Altotonga, Mexico -- Last Friday was my birthday and I turned 24. The day before-- Thursday--was an eventful day. I was getting ready to go to the Club for a commitment I had at 5, when my roommate came up stairs and said, Janine, come here! Something terrible has happened!
Of course, I knew this wasn't true. So I went downstairs and some people were there to throw me a surprise bday party. So I sent a message to the girl I was going to meet, and put it off for an hour.
When I got to the Club, I saw that there were some police a few store entries down, and I was later told that at 5pm, there was a guy right there murdered. So I was thankful that this last minute party thrown together was a form of protection for me and that girl. It's certainly not safe to be a witness to those types of things around here.That night a young lady walked in and she wanted to talk to me. She has some problems going on in her family and so I talked to her about Jesus, who is her real comfort, more than advice from me can help her (of course, we talked about these things) and she decided that she wanted to have a relationship with Christ. So we prayed!
For my bday, I slept in later than usual, and went about my business for the day. Some of the youth soaked me good that evening, and it was cold!Saturday we talked about purity-- the last in a series on 1 Tim. 4:12. The kids enjoyed the talk-- it was pretty straight and clear. Of course, we did some activities to make it more youth-oriented...This week the youth will starting leading and doing everything on Saturdays. It'll be cool to see how it goes!
Keep in touch!
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
My Day Off
Altotonga, Mexico -- In this last week a lot of things have happened. I had various meetings... the girl who cleans the building wrote me that she wouldn't be able to clean that week due to her college classes... So, I ended up doing that... as well as cleaning the chairs of the church, which the pastor was wanting to be done...I also took apart the hockey table and cleaned it, and it's working a lot better, I'd like to say. Man, it was dirty!! Also, we're starting a course on how to disciple others, so the last 2 or 3 weeks I'd been reading a lot, talking about principles, putting together all the best of the best, translating materials, etc.
On Saturday, we had a lot of kids at the meeting-- we were around 30, which is growing, since there were some things over the summer-- and some other plans of other people, which had caused some problems. So, for a while it was a bit difficult, but with a lot of work and encouragement, we have been growing. The majority of the kids going are new too!
So, there's still a lot of work ahead of us, and I'm working with the core group, since starting in November, they're going to be the ones who will be running stuff. I'll be helping them transition into this "position" or, guiding them along. Coaching, if you will. They need a lot of encouragement and prayer, if you would be thinking of them.
Last week I bought tickets for Indonesia and Japan. It was very exciting and very like-- wow-- at the same time. I've believed along the way that God was going to provide, and He's provided thus far-- though as in this too, there's still more to go.
Since buying them, I've been working a lot more on Japanese and reading more about the culture and stuff.
I'm pretty excited about this.
Today, I've got a bit of a cold that I've been working at attaining for the last few days. It's not bad, just a stopped up nose and bit of a cough. But, this Friday is also the big b-day, and so from Thursday til Saturday I may very well be pretty wet, or covered in soda, sardines or whatever. I'm hoping the kids will have mercy on me... but I'm not expecting it. :)And two weeks from Friday there's a conference in another city for the missionaries in Mexico that I'm looking forward to attending... Fun times.Well, I'm gonna get. Today's my day off and I'm gonna get some rest. It's been a long week!Newsletter coming out in the beginning of the November!
On Saturday, we had a lot of kids at the meeting-- we were around 30, which is growing, since there were some things over the summer-- and some other plans of other people, which had caused some problems. So, for a while it was a bit difficult, but with a lot of work and encouragement, we have been growing. The majority of the kids going are new too!
So, there's still a lot of work ahead of us, and I'm working with the core group, since starting in November, they're going to be the ones who will be running stuff. I'll be helping them transition into this "position" or, guiding them along. Coaching, if you will. They need a lot of encouragement and prayer, if you would be thinking of them.
