Off To Guadalajara

Well we have officially been at the Williams for 3 weeks and in Mexico for 3 1/2 weeks! Guadalajara, in the beginning, seemed like the "home stretch" and now it's here and we've been surprised it came so quickly. Today we'll get on a bus with the team and travel 9 hours to Guadalajara. All we know about it is that there is a Mexican family and church out there that we'll be working with and teaching English classes with. We will either be 2 to a house or all the girls in one and the guys in another. We don't know if we'll have internet access as frequently so we'll try to let you know as soon as possible!

Last night was our last night teaching English with the Sanchez Family (our next door neighbors). We brought over some cupcakes and soda and played Uno for a good hour and a half. It was fun to laugh and celebrate with them. They have taken the last 3 weeks very seriously and have learned a lot of English, so it was nice to just have some fun. We also brought them some small gifts as a thank you and we were very surprised when they out to large gift bags. They got Jessica a really nice scarf/shall and Jordan a authentic Mexican Indian Llama vest. We will upload some pictures as soon as we can. It has been wonderful getting to know this family and we will definitely miss them.

Since last night was our last night here the kids decided to send us off with some pranks. A firecracker (more like an M80) at 1:00am, Vick's Vapor Rub on the toilet seat, saran wrap on the toilet, fake poop outside Jessica's door, a walkie talkie hidden in Jessica's room and others that did not succeed. Apparently Josh was going to throw a peach bomb filled with firecrackers into Jordan's room, good thing Jordan planned ahead and locked his door! However, we are no fools! We put salt and pepper in Alicia's tooth brush, cayenne pepper on Josh's pillows and sheets, and set an alarm for various times throughout the night in Josh's room. Let's just say we didn't sleep a lot last night so hopefully we'll be able to on the bus.

Well we're off to Guadalajara, we miss you and will try to post soon!

Four More Days in Izcalli

We have officially hit the half way point of our trip. Yesterday we had been here for 21 days and had 21 days to go. We are having a good time, but it is good to know that from now on we will have been here more days than days that are left. We leave for Guadalajara on Sunday, and are getting excited to meet back up with the team and get the chance to see another part of Mexico. We aren't really sure what we'll be doing there yet, but we'll let you know when we find out!
Today was supposed to be the last day of our English classes at the Elementary School, but when we arrived this morning there wasn't a single student there! The teachers planned a teacher conference day and probably decided that yesterday! We are getting used to going with the flow and spent some time with the teachers before we caught a bus back home. We are planning to go back tomorrow or Friday to say goodbye and give out some presents. We had a great time at the school and seeing so many young faces was refreshing and fun for us- we'll miss you Benito Juarez Elementary!

Sunday we went Tepozatlan after church because there is a big market there. It was a great "cultural experience" and we found these super cute gifts that Jessica is obviously still very excited about! Jordan has bought some strange gifts and Jessica is learning to just walk away when he gets captivated by Mexican action figures, etc... Tepozatlan is more like a Puebla and was very beautiful. Alicia and Josh were somewhat (okay, very) disinterested in the souvenir shopping due to the Mexico vs. US soccer game- we were somewhat fearful when we found out US won being that Jessica is VERY Gringo.

We have been somewhat discouraged because one of our English classes keeps getting canceled and we are having a hard time getting a hold of anyone. We are really praying that the relationships we and the Williams have made with them will allow them to get involved with the great things the Williams are doing and are hoping they aren't pushing away for specific reasons. We are trying very hard to respect cultural and spiritual boundaries and simply do whatever we can to love this family.

Jordan just finished Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell and has been raving about it and all the things he's learned while reading it. Jessica has had to shush him a few times because she still wants to read it! It's been great though because it has really encouraged him in the ways he loves people and his perspective of the Bible. He is learning not to just take it at face value but to really search out the meaning of the Bible for him personally. Christianity was never meant to be about religion, but rather a way of life and who we are. Jessica has become attached to a Message Bible she found at the Williams because it is so relevant and easy to follow and has been going through Matthew. She has been praying a lot about wisdom and read today that when we cry out to the Lord for Wisdom and call out for Insight that the Lord will provide generously without finding fault when we ask in confidence (James 1:5-6, and Proverbs 2:1-6). There are so many questions about the next steps and she is excited to search it out.

Being that we are a little over half way done, we are starting to miss home and are becoming more deeply thankful for all of you, and for the things we have. The more places that I (Jessica) go, the more I realize that Wilsonville is the right place for us for this stage of our lives. But also because we are right in the middle I've noticed it being easier to get irritated, worn out, and wanting to be home. God has been faithful in reminding us of purpose and that there is more to learn and do here in Mexico. Please pray for our attitudes and perspectives to stay in check as time continues to pass.

