Adventures in Plumbing

Maybe my expectations were wrong, but this is not how I expected my house to look after the plumber left this afternoon. For reasons I could not understand, he has to wait until Monday to finish the job. Sadly, Monday was supposed to be my first day to completely relax in a VERY long time. Babysitting a plumber, listening to the loud work, and then cleaning up afterward is NOT what I had in mind.

It was kind of funny to hear him say he would come "first thing early Monday morning" and then in the next sentence say "10 or 10:30 Monday morning." That's first thing?

Ohhh, Mexico

Last Thursday the concrete floor under my guest bathroom began leaking water down to the first floor. Friday I called my landlord and told him there was a leak and asked if he could bring a plumber. He said that he was in Mexico City and would come Monday morning at 9. Monday came and went with no word. Finally he called me this morning (Thursday) and asked if I wanted him to come around 9:30 or 10. Now, I had been looking forward to finally being able to return to my Thursday morning study with friends that starts at 9:30, but I reluctantly agreed to stay home so he could come. He arrived and looked surprised when I showed him the leak. He decided that he should call a plumber. Seriously? Now the plumber is scheduled to come Saturday morning. I hope the saturated section of concrete doesn't decide to cave in before then. Oh, the details of life.

Growing

The group of women and kids in our Wednesday study has become very precious to me. I've had months to bond with most of the kids, love seeing new ones join, and now I've had a few weeks to get to know the women better as I lead their study. These women are new Christians who sincerely desire to learn and grow. They come with Bibles and highlighters in hand, ready to explore God's word. They are patient with me and encourage me as I strive to find the words in Spanish to express what God has laid on my heart. They love to sing praise to God (and forgave me the week that I forgot to bring the music!)

The kids, especially the youngest ones, have warmed up tremendously and behave so well during their lessons and proejcts. Each week brings memories to treasure, and this week was no exception. While we were singing, an adorable 3 year old boy and 2 year old girl climbed under the table and keep peeking out at me and calling, "On-hay-la!" to make sure I would look at them and smile. Each week all of the kids are eager to help unload the van when we arrive and load before we leave. This particular week as we were beginning to pack things up, the moms were going through a couple of bags of clothes and toys that had been donated for them to divide. I was standing at the back of the van loading what the kids proudly carried to me when I started to see kids coming bringing toys. Instead of realizing that the toys their moms handed them were theirs to keep, they were carrying them to be loaded into my van.

I am so glad to know that many of these kids now have Christian moms, and I am praying that their dads will come to know Christ as well and that they will be raised to know God's word and His love. I am also praying for Nancy, one of the women who had been coming for months but now has stopped because her husband forbids her to come. It is heartbreaking to know that she is being mistreated.

En Quien Confias?

I was supposed to meet Celia at Robin and Charlie's hosue so that she could ride with me to the Friday night Bible study where she would teach the women and I would teach the kids, just like last week. I was already at the designated meeting place before I recieved a text from her that she wasn't coming. Not only had I not prepared to teach the women, I didn't have any materials with me . . . not even my own Bible that I'm most comfortable using. To make the situation even more intimidating, this is the group where several women are still very Catholic. It doesn't take much to ignite an argument from them. I felt a strong instinct to give up and just go home. How could I possibly succeed in these circumstances?
Even as these thoughts crossed my mind, I knew that I had to go. Right now my goal is to keep these groups going until Robin comes back. Running away from a challenge would not accomplish that, nor would it honor God. I began to drive toward the neighborhood. As I drove, I prayed for guidance and for God to do what I knew I was not capable of doing. He reminded me of the study I had done with some women last week about trusting God. Not only was it a timely reminder that I need to remember to trust Him completely in every moment, in every situation, it was also the topic He wanted me to share today. But could I do it without any of my notes? That would be hard enough for me in English, but in Spanish??? Oh yeah. It wasn't about my ability. It was about trusting Him to speak through me and being obedient to go.
When I arrived, I saw that only one of the kids had come today. I set him up to work on some craft projects and coloring sheets, and then I sat down with the women to study. While it certainly wasn't a presentation to be recorded and shared with the world, it did go well and seemed to resonate with the group. God brought to mind some key points. The woman most likely to cause problems interrupted a few times and then suddenly stopped doing so. (Sometiems she likes to "reteach" what is being shared with a spin that fits what she wants to believe instead of what the Bible says.) One of the women asked me what I thought when I was "sent" to them alone this time. I think God spoke to them through my obedience to go as well as through His Word, and I am grateful that He chose to use this broken vessel.
Most of the women in this group are not yet believers, so I am praying that they will realize their need and make that crucial decision.

