I've found it difficult to know where to begin with talking about my trip. And I think a main part of that is because I'm not sure exactly how much everyone cares. For some people, it is probably sufficient enough for me to say, "It was great, thanks!" But I'm SO happy to talk about it to those who seem to sincerely be interested. So do let me know if you would like to sit down with an in-depth discussion about how God moved, what I saw, who we ministered to, changes in my own life, etc. And just so you know... GOD MOVED! And I saw and experienced things I couldn't have ever dreamed of. The people we ministered to were some of the most beautiful and inspiring people I have ever met. And my life was changed by the people, by the city, and by my obedience to the direction God called me to.

I am more than happy to ATTEMPT to explain my adventures to anyone who sincerely wants to listen. But honestly, like I will have to tell everyone, if you truly want to know what it was like for me... you must go out for yourself. And as you can probably tell by now, I mostly use pictures as the best tool for me to share my experience in Mexico. That way you can put a photo with a story, name, and all that good stuff. Plus, that's the most exciting way for me to recall the many memories! Spending so much time in one place, without the pictures, I probably would have forgotten a lot!

Quick sidenote: In case I didn't tell you before I left, most of our training camp time was spent mostly in Baton Rouge dealing with the Hurricane Relief efforts (the original plan was to be in Gainesville, GA for the entire week). I fell in love with that ministry while we were there! We spent our time at the River Center in downtown Baton Rouge serving the people in a variety of ways including preparing boxed meals, caring for the sick, serving food, taking orders for clothing and essential items, playing with children, and witnessing about Jesus. I honestly was scared to go to Mexico because I couldn't imagine God blessing me with another ministry I enjoyed and fit with as well as the one in Baton Rouge. I did NOT want to leave Baton Rouge, and for the first little while in Mexico (during some rough spots), it was all I could do not to run back across the border straight to Louisiana! But God opened my heart to Mexico, and I fell into an even deeper love for the people there... funny how God knows what He's doing, right?! :) So now I am back to the real world, trying to sort out God's next big plan for my life. As for right now, I did fall into a part-time job for a company that knows that I can make no long-term commitment, so that is a blessing. But I'm trying to get with God on these other things, like trying to figure out what God really has for me--because it certainly isn't this job or some other random and meaningless job! I'm trying to use my freetime to seek out some different options. Maybe it is urban missions type stuff like Baton Rouge, or maybe it's foreign missions like Mexico or Africa. Maybe it's both, maybe it's neither! Maybe it's teaching or coaching or mentoring here in East Tennessee. Can you see how this could get complicated and overwhelming!? But God is not the author of confusion and I refuse to allow myself to get overwhelmed by life and all the options because God tells me He has only ONE perfect will for my life and it will be found when I quiet myself from everything else. So praise God I can have peace in that truth! So for now, I am keeping my eyes, ears, and heart open to God's leading as I wait on confirmation from God on all of this. I want to make sure my motives come from Him and not from myself. Because I've realized that even in the ministry environment, sometimes you can be out of that Perfect Will... you can do GOOD things, but are they the BEST things chosen for you by God Himself? That is what I expect Him to reveal to me each new day.

Thank you for your prayers, support and encouragement for me while I was on this adventure. I will close this with one of the most significant lessons I learned while in Mexico, and I will word it so you can use it as a positive challenge for your own life...

Take time to reflect on how you spend and manage your time... Do the things you fill your time with have ETERNAL value?!

(This post was written by Stacy Ellis, but it tells a great story that I was also a part of, and I wanted to share it.)

Yesterday Robby, Katie, Hannah, and I went to our W.O.W. ministry colonia with plans to make dinner for a family that we visit often. However, when we arrived at their home, Rebekah, the grandmother of the family, told us that her daughter’s husband was in the hospital and that we wouldn’t be able to have dinner with them.

Our excitement faded as we trudged back to the van with all of our food. Then Katie said, “Hey guys, we should take some time to pray and see what God wants us to do with all of this,” so we spent some time praying and listening. Well, as Hannah noted, we’re probably the least ‘visionary’ group, and don’t usually get a lot of direct signs and visions for our ministry. However, when I was praying, I asked God to show us where to take the food, and in my mind I heard “rojo”, which means red, and the number six, and I felt that those things might be a description of a house where we were supposed to go.

“I’m not sure if this is actually God or not,” I began as I told them about the impressions I’d gotten, but we decided to drive around the colonia just to see what would happen. We turned down a few streets, and then on a corner I spotted it—a tiny red house, number sixteen.

“Hey guys…there’s a red house…with a six on it,” I said hesitantly. We didn’t stop right away but drove a little further down the road, where a woman walking seemed taken by us. She looked us in the eyes and smiled as we passed. Then Hannah stopped the van, because I think we all just felt like she wanted to talk to us. I, the one who speaks the least Spanish of the group, got out of the van as I wondered what I was going to say to her. I said hello, and thankfully Katie followed. I was secretly hoping that the woman (whose name is Lucy) resided in the red house, but when we asked she pointed to a white one. I felt compelled to question further, and Katie asked if she knew who lives in the red house. “Actually my mother does,” she replied in Spanish.

We then told her about the food, and she was very excited and instantly invited us to her mother’s house! As Hannah and I headed back to our leader’s house to cook the food (because their oven was broken), Katie and Robby spent time getting to know the family. When she and I returned, there was a house full of people-grandparents, aunts, uncles, kids-all eagerly awaiting the food. We were excited because we had plenty of food and were hoping for lots of people. We ate with them and had a great time talking, laughing, and praying together. They prayed for us, and we prayed for their sick daughter and for the husband who would soon be taking a trip to New Orleans.