We love you and appreciate your prayers! Enjoy some new photos...

Tepozatlan - This is the Catholic church in Tepozatlan right in the middle of the big market.











La Michoacana - On Saturday Jess and I walked up to a very popular ice cream chain down here and got some of the best ice cream we have ever had. We quickly became with the shop owner Luis and say hello every time we pass.






Jess helped out around the house on Monday and did her fair share of painting. Isn't she cute! Her painting clothes are circa 1989.

Two Weeks With the Williams

As of today we have been at the Williams for two weeks. Time has passed quickly and we are excited to see what this next week has in store. Yesterday Jordan did a family portrait for the Williams and is making them a website/blog right now. Here's the photo of their family: (left to right) Josh, Denise, Craig and Alicia


Josh is 13 and he is very much a boy. He will eat anything (I mean anything) and goes to great extents to gross out anyone and everyone at the dinner table. He also is currently addicted to Lost Season 2, which has been fun for us to see old episodes!
Denise is a wonderful mother and wife, and it didn't take long for us to see that. She cooks amazing food: cornbread, chicken pot pie, bran muffins, and so much more! She is so loving and the way she interacts with the Mexican people is so natural.
Craig is often walking throughout the house singing songs like "The Muttley Family" and "Scooby Doo Be Dobbey Do" and is hilarious. He can strike up a conversation with anyone anywhere, and it has been great to watch how he can so easily start a relationship with a perfect stranger.
Alicia is 15 and loves soccer and music. She is often the victim of Josh's gross moments and pranks. She is a great help at our English class when Jordan and I need some translating!

Rainy Days

Well surprisingly enough, we have come to Mexico City at the beginning of their rainy season! We anticipated (and were told to expect) hot weather and of course, brought clothes accordingly. With only one pair of long pants each we have had to forgo clean clothes for warm clothes. The rain has also affected our English class. The second class that we teach is outside and it gets very muddy and flooded and we have had to cancel twice. Please pray that the rain would not interfere with our ability to spend time with this family.

But for me there is something about the rain that I must admit I really enjoy. I've been able to cuddle up in my bed, get under a blanket and read my Bible. The rain is so calming and peaceful and have given me so many opportunities to journal and soak in all the things that God is doing in me. I am thankful for the rain and what it has provided for me.

We even had a power outage on Tuesday! Our second class was canceled, so we stayed home and had some people over and played games. We laughed and talked and just enjoyed each other's company without the daily distractions and interferences. Power came back on just as we were going to bed and it was a lot of fun. All of this stormy weather makes me miss home and I'm really looking forward to the fall- my favorite time of year!

P.S. Ever since the first day Denise has been calling me Jessie which made me feel right at home from the beginning. Neither Jordan or I said that was my name, she just said it and it has stuck ever since. Being that only my family and childhood friends call me that, I knew this place would feel like home- which it does!

More Photos

Here are some more photos from the last few days here in Cuautitlan-Izcalli. Click on the pictures to see them larger. Make sure you don't miss our latest post below this one. More photos here at Jordan's Flickr page...

Our home in Cuautitlan-Izcalli
This has been our home for the last week and will be until the 1st of July. Izcalli like many large towns in Mexico has a population of over 500,000 (not a typo, 500,000) Most of the homes in Izcalli don't look like the Williams who live in a nicer neighborhood called Lakewood. All of the houses here are made of cement and have big gates with beefy locks on them. We are grateful to be staying with Williams and to be living in a house that sort of makes us feel at home.




The staircase up to Jordan's room.
Jordan lives in a room that the Williams think was built to be a maid's quarters. To get to his room he sort of has to go outside and climb up this twirly staircase. The last couple of days it has been raining and the stairs have been pretty wet, but Jordan is happy to have his own little loft. He is planning on throwing a fiesta up their in the near future.


Tepojaco Boys
These are a few of the teens that come to our 8:30pm English class. We have about 17 people in our class and it has been growing by a couple people or so every few days. Three of these boys are cousins or "Primos". From left to right... Christian, Miguel, Miguel, and Juan Daniel.



Sharing Photos
Last Thursday, Mary Belle (left) got out a photo album and shared pictures of her family with Jess. So on Friday Jess brought a photo album to English class to share photos of our friends and family. The ladies in this photo are Mary Belle, Violeta, and little Adilenie. A couple of minutes later Jess had a pretty big crowd.