Last week I bought tickets for Indonesia and Japan. It was very exciting and very like-- wow-- at the same time. I've believed along the way that God was going to provide, and He's provided thus far-- though as in this too, there's still more to go.
Since buying them, I've been working a lot more on Japanese and reading more about the culture and stuff.
I'm pretty excited about this.
Today, I've got a bit of a cold that I've been working at attaining for the last few days. It's not bad, just a stopped up nose and bit of a cough. But, this Friday is also the big b-day, and so from Thursday til Saturday I may very well be pretty wet, or covered in soda, sardines or whatever. I'm hoping the kids will have mercy on me... but I'm not expecting it. :)And two weeks from Friday there's a conference in another city for the missionaries in Mexico that I'm looking forward to attending... Fun times.Well, I'm gonna get. Today's my day off and I'm gonna get some rest. It's been a long week!Newsletter coming out in the beginning of the November!
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Watermelons
Altotonga, Mexico -- My "kids" called me a watermelon this afternoon. We had gone out to a basketball court instead of having our meeting inside and it was chilly. So, as we were running around my cheeks got nice and red. So, they talked about the green and then the white line and then the red-- and said my eyes were the green, my face the white, and the reddness, well- the red.
Of course, I've also been called other kind of food here. I suppose while Japanese and maybe Asians in general use nature as comparisons, the Mexican kids here use food for comparison.
This week has been interesting-- I've spent a lot of time in counseling and ministering to kids, have made 2 trips to another city to work on a new visa, had an aquiantance ask for prices on stuff I'll be selling, made a leader upset for asking him to make a decision that leaders make, had a debate with a kid on "Does God exist" and "How was Jesus fully God and fully man", and met a lot of new people. It's just been a really interesting week-- I've been praying that God will provide more and more opportunities to minister and to help me, step by step, to prepare these kids to rise up.
This afternoon, as I mentioned, I left a sign on the door saying where we were, and then carrying sodas and a basketball and soccer ball, we went around and invited kids we knew to go play basketball and soccer with us and we had our typical meeting there after running around like crazy. We are trying new things to reach new kids and get out of the habit of being inside "four walls".
Tomorrow the leaders will meet to discuss today and make it better for next weekend (because it was pretty cool) and we'll continue discussing the transition of me stepping down and them stepping up, and have our prayer time and course on evangelism, which I have things in mind for them, HA HA HA (evil laugh there, :).
I am excited for that. Please pray for these teens-- for a lot of encouragement for them.
Also, if you would be praying for me about finances after I lost that money and-- in 2 weeks at the latest, I believe, I'll be buying my tickets for Japan!!! :) Yay!
Alright, I need to finish preparing for tomorrow!
Of course, I've also been called other kind of food here. I suppose while Japanese and maybe Asians in general use nature as comparisons, the Mexican kids here use food for comparison.
This week has been interesting-- I've spent a lot of time in counseling and ministering to kids, have made 2 trips to another city to work on a new visa, had an aquiantance ask for prices on stuff I'll be selling, made a leader upset for asking him to make a decision that leaders make, had a debate with a kid on "Does God exist" and "How was Jesus fully God and fully man", and met a lot of new people. It's just been a really interesting week-- I've been praying that God will provide more and more opportunities to minister and to help me, step by step, to prepare these kids to rise up.
This afternoon, as I mentioned, I left a sign on the door saying where we were, and then carrying sodas and a basketball and soccer ball, we went around and invited kids we knew to go play basketball and soccer with us and we had our typical meeting there after running around like crazy. We are trying new things to reach new kids and get out of the habit of being inside "four walls".
Tomorrow the leaders will meet to discuss today and make it better for next weekend (because it was pretty cool) and we'll continue discussing the transition of me stepping down and them stepping up, and have our prayer time and course on evangelism, which I have things in mind for them, HA HA HA (evil laugh there, :).
I am excited for that. Please pray for these teens-- for a lot of encouragement for them.
