Work Crew week 1

Hello my faithful followers. I am sorry that I am not able to post as often as I would like too, but that is life on the mission field. This week has been wonderful. Our first team from Jacksonville, Florida came and they are LEGIT. I am obsessed with them. They are solid kids who are running to their Savior. Their love for our Savior is incredible; their love for the kids is awesome to watch. They do construction with smiles on their faces. It makes the work go by faster when you are laughing and having great conversations. I have gotten to know two girls Sarah and Bailey really well. They will both be seniors in the fall and they are madly in love with Jesus. It is such an encouragement to see high school students following our Savior. Both of them have been on THE BRAIDED SISTERS work crew. We have been responsible for making sand, yes I said making. First we had to build the sifter, without instructions. It was quiet an experience. Without us the team would not be able to make cement. We are very proud of ourselves. Having a team here has been a humbling experience remembering that we are here to serve not to be served. Just as Jesus came to serve He has called us to serve. Before the team came we have been serving but in a very different way. Before we were working with the kids but now it is our job to make sure the team has what they need to play and work with the village kids. The first day the kids came it was a very new experience having 40 other people wanting the attention of “our” kids. My first reaction was selfish, and then I heard a voice inside say “it’s not about you”. Man, talking about humbling, so many times I get the attitude it is all about me but in no way is that the case. It is all about HIM. On Tuesday of this week the team showed “The Jesus Film: For Kids” in Spanish. We invited all the village kids to come back and watch it. Not at many came as we had hope but the ones that did come eyes were glued to the screen. Tonight the team is inviting the village kids back along with their parents. If the parents come we are going to watch the adult version in Spanish. Pray that the gospel is received and people in the village turn to our Savior for eternal life. This weekend a team from Nashville, TN (Alexis I wish you were coming with them) and a local church are coming. The local church is coming for a youth retreat with the youth from Jacksonville. This weekend we will have close to 100 people on camp. It is going to be exciting. God is really working in the hearts of people we have become friends with. Victoria (an intern) shared the gospel last night for 3 hours with a man from our GTO English club. Pray that this man is brought to faith. I am extremely grateful for your prayers. I continue to learn the power of pray and how important it is to be constantly in prayer.

The team from Jacksonville in front of Cristo Rey. 

The BRAIDED SISTERS: Bailey left, Sarah right. 

Okay recap on Prayer:

-Gospel being present to the village.

-Man from GTO English club continues to ask questions and learn more about a relationship with Christ. 

-Strength for interns as teams come and leave.  

-Staying constant prayer for the people of Mexico and their NEED for a Jesus.

You can call me an Oslen twin

Sunday June 12, 2011 was the day being a gringa paid off. The team decided we needed a team-building day and to try out the water park that is close by called SPLASH. We started the day like any other Sunday, worship and breakfast. The best day of our lives was still to come. We got to SPLASH and sat our stuff down and immediately went to find the slides. We ran up the stairs to take our first ride on a slide. After that first ride I knew it was going to be a good day. We played like kids all morning in the wave pools, water slides and swimming. After lunch we went to explore the dolphin show. Monica, Maggie and Mary Frances wanted to swim with the dolphins, they signed up and paid. After the show they would get to live their dream. The six interns stayed to watch the dolphin show while Maggie went to find Alex and David. I LOVED the dolphin show. Dolphins are INCREDIBLE animals, so talented and smart. At one point during the show the MC asked for volunteers, 4 Mexican girls volunteered and we convinced Kaitlin to go.  Because she is a gringa she was chosen to be in the competition, the dancing competition. Where the winner got to swim with dolphins. J The other girls we dancing with their hips (if you know what I mean), Kaitlin on the other hand was being very reserved. But again since she is a gringa so she WON! Ha One of the dolphin trainers really liked Kaitlin’s ankle bracelet and told her if she gave it to him he would give her a free picture with the dolphins. She asked if her friends could be in the picture as well, at first he turned her down. While Maggie, Monica and Mary Frances were swimming with the dolphins he came over and told us we could all be in the picture. WE WERE PUMPED! So we kept watching after some time that same trainer came over and told us to follow him. We thought it was time for our picture, little did we know we were all going to swim with dolphins. Incase you didn’t catch that I SWAM WITH DOLPHINS!  The dolphins jumped over us and lifted us by their noses. It was awesome. Once we finished playing with the dolphins we got our free picture but not just one picture with the dolphins but also every gringa got an individual shot with the dolphins and we got a group pictures, both the trainers wanted pictures with us as well. When we finished those pictures the trainers told us we could come back any Monday through Friday from 10 to 3 to help them train the dolphins. Man o man were we living the life. Honestly at the end of this I figured Mary-Kate and Ashley Oslen were going to come out and tell us we had just helped them filmed their latest movie. This scene was straight out of one of their movies. Growing up I always thought things like this happened to people when they went out of the country because of their movies and for the 1^st time EVER it happened to me.  The rest of the day we walked around with smiles on our faces and constantly telling each other we swam with dolphins! It was one of the best days of my life!