Adilenie
We have our 8:30 English class at Jesus and Mary Belle's home in Tepojaco M-F. This is their four year old daughter Adilenie. As you can see in this picture she is a cheerful little girl. We love to play with her and spend a majority of the time we are there chasing her around or being chased.







Mexican Arm Wrestling
For some reason one day last week our English class ended in an arm wrestling tournament. In this picture representing the Mexicans, Anjelica and representing the Gringo's Jess. Let's just say the Mexicans went undefeated that night. Let's just say, Jordan's record is 0-2, including a loss to Adilenie




More Mexican Arm Wrestling
The man on the left is Jesus who was the arm wrestling champion of the night. While Diego looks as if he is having a baby Jesus was calm with a big smile on his face. On a side note for a couple of weeks Craig thought Jesus' name was Juan. If you take a look at our schedule a few posts back you will see "Juan's" name where it should say Jesus.


Mexico City Starbucks
While we were in the city we had breakfast at this Starbucks a few mornings. It is really weird to because it is exactly the same as the Starbucks in Wilsonville except that Jordan couldn't read the menu.

The Decision to Stay

Rod called late last week to let us know he would prefer if we stayed with the Williams, instead of going back with the team. A lot of people are connecting with their host families like we are connecting here, and didn't find it necessary to cut that off. We were supposed to leave here on Wednesday and meet back up with the team, and instead we will be staying here through the 1st, when we go to Guadalajara with the team. We are really excited about this, feeling confident in the relationships we have started to develop not only with the Mexicans, but also with the Williams. We were somewhat surprised that it worked out this way, being that we have anticipated being with a team of 20 most of the time, but we are excited to see how God uses this time in our relationship. We have had a lot of time to read, pray, and just talk and it is strengthening and encouraging us.

English classes have been going great. We teach the next door neighbors M-F 7:00-8:00pm, and Jordan has been working with their three kids (14, 11, 9), while Jessica is working with the mom. Then M-F we teach another class from 8:30-10:30pm with a big group of people. It is funny how different these two groups are. The first is very serious, and soft-spoken and the second is loud, and quite a diverse group of people. At the second class it is basically one family, and another group of young people who are all related in some way. There is a girl Violeta, who is very good at English that Jessica has been able to spend time with. They've been able to talk about life and connect, and we are praying that this relationship strengthens in the next two weeks. Jordan has been able to talk with Francisco, a young adult that does dance lessons with the kids after English class. Jordan is hoping to play the guitar with him and his brother this week, and continue to get to know each other better.

We'll be back at the school teaching tomorrow and are giving our first test!! Haha, we are so mean! We'll be riding the bus (not a school bus, but a city bus) by ourselves, so let's pray we don't get lost. We tried it out last week with Craig, and let's just say, we ended up walking about 1 mile in the desert. We forgive you Craig. Anyways... we're glad we are not leaving this week and get to spend two more weeks at the school and with the students.

So far no sickness, but our bodies are still trying to adjust and have their funny little ways of doing so! We would love to hear from you so please leave a comment or email us, because we have internet here and can get back to you.

Please pray for:
*clarity of what life will look like when we get back
*deepened relationships with our new friends
*to be challenged in our relationship to be more like Christ for each other
*to be obedient to God's calling here and at home

We are starting to miss home and miss all of you- hint hint.

Love you all!

Photos

So we have finally gotten around to going through are photos and thought we would post some for you too see. Click on the pictures below to see them larger. More photos here at Jordan's Flickr page...

Jess with some of the girls at Chepultapec Castle
These are some of the girls from our team- the one in the red shirt was Jessica's roommate Alyssa. Above Alyssa is Crystal who goes to Biola and is really sweet. The one in the pink is Amanda, who is from Columbus (Dublin for the Haege's) and just got engaged, and the one right next to Jessica in the white shirt and glasses is the other Jessica who is also loud and outgoing!

Jess and I with Mexico City in the background
This is us at the Castle with the wonderful smoggy skyline of Mexico City behind us.





Huarache
We both ordered one of these, and while they taste "good", they leave you not wanting to eat Mexican food for a while.





Basilica De Guadalupe
This is the biggest Catholic church in Mexico and is said to be the site where Mary appeared to a man. Many people, like the lady on the left, crawl on their knees because it is a sacred place to the Catholic Church.

Lomas - The Most Forgotten
This neighborhood has 11,000 houses and they are just beginning the building process! This neighborhood puts Villebois to shame! This is where we taught at a school and where the Williams are starting a church.



