we were ready for the trip with eyes open and ears listening. Most of us said that we were ready; however, me and a few others spoke up to not being “ready.” As I explained why I was not ready, I began realizing it was because I had not forgiven myself of sins of the past. That night I forgave myself and decided that I was ready to go. Then, last night (Thursday night) I approached Brad Buser the speaker from New Tribes Mission who had spoken that morning and began talking to him. I told him of my passion for ending human trafficking and that I was feeling very convicted because throughout this last week I’d really grown to realize that IJM (International Justice Missions) was my plan not God’s. I had realized I had created a plan to make myself look like a stronger follower of Christ then I actually was. I then told him that his talk that morning really hit me hard and I had decided to give myself to God and do something completely out of my comfort zone and join tribal missions with New Tribes. Brad then explained to me what I need to do were I need to go and how I need to do it. After about a 15 minute conversation with each other I had to go to sound check and play some drums, but Brad approached Alisa (my sister) and told her this “Your brother is ready”.  When she told me this I really felt encouraged for the adventure God has planned out for me. Please be praying!! Thank you soooo much!

And Elizabeth Pebley is alive and well.

Posted by Joshua Vincent