Day 5 - Wednesday, July 15

Fifty-One Weeks

Sorry that my posts have been so intermittent. But the days here are so full...in every sense.

Full of things to do -- the house will be finished today, we'll also complete our painting at the local school and we'll wind up three days of distributing the food, clothing and toys so much of which was donated by our friends and family at North Boulevard.

Full of things to see -- a child smiling seemingly without a care in the world though we know better. We know the story of a child abused by their own father or abandoned by a mother and yet they smile and we can't help but grin with them.

Full of incredible heart -- you'll never know anyone better, peers, young and old, brothers and sisters, our elders, until you serve alongside them. Titles and socio-economic differences melt away when you pitch in together to accomplish something outside your self.

These five short days have been so very full, full of so many wonder-full moments. Perhaps that's why we Americanos are always clinging to a camera, ready to snap a picture at a moment's notice and of just about anything. A cute kid eating an elder-dipped ice cream cone or a comic exchange in a skit when our bumbling bad guys bump into each other or Skid gets so tickled in the middle of a skit that he and we just have to laugh. But mainly our cameras are focused on the children.

Sometimes I wonder what the children here at the City think about all of the lenses pointed in their direction? Is it unnerving? An invasion of privacy? Or do they know how much we savor this time with them? How, as one teen once put it to Skid, we like ourselves when we're here. The children, their needs and their innocent nature, draw from us our very best selves to service. And we relish the feeling of pure goodness that service imparts. 

We want to hold it in our hearts and its memory in our minds but knowing the power of our life at home, the noise and demands of our jobs and school and friends, we understand the immediate will quickly erase our memory of the good and eternal. We want to hold onto this feeling so desperately that we try to capture it in a photograph and commit to a memory card in a digital camera what we cannot preserve completely in memory. Some cultures believe that when someone takes your picture they've stolen your soul. Sometimes it appears that a camera lens is the window to our soul. Perhaps we take them in hopes that the shutter button is a pause button and we can linger in that moment, keep our children little just a little longer, remain on that spiritual high a few days or minutes or just seconds longer.

Do they know we will print and post and share their pictures, study them, smile over them, tell the story caught in the moment to a friend or a family member? Linger over them, trying to pause time until we're back again. But Skid reminds us that the theme of our trip to the City of Children is 51 weeks. Not 51 weeks until we're back...but 51 weeks to serve with the same passion and heart and attitude.

Fifty-one weeks not to hit pause or linger over pictures unless those pictures inspire us to make the most of all of the moments we have.

- Nelson

P.S. Tonight the Festival of Sharing went to Patrick Cole for his great nature and willingness to help.

Day 4 - Tuesday, Skit

Day 4 - Tuesday, City of Children

Day 4 - Tuesday, Food Crew

Day 4 - Tuesday, Painting Crew

Day 4 - Tuesday, House Crew

Day 4 - Tuesday, July 14

More...

We see many homes made of crates and tarps and scraps of wood.

It's remarkable in a place where there is so much need, we do find certain graces God has given.  It doesn't matter how poor or dirty the child is they're so beautiful.  And even in the most squalid and destitute of areas, you'll find the most beautiful flowers growing.  Mark Jackson has observed that it seems like every Mexican male is blessed with a thick head of hair.  There is also a beauty to the faith here, a faith that finds hope and happiness when there seems to us to be every reason to question God.  Perhaps it's a measure of faith given to those who truly require it.  It's been said God doesn't make muscle bound Christians.  He gives power and faith where it's truly needed.

The children of Ensenada are so beautiful.

God is their gardener.

Mark J. in search of hair-challenged Mexican male.

One thing I think all of the parents will be glad to know.  We are eating extremely well.  Our kitchen crew has worked tirelessly to prepare wonderful meals...biscuits and cinnamon rolls from scratch, marinaded chicken, hand-sliced piles of fresh fruit every morning!  Those who have made this trip will attest, it's a little bit embarrassing to realize you might come home from a mission trip where you were feeding the poor weighing more than you did when you left.  Significantly more.  Visibly more.  Thanks to our kitchen crew.

Thank you, kitchen crew!

The kitchen crew is just one of the many jobs folks are doing.  Some are a little more higher profile -- being part of the skit cast or working on the house.  Others aren't as glamorous -- helping the little kids do a craft or work a puzzle, playing games in the heat, sweeping up the cafeteria while others are relaxing, taking out the waste can from the bathrooms...and I do mean waste can (ask your kids about this one...it will be a real icebreaker).  But every job is necessary, every part needed to keep this body of people functioning. It only works when everyone is doing there part and no one is here just for the ride.   