Jess teaching at Benito Juarez
Repeat after me, "This is a door." We taught three 5th grade classes on Tuesday and three 6th grade classes on Wednesday. We had a lot of fun with the kids, even though Jordan had to break up a fist fight!



Jess with Jocelyn (far right) and her friends
These girls were in one of the 5th grade classes we taught, and we think that Jocelyn is so cute and has so much personality!






Carla and Fernando
These two are the ones we have connected with the most. Jessica and Carla just seemed to click and she later found out that Carla is a Christian (which is rare). It was encouraging for Jessica and she's excited to get to know her more. Fernando became Jordan's shadow quickly after we arrived and is a bright, sweet kid.

Mutt Puppy
Jordan wrote that title, so let's hope he's talking about the dog! We went to a house in Lomas where they are going to have their church services, and look what I found! They were sooo sweet and cute! Their eyes weren't even open yet, and dad I'm bringing this one home!

At The Williams

Hello All!
We are now at the William's house which is about an hour outside of the city and a lot less crazy! For those of you who have traveled to Rwanda, the city we're in is a lot like Kigali, so we are liking it here a lot better. We were able to have a true cultural plunge last night when we went wandering throughout the city looking for a printer cartridge for Craig's printer. When we finally found it we had to travel about 8-10 blocks back to the car in a downpour! We had a good laugh and were able to connect quickly with Craig and Denise through this funny experience.

We each have our own rooms at their house, and Jordan's is called a "maid's quarters" so it's off by itself in the back of the house with its own bathroom (which is nice in case of, as Rod calls it, Diapoopoo). We had been sharing rooms in the city with 2 other people, and it was nice to have a room alone because we were each able to get a long, peaceful nights sleep. I knew it was a good nights sleep because I wasn't dreaming about getting lost in Mexico City, or forgetting things from home! My mind and spirit have been able to relax, which I am very thankful for! Last night we ate popcorn and watched "The Kid" (a disney movie) with their family. We are just so thankful to be with people that are so loving and so focused on the Lord. We are praying that we can learn from the Williams in their dedication to God and the beautiful way their family interacts.

Today we went to church where there were about 15 people at one of the family's house. I was surprised how much I understood and was even able to translate a little for Jordan! That was our first experience with Mexicans and we are getting really excited to start our English classes and to do things with the people here. Diego, a 20 year old who is studying to be a missionary, spoke this morning and I felt so encouraged. He talked about suffering for Christ's sake, and that when we suffer the Lord will carry us one single step at a time, holding our hands, and providing us strength. I am asking the Lord that whatever I experience here, or whatever the down times are, that I can remain focused on Him knowing He will carry me through.

Hebrews 12:2 "let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith"

How encouraging! Well tomorrow we start English classes in the evening and then Tuesday we'll start teaching at the elementary school.

Estamos Aqui!

Today was our first full day in Mexico and we are having a great time. We have had an opportunity to walk around the downtown area, eat at Starbucks this morning (yes, Starbucks- it is the weirdest thing), and eat a traditional Mexican lunch. The city is bigger, busier, and maybe a little smellier than we expected! We are getting to know the team, and have met some awesome people. The majority of the team are young adults also, and we are trying to get to know them quickly before we head off with the Williams. We will be in the city through Saturday, and have to go to an internet cafe for internet (which is all in Spanish!). After that we should be able to write longer updates with pictures. Below we have included our schedule for the time we are at the Williams (June 9-20th). We are missing you already and want to thank you for supporting us on this journey. Please pray for peace with adjusting to no personal space, a different culture and language, and less of the luxuries of life. Please pray that the Lord would create a unique and deep relationship between us and the Williams family and that our time there would be fruitful. We love you all and will try to update again before we leave the city.

Saturday June 9
5 pm – Pickup Jordan and Jessica at Monte Real
7 pm – Go to Juan’s house to introduce them (call Juan first)

Sunday June 10
9 am – Show them how to go to Lomas by bus.
11 am – Church Service at Morales’
Afternoon-Evening: Prepare for English Classes

Monday June 11
AM – Devo’s
8 pm – English class at Juan’s (Jordan & Jessica)

Tuesday June 12
AM – Devo’s
7:15 am – Leave for Lomas
8:00-11 am – English classes at Benito Juarez Elementary School
1-2 pm – English class with teachers from Benito Juarez
6 pm – Craig returns from Field Council
8 pm – English class with Bosques del Lago group at Omar’s house

Wednesday June 13
AM – Devo’s
7:15 am – Leave for Lomas
8:00-11 am – English classes at Benito Juarez Elementary School
1-2 pm – English class with teachers from Benito Juarez
8 pm – English class at Juan’s

Thursday June 14
AM – Devo’s
Help Craig with some house projects
8 pm – English class at Juan’s

Friday June 15
AM – Devo’s
Paseo to Mexico City?