I was so happy. Cheesing so BIG!

The team with one of the trainers. 

A week in the life of a MTW intern

Well my first week is over and there is a lot that has gone on. Last Wednesday I went to my first English Club where I became friends with 3 girls (Jenny, Dallia, and Fani). We spent about 2 hours talking, them in English, me in Spanish. We also made plans to meet them on Friday to play fútbol and basketball and then go see a movie. On Thursday we had ESL with the village kids. This was my first time to go into the village, Tejaban. Class went really well. After class we went into GTO to watch México play Cuba in the Gold Cup. Talk about fun. We were in a restaurant with locals and for those of you who don’t know fútbol is HUGE here, and since México killed Cuba everyone was in a very good mood. Friday we got to play fútbol with the girls and then went to see X-men the fourth generation….don’t worry it was all in Spanish. My head hurt afterwards from trying to understand. I did get most of the plot but missed a lot of the jokes. Saturday we went to a city called Léon where we are starting an English club. We rode in the NICEST bus I have EVER been in. It was like an airplane on wheels, we got a drink and a snack AND they showed a movie. It was great. Sunday we had worship at camp then had a team-building day at a water park. Don’t worry there are some GREAT stories to come with that, but they need a post all to themselves. Monday we had the moms of the village come to camp and have a field day. We played games and had relay races.  Tuesday we had ESL with the village kids…I taught. It was interesting, to say the least. Wednesday we came into GTO to do laundry and hang out till English Club. We also went up to Pipila, which oversees GTO. 

Thursday we had ESL again with the village kids. We taught them about mouth and numbers and had a birthday party. The kids loved it and were very well behaved. Monse CAMEEEEEEEEEEE! She is going to be with us for 2 weeks helping with teams. After dinner we hiked up a mountain and watched the sunset and moon rise. 

It was a full moon. Friday we had all the primary school kids come to camp and we had field day with

them. I worked with the 1^st graders. They were precious. I wanted to pack some in my suitcase and bring them to the states (hope that’s okay mom and dad). 

Our first short term team came from Jacksonville, FL. There are 38 high school students and their leaders. Tonight the interns and Monse are going salsa dancing with our Dallia, Jenny, and Fani. This week has been truly a blessing. I have learned a lot about México and how much they need the love of our Savior. The people are beautiful and so is the city. I am blown away by the hospitality and sense of community these people have. This is a relationship driven culture and I LOVE it.

Prayer Points:

-Continue to pray for the relationships we have built and that God will open the door for us to talk about our real reason for being down here.

-Our first short-term team arrived today. Pray for their ministry and work in the village.

-Continue to pray for the language barrier. 

First impressions

My alarm went off at 4am to make sure I made my 6am flight out of Asheville. My first flight was to Chicago where I had a 2 hour layover then got on my flight to Houston. Once I made it to Houston I had to go to the opposite side of the airport but since I had a 3 hr layover it didn't bother me. Finally boarded the plane to Leon/Guanajuato. It was a short flight. I was definitely in the minority on the flight and I loved it. I landed around 3 pm CT where I was greeted by Maggie and Alex (our team leaders). We then started a 3 hr trip to the camp. We had to walk and take the buses but I was excited. I enjoy using public transportation. I arrived at the camp just as the other interns were finishing ESL club with the street children. The girls showed me to my new home. (pictures to come) We then went into town (Guanajuato) to try and watch the USA vs. Canada soccer game. Sadly the game was on paper-view so we grabbed dinner at a local restaurant (soooo good). After dinner we were able to walk around talk to locals. We host an English club for the university students so we were talking and inviting students to come to the club on wednesday. We grabbed a bus back to the camp and just hung out until falling asleep. Our team in the mornings does INSANITY (beach body here I come). After we finished our intense workout for the morning we were able to spend some time getting ready and reading in hammocks before heading into town for the day. On wednesdays we have individual meetings with Maggie at a local coffee shop while the rest of the team uses the internet at starbucks. We stay in town until after English club. Club meets from 6-8. I am really excited because it will be my first time. I am slowing started to get some sense of how to get around.

Please pray for the relationships between us and the locals. Our main purpose down here is to build relationships with them and that God will use those relationships to plant seeds.
I am starting to feel a little bit more comfortable with trying to speak spanish it is going to take some time but I excited about being able to use that tool.  

 Me in front of the camp sign. 

Patricia I will find use bracelets! 

A mountainside in Guanajuato. It is absolutely beautiful here.