Getting to know this family was really incredible! They even welcomed us to come and visit with them again next week. Even though several of them are already Christians, we know that we had a purpose for being there because of the way God so obviously answered our prayers. It was exciting to see how He had led our group to them! We all agreed that this was our favorite W.O.W. ministry experience so far. We are looking forward to spending more time with this wonderful family! I personally got a reminder of how important it is to listen for God’s direction in life, even if it’s just about what to do with a whole lot of food!

Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I decided to just narrate some of what I´ve been doing with these photos. I hope you enjoy them.

(Note: I'm adding this post in 2009. I know that I have written out some great entries from my time in Mexico, but I can't seem to locate them. If I ever find them, I'll include them on here, but until then, here are some pictures and captions from some of those original email updates.)
Me and Manuel at the orphanage. I'm already in love with this kid. If I could bring him home I would. I happened upon him Friday while at the orphanage/womens shelter I´m helping with. (I only call it an orphanage, but none of the kids are orphans... their parents are simply in jail or drug rehab, etc.) Manuel was covered in food and gnats. I gave him a bath--or rather--hosed him down outside. He didn´t like it at first and cried, but then he had fun with it. From then on I found him some clean clothes and toted him around with me everywhere. We had fun. He´s probably 2 or so. Maybe younger, doesn´t talk much yet. Those eyes are so precious. Worst part about the orphanage is that the gnats are awful. They climb all over those kids. And they get in their cuts and all around their eyes and noses. Really sad. Can´t really process the intensity of that in my mind yet. Within a couple of weeks, Manuel began to call me Mommy. Turns out he truly believed I was his Mommy. Flattered me, but broke my heart at the same time considering I only saw him twice a week, but the love I shared with him in that short period of time was apparently that significant to him. And my relationship with him became my greatest passion during my trip.

Me and Jenya. Jenya is from the Ukraine. She speaks English, Russian, Ukrainian and Spanish fluently! She´s amazing! She´s 20 and going through the FYM program with us. But there is a couple from Ohio that is here also who are called to be missionaries in Ukraine. So all three of them are seeing what FYM is all about to possibly start a program in the Ukraine.

Katie and I with some of our soccer buddies. She´s in my neighborhood WOW (Walk on Water) group and in the orphanage group with me. She´s a hoot. She´s 18 just out of HS. Oh, how God is using her here! Her spiritual maturity is teaching ME so much!!!

Shelley, Stacy, and I taking a break from pouring cement one day. Our home is also the church. But it´s very primitive and unfinished right now. We didn’t do much construction work during our time there. They have other groups that come in and work on the church, etc. But this day, Shelley and I shoveled cement into the mixer for almost an hour. It was VERY hard work! Some of the most physical labor I´d ever done I guess. But I volunteered for it and enjoyed the workout. Was sore the next day. A couple of the guys we have with us are scrawnier than I am, so it seemed harder for them than me anyways! I beat one of them in a pushup contest in Baton Rouge if that tells you anything! :) I´m trying to stay in shape here, sometimes the meals aren´t that nutritious. (FYI, I gained 15 pounds by the end of my trip!)A house and some other shack building that is behind our church. Similar to many houses around our colonia.

The outside and "inside" of the church. It doesn’t look like much, but God’s presence could fill that place as if it were a grand cathedral! The floors got cemented and the roof got extended for the second floor by the time I left in December. The church will eventually be a school as well.
The one with me and 3 others (soaking wet and freezing) is from Thursday. We arrived at our WOW group only to be met with rain and LOTS of sticky mud! My knee was killing me because it has been acting up. It was getting better, but on the way to our colonia Thursday (45 minutes before this picture was taken) a truck had started pulling out while I was crossing the road and it hit me... only hit my hand, but I jerked back and strained my knee again. So I got extra soaked that Thursday because I walking with a limp AND it was raining AND the mud was absolutely ridiculous! We are talking crazy mud here! It gets stuck to my sandals and my height increases 3 inches because I just take the mud with me with each step. It makes my sandals weigh about 25 pounds each it seems! OH, THE ADVENTURES!!

We are always locked out of the orphanage when we arrived... my hijo... my son... Manuel came to the gate looking how he always does when we arrive--covered in food, gnats, and needing his diaper changed. At least I know he gets cleaned up on Wednesdays and Fridays when I am there, but I wonder how long he has to stay like that on the days I am not there... It is sad.
There is a picture of the beautiful sky one dreary morning. Matamoros is beautiful! The clouds and weird weather paint the scenery so well! The sun was actually behind us when I took the picture, so it was like there was a little bit of heaven poking out at a totally seperate location. I tried to capture God’s beauty here despite the contrasting poverty, etc. But I truly believe that is how God wants us to live life. No matter the circumstances surrounding us, we are to be thankful for His creation, His love, His mercy…

A picture of me at the Youth Detention Center. I have only been once on a day where I did not get to go to the orphanage. I helped teach English and played some soccer with the boys there. These boys have done everything from stealing to stabbing. They seemed so nice though. They just need someone to love on them. I am glad we have another group of FYMs that go there to minister to them. I would have enjoyed working there, but I am glad to be at the orphanage.
And finally, there is a picture of a youth event we attended. The worship leader, 21-year old Jonathan, from the church has a band who played and they had a man who gave a message along with dramas, etc. It was awesome to see so many Mexican youth there crying out and giving their hearts to Jesus!! I pray the revival of this country continues as it begins in the hearts of these young people!