Mexico Trip 2024 – Day 5

 

“The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps” (Proverbs 16:9).

 

Today was one of those days that you must sit back and smile at the LORD’s work. You never know how a day will turn out on a mission trip, but we make plans and pray for the Lord’s blessing. Today was the day we selected to do a kids’ event at a private pool. A pool party may not seem like a big deal to many of you readers because you have a pool in your backyard, your neighborhood, or close enough that you could swim whenever you would like. The kids who live near Casa Abba do not have enough money to swim at the “neighborhood pool.” The kids we visited on Friday and passed out invitations live in extreme poverty, and most have never been to a pool before. We were so excited when the owner allowed us to rent the pool for a day.

 

Last night, just before ending our evening, the owner of the pool texted Jocsan and told him that the kids had to have swimsuits if they were going to swim in the pool. Again, you may not appreciate the significance of this because you have 2, 3, or 5 swimsuits in your drawer. Most of these children do not have swimsuits. We prayed before bed last night and asked God to soften the heart of the owner.

 

This (Monday) morning, during the preparation and planning time, it was decided that we would try to supply some swimsuits and pray we have enough. A couple of team members wanted to stop at the store and buy some suits in a variety of sizes just in case. I appreciated their generous offer and their love for children they had not even met yet.  After loading up with some supplies, swimsuits, pool noodles, etc. we headed to the pool.

 

That’s when the rain began. Of all days for rain, why on rain on our pool day? Doesn’t God know what we are trying to do? Of course he does! As soon as we parked, we gathered and prayed for the rain to stop and that the children would still come to the event. We had some concerns that kids might not even show up. Jocsan said that Mexican believe you will get sick in the rain and so they stay home when it rains.

 

There were no kids at 1pm when we opened the gate. However, by 1:30pm the kids started to trickle in. Soon there were several kids, and our team was playing with them and hoping the rain would stop.

 

Thankfully, the pool had a nice pavilion that was covered, and we were able to gather the children together for a Gospel presentation using the Wordless Book. This time we made the bracelet as a craft first and then shared the story so they could follow along with their bracelet. The team did an amazing job! The children interacted well.

 

The Wordless Book and Gospel Beads Bracelet are simple tools to explain the story of the Bible. Here is a brief summary…

 

The Yellow/Gold page represent heaven, the place where God lives. God is the Creator of all things, including you and me. God loves his creation he wants you and I to be with him in heaven one day. John 3:16a says “For God so loved the world…” However, he is holy and perfect and cannot allow sin or darkness into heaven.

 

The Dark page reminds us of our sinfulness. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Sin is the wrong things we do that separate us from God. Sin is breaking God’s Law. A summary of God’s Law is the 10 Commandments. Ever since Adam and Eve rebelled against God in the Garden of Eden, sin has disrupted and destroyed humanities relationship with God. There is nothing we can do to fix our sin problem. But because God is love he has good news for us…

 

The Red page tells the story of God’s love for us. Romans 5:8, “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” You see, we could not do anything about our sin, but God could. He sent his Son, Jesus Christ, into this world as a baby, that is what we celebrate at Christmas, God with us. Jesus lived a perfect life and fulfilled the Law of God perfectly. He became the perfect sacrifice for our sins, the God-Man laid down his life for sinners. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son…” Jesus died on the cross, shed his blood for the sins of the world, was buried, and three days later he rose from the dead conquering sin and death! Jesus did all this so that you and I could have a way back to the Father. It is by the work of Jesus alone that we can be saved from our sins (Eph. 2:8-9). This is good news for you and me, which is what the Clean page will tell us about…

 

The Clean page tells us how the story changes our lives. Jesus invites us into a relationship with him by faith. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just, who will forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” When we acknowledge our sinfulness and need for a Savior, tell God about it, and believe that Jesus paid for our sin debt, God will forgive us and cleanse us from sin. The rest of John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life.” You see, if you place your trust in Jesus alone, he will forgive your sins and give you eternal life that starts today and lasts forever. This means that one day you will have a home in heaven with God, like we talked about on the Gold page. It also means God has a plan for you today, and that is what the Green page tells us.

 

The Green page is about growth. Green reminds us of plants and trees that grow continually. What helps trees to grow? Water and good soil. You and I need spiritual food and water to grow in our relationship with Jesus. 2 Peter 3:18 says, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” You can grow by reading the Bible to learn more about Jesus. Going to church and meeting with others who believe in Jesus. Prayer, which is talking to God, is something you can do all the time. If you place your faith in Jesus, growing means following him. Is that something you would like to do today?