Also, if you would be praying for me about finances after I lost that money and-- in 2 weeks at the latest, I believe, I'll be buying my tickets for Japan!!! :) Yay!
Alright, I need to finish preparing for tomorrow!
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Oh the Times
Altotonga, Mexico -- What a time here. The week right before we left for Mexico City, it was busy. I did a lot of talking to youth-- had quite a few opps to minister to kids... I also went around and told people about plans for the future (me leaving)... so, it was a busy time.
On Thursday night we left for Mexico City to go to a conference. At the very last second, we had an addition to our group-- one who I had orginally thought of asking, but who hadn't really decided to go... So, anyway, another youth offered to pay most his way, and he ended up going, and I'm glad he did.The youth were crazy excited. While we waited in a cold terminal at Perote in the bus station, I asked what they were expecting to receive from this weekend... what they expected to see God do in their lives. They had high hopes for this weekend. Then we played spoons and were a bit crazy.
We got to Mexico City about 4:40am on Friday morning. As we were getting ready to go to the bathroom there, I was looking in my bag for coins to be able to get into the bathroom. I realized that my little black bag that had all the money and everything in it was missing. I panicked. I emptied my bookbag there on the concrete floor while the youth were standing around me in a circle. I ran back to the bus and checked on there and it was all clear.
Anyway, I was trying to figure out what happened and Chris and I (who had come to Altotonga the day before for some business and was going to be speaking at the conference that we were going to) went to try to get ahold of the bus station in Perote, because I wasn't sure at what point it went missing.I realized that when I had gotten on the bus, I had stuck my bus ticket in the black pouch, which was in my bookbag. I slept with my bookbag in my lap, hugging it kind of-- but I realized that in some of the ways I was sleeping that you could have gotten into it. Anyhow, so sometime while I was sleeping, someone got into my bookbag and stole the most important thing in it--- a lot of money, my driver's license, visa, credit card... So, that was how the conference began. I was able to call and cancel those cards and get new ones. And Chris lent me sufficient money to get the kids back home and for me to eat that weekend.
The kids had an amazing time this weekend... the speakers were dynamic-- everything was just-- really good. It's the best of the best there.We stayed with a family there from the church-- and they were really nice and fed us dinner at midnight and breakfast.... Oh, gosh, we hardly slept at all... this being the one in charge thing-- wow, it's craziness. So, between Thursday and Sunday I slept like 13 hours or so, and 6 hours of that was in one night. Today we made our way back home and I talked to the kids about what was the most impacting thing, what they wanted to change when they got back home, and starting today.We got home in time to go to church and then I've come back home to rest...Tomorrow I'm going to go to the gov't offices here to see about getting a new visa-- since mine was stolen... and carrying on with stuff here....Pics to come later!
On Thursday night we left for Mexico City to go to a conference. At the very last second, we had an addition to our group-- one who I had orginally thought of asking, but who hadn't really decided to go... So, anyway, another youth offered to pay most his way, and he ended up going, and I'm glad he did.The youth were crazy excited. While we waited in a cold terminal at Perote in the bus station, I asked what they were expecting to receive from this weekend... what they expected to see God do in their lives. They had high hopes for this weekend. Then we played spoons and were a bit crazy.
We got to Mexico City about 4:40am on Friday morning. As we were getting ready to go to the bathroom there, I was looking in my bag for coins to be able to get into the bathroom. I realized that my little black bag that had all the money and everything in it was missing. I panicked. I emptied my bookbag there on the concrete floor while the youth were standing around me in a circle. I ran back to the bus and checked on there and it was all clear.
