Coming Home!

The team comes home tonight!

They are due to arrive around 9:00pm at Reagan. If you need more specific flight information, use the phone numbers previously posted and I will be happy to help you.

We're all very excited to have them back and can't wait to hear more stories! If possible, we will post a follow up message here and maybe even some pictures.

Welcome home!!!

Update #9 Sent July 14

We are back in LA tonight - back from a memorable and perhaps even life changing retreat from the remote side of Catalina Island. All are well, healthy, tanned and at this moment playing touch football on the white sand beach at Malibu. We are going to watch the sunset on the beach, eat, and then head to our final destination, Anaheim, where warm, indoor showers await us finally!

Update #8 Sent July 11

A note for the blog...
Wow, well we are currently racing up interstate five toward Anahiem to pick up our camping gear for catalina. Of course that means we made it across the boarder safely although it took longer than expected, hence the hasty, but legal driving. Thank you for your continued prayers for us, these past few days have provided us all with ample opportunities to not only serve, but to see the work of the holy spirit in the situations we have faced! Oh, and praise God for the opportunities. Not only did we complete all of our planned outreaches including two seperate church services/bible studies, street evangelism, and construction, but we were all blessed with the chance to discuss missions and other related topics with george and stacy palau and pastor martin. It is clear that the lord has called all three of them to serve him by building his church in mexico. And I would encourage you to be in prayer for them and their continued ministry in tijuana and rosarito. This morning we had two very special chances first we visited a home for the terminally ill in southern tijuana and ministered to many men who are very close to death. What is more we disscussed possible further involvment of the second team with the home including equiping them for their difficult task. Our second opportuity was to have lunch with pastor pablo benitez and his family. I am glad to report that he and his family are doing well. From there we jumped into line for the boarder and two hours later sailed through the crossing with no problems. Even right now we are doubtful of our connection to catalina given the tightness of the time schedule. So if you get this in the next couple of hours your prayers would be greatly appreciated. thanks again for your prayers and support and we will see you all soon!

For the team:
In Christ,
Jared
KLU

Update #7 Sent July 10

A short note tonight as tomorrow is a hectic transition day and it is late! A busy but rewarding day that included a little bit of everything - youth activities at Grace Home, door-to-door evangelism in several neighborhoods, and helping to distribute food from a food bank to the very poor and widows. Topping off our long day was total responsibility for a community Bible study at Grace Home.  Over 100 adults and children came and we literally had no room to move. Our music team performed again (same songs as last night's church service) but this time crammed in a kitchen with a room full of men and women. Most of them are substance abusers trying valiantly to straighten their lives out. Having men at a Bible Study here is very unusual and it made for an audience hungry for God's Word. The team sang, did a reprise of a drama about the life of Job (our team theme), and preached the Word. Some team also handled nursery duty and did an extended VBS outside for scores of neighborhood children. A wonderful evening and the team was somewhat sad to see their "Road show" come to an end. There were many tears as we said goodbye to children that quickly become more than just names and smiling faces.

Tomorrow an early start with Pastor Martin as we will spend a challenging morning with the sick and dying at a "terminal home". After that we will have lunch with an old friend - Pastor Pablo Benitez from the village of Pegaso. Pray for our stamina as the long hours, sun, and constant dust is taking a toll on our amazing team of students. They have had a week of non-stop ministry!

Adios, Tomas

Update #6 sent July 9

Hola family and friends. The end of our first week finds us healthy and safe. Today confirmed why they call it "flexico". While plans had us going to the beach, the weather did not cooperate so the majority of the group ended up at a large park. At the park we had an opportunity to play with the kids from the orphanage on all kinds of fun playground equipment. It is mexico after all, so we of course played soccer. Earlier this morning some of us helped pack a picnic for 70 people so we wouldn't have to return for lunch. The remaining four members of the team helped prime the 2nd floor of the new orphanage building before accompanying pastor martin castro while making his rounds. Its amazing to see how this orphanage functions solely on donations and volunteers, because they get nothing from the government. It is also amazing to witness the prevalence of God in the childrens faces on a daily basis. Its hard to believe we only have one day left.... Many of us have become rather attached to the children and it will be hard to leave, but we are all anxiously awaiting what God has in store for us on Catalina. This evening we had the privilige of not only participating, but rather running a church service... Completley in spanish! It was a challenge, but we pulled through with music, drama, testamonies and preaching. Considering most of us speak little spanish, the service was a huge success. Afterwards we were overwhlemed with joy. As we look back from the halfway point of our journey, our team has truly learned what joy from the holy spirit feels like. As Tom said, it was incredibly evident on our faces, but also in our hearts too. We wish you could see how truly joyful we all are, as well as witness the changes that have occured in our hearts. But in the meantime, God has answered our prayer for team unity and we have really come together. Please continue praying for us. Some of our requests include: safety, continued spiritual growth, flexibilty in enduring changes, endurance as we face long days and are physically exhausted, patience with one another as we are entering our 2nd week, as well as understanding of Gods plan for us, cutural differences and finding our purpose here. Thank you for your prayers and support, we love and miss you!
Leslie Parrish and Erin Mackie