 

Pray for the children and parents who heard the message. We also sent home with each child a Gospel tract that explains the colors and gives the Bible verses. Pray the seeds planted today will grow into genuine faith and transformed lives.

 

Despite the continuing rain, we jumped into the pool with the kids and had a blast! Our team did so well loving the kids and swimming with them. We didn’t get to the organized games we planned because everything worked out so well organically. The kids had a blast. Several kids needed swimsuits and were so excited to find that someone had provided for them. Truly, they will never forget this day. A day when they were permitted to swim for free, enjoy a luxury they may never get again, and hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Plus, they got some pizza too!

 

Today did not turn out the way we scripted it, but it was the day God wanted for us. Jocsan told one of our team members that “these are the kids that God wanted to be here.” Nearly 27 still came out in the rain. God withheld the thunder and lightning so the swim could still happen. The kids were so joyful and we were blessed. 

 

 

The rain persisted even as we traveled home, which made for a chilly ride back even though it was still 80 degrees. We enjoyed a wonderful dinner that Aunt Veda prepared for us. We concluded our evening with a debrief time that was so special. Seeing the joy in the faces of our team as the recounted the stories of the children and the events of the day. Hearing how they processed the rain, the prayers, and the events. Talking about the Gospel and praying for the kids to know Jesus.

 

Pray for our team as we process some really big questions that you encounter on trips like this. Going into the rural neighborhoods and seeing the extreme poverty where the children live and then returning to an amazing Airbnb. Seeing how big a deal it is for the kids to swim in a pool for the first time and then returning to the Airbnb with our own pool. Even bigger, when we start to think about our privileges back home and the comforts we live in, it brings an appreciation for what we have. However, it is a lesson that changes you and your perspective. We cannot solve the poverty problem here, it is too big for us, but we can do something. We did something today. We will do something tomorrow. We pray that God will give us the next step in doing something, small or big, that will impact the lives of the less fortunate.

 

Mexico Trip 2024 – Day 4

***I apologize for not posting last night. Our day was full and I fell asleep. I intended on posting this morning but didn’t get a chance. However, I wanted to preserve each day and am thankful that Cindy wrote this and emailed it to me last night.***

Cindy Preston:

Today was Sunday, the Sabbath, so we went to church and didn’t have any work planned. Service was held at Casa Ebenezer, so getting there was its own experience. Most of the roads are more like off-road terrain – rock hard dirt roads with deep potholes and steep hills. It took about a half hour to get there, which gave me plenty of time to appreciate the effort that people took to make it to church to worship together. That was humbling.

            I had been asked to give my testimony between worship and the sermon. This was a first-time experience, not because I hadn’t shared my testimony before, but because it was the first time doing so through an interpreter. I had to pause every so many works to allow Jocsan to repeat my words in Spanish to the congregation. It was a little awkward, but a joy to do.

            Basically, what I shared was that my life and faith have been a journey, and not always a smooth one. Statistically my life should look very different. But, the statistic we can, and must, hold onto in God’s economy is that the score for the enemy and death is zero. The score for our risen, eternal Savior is one! Each of our stories are different in the details and the ways that God redeems us. But we can hold tight to the truth that the same power that resurrected our Lord Jesus Christ can redeem each and every one of us.

            I also shared about a time about 10 or 11 years ago when God pursued me with his love, grace and mercy when I found myself in a deep, dark pit. This was the kind of pit in which I was in a spiritual and emotional fetal position. I was numb and unable to pray, not knowing what to even pray. But, even in those seasons we generally still go through the motions of life. I continued to work, take care of my family and go to church in my broken state, even if it was just going through the motions. Then one Sunday our praise team was leading the congregation in “God is Able.” As I was singing along, I felt like the Holy Spirit had wrapped around me like a blanket. I was reminded that God is able. He can heal me. Even when I couldn’t call out to him, he came to me. That was the beginning of a long healing process for me.

            One of the things that was key was that I got deep into God’s word. I ended up studying the Psalms of Ascent (120-132). These were psalms that the Jewish people would have chanted when they made the pilgrimage to Jerusalem and the Temple for the Festivals. I studied two psalms each week. The mental image was that I was taking one step with each psalm on the steps leading up to the Temple. So, ascending one of the temple steps with every two psalms (one foot, then the other each week). God and I literally walked out of my pit together over the course of that time.

