Wednesday, July 18, 2007
We're Home!
After six long, amazing weeks we are home and it feels great to be back. Last night we were greeted by Jess's mom and the Schwein family which was so special. Thanks Jake and Carol for showing your love by coming to the airport so late! We have so many fun, beautiful pictures and stories that we would love to share with all of you. Please pray for our adjusting back to the American lifestyle and that we would be able to process so many of our experiences. We look forward to seeing all of you, and please don't be offended if we don't call right away because things are already a little busy. We'd love to hear from you too. Thank you for everything!
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Goodbye Guadalajara!
We are back in Izcalli now and we'll be leaving the day after tomorrow- WOW! It was so hard leaving Guadalajara because we had become so close with Fer, the son of the Pastor at the church we worked at. We are so thankful that we met him and are really confident that our new friendship with him plays an important role in why we came to Mexico. Guadalajara was amazing, there were so many hard moments and those helped make it so special. We were able to see life change in the home where Jessica stayed and even within Fer. He is going through a lot right now between problems with his girlfriend, not knowing if he'll be able to pay for school this term, a job falling through, and taking care of 12 of us. Please pray for Fer, he said he's really lonely now that we've left. Please pray that he would be able to find the resources to pay for school this term.
We'll update more on Tuesday. We don't fly out until 4:30pm but other people are flying out at 7:30am, so we'll be there all day! We'll try and better explain the amazing things God did in Guadalajara then. We have church today, then we're handing out fliers for the Kid's Club they have this week. Tomorrow we have team debriefing, and then we go home! We are sooo excited to see all you and want you thank you for your prayers and support. This trip has changed our hearts in so many ways.
We'll update more on Tuesday. We don't fly out until 4:30pm but other people are flying out at 7:30am, so we'll be there all day! We'll try and better explain the amazing things God did in Guadalajara then. We have church today, then we're handing out fliers for the Kid's Club they have this week. Tomorrow we have team debriefing, and then we go home! We are sooo excited to see all you and want you thank you for your prayers and support. This trip has changed our hearts in so many ways.
Monday, July 9, 2007
Busy Days and One More Week!
We have been crazy busy here in Guadalajara and I'm sure you can tell because we've haven't made a post in a long time!! Things have been going really well here, beside the constant feeling of exhaustion. It's hard to believe that we are close to leaving Guadalajara (in four days) and we are so glad that we had the opportunity to come here. This city is very beautiful and a lot different than Mexico City. This weekend we went to downtown Guadalajara and it was very European and very beautiful.
Going to a Mexican orphanage was a really good experience. All of the children that live in the home have been abused and it was evident that these children struggle with anger. All of their parents are either from the streets or are in prison. I (Jessica) was playing with a little girl and having a hard time with her constant "noooooo" every time I did or said anything. It was hard to try to relate to her and play with her, being that most 4 year olds are nothing like that. However, later that day one of the women that works there told me that Natalie, the little girl I was playing with, saw her father commit suicide. At that moment it was so overwhelmingly obvious to me that this beautiful four year old has seen and experienced harder things than I ever have and probably ever will. But the question I continued to wrestle with is, "How do you love these children?" I will not forget Natalie and her siblings that lived in the Casa de Hogar. Sitting in the white plastic chair I realized the significance of pursuing the hurting, the broken, and the unloved. None of those children deserved to be beaten, burned, abused, or even neglected. We have a responsibility to use our lives to help better others, to pour out Christ's love on those who deserve it, and Natalie now has an opportunity to break a generational pattern of hurting and despair and really live.
We have been so overwhelmed by the family that is taking care of us. They are living in a very small house that is connected to their church due to a church split a couple of years ago. They have 2 sons living at home, the grandparents, and their daughter who is 15 and has cerebral palsy, no to mention feeding and caring for 12 needy Americans . I have never once heard them complain or grumble, but instead smiles and hugs every time I walk into the house. Please pray for Luz and Fernando as the continue to take care of us. Fernando and a group from their church are leaving for a mission trip to Oaxaca on Wednesday, so please pray that Luz doesn't feel a heavy burden and that their time in Oaxaca goes well.
