Day 1: Calm (ish) Before the Storm

Today (Saturday) we focused on hanging out, relaxing and becoming familiar with the city before we get down to business (no Huns).

Because we got in so late last night, Adrian (our guide) told us to sleep in and we would start at noon. So, I woke up in time for breakfast (our breakfast food is the best) and promptly decided I would rather sleep. So I woke up too late for breakfast and got ready to have a day.

Adrian picked us up (with the help of Raul and Brenda*) and took us to the Fundidora Park (a place far too cool for me to describe it with my meager wordliness (think the Riverwalk combined with a huge park, then imagine it 7 times more beautiful)). We walked around and admired the park and sat in the shade. Adrian then gave us our "official welcome" to Monterrey. This included a brief history of the church here and a summary of their vision for the future (which i will talk about some other time).

Nevermind, I'll talk about it now. Monterrey is a big enough city that they plan to multiply their church until they have one in the North, East and West to join the current one in the South. They multiply homegroups here roughly once every year. Can I say that again? Once every year. The nature of the city is such that they don't have a high turnover in leadership because, when someone graduates, why leave? The best jobs are already here.

Also, when people do leave (this is an exhortation if you want it to be), if they go somewhere where they have difficulty finding a church, they start their own. There are two or three young leaders who are working to start a homegroup that can grow into a house church that can grow into a church in the cities that they are going to for work. Talk about church planting. Anyway, I will talk more about the church here some other post.


For lunch (roughly a 3:00 pm activity), we had our first tacos here (our lunch food is the best). More of our gente aqui ate lunch with us, then joined us to hang out in the park for the afternoon. Carolina and the girls played some games (I couldn't tell what was going on) while Mario, Stephen, and I discussed our artistic tendencies and how we express our love for God through music. Ok, it was mostly Mario and Stephen. Greg and Adrian stood and talked about what I can only assume were deep spiritual matters, given the participants.

We left the park and went to Josue's (ho-sway: Joshua) grupo, where we got to see more old friends. Josue talked about sharing your faith with your friends (take opportunities, make opportunities) and invited people to join us on campus when we go to share.
Highlights from the group:
-"This is Mexico, when can kidnap whoever we want." (in regards to...yes, evangelism)
-EvangeLigar: flirt to convert (we do not endorse or recommend this, though God sometimes uses it)

After the group, we went to get some dinner (our dinner food is the best): tacos de trompo. Which, when translated means "if it tastes this good, don't ask what it is."

It is strange being here. I always knew I liked Monterrey, but I didn't realize how much my if felt like home until today. My heart has never missed it when we've gone away, but now some of me wishes I could just stay.
My heart is still in College Station though, and I don't anticipate that changing for a while. And when it does, I don't know where God will take me next, I just hope they speak Spanish and sell tacos.

Pray that we will be safe from spiritual attack in any and all forms.

* I know some dang cute dating couples. Raul and Brenda go very high on that list (especially since my cute dating couples keep getting married), but don't tell them i think so.

The latest update

....latest indeed. Let us hope that most of my posts happen before 2 AM.

Lateness seems to be the order of our day though, we got to the airport, you know, right before the plane left (this is how we do). Crammed into the left-open seats, and boom. here we are...

Stephen's flight should be landing...now. Adrian went to pick him up as well.

We are settling into our lovely HQ (Holiday Inn) and looking forward to tomorrow.

Oh, and, first activity in Monterrey? Hit up a 7-11 for some midnight hot dogs. It is so good to be back y'all.

The drive up was fun, Erica and Bethany led us in practicing our Spanish worship songs, which was lovely. Stephen told us his best joke (ask him sometime). It's a really good team dynamic and I am stoked.

Be praying that will be able to serve and bless the saints here.

...not with flesh and blood

Well folks, it looks like this trip is actually happening.

We've been talking leave-times and airport carpooling today, and it all looks good. Last year we had 7 days; this year we're looking at 9 (10 if you count Friday). So that means you get to read even more updates as we are in Monterrey. I never really know what to say before a trip, though I still feel the compulsive urge to post updates (that bodes ill).

We've encountered a surprisingly (though not althogether discouragingly) high amount of spiritual warfare this time around. Sleeplessness, fear, temptations, doubt, distractions, all kinds of money troubles, physical illness... it's been hitting us hard.

But! that encourages my heart more than accomplishing anything else. Why strike pre-emptively at that which you do not deem threatening? Through it all, we've turned to Jesus and God has used it for good.

And! we aren't playing defense either. We've aready seen a salvation as a fruit of this trip. Erica Love went out with a group, sharing the gospel to practice and used her Spanish-English Bible and bridge diagram to lead someone to know Christ.

It's already going down guys, thanks for your continued prayers for team unity, faith, boldness, and openness to the Spirit's leading.

mmm, mmm, good

So, awesome news: we now have a 7th team member!

Stephen Campbell from Fellowship is gonna be joining us, which is really exciting to me.

Our team of 7 will be rolling our this Friday. We are almost done with the support raising so it's good. The posts so far for this trip have been short, but I'll have good details and maybe even more enjoyable writing style once we get there.

Be praying for humility, faith in the Lord, protection from attack, team unity, and...money heh

blessings!

...but it sure comes in handy down here

We're getting really close.

the T-minus 10 days kind of close.

the "oh-dear-will-we-raise-the-money-in-time" kind of close.

But, we trust God wil provide and I am so excited to see how God works through our team :D

Team. Team. Team. (A-Whoop)

It is official. This weekend, we had out team training on Saturday and we have our official team roster.

I'm leading the team
Sheryl S is, of course, going again.
Greg Stadter is reppin' GCM Staff from the 242 church in San Marcos.
Bethany Garay is also hailing from Texas State.
Jeffier Dawson is joining us for her first mission trip and first time out of the country.
Erica Love joined our team recently, which was super encouraging to me.

So, we are 6. Pastor Rodger can't come due to a scheduling conflict. I'm glad Greg will be there, it will make me feel a little better as the "leader" to have a real live Staff person with us :)

Our training time was fantastic! We prayed and trained and prayed some more. Our focus, of course, is on Evangelism and encourging the church. We will leave late Friday night, stay the full week, and come back late Sunday morning for a total 9 1/2 days in Mexico...

I am so excited, please be praying that we will be Spirt-led, wise, and bold!

Gearing Up - 2013

It's insane to think that if this year was last year we'd already be in Mexico.

As is, we are just starting the process of getting ready to solidify our team. At Pizza (or Chinese Food) and Vision, I made a last-ditch plug for our trip to the students at Fellowship Church. We currently have 6 people on the team; three from Fellowship and three from our sister church, 242, in San Marcos. I'll post about our team members once our team is solid.

For now, just know that we are getting ready, though God has been getting us ready for much longer than we can imagine, in ways that we cannot see. I am so excited for his Spirit to move in or lives and in the hearts of the church there.

Our main goal is to glorify God by serving the church there and spreading the gospel.

I. Am. Excited.