            I ended by reading Psalm 121: I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? ² My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. ³ He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. ⁴ Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. ⁵ The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. ⁶ The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. ⁷ The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. ⁸ The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.

 

After service several people thanked me for sharing, but one woman in particular ended up talking to me at great length. She was appreciative because she’s experienced first-hand that one person’s testimony can be helpful to another’s. When we are willing to tell our stories, we give the gift of letting other people know they are not alone in their own journey. No two journeys are the same. But we all have a story. We all will experience suffering. We all need a Savior. And, all of us can have our stories redeemed. Another little prayer and verse from the gift bags the team received was about being “fresh” … may we embrace the new thing God is doing in us and those we are serving (Isaiah 43:18-19). Redemption is God’s way of doing a new thing.

This morning’s devotional theme was helpfulness, which they defined as “to provide for others who are in need or make it easier for them to deal with a problem or improve their lives.” The conversation with the woman brought this back to my mind. Helpfulness isn’t necessarily doing something for someone, although that certainly can be. Helpfulness can come by providing hope that gives them strength to deal with a problem or improve their lives when they know they aren’t the only one struggling or suffering in some way. (But there is still plenty of help by doing in the days ahead at Abba Father’s Children’s Home!)

 

Brad Horner:

I really appreciate Cindy writing and sharing her experiences and perspectives of our trip. It was great to see how the church at Casa Ebenezer embraced her and how she encouraged their congregation. Our team also led worship for the church. Emma played guitar, Will played the box drum, Anna played the keyboard and led vocals. They did a fantastic job!

In a way, it was like Lakeside on the road with our praise team, Cindy’s testimony, and I had the message. Speaking through an interpreter is a new discipline that I need to continue to develop, but working with Jocsan is great. He listens well and communicates clearly. Early Sunday morning I tried to go through my sermon and remove words I thought would be difficult to translate. Little did I know that it would be “nugget” as in “nugget of truth” that would lead to a humorous exchange. Jocsan thought “chicken nugget” and we had a good laugh.

I had asked Kayla a few weeks ago, when she passed on the invitation to preach, what would be a good topic or text for the congregation. She said, “oh you know, anything about walking with the Lord.” That narrowed it down!  Several weeks ago I had started sending one verse a week from Psalm 23 to my text group. That inspired me to focus on Psalm 23 in youth group over the summer. What could be better to address “walking with the Lord” than to focus on the Shepherd? 

 

When preaching through an interpreter, I have to manuscript my sermon because I would get too distracted to keep my train of thought. I did feel comfortable enough with Jocsan to veer away from my manuscript a few times but its pretty much what I preached. You can read my sermon HERE.

Before we concluded the service, Brother Gaby Morales shared his testimony with the church. I am so glad he did. God had brought a few new visitors, including two teenaged boys we picked up on our way, and our team to the church that day. This is one thing I love about Gaby is that he wants to tell others what the Lord has done in his life and how the Lord will work in others if the surrender to Jesus. His testimony was a big encouragement to our team!

After church we had a potluck of some amazing food! The church was so generous and welcoming. I was excited that eventually we sat in a big circle and just spent time together.

 

The afternoon was restful. We headed down to the beach and enjoyed swimming in the Pacific Ocean. I swam out a little way and floated, the good kind of floating where your ears are just under the water and block out the noise. It was so peaceful. John Mark McMillian’s words came to mind, “if Grace is an ocean, we are all sinking.” God’s grace is so abundant and good. He knew what we needed that day and we received it with deep gratitude.

Mexico Trip 2024 - Day 3

 

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3)

 

Today we started our day reflecting on Philippians 2, The Mind of Christ. Paul exhorts us to embrace the same attitude of humility and service that our Savior, Jesus Christ did. The Author and Giver of Life was willing to leave heaven and enter into our space and identify with sinful humanity for the purpose of serving and saving those who believe. What Jesus did sets Christianity apart from all other religions. Every other religion is about proving yourself and earning your way to god. Christianity is the belief that God pursued us and did the work on our behalf. Therefore, his followers should imitate him and serve others in humility.

 

James said, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world” (James 1:27). Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:40). Today was exciting because we had the amazing opportunity to visit an orphanage across town. Puerto Escondido is split into to territories or counties. Children can only go to an orphanage in their county. Casa Abba will be the first orphanage in their county and the orphanage we visited today, Casa Hogar Nueva Vida (New Life), is the only orphanage in their county and is running at full capacity.