This week the schedule looks like:
Monday:
that's today, not important
Tuesday:
9:00-1:00 English Classes
2:00 Lunch
night: Dinner out
Go see the Mexican wrestlers (Luchadores)
Wednesday:
9:00-1:00 English Classes
2:00 Lunch
3:00-5:00 Work Projects
Spend time with our families
Thursday:
9:00-1:00 English Classes
2:00 Lunch
3:00-5:00 Work Projects
Spend time with our families
Friday:
9:00-1:00 English Classes
2:00 Lunch
3:00-5:00 Work Projects
6:00 Dinner and closing celebration at the church
During the last week it has felt like all we were doing at our host homes was sleeping in their beds and using their showers! So.... this week we tried to make more time to be able to spend with the families and we're excited!
This is us with the group in downtown Guadalajara. The two girls in the white shirts are my roomies Jessica (the tall one, aka Francesca) and Melissa. Fer, Jordan's new best friend, is well.. the only guy in the picture so hopefully you can find him!
This is Jess and Natalie playing outside at the Casa de Hogar. I was shocked she actually sat in my lap!
Going to a Mexican orphanage was a really good experience. All of the children that live in the home have been abused and it was evident that these children struggle with anger. All of their parents are either from the streets or are in prison. I (Jessica) was playing with a little girl and having a hard time with her constant "noooooo" every time I did or said anything. It was hard to try to relate to her and play with her, being that most 4 year olds are nothing like that. However, later that day one of the women that works there told me that Natalie, the little girl I was playing with, saw her father commit suicide. At that moment it was so overwhelmingly obvious to me that this beautiful four year old has seen and experienced harder things than I ever have and probably ever will. But the question I continued to wrestle with is, "How do you love these children?" I will not forget Natalie and her siblings that lived in the Casa de Hogar. Sitting in the white plastic chair I realized the significance of pursuing the hurting, the broken, and the unloved. None of those children deserved to be beaten, burned, abused, or even neglected. We have a responsibility to use our lives to help better others, to pour out Christ's love on those who deserve it, and Natalie now has an opportunity to break a generational pattern of hurting and despair and really live.
We have been so overwhelmed by the family that is taking care of us. They are living in a very small house that is connected to their church due to a church split a couple of years ago. They have 2 sons living at home, the grandparents, and their daughter who is 15 and has cerebral palsy, no to mention feeding and caring for 12 needy Americans . I have never once heard them complain or grumble, but instead smiles and hugs every time I walk into the house. Please pray for Luz and Fernando as the continue to take care of us. Fernando and a group from their church are leaving for a mission trip to Oaxaca on Wednesday, so please pray that Luz doesn't feel a heavy burden and that their time in Oaxaca goes well.
This week the schedule looks like:
Monday:
that's today, not important
Tuesday:
9:00-1:00 English Classes
2:00 Lunch
night: Dinner out
Go see the Mexican wrestlers (Luchadores)
Wednesday:
9:00-1:00 English Classes
2:00 Lunch
3:00-5:00 Work Projects
Spend time with our families
Thursday:
9:00-1:00 English Classes
2:00 Lunch
3:00-5:00 Work Projects
Spend time with our families
Friday:
9:00-1:00 English Classes
2:00 Lunch
3:00-5:00 Work Projects
6:00 Dinner and closing celebration at the church
During the last week it has felt like all we were doing at our host homes was sleeping in their beds and using their showers! So.... this week we tried to make more time to be able to spend with the families and we're excited!
This is us with the group in downtown Guadalajara. The two girls in the white shirts are my roomies Jessica (the tall one, aka Francesca) and Melissa. Fer, Jordan's new best friend, is well.. the only guy in the picture so hopefully you can find him!