Sweet Fellowship

Last night as Celia and I returned from leading a Bible study around 8 pm, she invited me to follow her back to her house to have dinner with her and Tina. Between getting up at 3 am to take a friend to the airport, haveing lots of craft and lesson prep work awaiting me at home, and simply having the inclination to retreat to the solitude of my home at the end of the day, I was tempted to beg off. However, it was a situation where I knew I really needed to say yes to make sure I didn't offend. So, off we went. As we drove, I prayed that God would make it a time of sweet fellowship and not of cultural stress. I even prayed for my stomach as I had no idea what would be served, and that I would manage to gracefully swallow coffee when served (which I've always managed to avoid in the past but saw looming overhead this time).
Is it any surprise that God came through in a big way? Dinner included lettuce salad, black beans and tortillas, and (ironically) a hamburger. Tina asked me if I wanted water or coffee to drink, so I had my "out" on the coffee! We had good conversation throughout dinner, and I felt at ease with them more than I ever have since we met 6 months ago. Would you believe that after dinner we sang karaoke? I've actually never particiapted in karaoke before because I always feel self-conscious. The fact that I was able to participate and even have a lot of fun with it was a testament to the work that God has done in me over the past year.
So, today I am thanking God for continuing to bless me in all things, both big and small.

Teaching Women

I have become pretty comfortable working with the kids while someone else teaches women, but the thought of trying to teach women in Spanish still makes me nervous. This Wednesday and Thursday were only my 3rd and 4th times to actually do so. Monday and Tuesday I prayed that God would give me a topic that would be relevant to all of us and that He would communicate through me (and not allow langauge to be a barrier). The topic He gave me was "In Whom (or in what) Do You Trust?" We read the story of Peter walking on water and discussed how we never need to doubt or fear but can always trust completely in Him. It went extremely well with the Wednesday group and fairly well with the Thursday group. It is so exciting to realize that God is using you to speak to others! Please pray for these precious women and for me as I strive to minister to them until Robin returns. Also pray for the teenage boys who give of them time to teach my kids groups while I am with these women: Julio on Wednesdays and Angel on Thursdays. (On Mondays and Fridays I am teaching kids while Elizabeth and Celia teach women, and then I trade places with them when it is time for me to lead the women's craft time. Please pray for them as well.)

Celebrations

In my 6 months here, I really hadn't been invited to any parties, etc. until this week. Then suddenly I had 2 invitations to 2 different events on the same day. Fortunately, one was Sunday afternoon and the other was Sunday night, so I was able to participate in both. The most interesting part is how very different they were.
Sunday afternoon I went to a baby's baptism party. It is a family I've known since I arrived, and a couple of them are Christians but the rest are not. They follow the Catholic tradition of christening a baby and then throwing a big party after the mass. I was invited to this party, and I went. It was very Mexican with live music, a meal, etc. Attending gave me an opportunity to show the family that I care about them, and I was also able to give the new parents a children's picture/story Bible for their son. Please pray for Charlie and Marisol to accept Christ and then to raise their son to know Him.
Sunday night I went to a Thanksgiving dinner party. Did you know that Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving in October? I have a Canadian friend here, and she invited me to the Thanksgiving celebration that she was hosting in her home. Not only was I able to spend a little time with Erin, but I also got to meet many of the people she works with at the orphanage, a mixture of Canadian and Mexican people.
Not only was it fun to participate in 2 different cultures that day, but I think it is pretty cool to add another Thanksgiving to the year!

Trust vs. Worry

Monday was my first day to be completely responsible for the Bible studies in Charlie and Robin's absence. Normally Charlie and a teenage boy named Angel teach the kids while Robin and two Mexican believers (Celia and Elizabeth) teach the women. I had already talked to Celia on Sunday, and we had agreed that she and Elizabeth could teach the women and Angel and I would teach the kids. Celia and Angel would meet me to ride there, which meant I would also be able to rely on them to help me find the neighborhood. I thought everything was in place and that all I needed to do was prepare the kid's lesson and crafts. As I was running around Monday doing just that, I heard from Elizabeth. She said Celia was going to be late and would meet us there, and she also asked me if I was bringing a craft for the women. I must confess, I panicked a bit, worrying about whether or not I could find the place without Celia and realizing I had a couple of hours to come up with a craft for the women (and that I would have to leave the kids to go teach it). After realizing that I was stressing about something I shouldn't, I put it back in God's hands. Angel and I got there just fine (and "coincidentally" he has been learning how to give directions in English class lately). As we were driving, I told him that I would need to leave him alone with the kids for a bit as I was supposed to teach the women's craft. He immediately started studying the lesson I had prepared and volunteered to completely lead the kids, which he did FABULOUSLY. The women's study also went quite well with those who came.