 

This was the first time that Kayla and Jocsan were able to work it out to bring a group to New Life. New Life is operated by Ami, the daughter of the founders. Her father died about 5 years ago and her mother has been struggling with illness, so Ami stepped up to care for the kids. However, she is running it alone and managing the kids and property within the city limits. I pray that our involvement today was a big encouragement for the sacrifice and service she is doing for the kids.

 

If you have ever visited an orphanage, you will know that it is a mixed bag of emotions. There is joy in being around the kiddos and playing with them. Yet there is a deep sadness when you have to leave them. Playing with the kids and loving them was so rewarding. It was easy to get attached to these beautiful kids. Pray for them that God would provide for their needs.

 

Our team was amazing today! We went to the orphanage to accomplish a couple of projects, play with the kids, and share the Gospel by presenting the Wordless Book and the Gospel Bead bracelets. The guys’ project was to remove a broken tile floor and repair it. We expected a much smaller project and ended up doing 4 times the amount anticipated. However, we are thrilled to have improved the safety of the kids by restoring a portion of the floor. The girls were hard at work painting the exterior and interior of the orphanage and Veda did the gardening work! I am so proud of how hard everyone worked and seeing how their hard work brightened the space and encouraged Ami.

 

David mentioned he was excited to see how involved our team was with the orphans. He has worked at an orphanage in Northern Mexico in the past and saw a lot of teams stay isolated and standoffish, yet our team took every opportunity to play with the kids. Kayla had sent me a little video of a homemade swing the oldest orphan made and asked if we could do something about that. We brought with us 2 swings and a trapeze bar. It was a joy to install them and see the eagerness of the kids to swing on them. I barely could hang the swing up before the kiddos were sitting on them and swinging. 

 

 

The day was long, and the temperature was hot which took its toll on all of us. However, after a late lunch, our team set up to share the Wordless Book. I was so proud of them and their willingness to team teach and for the energy and enthusiasm they had after a long day. Will mentioned how excited he was to be more confident and more prepared as he taught this year. It was evident that each of our team members (Will, Veda, Mariska, Emma, and Beth) was prepared, prayed up, and confident. Jocsan did a fantastic job translating and getting the kids involved. One little boy was very into the story and kept on encouraging the team as they shared. It was so precious. The kids knew the Bible stories and participated, but we still pray that seeds were planted today by our efforts for God’s glory. Thanks for your prayers.

 

There is much more I would like to say, but I will have to end tonight. I do want to acknowledge the hard work of the two gentlemen who are building Casa Abba. Jocsan invited them to come and help us do the floor. I guess I should say we helped them. These two guys worked so hard tirelessly and constantly. One made dozens of trips with a 5-gallon bucket to get sand and gravel. They lifted the 80lbs bags of concrete effortlessly. I am thankful for these men and the work they did for the orphans today and the work they are doing for orphans who will be at Casa Abba in the future.

 

Tomorrow is church at Casa Ebenezer! Pray for Beth as she helps in Sunday School. Anna, Emma, and Will as they lead worship. Cindy as she gives her testimony. And I would appreciate your prayers as I preach tomorrow. I am humbled and grateful for our partnership with Gaby and Jocsan and their invitation for us to serve them tomorrow.

Mexico Trip - Day 2

“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor” (Romans 12:9–10). 

Today we had a nice slow start allowing us time to recover from the long travel day. The first experience of the day is a quiet time from a devotional book we are going through as a team. Romans 12:9-10 was the verse from our reading this morning. My Bible has a heading for this section called The Marks of a True Christian. If we are in Christ, then the love of Christ should be evident in our lives genuinely. Paul is making a point that we should not be play-acting our faith but be sincere in all we do. Isaiah revealed God’s displeasure with fake believers, “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men, therefore, behold, I will again do wonderful things with this people, with wonder upon wonder; and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the discernment of their discerning men shall be hidden” (Isaiah 29:13-14). Fake faith does nothing. Real faith, on the other hand, is an overflow of genuine love.