Saturday June 16
4 pm – Youth Group

Sunday June 17 – Father’s Day
11 am – Church Service at Morales’
Paseo to Tepozatlan

Monday June 18
AM – Devo’s
8 pm – English class at Juan’s (Jordan & Jessica)

Tuesday June 19
AM – Devo’s
7:15 am – Leave for Lomas
8:00-11 am – English classes at Benito Juarez Elementary School
1-2 pm – English class with teachers from Benito Juarez
8 pm – English class with Bosques del Lago group at Omar’s house

Wednesday June 20
AM – Devo’s
7:15 am – Leave for Lomas
8:00-11 am – English classes at Benito Juarez Elementary School
1-2 pm – English class with teachers from Benito Juarez
8 pm – English class at Juan’s

As you can see there are quite a few days where we are not doing very much, which will hopefully be a time we can connect relationally with the people in Mexico. Part of CAMs ministry and philosophy is to spend quality time with people in order to develop lasting relationships and encourage the Mexican church body to do the same within their communities. The Bible says that people will know we are Christians by the way we love them and we are excited to have so much time to love the people around us.

Four Days Left

It's Saturday and Jess is at the beach with her family, hopefully she will bring home some dinner from her fishing excursion! I have been doing a lot in the last two days trying to get ready for this trip. I am sort of a procrastinator but I feel like things are going pretty smoothly. I ordered a new camera last week and had to send it back because it was defective. Fortunately they sent me a new one right away and I got it Thursday. I am really excited to capture Mexico through a lens and hope to share a lot of my pictures here with all of you. (We don't really know how many people are reading this blog so all of you might just mean my mom) When Jess and I went to Rwanda last summer I was able to bring home with me a lot memories via photographs and for the first time took pictures that told stories. I am hopeful that Mexico will be a similar experience.

I was thinking this morning about our trip and all the things I need to do before we go and I got to thinking, there are so many distractions in life. I have a big list of things to do before I go and I'm sure while we are there we will be pretty busy, but my hope and prayer for our time in Mexico is that we don't miss what God is trying to do. I think that most of the time I am so distracted by the busyness of life that I miss what God is doing right under my nose. Please pray that we would slow down enough to experience God in Mexico.

Right now at Grace Chapel, Jon Furman is doing a series called "Obvious" that has really challenged my faith. Last week he said something that stung but I needed to hear. He said that a lot of us are waiting for a retreat or an event for God to move in our lives, but that it is in the day to day that God wants to be moving. I feel like I have been waiting for this mission trip to be a catalyst for my faith, but I realize now that God doesn't need an event to change my life. God needs me to trust him on a Saturday in Wilsonville Oregon and that's all he needs.

I am more excited for this trip now that I have ever been and I look forward to sharing it with "all of you" through this blog. Thank you for your support and prayers.

- Jordan

Thank You

Thank you so much to everyone who has been so generous, especially with such short notice! We are feeling really good about where we are in the packing process and are trying to spend our last couple of days with friends and family. I'm going to the beach with my parents for the night and going to deep sea fishing and crabbing with my dad tomorrow-I'm excited, let's just hope for no sea sickness! It will be great to spend some time with my parents and I'm hoping to hang out at the beach this afternoon to reflect on what the Lord is doing right now. I am so overwhelmed by the love of Christ and His continuing faithfulness to me, despite my actions or my intentions. Janelle Furman described it the other day as, "God is wooing you to Him right now," and she is so right. I am thrilled to escape the busy packing and "to-dos" today to be reminded of why I'm going to Mexico and who is in control.

We are excited to tell you that we now know (roughly) where we'll be when we're in Mexico. We still don't have an schedule of what we're doing, but that kind of "we'll see" attitude is really good for me. So here's our, as of now, schedule:

June 6-9 Central Mexico City (The Downtown) sightseeing and Orientation with the Team
June 9-20 Northern Mexico City with the Williams (Just us, the team will be in Ixtapaluca)
June 20-30 Entire team in Ixtapaluca (Which is Southeastern Mexico City)
July 1-14 Entire team (I think) in Guadalajara
July 14-17 Entire team in Northern Mexico City

It's awesome that we'll get to travel around and see different areas of such a large city! We are anxious for our time at the Williams apart from the team, believing God will use it largely in our relationship and personal lives.

Well, just wanted to let you know the schedule- thank you for your continuous love and support, we are so thankful for you all!

JESS