And so it begins…

One week ago I left on this
adventure.  I knew that while here
God would be challenging me and I would be changed by this experience, but I
just don’t think I realized that the challenge would begin the moment I
arrived.  We spent the first three
days here in complete solitude, which is a spiritual discipline that to be
honest with was completely uncomfortable for me.  Three days… I was frustrated with the timing of it at first
because I was eager to be getting to know my team and start forming
relationships.  The first thing and
the thing that God kept showing me during those three days was how I need to be
seeking relationship with him above all else, and that He is the one I should
be turning to not just those around me here.  Solitude turned out to be such a neat experience and since
we have been done we have been diving into team building and ministry.  There are about thirty-five of us here
and the team I will be serving alongside in Africa will be six of us. 

We wake up around 6:30 and start
the day at 7… our day is usually finished around 10.  Its hot here and there are a lot of mosquitoes and other
bugs!  We live on this little
campus surrounded by fields and farms and little houses.  Its beautiful!

             On Monday our Uganda team went and met
the family that we will be spending our time with while here in Mexico.  Irma and her husband have been married
for twelve years and live within walking distance from my Mexico home.  They have no children but a large
extended family.  It has been
really special to get to meet them right away and start forming relationship
with them.

            As
a whole team we went to a local orphanage on Tuesday morning that we will be
visiting often.  I have visited the
orphanage in Tijuana many times and didn’t expect to be emotional or anything
by being there.  But I met this
little girl who is two years old. 
It was explained to me that her mother was a prostitute and addicted to
drugs while she was pregnant.  
America, the little girl, just broke my heart.  It is hard to see the reality that not all children who need
that little extra attention are able to have it just because of the
circumstances that they are born into. 
I’m just so thankful for my family and wish that everyone could be
raised with families around to support them as they grow.  It was fun to play with the kids and
tell stories… I just am wishing that I had paid more attention during high
school Spanish class!

            At
night we talk about theology and history of church and discuss how Jesus
modeled and calls us to live our lives. 
It has been really neat to be diving into scriptures and talking about
them with my team.  It is really
challenging the way that I think and making me have to really look at the way I
view following Christ and what that looks like in everyday life and how we are
called to function as a church. 
There have been many neat late night conversations as all of us are just
trying to sort out what we think about these things.  Jesus is a radical man and I think we are all realizing the
cost and the commitment that is necessary to follow him.  It’s exciting to be surrounded by
others my age who are so passionate and ready to dive in and look at what Jesus
calls us to do. 

            All
in all things are good, exciting and I’m already exhausted… but I’m so happy to
really be here.  This adventure is
only beginning too!

 Pictures will be coming soon… im not quite sure how to post those on here just yet… but ill find out!