So, today when I was beginning to think that I wasn't going to find anyone to help me, I finally remembered to trust God instead of worrying. As I prayed about it, I came up with a contingency plan for leading the kids and adults together. About 3 hours before time to go to the study, I finally got a yes from a teenage boy Julio who could go help me with the kids. Then as I picked up a woman who attends the study, I learned that the group had talked and didn't think we were meeting because Robin is gone. Another situation that ignited the instinct to worry, but instead I told her that I was going to go ahead and go and pray that at least some of them could still come. I walked Julio through the kid's lesson and crafts I had prepared and again thanked God for sending him to lead the kids so that I could teach the lesson I felt He had given me for the women. Eventually a few of the women came, plus two who had never come before. Although I've taught kids in Spanish countless times now, this was only my second time to teach women in Spanish, so I was a bit nervous. They were so kind, though, and they understood everything I said in spite of my blunders. So, everything came together in God's timing, and I am so grateful that He chooses to work through such a messy clay pot as me!

Tomorrow I am teaching the same lesson to a different group of women, and Angel is going with me to lead the kids. Then Friday Celia is teaching a women's group and I am teaching the kids. What a blessing it is to have co-laborers, especially teenage boys who are willing to give their time to come teach kids. Especially Angel, who did so on his birthday Monday!

WMU Missions Mosaic magazine

The October issue of the WMU Missions Mosaic magazine has an article about my IMB teammates here in Aguascalientes. If you have access to it, please take a few minutes to read it.

Robin's Dad

Robin's dad is in serious condition in a hospital in Alabama. Robin left last Thursday to go be there, and Charlie left Sunday to join her. Please keep their family in your prayers through this time.
We all assume that they will be gone for at least a few weeks, so during their absence I am trying to keep their group Bible studies going (and ideally growing). Thankfully, some Mexican believers are helping me work with the groups. Please keep the groups, those who are helping, and me in your prayers. I KNOW that I cannot do this on my own, so I am definitely relying on God to work through us to make it happen. Please pray that I won't lose sight of this fact and try to take control (that would be the fastest way to ruin what He wants to accomplish!).
On a related note, I've recently been reviewing my notes from some training I received from a very gifted teacher named Carla MacLachlan. Something that is resonating deep within me this week from those studies is this question: Am I task-oriented or Truth-oriented? At least for me, it is VERY easy to become focused on the tasks that need to be accomplished. They provide something concrete to do and can be checked off a list when completed. But, if I allow myself to become too focused on the tasks, I am not focusing on sharing Truth. What if I used every opportunity of every day to share Truth in some way? What if I looked at my day and the world around me through the lens of revealing Truth?

North Carolina Team

Last Thursday morning I said goodbye to Courtney and Callie at the bus station. That night after our Bible study we went to the airport where we said hello to a team of 6 people from North Carolina. Saturday we took several youth to a park where the team led them in some training sessions and spent quality recreation time with them between sessions. The rest of the week they helped us with all of our studies, etc. The men also had a night with several pastors and lay leaders from Aguas.

Not only was it a blessing that they came and reached out to the people here, it was also a tremendous blessing to fellowship with this team. We had some good conversations and quite a few good laughs. They brought a positive energy that was infectious.

Here's the 6 team members with a few of the kids. In back is a couple named JR and Deb, then there is Hugo who is originally from Aguas but now lives in NC, then teenager Ashton who did a great job teaching the kids, and Hal who is their Director of Missions. Kneeling in front is Ashton's dad, Pastor Brian.

One of the most exciting things about this team is that they seem to have caught a more long-term vision for partnering with us to reach Aguas for Christ. They are taking their stories and their vision home to their church family, and it sounds like we will have more teams in the future.

JR, I am still smiling per your request. Ashton, I wish I could be there to hear you share your stories with everyone at home. Hal, thank you for being such a pure example of a servant leader.