Wow time flys

Wow time flys

A slice of life in Mexico.

I cant believe that we have been here almost 8 months! Time has just flown by. I have several posts that I have not yet posted. Some a bit personally revealing and others just comedic drivel.
Still deciding on if they are finished yet which brings me to here. I realized that a very practical post was necessary outlining our life here in general.

I have to laugh first of all...as there was some suspicion not actually spoken that we might have desired to serve in Mexico as a tropical escape to beautiful beaches and warm temperatures.

I have been to the beach twice.
It has been freezing, like living in a cement meat locker with drafts, our vistas are littered brush with random animal corpses amidst the rolling verdant hills. On occasion a warm wind blows through with rumors of sickness in it's gusts that actually appear to be truthful in the aftermath.

There is a funny assumption that if you are white you have money...correction the right word would be debt with the appearance of money. This is not us but just a generalization of one of the differences in culture. Mexican people may live in a cement cinder block house but it is ALL theirs. There is a decency about living within your means to be respected yet they have little option. And yet it is what piques our emotions when we first arrived. The humble homes amid the muddy washed out roads, clothes hanging on a fence collecting more dust as cars race past. Unsupervised children playing on roads. Suicide dogs waiting for a merciful truck to put them out of their misery.
There is a most certain vibe, a current of regeneration of life and hope amidst the undercurrent of darkness that wants to steal it's breath. It is a tangible spiritual battlefield that is fought by the spirit that is greater. The love and hope found in Christ Jesus.
The armor of God is so necessary.( Ephesians 6:10-18) Often we coach our boys to put on the full armor, the belt of truth around their waist, with the breast plate of righteousness in place, your feet shod with the gospel of peace the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit which is the word of God. We make believe getting dressed with this armor but it is such an essential exercise in preparedness.
Once we are all dressed and ready for the day we begin in prayer followed by study ending in prayer. Then homeschool begins. From 9-12 is our usual schedule to be ready to go and serve in the afternoon. If it is a quiet afternoon then we will work longer hours preparing for when the groups are here and we loose a week. Rob is always studying. He studies the bible online as well as preparing for messages yet to be taught.
Groups have finally started to book. It is quite a busy time. Each time a group is scheduled we gather for corporate prayer over the group and the work that they will do, from the time that they are booked until they leave. The weeks prior is spent with visiting the orphanages to assesss the needs so the group will be able to serve effectively as well as coordinating activities, projects, needed to complete their missions trip. Things such as acquire chairs for out reach, gather PA system, make carnival games, assemble crafts, organize clothing ,toiletries and toys to be given away and prepare teaching for children women's studies as well as outreach to be prepared. Once the group arrives our days are packed. Early morning devotions with worship and prayer followed by serving. The types of serving is varied depending on the group but can include visitation to orphanage , shelters, recovery descipleship centers, community work, and out reach with our day concluding in next day prep worship and prayer. The week always ends in awe of the power of prayer and how that very spirit ministers so specifically in the small things and how lives are changed by a hope they find in Jesus Christ. Typically the group here leaves changed with new hearts that the Lord has for the widows and orphans.

The week following the group although rest is in order , begs for cleaning and reorganizing the base, distributing left over food to needy families in the neighborhood, catching up on homeschool, re-establishing our routine, uploading images, processing the web news, answering followup correspondence. Just when we are all caught up the next group is scheduled to come and we start all over again.
The visits from the groups remind me of Paul in Romans 1:11-12 " I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each others faith." It is a mutual affection when the groups come where we are equally encouraged by each others faith. It is the body of Christ in action and we are continually in awe to be participating.

There is the mundane as well. The monotony of life where you are tested to walk in trusting Him through the small things searching for His fingerprint or His will in the 10 loads of laundry and the freshly mopped floors with muddy foot prints. Often is is a question of our heart, a choice to glorify Him, through our attitudes and example. I say this not as one who has perfected it only as one who is still learning and I am resigned to this life long task.

I realize that there is this romantic notion of a missionary. An uncomfortable elevated position of sorts that expects a higher spiritual understanding /calling/knowledge. The reality is the only difference between us here and our brothers and sisters at home is Geography and a language barrier. All believers are a missionaries, in your church your town, your work place. I think it is harder to minister to a nation that rejects God because of abundance and apathy. Nations full of riches and self-sufficiency that there is no need for a Savior. The Good News, is old news and often falls on deaf ears as they have heard it all before. So I admire those that faithfully serve where they are planted inspiring others by their faithfulness and their very lives courageously facing daily indifference.
I see the importance of this very work and the specific equipping for it and I stand in deep respect of how the Lord is being revealed through these faithful co-laborers despite the climate of national apathy.

Romans 13: 11 "And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed."

The urgency is now. Time is short and so here we are wanting to be about the Father's business.
And so to conclude these past months I can say with assurance that our calling remains as we see the lives around us transform....our own, the groups that serve and the communities they serve in. Gloria a Dios!