Unconditional love, according to our devotional book, is “accepting others completely (without expecting anything in return). Working to make life better for others (no matter what they’ve done).” Elsewhere I have heard it described as “to will the good of another.” There are some profound truths to be done by reflecting on these definitions and examining the way we treat people. How do I love others? That is a good question to ask. Do I only love others when I get something in return? That is not love at all. Love selflessly and unconditionally the way Jesus loved us (Rom. 5:8). This is not a definition that supports excusing sin. Genuine love abhors evil and holds fast to what is good. Instead, we are to become servant-hearted and seek to outdo one another in honoring others. 

Today was a day that gave plenty of opportunity for the application of our devotional. I am happy to report that I indeed saw our team live this out in various ways. An early start was Veda cleaning up after breakfast. Each meal we saw others pitching in a hand and helping. Little things are important and build team camaraderie. Our morning service opportunities were very different for the guys and the girls. Cindy has written a summary of the girls’ experience:

Cindy:   

 

The original plan for today was a full team work day, meaning painting and/or cement work. However, our group had to pivot because the road to where church is held on Sundays became impassable for cars after water damage from a recent storm. The guys went to fill in the holes in the road, while the ladies stayed at the guest house. We were tasked with preparing materials for the community outreach and children’s ministry we’ll be doing this week.
At first this seemed unfair, and some of the ladies expressed guilt for not helping with the “hard” labor. Kayla repeatedly reassured us that the work we were doing is important. The feelings of guilt and uselessness worsened when we had to take a fairly long pause from sorting and packing. We had made food bags to distribute to the community, but we couldn’t fill the treat bags for kids because we needed small gift bags. Kayla said we should embrace the quiet time, including swimming or just relaxing in the sun, while she went to pick some up and ran a couple other errands.

Swimming and resting while the guys were filling potholes seemed like a totally unthinkable and inappropriate idea. Eventually each of us did embrace the rest in various ways. One of the ladies said she hadn’t laid in the sun in a very long time. I encouraged her that this is actually ministry too – allowing ourselves to have Sabbath rest. During our team debrief tonight another one of the ladies shared that she felt like God allowed us to have a time of refreshment today. Jesus himself says this is OK in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

When we got to the airport yesterday, everyone received a small gift bag with small reminders of a few prayers and verses for this week. Our break and rest were an answer to one of the little prayers … may we taste the sweetness of the LORD and take refuge in him (Psalm 34:8). It was so sweet of the Lord to provide such unexpected, yet much needed, rest and refuge this morning!

Once Kayla returned, we were able to get all the kids ministry items and gift bags filled and ready. This evening we distributed the food bags, treat bags with gospel tracks, toys, and invitations to the pool day to the local families. (The pool day is where we’ll hang out with the kids, play games and share the gospel through the wordless book.)

As we were driving through the bumpy back roads to get to these people and families, I was reminded of Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 12:21-22. Here he talks about the church being one body with many members – “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you,’ nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’ On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable.” This was our team today, representing the church. The work the men did this morning and afternoon was indispensable. People can now get through on the road to reach church for service on Sunday morning. The work the ladies did this morning and afternoon was also indispensable. The work our team did together tonight connecting with the community, and inviting them to further connections and gospel sharing, could not have happened if we didn’t prepare the packages to give. What a beautiful full circle reminder of the critical role that each of us play in kingdom work when we faithfully answer God’s call.

Brad Again: 

 

See the guys rested too!

Jocsan took the guys out on a job to repair a road near Casa Ebenezer, where the church will be gathering on Sunday. A few weeks ago, Puerto Escondido experienced heavy rain that devastated some of the roads. Trucks with 4X4 can still navigate the terrain but cars would struggle to get through. We loaded up in the truck and headed to Casa Ebenezer to get some tools. It was amazing to see the continued construction that has happened this year. God has provided for Gabby and Casa Ebenezer, and it was so good for us to see the advancement on the property. After this short stop, we drove back up the road to fix the ruts.  

Jocsan and Gabby directed us to the area. Jocsan is a hard worker and has a vision. It is exciting to watch his leadership continue to grow as God has called him to step out in faith and direct the building of the orphanage and the ministry. He was patient and encouraging all day. Gabby was out helping and encouraging us. Let me tell you, David, Will, and Nick were troopers. I am proud of the way they all jumped in and continued to work hard on a very hot day doing hard work. I grabbed a pickaxe and started loosening up dirt. 5 minutes in I was dripping sweat and feeling overheated. It took a little while, but we acclimated to the day and kept working. I reminded the guys that our devotional theme for the week is from John the Baptist who was the forerunner for Christ. That means it was his job to go before and prepare the way for Jesus the Messiah. The words used in the original language of the Bible, for forerunner, refer to those who would go and build roads for the advancement of the king. So, in a way, we were being forerunners like John the Baptist, preparing the way for the people to come to Church on Sunday and hear the Word of Christ. “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). Lord, may it be. 