Update #5 Sent July 8

Thanks for the prayer session - we can use plenty of it! Tomorrow we approach the halfway point in Mexico and all is well. We have been ministering at Grace Children's Home this week and the orphans there have adopted your children! Words cannot convey the love your children are giving - and receiving - from these little one's (and the staff). I have seen such warmth, patience, and genuine affection from your children - a side of them that perhaps many of them did not know that they possessed before this trip.
Some of the boy's worked with me today also in digging a long trench for pipe that we laid at the end of the day (for gray water). More to do tomorrow early, but I can assure you that they can handle pick axes and shovels well in soil that is so hard and dry (and mostly volcanic rock). They had some junior helpers who stuck with us the entire day. I watched as these young boys worked with such pride and eagerness with your sons - who were for a day like the fathers these youngsters will never have.
Tomorrow, after some early morning chores, the students will take the children to the playa (beach) for a day of surf and sandcastles. Stacey Palau has promised to bring along some surf boards, so some of your children will try to hang ten in the Pacific manana. Tomorrow night is a reason for extra prayer. The students will be conducting the entire Wed. night service at Pastor Martin Castro's church up the road from Grace. They will be doing music, testimonies, the message - everything - for over 100 believers. On Thursday they do the same but for even more people at a weekly Bible Study at Grace.
Pray for our stamina - the days are long and the work is hard (and that includes letting 40 children crawling all over you all day and doing VBS.) No illnesses so far but pray for health too. Finally, pray that the students comprehend and appreciate the gift that has been given to them - time without the normal distractions to see God move in powerful ways - and to know Him better. I know they miss you - but they are also having a blast here! Thanks for praying. Tom

Prayer Session

There will be a prayer session at the Britton's house at 7:30pm on Thursday, July 10. For safety and security, I am not going to post their address or number. If you need their address, please call the church (703.941.4124) or make a comment on this post. Prayer requests from the team will be posted next. Also, good news! Tom has access to the blog from his blackberry, so the team will be able to see any comments you leave for them. Don't you just love technology?
~Katie

Team Picture

I just thought I would include the team photo if anyone hasn't seen it yet. Aren't they a good looking group!

Update #4 sent July 6

Arrived in Mexico today - all safe and sound. We are in secure quarters and the team is in very high spirits. Tim and Ian joined us today, so we are "complete" now. Tomorrow we start at Grace Home and phase two will be underway.

Update #3 sent July 5

Late Saturday night - so this will be brief. We ended "phase one" of our trip tonight on an unexpected but welcomed note. After three days of very demanding work - physically and spirtually - in a place of both incredible darkness and hope, we were told that another group had arrived early and we did not have to work the dinner shift (5 - 9 pm). Suddenly we had a free night and made the most of it. The students watched the sun sink beneath the western sky while walking in the rolling surf of the Pacific at Santa Monica beach. Later, we dined in elegance at a favorite USC hangout _ "Fatburger" - the name says it all. Early tomorrow we begin phase two by transistioning to Mexico. So many stories already to tell, so many lessons learned from the men and women whom they befriended here - all recovering addicts, most with heavy prison time already in life. The staff here says that our team is one of the best that they have seen, and the men in "the program" have really connected, in a very genuine way, with your children - now ambassadors for Christ. All are healthy and anxious for tomorrow to come. Pray that God challenges them to listen, learn, and model the Gospel

Update #2 sent July 3

A long, exhaustive, but rewarding day for the team. We moved into Union Rescue today and began the process of serving - and praying for and with - the people we largely ignore on a day to day basis. Homeless, mentally ill, and mostly people with some addiction. Andy told the students today that alcohol and heroin were only 10 percent of his problem - 90 percent was the broken family, abuse, gang mentality and disregard for anyone but himself. All but three of his adult years have been spent in prison. He also told them however that Jesus had taken him from darkness to light and had given him a reason to hope. Now he works at URM and is seeing his children again - and is staying straight for them and His Lord. Only one of many stories but an indication of what they are encountering. Tomorrow, the 4th, will be spent chopping, cooking, cleaning, and serving. Holidays don't seem to change the routine much here. They prayed for you tonight, and for the Rwanda team that leaves tomorrow.>Pray for their stamina and that they adjust to serving without any rewards or notice.

Welcome to the Mexico 1 Team Blog!

The team does not have access to a computer to blog... so we are helping them out! Tom will be sending updates via his Blackberry, which I will convert to blog updates. Feel free to leave comments, though the students will only get to see them when they return.
~Katie

PS. The first update is that they arrived safely!