This is Jess and Natalie playing outside at the Casa de Hogar. I was shocked she actually sat in my lap!
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Arrival in Guadalajara
We are here! Yesterday we traveled by bus with the rest of the team here to Guadalajara, which is very beautiful. The bus ride ended up being only 7 (we were expecting 9) and the bus was by far the NICEST one we've ever been on. We had tons of space between us and the people around us and could practically lay down. Yesterday we had a spaghetti dinner, total comfort food! Then we met our families and went to bed! Jessica is staying with a family that has 3 girls (10, 7, and 6) and they are all so sweet and fun to play with. The house she´s staying at is very nice and there are 3 other girls from the team staying there as well. She´s really glad with the girls she is staying with. Poor Host Dad Ivan though, it´s him, 8 girls and a girl dog too! And dad you thought you had it hard with the 3 of us! :)
Jordan is staying with a great couple Mariano and Margarite who have 3 kids also but they are quite a bit older (17, 21, and 24). Jordan can´t remember the girls names but one is studying art in Indiana and one is in Paris for a month. Their oldest son Andres took the boys in Jordan´s house out last night to hang out with his amigo´s and see the town, which was quite the experience. Jordan has also made friends with Fernando the ¨computer guy¨at the church in Guadalajara. He is pretty much the Mexican version of Jordan and they are both pretty excited to get to know each other better.
Tomorrow we start English classes and Jordan will also be doing music time with the kids which will be fun. Our tentative schedule as of now is as follows:
Monday:
8:00 Breakfast
9:00-1:00 English Classes
2:00 Lunch
6:30 Group time
8:00 Dinner
Tuesday:
8:00 Breakfast
9:00-1:00 English Classes
2:00 Lunch
4:00-8:00 Visit an orphanage, dinner at the orphanage
Wednesday:
8:00 Breakfast
9:00-1:00 English Classes
2:00 Lunch
6:30 Group time
8:00 Dinner
Thursday:
8:00 Breakfast
9:00-1:00 English Classes
2:00 Lunch
4:00-8:00 Visit an orphanage, dinner at the orphanage
Friday:
8:00 Breakfast
9:00-1:00 English Classes
2:00 Lunch
evening: Youth Night
Saturday:
Trip to the City
Next week we´ll be teaching the same hours that we are this week and have some other little things going on. More to come soon, we love you all!
Jordan is staying with a great couple Mariano and Margarite who have 3 kids also but they are quite a bit older (17, 21, and 24). Jordan can´t remember the girls names but one is studying art in Indiana and one is in Paris for a month. Their oldest son Andres took the boys in Jordan´s house out last night to hang out with his amigo´s and see the town, which was quite the experience. Jordan has also made friends with Fernando the ¨computer guy¨at the church in Guadalajara. He is pretty much the Mexican version of Jordan and they are both pretty excited to get to know each other better.
Tomorrow we start English classes and Jordan will also be doing music time with the kids which will be fun. Our tentative schedule as of now is as follows:
Monday:
8:00 Breakfast
9:00-1:00 English Classes
2:00 Lunch
6:30 Group time
8:00 Dinner
Tuesday:
8:00 Breakfast
9:00-1:00 English Classes
2:00 Lunch
4:00-8:00 Visit an orphanage, dinner at the orphanage
Wednesday:
8:00 Breakfast
9:00-1:00 English Classes
2:00 Lunch
6:30 Group time
8:00 Dinner
Thursday:
8:00 Breakfast
9:00-1:00 English Classes
2:00 Lunch
4:00-8:00 Visit an orphanage, dinner at the orphanage
Friday:
8:00 Breakfast
9:00-1:00 English Classes
2:00 Lunch
evening: Youth Night
Saturday:
Trip to the City
Next week we´ll be teaching the same hours that we are this week and have some other little things going on. More to come soon, we love you all!
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