Covenant serves at Casa Hogar
Wow being at Casa Hogar with my family and my church was probably one of the highlights of being there. I had missed my Dad, Leeland and Chantel all summer, and now here there were with me serving the same ministry along side of me, and loving the same kids along side of me. It was truly a blessing from God to be able to have some time with my sister and brother and dad there. It was good for the kids to see families interact, and it was so good for my dad, brother and sister to be interacting with the kids. All the little boys were in love with my brother. It was the most precious thing I felt as though Leeland was like their big brother. It made me proud. Of course seeing my dad and Leeland do grueling work on construction was nothing short of what I expected from them considering they both love manual labor. I also had a special opportunity this week to go with my sister and Kim to sobre el puente. My sister went with me Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday during the hours that the rest of the team was at Casa either cooking or doing construction. This is not a normal happenning but Bruce said it was ok since Chantel was doing her graduation project on Sobre el puente and the Casa Hogar kids. Chantel and I went to sobre el puente with Kim. It was a huge blessing having Kim with us to help communicate and open doors with alot of the kids as far as relationships went. Its wonderful to hear Kim talk with the kids about the Lord and hear them share stories about their lives and experiences. My sister interviewed a few of the kids and Kim and I translated for her. It was wonderful to have the opportunity to spend so much time with Chantel at Sobre el puente. I was so impressed with the way she handled herself and loved the kids there. It gave us a chance to work together and I think meeting my sister and learning more about my family and me, opened windows towards stronger relationships with the kids and staff at sobre el puente. I felt like they were getting in on part of my world, getting to meet my family. It was an awesome suprise to get to spend so much time with Chantel at sobre el puente this week. The kids really enjoyed meeting my family and the sobre el puente staff were excited to have them. Also I think it was fun for the kids at Casa Hogar too meet my family and see us interact. Of course it wasnt just my family that was a blessing but every single memeber of the team. We all had different gifts and talents and strengths and weaknesses to offer, everyone encourageing and helping one another and each person bringing different strengths to the table. I felt like our weaknesses gave others chances to shine. On our day off we went on a boat tour (I kind of felt sea sick but it was still fun), and then to the market, and then out to eat at 100% natural. Some people went to see the cliff divers and others returned to Casa Hogar after dinner.
During the evenings my teams split the kids up into two groups; older kids and younger kids. I split off with the older kids because I wanted to hear my dad translate and I was interested in their focus of discussion.
This summer, Bruce's devotional/study theme was being a diciple for Christ. What does that mean? And what does that look like? What does a diciple for Christ actually do?
It was something we all needed to think about. Did we consider ourselves diciples of Christ? And if so what were we doing and when did this start? Something that was brought to my attention by my brother is this;
It's so easy to be a diciple for Christ, when your here in Mexico, on a mission trip, surrounded by your church...when you have your friends behind you, when its expected of you, you feel strong...but what about when we go back home? God does not just say we are diciples when we got out of the country or on a mission trip, but we are to be his disciple no matter where we go and we are supposed to work for his glory in all things....it reminded me of something my Mission professor, Paul Borthwick, at Gordon College used to tell us; "You are sent to be a blessing, no matter where you are. Whether its to the far corners of the earth, or right here in your own community. We are all missionaries and ambassodors for his kingdom." This makes me realize that God wants to have a relationship with me wether I'm here, or in Mexico, no matter where I am or what situation. I should be seeking him and following him always.
Being a disciple for Christ is hard, and saying you will is the easiest part...but actually doing it, is hard and we need to ask pray and seek...we need God's grace to do it. I know I can not ever measure up, and I know I never seek God like I should and I know that I do not live my life for God. This was something Iwas and am still thinking about. What it means to be a diciple for God. What it means and what it looks like and why we do it. And I just pray that even now, being back home I can still be witness a diciple for God. So please pray that these kids would take something out of this word. Pray that they would be brave and rely on Gods strength to be witnesses in Casa Hogar, in their churches and schools, to their friends, family, and no matter where they are that they would be diciples for Christ. Please pray that I would be a diciple for God no matter where he sends me (be it Mexico, Doylestown, Pitt or whereever).
This summer has taught me that one of my greatest weaknesses is talking about my faith. I feel stronger talking about it in Mexico with my church behind me...but what about at school, to my non christain friends, why don't I speak up more? Am I afraid of what they will think? I'm not very brave and speaking my opinion on sensitive issues or religious issues has always been a scary thing for me...but if I am to be his diciple shouldn't I be trying to help others in their walk with him and gain more diciples for Christ. whew...well its something I've always struggled with, giving my personal convictions or voicing them. I used to blame on the fact that no one ever asked or cared, or I don't know enough, but the truth is, if its as urgent for them to know as it should be, I should just bring it up anyway. So that is something to think about. I think we also mentioned to the kids, how we do not have all the time in the world, and death does come eventually. We do not know when we will die, so we should make the most of our lives for Christ and not waste the time we are given. We need to stop making excuses. This is going to be a goal for me this year. But I want to make sure I am speaking in love and wisdom and not just to be heard. Anyway so this was the topic of discussion for the older kids devotional. I have to say it went very well, each night someone different talked and shared their testimony. The major theme was going from an spiritual infant to a mature adult Christain. Its definitely worth looking into and thinking about on your own. And so the week went on. It went by so fast. Espcieally since it was my last week living at Casa Hogar.