Anyway, I was trying to figure out what happened and Chris and I (who had come to Altotonga the day before for some business and was going to be speaking at the conference that we were going to) went to try to get ahold of the bus station in Perote, because I wasn't sure at what point it went missing.I realized that when I had gotten on the bus, I had stuck my bus ticket in the black pouch, which was in my bookbag. I slept with my bookbag in my lap, hugging it kind of-- but I realized that in some of the ways I was sleeping that you could have gotten into it. Anyhow, so sometime while I was sleeping, someone got into my bookbag and stole the most important thing in it--- a lot of money, my driver's license, visa, credit card... So, that was how the conference began. I was able to call and cancel those cards and get new ones. And Chris lent me sufficient money to get the kids back home and for me to eat that weekend.
The kids had an amazing time this weekend... the speakers were dynamic-- everything was just-- really good. It's the best of the best there.We stayed with a family there from the church-- and they were really nice and fed us dinner at midnight and breakfast.... Oh, gosh, we hardly slept at all... this being the one in charge thing-- wow, it's craziness. So, between Thursday and Sunday I slept like 13 hours or so, and 6 hours of that was in one night. Today we made our way back home and I talked to the kids about what was the most impacting thing, what they wanted to change when they got back home, and starting today.We got home in time to go to church and then I've come back home to rest...Tomorrow I'm going to go to the gov't offices here to see about getting a new visa-- since mine was stolen... and carrying on with stuff here....Pics to come later!
Sunday, September 21, 2008
The Breaking News
Altotonga, Mexico -- We continue through our study in 1 Timothy-- and tonight our discussion was about how we can and should be examples in our speech. Consider it for a moment.After our meeting tonight, we watched the movie-- The End of the Spear-- the kids were captivated and they really liked the movie. In all the various movies that I've collected this last month when I was back home-- in all those movies-- everyone is an ordinary person whom God uses to do incredible things. And that was my message to the kids this afternoon...I talked to the kids today to let them know that God has been leading me out-- or in other words to leave. It was something surprising for me, but that God has confirmed. And since taking that decision, a lot of doors have opened for the future.
So, what's going to happen? Well, in May of next year, I will be moving out of Altotonga, Mexico, and will be in St. Louis for a 2-3 months. After that, the plans definitely include Japan-- but right now, I'm still waiting for God to show exactly which path He wants me to take. So, I talked to the core group of kids about that tonight. I can't say they were happy about this, but it was a Joshua message. The vision still lives and they have my support and everything I can do as long as I'm still here and the pastor's support to keep moving forward. If you could pray for their encouragement during this time, I would appreciate it. After the initial shock wears off, I'm praying that they will rise up with vision, new ideas and energy. I can already see a glint of it in one teen.
So, here we go! Another adventure!
So, what's going to happen? Well, in May of next year, I will be moving out of Altotonga, Mexico, and will be in St. Louis for a 2-3 months. After that, the plans definitely include Japan-- but right now, I'm still waiting for God to show exactly which path He wants me to take. So, I talked to the core group of kids about that tonight. I can't say they were happy about this, but it was a Joshua message. The vision still lives and they have my support and everything I can do as long as I'm still here and the pastor's support to keep moving forward. If you could pray for their encouragement during this time, I would appreciate it. After the initial shock wears off, I'm praying that they will rise up with vision, new ideas and energy. I can already see a glint of it in one teen.
So, here we go! Another adventure!
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Todo, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore...
Altotonga, Mexico -- It's been a rainy week here-- and cold. We've had weather more common of November. I remember walking around in St. Louis just 2 weeks ago with t-shirts and capris, and now am dressed in a few layers and always seeing my breath! :)
Well, my first week has been an adjusting week. I've seen just about everyone again, talked, carried on and gotten used to the climate, elevation and culture again.
It certainly has been good to see all the teens again... to find out how they've been and what's been up. I've enjoyed that.
I managed to catch the inevitable cold when you do such a change to your body. I'm getting better-- yesterday was the worst of it all, and I'm sure I've gone through a role of toilet paper and another half, in these last 2 days. I've taken some meds, and as long as there's no pounding headache, I'm doing fine!We're going through a series on Saturday nights about 1 Tim. 4:12... well, 11-16. I've been trying to break up the "sameness" and change things around a little bit.