After we finished the roadwork around 1:30 pm, we were ready for lunch. We loaded up in the truck and began the trek back. Jocsan got a call that a brick delivery truck was stuck at Casa Abba. We stopped by to see if we could help. It was great to see Casa Abba again, but the stuck truck was too big a problem for us. I needed to eat some lunch and the heat starting to get to us all. I was just about to tell Jocsan that we needed to leave when he said, “Come on guys, we need to go.” We had to give up and they called a tractor, and they did get the truck unstuck. 

When we got back to the house, lunch was waiting for us and we had a nice relaxing afternoon to allow the heat of the day to pass. Our day was different than the girls but it was good for the guys. The hard work brought us together and gave us a shared experience, and I was super impressed with Will and Nick’s attitude.  

The evening ministry was designed to help Casa Abba build relationships with its neighborhood community. Any new ministry will encounter suspicion as people get to know the owners and operators. A new orphanage is no exception. Casa Abba’s mission is to be a safe home for orphaned and hurting children where they will hear the Gospel and be loved. It is also to be a place of hope and respite for the community. They want to build inroads into the families and community members by serving their neighbors without expecting anything in return (sound familiar?). 

 

The purpose of the grocery bags that the ladies put together was to bless the homes of children around the community. Jocsan acknowledged the fact that on our way we would see homes with kids and keep driving, which was hard, but there was an intended area for distribution. The team embraced the mission and prepared to hand out the grocery bags, gift bags with Gospel tracts in Spanish, and toys that each team member contributed. We also had invitations to pass out for our pool party coming up on Monday. Most of the homes we went to cannot afford to go to the pool. Jocsan asked one of the little girls “what is one thing you really hope to do?” and she said, “go to the pool!” Jocsan was excited to have the invitation to tell her that Monday the pool will be free for her. Not only are the kids invited to go swim in the pool but pizza, pop, snacks, and toys will be given out. (Please be in prayer for our Monday pool party as we will be sharing the Gospel with the neighborhood kids using the Wordless Book – Thanks Mom for the training and the supplies!)

Team members acknowledge the excitement to visit the kids and pass out the packs. Several talked about the joy they saw in the children’s faces as they got a gift. Nick was thrilled to give a child the toy he purchased and the excitement the child had as they grasped their new toy. I was thankful to have been there to see Nick’s exchange. I also got to give one of the jumbo matchbox cars I bought to a young boy who had several siblings. He was the oldest and patiently waited making sure his younger siblings had received a toy. I walked up a little later so he thought the toys were out and he was partially hiding his disappointment by standing behind the cistern. I walked around it and did my best to talk to him, I don’t speak Spanish, but some actions and expressions are universal. I showed him the gift was for him and he was so excited! Everything happened so fast that it is hard to absorb all of what happened tonight.  

One young lady, I will withhold her name, shared with our group how difficult it was to see the extreme poverty in real life. She said it is one thing to see it in pictures or in a movie, but it was hard to process the reality of it. It is like you know it exists, but it seems so far away. And then today we encountered it. She is right, it’s hard to fully understand until you're standing in the midst of it. As she shared, it brought back the memories of my first time ministering in the slums of Kenya and experiencing the brokenness of poverty for the first time. Having been to several countries and been to some of the poorest places, it never gets easier. There is too much to process in one evening but it affects you and shapes you.

Another young lady pointed out that, despite their poverty, they were living life and being joyful. The joy of the children and the kindness of the neighbors was beautiful. The Mexican people are hospitable and friendly. If you wave, they wave back. They are genuinely excited to meet you. In America, we become so isolated that we don’t even want to wave to our neighbors let alone strangers. It was as refreshing to see neighborliness as it was hard to see the poverty. I will share one more story shared by Beth, one of Lakeside’s missions committee team members, who has been in contact with Kayla throughout the year and heard about Juan Carlos’s mom passing away and his living with his grandma. She has been praying for the grandmother and the children for months. She had the opportunity to meet the grandmother, Juan Carlos, and Louise tonight. It was an answer to her prayers to be able to encourage her and meet her. How cool is that?! God is so good!