Friday night came and went. The fiesta was a little different because many of the older kids were still at camp and they were not able to preform their traditional dances...but the younger boys and girls still put on quite an adorable show for everyone. The night was filled with food and salsa, dancing and sillyness...it was a perfect last night. The next morning we all went out to breakfast at los flamingos (fancy hotel). Everyone went around the table and had to say what they learned this week. So many tears were shed (suprisingly mostly by all the young men) and everyone knew that these kids had touched their lives and changed their hearts with their love. Each person said their part and then it was back to Casa Hogar to say adios (for the team). Needless to say there were many hugs, and team memebers were sobbing. At this my heart was glad and filled with peace. Knowing that each kid had so many who loved them, and that we would all see each other again. Saying Goodbye, and I'll see you later was nothing compared to walking through those black iron gates.
During the evenings my teams split the kids up into two groups; older kids and younger kids. I split off with the older kids because I wanted to hear my dad translate and I was interested in their focus of discussion.
This summer, Bruce's devotional/study theme was being a diciple for Christ. What does that mean? And what does that look like? What does a diciple for Christ actually do?
It was something we all needed to think about. Did we consider ourselves diciples of Christ? And if so what were we doing and when did this start? Something that was brought to my attention by my brother is this;
It's so easy to be a diciple for Christ, when your here in Mexico, on a mission trip, surrounded by your church...when you have your friends behind you, when its expected of you, you feel strong...but what about when we go back home? God does not just say we are diciples when we got out of the country or on a mission trip, but we are to be his disciple no matter where we go and we are supposed to work for his glory in all things....it reminded me of something my Mission professor, Paul Borthwick, at Gordon College used to tell us; "You are sent to be a blessing, no matter where you are. Whether its to the far corners of the earth, or right here in your own community. We are all missionaries and ambassodors for his kingdom." This makes me realize that God wants to have a relationship with me wether I'm here, or in Mexico, no matter where I am or what situation. I should be seeking him and following him always.
Being a disciple for Christ is hard, and saying you will is the easiest part...but actually doing it, is hard and we need to ask pray and seek...we need God's grace to do it. I know I can not ever measure up, and I know I never seek God like I should and I know that I do not live my life for God. This was something Iwas and am still thinking about. What it means to be a diciple for God. What it means and what it looks like and why we do it. And I just pray that even now, being back home I can still be witness a diciple for God. So please pray that these kids would take something out of this word. Pray that they would be brave and rely on Gods strength to be witnesses in Casa Hogar, in their churches and schools, to their friends, family, and no matter where they are that they would be diciples for Christ. Please pray that I would be a diciple for God no matter where he sends me (be it Mexico, Doylestown, Pitt or whereever).
This summer has taught me that one of my greatest weaknesses is talking about my faith. I feel stronger talking about it in Mexico with my church behind me...but what about at school, to my non christain friends, why don't I speak up more? Am I afraid of what they will think? I'm not very brave and speaking my opinion on sensitive issues or religious issues has always been a scary thing for me...but if I am to be his diciple shouldn't I be trying to help others in their walk with him and gain more diciples for Christ. whew...well its something I've always struggled with, giving my personal convictions or voicing them. I used to blame on the fact that no one ever asked or cared, or I don't know enough, but the truth is, if its as urgent for them to know as it should be, I should just bring it up anyway. So that is something to think about. I think we also mentioned to the kids, how we do not have all the time in the world, and death does come eventually. We do not know when we will die, so we should make the most of our lives for Christ and not waste the time we are given. We need to stop making excuses. This is going to be a goal for me this year. But I want to make sure I am speaking in love and wisdom and not just to be heard. Anyway so this was the topic of discussion for the older kids devotional. I have to say it went very well, each night someone different talked and shared their testimony. The major theme was going from an spiritual infant to a mature adult Christain. Its definitely worth looking into and thinking about on your own. And so the week went on. It went by so fast. Espcieally since it was my last week living at Casa Hogar.
Friday night came and went. The fiesta was a little different because many of the older kids were still at camp and they were not able to preform their traditional dances...but the younger boys and girls still put on quite an adorable show for everyone. The night was filled with food and salsa, dancing and sillyness...it was a perfect last night. The next morning we all went out to breakfast at los flamingos (fancy hotel). Everyone went around the table and had to say what they learned this week. So many tears were shed (suprisingly mostly by all the young men) and everyone knew that these kids had touched their lives and changed their hearts with their love. Each person said their part and then it was back to Casa Hogar to say adios (for the team). Needless to say there were many hugs, and team memebers were sobbing. At this my heart was glad and filled with peace. Knowing that each kid had so many who loved them, and that we would all see each other again. Saying Goodbye, and I'll see you later was nothing compared to walking through those black iron gates.
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