Today there is more to do -- more food to give, more nails to hammer, more school walls to clean and paint, more cups of cold water to deliver in His name.  And for it we will know more about how most of the world lives and we will know something more about God.

Thanks for your prayers.  Can we ask for more?

- Nelson

P.S.  The Festival of Sharing hat was awarded to Sawyer E. (a.k.a Captain Mexico) today for encouraging and assisting others on the building crew and always with that classic Sawyer grin.

Serving and Seeing God

Monday I had the pleasure of being a part of the food crew. We went to the local Costco and bought food for one of the communities down here in Ensanada, Mexico. The one thing I noticed while helping that day was that everyone seemed to be in extremely good moods. I saw smiles on the faces of the crew that reflected from the people they were serving. I also possessed the same feelings. I felt that this was God's way of telling us that this is one of the things he wants us to do with our time on earth. He always wants us to be striving to be like his son, and by serving we show our likeness.

-Stuart P.

The true meaning of happiness

Hola Murfreesboro! It has been a blessing being here and has really put into perspective how much God has given us. Today I was on the food crew and we were delivering food and clothes to a small family. There were 3 children living there and the oldest girl couldn't stop smiling. We hadn't given her anything yet. She was filled with joy that we were there. It makes me think about what I depend on for happiness. I noticed that I don't need all the material things I have, but what I do need are strong friendships with my friends and family and more importantly with God. It's funny how a 5 year old girl living in a makeshift home can change a person living in America. 

- Justin B.

Day 3 - Monday, City of Children

Day 3 - Monday, Food Crew

Day 3 - Monday, Painting Crew

Day 3 - Monday, House Crew

Day 3 - Monday, July 13th

Finally, the Big Day

I worry a little bit that so many of the pictures we've shared with you up to now -- balloon figure making in San Diego, the well-manicured, walled compound of the City of Children and our wildly costumed skit performances -- might lead you to believe that our trip is just an out-of-the-way vacation at our sponsors' expense.

But, as David Alexander put it, today we began looking on the other side of the wall.

One of the many makeshift homes that are everywhere.

Today, we were out in the community, starting on the house we're building.  Imagine raising a house in three days?  Something biblical about that.  Except these homes, unlike ours, consist of two rooms, don't have indoor plumbing and cost about $3,600 to construct.  Sort of takes the miraculous out of raising it in three days. 

The home last year's crew built.  Hey, Jesse B., look, they've added a room already!

     

Raising the first wall 2009.

We worked at the church, cooking and distributing food and clothing for the surrounding community.  Not only do they flock to receive a free hotdog, they're just as enamored with the discarded boxes that the oatmeal came in.  For them, that small box could become a closet or drawer for clothing.  It could become patch material for a house made of crates and tarps.  It could become a matte for a child's bed or carpeting for a dirt floor.  These are creative people.  Life forces them to be.  

What will this empty box become?

Leaving filled...for today...with food and hope.

We also began doing some painting at a local school.  We're told that the City of Children kids who attend the school feel such pride that their peers will see us their American friends doing something for the school.

So we're moving in many different directions, working at the orphanage and in the community and praying that God will magnify the use of every talent, every man hour and every dollar that we spend in His service.

Even in the City of Children, what appears so lavish a complex, providing so much material blessing and love and care and spiritual instruction for the children here, is still lacking the one thing the kids long for most.  There isn't a child here who doesn't wait for the day a parent or family member will arrive at the gates of this city and take them home.  And that, for all that we give, we cannot give.  Only God can.

In truth, aren't we all awaiting the day our Father takes us home?  The children here are just more attuned to that longing than perhaps we are.

And, as far as this being a fun vacation...it is.  There is wonder-full fun to be had in making a difference and doing something of value and purpose for someone other than yourself.  It's a deep felt joy.  And we are here to vacate.... Vacate our ties to the many things that distract us at home and keep us from seeing what God is doing in our lives.  We're vacating ourselves from daily pressures and stress that is inevitably tied to the stuff that owns us.  So, yes, this is the fun-est sort of vacation imaginable.

And so we thank our many sponsors for the blessings they are giving this place and these people...and to us.

God bless you.  

- Nelson

Callie is crowned...I mean capped.

Callie showing the form that made her today's Festival of Sharing cap recipient.