So, a lot of changes have been going on since I've been gone and since I've gotten back, both inside the church and club and without-- in the city. We have 2 new light posts, which are an absolute waste. There's really no purpose for them, and I hear rumored one other. Buildings have been painted other colors, businesses come and gone, and just all kinds of things.
Next week I take a small group to the Mexico City Conference. It's a great conference and the kids are really, really excited about it. It'll be a long journey than usual, because we don't have Chris' car anymore and have to go by bus schedules instead of creating our own. But, like most youth, they'll be just fine and will be more awake than I am.
Well, let's see... what's on the schedule for tomorrow? I need to go pay the rent and the phone bill... spend some time doing Japanese, prepare my lesson and the format for Saturday night's meeting... getting a few other errands done, and of course, the Club's schedule-- be there for about 5 hours or so.
Alright, I'm getting. I'm going to try to get some stuff done, before I crash out. Take care!Also, congrats to my friends Em and Jose who had their baby on Tuesday! Woo-hoo!
Well, my first week has been an adjusting week. I've seen just about everyone again, talked, carried on and gotten used to the climate, elevation and culture again.
It certainly has been good to see all the teens again... to find out how they've been and what's been up. I've enjoyed that.
I managed to catch the inevitable cold when you do such a change to your body. I'm getting better-- yesterday was the worst of it all, and I'm sure I've gone through a role of toilet paper and another half, in these last 2 days. I've taken some meds, and as long as there's no pounding headache, I'm doing fine!We're going through a series on Saturday nights about 1 Tim. 4:12... well, 11-16. I've been trying to break up the "sameness" and change things around a little bit.
So, a lot of changes have been going on since I've been gone and since I've gotten back, both inside the church and club and without-- in the city. We have 2 new light posts, which are an absolute waste. There's really no purpose for them, and I hear rumored one other. Buildings have been painted other colors, businesses come and gone, and just all kinds of things.
Next week I take a small group to the Mexico City Conference. It's a great conference and the kids are really, really excited about it. It'll be a long journey than usual, because we don't have Chris' car anymore and have to go by bus schedules instead of creating our own. But, like most youth, they'll be just fine and will be more awake than I am.
Well, let's see... what's on the schedule for tomorrow? I need to go pay the rent and the phone bill... spend some time doing Japanese, prepare my lesson and the format for Saturday night's meeting... getting a few other errands done, and of course, the Club's schedule-- be there for about 5 hours or so.
Alright, I'm getting. I'm going to try to get some stuff done, before I crash out. Take care!Also, congrats to my friends Em and Jose who had their baby on Tuesday! Woo-hoo!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Waste No Time
Hi all, I'm back in Mex now. It's been a busy 48 hours since I've been back-- and I haven't even been back in this city for 48 hours!There's always a lot to do when getting back-- seeing everyone, stopping to chat, seeing what's new and what's happened since I've been gone, getting food in the house, etc!
So, that's what I've been doing. I've had the opportunity to stop and have some good talks with some girls-- which is good!
I've also been getting info together for the conference that we're going to in 2 weeks! It'll be my first time taking kids out of the city for a weekend, by myself. I don't think it'll be too much of a big deal!And, the Mormon people are back, trying to talk to me about the club and that kind of stuff. One is the same from before, and they transfered in a new one to replace the other one that was there. So, all in all, it's been an eventful less-than-48-hours back. Will keep ya'll posted!
So, that's what I've been doing. I've had the opportunity to stop and have some good talks with some girls-- which is good!
I've also been getting info together for the conference that we're going to in 2 weeks! It'll be my first time taking kids out of the city for a weekend, by myself. I don't think it'll be too much of a big deal!And, the Mormon people are back, trying to talk to me about the club and that kind of stuff. One is the same from before, and they transfered in a new one to replace the other one that was there. So, all in all, it's been an eventful less-than-48-hours back. Will keep ya'll posted!
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