Unfortunately, I cannot write all the comments and all our experiences, but I think this gives you a glimpse into our experience so far.

Well, I must finish up tonight’s post. Thanks for reading and following along. We appreciate your prayers so much! 

God bless.

Mexico Trip 2024 Travel Day

 

Travel Day – July 4, 2024
Today was a long day of travel, but it was good. Most of the team set their alarms for 5 something in the morning. If they are like me, they hit the snooze at least once. Somehow it never seems like there is enough time in the morning to get everything done and leave on time, with the “oh am I forgetting something” anxiety looming. Yet we all arrived at the Delta counter in Cleveland at 7:30 am and checked our bags. We were worried about the security line being long on a holiday, but it was the shortest TSA line I had ever seen in Cleveland. We walked right through and had plenty of time to gather ourselves before our first flight.

The flight spacing was timed just about perfectly. Plenty of time to get where we needed to go, and the layovers went by fast. 4 cities, 3 planes, 2 layovers, and 11 hours later we arrived here safely. Praise the Lord! Traveling together is a great bonding experience and good conversations have already begun. However, it was a long day and there is a 2-hour time difference. We arrived at this amazing AirBnB that God provided and had some pizza and tacos for a late dinner.

 

It was wonderful reuniting with Kayla and Jocsan Morales and their family. Zeke is precious and it was a joy holding him for the first time. It was a beautiful beginning to our trip. 

 

Right after pizza and tacos, some could not resist jumping in the pool immediately after. I looked around and saw some dirty dishes and thought about Christ’s example of washing feet. This is a good opportunity to lead with a towel. I picked up one dish after another and began washing plates, bowls, and cups. Kayla Kemer saw me doing the dishes and joined me in serving. This is the kind of thing I like to do to challenge my inner pride. It can be tempting to think that I deserve to sit and relax because I am leading this trip. Yet, that is not what my Savior did, he washed feet.

Jesus said, “But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:26–28 ESV). Jesus’ upside-down kingdom can seem at odds with what comes most naturally to our understanding, but following his path leads to life, abundant life (John 10:10). This is what our theme devotional is all about on this trip. John the Baptist stated, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).

Whether you are on a mission trip or at home if you are a follower of Christ you are called to serve. It sounds exhausting and crazy, but you will find it to be so rewarding and rejuvenating when you serve others like Christ. Tim Keller wrote a short booklet called The Freedom of Self Forgetfulness, where he discusses the Christian’s motive for being a servant,

“Do you realize that it is only in the gospel of Jesus Christ that you get the verdict before the performance? The atheist might say that they get their self-image from being a good person. They are a good person and they hope that eventually they will get a verdict that confirms that they are a good person. Performance leads to the verdict. For the Buddhist too, performance leads to the verdict. If you are a Muslim, performance leads to the verdict. All this means that every day, you are in the courtroom, every day you are on trial. That is the problem. But Paul is saying that in Christianity, the verdict leads to performance.”

In God’s economy, you don’t serve others to gain favor with God. Instead, when you are In Christ you are made new by the finished work of Christ, and from a grateful heart, you live like Christ. We want to learn how we are to decrease in a way that causes Jesus to increase in our present circumstances. Pray for us this week as we will be challenged to decrease, humble ourselves, and serve others in the name of Jesus.

Restores my soul - Psalm 23:3

 

Psalm 23:3

He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

 

“As we continue in Psalm 23, notice that these first 3 verses describe what the Good Shepherd is doing for us. He is the one working and we are the ones receiving the blessings from his work. He leads us for “his name’s sake” meaning according to his character, his holiness, and his loving kindness. Following him leads us down the righteous path. Staying close to him brings restoration, refreshment, and revitalization to our souls. Today I am praying that you trust the Good Shepherd with the next step down the path of righteousness and that his presence revives your soul!”

 

This was the text I sent out to my weekly prayer text list (if you’d like to be on it text me at 330-322-3232). I began a weekly text to my small group of youth group guys over a decade ago. I then added my new small group of guys. Then I added a few people I was trying to encourage. During the pandemic year of 2020, I added the entire youth group and all the youth group parents. I also included my family. Occasionally I will include the option to opt out of the texts by simply texting “STOP” but very few have canceled. I am grateful for the opportunity to see the individual names and pray for the people on my list. Each week I look up a Bible verse and try to develop a meaningful devotional thought that is short enough for a text. I also like to think of an application prayer to include. These are expressions of my personal devotions that I share with others.

