Mexico Mission Team Pictures 2008

PICTURES FROM 2008 TRIP: CLICK HERE!!

Mexico Mission Update: Thursday June 19

Today was a very long but enjoyable day.

We began the day early and went and finished the 2nd floor so it would be ready to begin the roof. We finished that by 11 AM. After lunch we gave out gifts and sang and prayed together over the building and the minister and his family and the congregation as a whole.

One of the highlights of the day was playing street soccer with many of the neighborhood kids. By the end of our time about 15 kids and several adults from the community were there to spend time with us and see us off.

Each year we give gifts to the church as a thank you. We filled the front of the stage with gifts and to the preacher's wife (who cooked all our food each day), we got her a mixer (something the ladies who helped her from our group thought she could use). She was very touched but the gift (something we would take for granted). It was an emotional day but a great one.

After getting back to the hotel and relaxing and having a devotional we went to dinner and then went to a baseball game to Sultanes de Monterrey (the professional baseball team in Mexico). It was an amazing experience with alot of fun. We met a lot of people and enjoyed the game together. Monterrey won 8-1. Look out for Alfredo Simon in the major leagues in a few years....he is a great pitcher. He almost pitched a shutout and had a home run hit off him in the 8th inning.

Tomorrow we head back to San Antonio which will be a LONG day of travel. We have many memories and we are sad to leave. God has done great things this week and it has been great to be apart.

Continued prayers for our travels....

Mexico Mission Update: Wednesday June 18

Today was a great day! We finished the 4 walls on the second floor and now we need to pour the columns and finish the windows tomorrow.

Rick Owens came to lunch today and talked with us for a while. It is always great to have Rick on the work site and spend time with him and have him talk to the group. Rick and Sherry are two very special people. Sherry is back in New Mexico right now.

Rick told us a little bit of the history of this church and how it came about. The minister and his family moved to this place to live and they met under a tree for several years. They had no where else to go or place to meet so that is where they met. This is one of Rick's ideal people to help. What we are building is something that they would never be able to have and this church will be filled within the next year. You will also see pictures of the minister's house. Most of the cooking is done outside on stoves because they do not have the space for it in their home. They use work gloves as oven mits because that is what they could afford.

We have also worked and met several of the members and heard there amazing stories...some very good and some with great tragedy. But yet daily they see the greater calling.

We also got to interact today with many of the children in the community. People are becoming more friendly and accepting to us. Its a shame tomorrow is the last day since we are making so many connections but hopefully these will spark something for the church there.

Rick reminded us of the phrase "to much is given; much is required" and that rings true each time we come here to Mexico. This has been a tremendous blessing!

Tomorrow we will finish our work at the church and say our goodbyes. Its been a hard week of work but a rewarding one.

Here are pictures from the first few days (not of today) You can see pictures at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/petersonrw/sets/72157605671559782/

Thank you more the prayers....more tomorrow.

Mexico Mission: Tuesday June 17

Today was another hot day of work but we made it through!!! With lots of team work, water, and breaks we got alot accomplished. We poured some of the columns, finished 3 of the walls. Tomorrow we will finish the walls and hopefully pour all the columns and finish the windows.

After work, we went to the "Nunery" where all the waitresses dress like Nuns and we have the traditional "Hot sauce contest". After that we went out in the market square and walked in shops, bought some things and even got frozen yogurt. After we did all that we had a wonderful devotional together.

Tomorrow if another long, hot day ahead of us. But we are all in good spirits and excited for the work God has put before us.

More tomorrow......

Mexico Mission: Monday June 16

Today was the first day of work. Our job is to put up the 4 walls of the 2nd floor of the church. again, we worked at this church 2 years ago. It was good to see people that we knew from years past. Today was very hot but we worked well and got alot done with of course the traditional block parties.

We worked extra because of the late start. We came back to the hotel, had dinner and got to enjoy the evening that we have left (mostly get to go to bed early).

Tomorrow is a busy day and we start early. We hope to have pictures up tomorrow but we will see about that...having some technical difficulties with get pictures up.

Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers....

Mexico Mission Update: Sunday June 15

Greetings from Mexico!

We got across the border safely and with out any real issue. We went to church in Nuevo Laredo at the church that Paco just planted two years ago. It was enjoyable to be at the church and worship with some of the Mexican Christians there.

One moment that stuck out was during the sing we sang in english and the Mexican Christians sang in Spanish. However, while singing "We Will Glorify" we all came together in unison singing "Hallelujah". It was really impactful in the sense that we are so different yet through Christ we have anything in common.

From there we continued to travel and ended safely in Monterey. It was great to see Rick Owens again and get to talk with him. The hotel is wonderful and way beyond what we need. We ate in the Marketplace and had a devotional together.

Tomorrow we begin the work. For the first time ever we are working on a building that we worked on two years ago. This is a new experience but one that will be great to rekindle some old friendship that we had from before.

Everyone is doing well and getting ready for bed. It's suppose to be VERY hot this week. But we are ready to work as a team and accomplish what we are to begin.

Thanks for the prayers.....

Mexico Mission Trip Sat. June 14

We arrived safely in Laredo, TX today after a LONG day of travel. Its good to see some old faces and get to meet some new people. Tomorrow we cross the border into Mexico early in the morning. We plan to go to church in Mexico with one of the preachers we worked with in years past name Paco. Then we are off to Monterrey. The trip is going well so far and we are excited to see what God has in store for us.

Keep the prayers going....they are appreciated and felt.

Pictures will be posted later on in the week!

More tomorrow.....

Movie Night and Mexico updates

Hey everyone!

- Movie Night over at the Morgan's. Friday @ 7pm. Guys bring drinks; Girls bring snacks. We are watching National Treasure II!!!! Directions to the Morgan's we're emailed earlier this week or are on the bulletin board at the church. If you need them email me and I can send them to you!!!

- This Saturday the Mexico Mission Team leaves for their work in Monterrey. Please be in prayer all this next week for the safety and success of the team. There will hopefully be daily updates posted here so be checking back to see what we are doing (as long as there is internet access there will be updates...and as of now...everywhere we go there is internet in the hotel).

- I will post the rest of the summer schedule after Mexico (so you will actually see it after this week :)) Calendars are posted on the youth ministry bulletin board in the lobby. REMEMBER TO REGISTER FOR CAMP IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY!!!! AND FOR THE YOUTH MINISTRY CAMPING RETREAT TO CAPE HENLOPEN!!!!