I needed to go to Mexico and I'm so glad that God gave me that opportunity. I needed to go to Mexico not be IN Mexico, but to hold dirty little kids and remember what's really important. Helping people. Loving people. Learning. Growing. Being in the States is great, it's comfortable, I can buy really cute clothes, I can eat as much food as I want, etc. But I forget what's really important. I get so caught up in ME. So, I needed that reminder/wake-up call to see past America.
So there were 12 of us (6 leaders and 6 students). I was one of the leaders (and also the song leader for VBS). I made a lot of mistakes, but I think I really learned a lot. In particular:
#1: Don't draw so much verbal attention to the fact that you're a leader.
#2: Be sensitive to people moods, instabilities, hurts, etc. They aren't always ready to answer your questions.
#3: Control your curiosity. Like #2, people aren't always ready to answer your questions. Even though you would answer almost any question anyone could throw at you, that doesn't mean that everyone else is the same.
#4: Be open to listen to constructive criticism. If you ignore other people's feedback on your leadership skills (rational or irrational) then you aren't going to learn and grow.
#2: Be sensitive to people moods, instabilities, hurts, etc. They aren't always ready to answer your questions.
#3: Control your curiosity. Like #2, people aren't always ready to answer your questions. Even though you would answer almost any question anyone could throw at you, that doesn't mean that everyone else is the same.
#4: Be open to listen to constructive criticism. If you ignore other people's feedback on your leadership skills (rational or irrational) then you aren't going to learn and grow.
"Tent City", our home for the last week (it was a lot bigger than this--there were 600 people there!)So how it works is this. A lot of people get together through this program called Mexico Outreach, and we all live in "Tent City" and have chapel every morning and night, and during the day we all go out in our separate groups and work on our "ministry site". My group worked at this place called "Leche y Miel" (milk and honey): there is a lady named Josephina and she cooks lunch for the neighborhood kids who wouldn't normally get very much food. And even though she is not in a very prosperous situation herself, she goes on mission trips to a small town in Mexico. So, we put on a VBS at Leche y Miel (our theme was "putting on the armor of God"...it was really fun) and also some of our people worked on building another little kitchen next to Josephina's house like 10-15 minutes away from the current building.
It was so incredibly interesting to be able to go on this trip, because I went 3 years ago right after I graduated high school. We went to the same place, Leche y Miel, and there are even kids that I remembered from before who have grown up so much since then. It's crazy how much has changed in there. And it's crazy how much I've changed. Physically I'm different (I've lost like 25 pounds since then). Mentally I'm different (I'm a little less emotionally unstable). Spiritually I'm different (I have a completely different, more intimate relationship with God). And it was really cool to be able to contrast my previous experience with the current one, and see the reality of those changes.
So, I had a really great time in Mexico, and even on the way home. I ended up flying on a different ticket than the rest of the team (because I joined the team late) and so I flew home by myself. I had some great opportunities to talk with people about their opinion, view, belief, lack of belief in God. And it was so interesting. But the rest of my team had a heck of a time. They were supposed to fly in around 10pm on Friday, but they didn't arrive until around 7:30pm on Saturday! Their flights were cancelled, delayed, etc. You name it and it happened to them. But praise the Lord they are still alive, and are still talking to each other. :-)
Okay, I've written a lot. I'll post some more pictures now. Thanks for reading.
A group (I think it's sort of an organization) that makes quilts donated 100 of them for us to take to give away (did I mention that we had 23 checked bags + 12 carry-ons + 12 "personal items"?) So, we gave about 25 out to some of the families at Leche y Miel, and Josephina is going to take the rest with her on her next mission trip to Senora. This is little Daniella and her quilt.
It was so incredibly interesting to be able to go on this trip, because I went 3 years ago right after I graduated high school. We went to the same place, Leche y Miel, and there are even kids that I remembered from before who have grown up so much since then. It's crazy how much has changed in there. And it's crazy how much I've changed. Physically I'm different (I've lost like 25 pounds since then). Mentally I'm different (I'm a little less emotionally unstable). Spiritually I'm different (I have a completely different, more intimate relationship with God). And it was really cool to be able to contrast my previous experience with the current one, and see the reality of those changes.
So, I had a really great time in Mexico, and even on the way home. I ended up flying on a different ticket than the rest of the team (because I joined the team late) and so I flew home by myself. I had some great opportunities to talk with people about their opinion, view, belief, lack of belief in God. And it was so interesting. But the rest of my team had a heck of a time. They were supposed to fly in around 10pm on Friday, but they didn't arrive until around 7:30pm on Saturday! Their flights were cancelled, delayed, etc. You name it and it happened to them. But praise the Lord they are still alive, and are still talking to each other. :-)
Okay, I've written a lot. I'll post some more pictures now. Thanks for reading.
A group (I think it's sort of an organization) that makes quilts donated 100 of them for us to take to give away (did I mention that we had 23 checked bags + 12 carry-ons + 12 "personal items"?) So, we gave about 25 out to some of the families at Leche y Miel, and Josephina is going to take the rest with her on her next mission trip to Senora. This is little Daniella and her quilt.
The older girls liked to play with my hair (even though I didn't wash it for 6 days and it was incredibly gross)...and I didn't mind. Who doesn't like getting their hair played with? :-)
I only remember seeing this little boy, Luis, the last 2 days, but he was really sweet. One day when we were coming, the kids were like mobbing our van (but they mobbed the van every day, and would tell each other which American was theirs, "I get that one!") and he "called" me. :-)
He is just CUTE. Markito. And YES, I KNOW I'm making "the-face-that-I-always-make-in-pictures-even-though-people- tell-me-not-too-but-I-can't-really-help-it". :-)
Our Team! Back row (L-R): Jenny, Clyde, David, Don, Robert, Kendra, Pamela.Front row (L-R): Lynn, Andre, Julia, Me, Trisha
The End (for now).
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