P.S.  The Festival of Sharing of hat was awarded this evening to Callie Kerbo for jumping in with the school painting crew today.  Congrats, Callie!  And, congrats to all of our parents!  You're kids are doing some amazing things here.  You may only get out of them three words when they get home - something like "it was good" - and so you may never know all the really cool and good things they did this week.  You may never know.  Lord knows.

Day 2 Photographs - Sunday, July 12

Day 1 Photographs - Saturday, July 11th 2009

Day 2 - It's a Mystery!

"I have become its [the gospel's] servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness -- the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."  Colosions 1:25-26

Our theme for the week at the City of Children is Super Secreto or Top Secret.  Over the next few days, we will be trying to reveal a great mystery concerning the love our God has poured out on us.  But there are many other great mysteries that touch us here.

• How is it we have so much while others have so little?
  
• Why are so many of us blessed with parents who love and care for us while others yearn for this blessing?
  
• Why was I born into the family and place and economic situation I was born into?
  
• Who has God given a more difficult task?  Those born into poverty or those born into riches?
  
• And how is it that these children are so very happy and so loving to us?  Who is truly serving who?  Who is truly teaching who?

Good mysteries for us to struggle with.  And being here without so many of the distractions of our lives at home allows us to look at things that normally get lost to the noise of our lives.  We've come to work with orphans, feed those in need, build a house for someone without shelter.  On the surface that's what we tell people when we explain our mission here.  But in truth, we, too, are being ministered to...finding our father, being feed spiritual, working on home for sometime down the road.

Sunday and our day of rest is over.  The dorm mamas feed us a wonderful, authentic mexican Sunday-after-church meal.  Our real work begins today.  And so does God's...on us.  

- Nelson

P.S.  The Festival of Sharing hat for Day 2 was awarded to Justin Bowen for always being there asking what he could do to help and doing it.  He is just one of so many servant hearts here and the award could have just as easily gone to so many.  Parents who are reading this...thanks for sending such good kids.

Sunday~the beginning :)

Hola from Ensenada! Today's activities have been very calm- a brief church service with all of the children, a tour of the entire compound, and an AMAZING lunch! I've enjoyed playing games and coloring with the younger girls while the boys played soccer. Now that the younger children have gone back to their houses, the jump ropes have come out and become the center of attention. All the teens are very friendly to the american group, even if the language barrier is a bit frustrating. The teenage girls just laugh and smile as we all try to communicate with the limited Spanish phrases we know. Most of the girls know at least a little English so they can figure out what we are asking, but not without an innocent laugh. At this point we are just beginning our week-long journey through another culture that i'm sure will be life-changing. Today is just the beginning and i'm anxious to see wht is ahead. :)
~Marilyn J.

Day 2- July 12, 2009 continued. Comments from Catherine :)

Its still day two here in Ensenada and we just finished having our delicious meal prepared by the Mexican dorm mothers here, and boy am I stuffed! If you were ever wondering why we have restaurants named La Siesta (in spanish that means nap) and were confused by the meaning, in mexico lunch is a pretty big deal, so big that you need a siesta when you are finished, which I understand now cause I am in a great need of one. At the moment, everyone is outside playing and socializing in the courtyard/play area, and soon we will get to go play in the dorms with the children here. Earlier today we took a tour of the home, seeing the dorms in which the kids here lived and their "Main Street" where their barber shop, doctors office, Patty & Ricardo's office and their huge pantry stocked with three months supply of food is located. They are well taken care of here and don't take anything for granted, which really makes me appreciate what we have back home. God really has blessed us, not only for the great opportunity to come down here and let us serve others, but also through everything we are given back home.

We're having a great time here and I know it will only get better!
Love, Catherine

Day 2- July 12, 2009

Words from Callie our first teen blogger

On day 2 of being in Ensenada, Mexico we wake up to a nice breeze coming off the water.It is majestic. How can you not worship God in a place like this? The campus is breath-taking. Because it is Sunday, we joined the entire campus for church service. We participated in an english-spanish service. Everyday we have a teen devo where Skid reiterates some things that were talked about in the service and observations from the day. Today we talked about struggles we felt that God has presented us with on this trip. I can already feel some of the tension between the children and ourselves going away.

Today we are playing with the children and it is very much like a relaxing day. The following days will involve much more energy and running around. Today we play with the kids. I am excited to embark on what will be an excited and tiring adventure, but I can tell God already has big plans for our group and that is really exciting. The trip has been great and the weather is wonderful.

-Callie K.