 

I am thankful for what God led me to see in Psalm 23:3 in this text. Even as I was preparing the lesson for tonight, stopping and reading this reminded me of the important truth that our Good Shepherd is the one who works, and we receive his blessings. When we follow the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, we can be certain that he will fulfill what he promises for “his name’s sake.” He is YHWH, the faithful covenant-keeping God, and he cannot fail. So far we have talked about Jesus being our shepherd who ensures we will lack for nothing, we will have enough, our daily provision, and he gives us the Holy Spirit, the Living Waters.

 

Following Christ is an invitation to have your soul restored.

 

What do you think “restores my soul” means? The Hebrew word literally means to “put back together.” Pause and think about that truth.

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Do you remember the nursery rhyme “Humpty Dumpty”? “Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall, All the kings horses and all the kings men, could not put Humpty Dumpty together again.” By Mother Goose.

 

Whatever the real story is behind the creation of this rhyme, it presents us with a good illustration of the effects of sin. When Adam and Eve rebelled against God in the Garden, all of humanity became “Humpty Dumpty having a great fall.” Relationship with the Creator was broken, and the image of God was tarnished. Despite all of man’s efforts and even the earthly kings’ resources, we cannot repair our brokenness caused by sin. We need a Savior.

 

Yet our Good Shepherd “restores our soul!” He brings forgiveness and turns us around and puts us back together. When we place our faith in Jesus Christ and follow him as sheep follows her shepherd, we receive restoration of our souls. He is in the act of putting us back together (2 Cor. 5:17).

 

Following Christ is an invitation to walk in the Light.

 

He leads me in paths of righteousness…

 

I recall the prophet Jeremiah’s proclamation: Jeremiah 6:16

Thus says the LORD: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it and find rest for your souls.

 

Do you hear the call to walk the righteous paths here? It is the good way. It is God’s way. When you follow the shepherd, you will receive what? Rest for your soul.

 

If I told you that there was something simple you could do beginning today to bring more rest in your life, to calm your anxieties, to alleviate depression, and to give you more hope, would you do it? Of course, you would say yes. If it was the simple thing to do was to take a pill twice a day for those benefits, would you do it? Of course. You’re an American and we love to pop pills.

 

Here is the truth, you can have those benefits for real, if you avoid social media for a whole week. Studies show that avoiding social media for a week will demonstrate a noticeable reduction in stress, anxiety, and depression. Yet every time I tell the students to avoid it they respond the same way the Israelites did to Jeremiah,

 

But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ (Jer. 6:16).

 

God called them to follow the Good Shepherd and receive the benefits of his loving kindness and the refused. Where is your heart today? Are you willing to follow his ancient paths, the paths of righteousness?

 

Our Good Shepherd, Jesus, said it this way,

 

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30).

 

There is no downside for following Jesus. Yes it may seem costly because he wants you to rely on him for your daily needs and he wants to lead you away from the earthly comforts that so easily distract you from his loving kindness. But what you reap is far more than what you sacrifice.

 

“Restore my soul” also means forgiveness of sin. In John 8:1-11, a woman caught in adultery is brought to Jesus to be punished by stoning. This whole scenario was a setup to try to trick Jesus. However, the Good Shepherd surprised everyone by stating, “he without sin should cast the first stone.” Even the most self-righteous religious leaders had to admit they had sinned, and one by one they walked away. When Jesus talked with her, he saw her as a person and had compassion for her. He exhorts her to “go and sin no more.” Essentially, he sent her away on the “paths of righteousness.”

 

Immediately following this exchange, Jesus turns and says, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).

 

Following the Good Shepherd is to follow the Light of the world. As we walk in the light, he illuminates our steps.

 

David said it this way, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). Like the green pastures, the light he provides is for the next step. He doesn’t show us the blueprints for our lives, or the 5-year plan, but he shows us enough to trust him and follow him.

 

His plan for us is to walk in the paths of righteousness and to forsake sin. The Bible gives us directions for walking on these ancient paths. “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word” (Psalm 119:9). “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11). To follow the Good Shepherd, we need to hear his voice and commit it to memory by spending time in the Scriptures. Guard your life with the truths of Scripture. Memorize the Word in your inner self so that you will have it to use as your defense against sin in your time of need.

 

The Good Shepherd is leading you, caring for you, and restoring you to his original design, to be in a right relationship with him. Trust him. Listen to his voice. Follow.