Yesterday was Father's Day, which in Mexico isn't as big as Mother's Day. Usually our family doesn't even celebrate Father's Day, but my roommate and I decided that we DEFINITELY had to celebrate at least a little! Any father that can put up with our American craziness with such love, grace, and complete acceptance deserves a little somethin' somethin'!
So we concocted an elaborate scheme to surprise him with a gift of chocolates and a card for Father's Day.
This scheme included us telling a little fib to Papá and telling him that we were going out to get a dictionary for my roommate's Spanish homework (which we already had gotten earlier in the day), hunting through the market for the gift, and coming back to hide the chocolates and showing him the dictionary that we "had just bought." Hehe we were very sneaky indeed and after the deed was done, we celebrated with lots of high fives and fits of giggles and triumphant laughter.
Then came the day of Father's Day when we had to find a way to all sign the card without Papá noticing! We were all downstairs "getting stuff ready" to bring upstairs for lunch when down comes Papá to throw away his trash! My roommate pretends to open the fridge while simultaneously stuffing and hiding the chocolate and card in the fridge, mom pushes me (literally, she is a strong woman) and launches me out of the kitchen to try to distract dad, and then shoos him out of the kitchen saying we were talking about "womanly things" forgetting that our brother Levid was sitting right there. It was hilarious to say the least!
But all so worth it for this moment:
http://youtu.be/34Cmja0WgRU
Click the link to see our Father's Day surprise!
Abrazos
Monday, June 17, 2013
Prayers of the Saint
One of my favorite things to do is pray with my family.
It is such a great experience to hear their honest and heart wrenching prayers for themselves and also for their church. Every Friday night, after Papá is done working, the family comes together around the dinner table and prays for the prayer requests of the church. My Papá is an incredible pastor and father for having this as a weekly occurrence.
Last Friday night, we were actually Kneeling around the table praying for each other and the church. The air around us when we pray is already reverent and spirit filled, but this time I truly felt the Spirit even more when Mamá began to pray. Mamá, down on her knees, prayed and pleaded with such fervor that she was soon reduced to tears. Listening to her tear-filled prayers for her sick and dying church members, her son, and her husband was so powerful. Then she began praying for me and my roommate as her new daughters. She was down on her knees, crying and praying for ME as one of her own daughters!
Words cannot explain the sheer beauty and purity of that moment. There wasn't a dry eye in the house when she was finished. Even our dog was probably a little teary eyed! She truly is a saint and has touched my heart in such a special way. I can't imagine being any more blessed than I am right now.
It is such a great experience to hear their honest and heart wrenching prayers for themselves and also for their church. Every Friday night, after Papá is done working, the family comes together around the dinner table and prays for the prayer requests of the church. My Papá is an incredible pastor and father for having this as a weekly occurrence.
Last Friday night, we were actually Kneeling around the table praying for each other and the church. The air around us when we pray is already reverent and spirit filled, but this time I truly felt the Spirit even more when Mamá began to pray. Mamá, down on her knees, prayed and pleaded with such fervor that she was soon reduced to tears. Listening to her tear-filled prayers for her sick and dying church members, her son, and her husband was so powerful. Then she began praying for me and my roommate as her new daughters. She was down on her knees, crying and praying for ME as one of her own daughters!
Words cannot explain the sheer beauty and purity of that moment. There wasn't a dry eye in the house when she was finished. Even our dog was probably a little teary eyed! She truly is a saint and has touched my heart in such a special way. I can't imagine being any more blessed than I am right now.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
The Best Cake is Enjoyed in the Face
*A little warning: if phrases don't make sense, it is due to the fact that I'm constantly speaking in Spanish and thinking in Spanglish. I honestly can't distinguish the difference sometimes.*
I just had a birthday on the 7th! It is my first birthday that I've spent outside of the States and I have to say it has been one of the best because it has been celebrated Mexican style! Not only once, but twice!
Never in my life have I felt more loved and special, than I have these past couple of weeks from my friends and family in the states and now from my friends and family in Mexico!
Un aviso (warning) if you are going to spend a birthday in the Mexico, run if you hear people chanting, "Mordida. Mordida. Mordida." The translation doesn't matter as much as what actually happens if you stay long enough to hear it!
Mordida (bite) is the Mexican tradition of the birthday person to take the first bite out of the cake sin sus manos (without their hands). That's the fun part. While you are enjoying your first bite, someone will come along and smoosh your face in the cake. Boom. Mordida. I've had the pleasure of enjoying the Mordida twice this past week. Both times extremely delicious and very very messy. One benefit of Mordida is that my face is surprisingly more smooth. Icing must have some moisturizing properties or something!
My time in Mexico has been such an incredible experience already! I'm ALREADY dreading August 2nd! If these past few days are any indication of what the rest of the trip is going to be like, well I must say that God has outdone Himself with this amazing blessing.
Abrazos
I just had a birthday on the 7th! It is my first birthday that I've spent outside of the States and I have to say it has been one of the best because it has been celebrated Mexican style! Not only once, but twice!
Never in my life have I felt more loved and special, than I have these past couple of weeks from my friends and family in the states and now from my friends and family in Mexico!
Un aviso (warning) if you are going to spend a birthday in the Mexico, run if you hear people chanting, "Mordida. Mordida. Mordida." The translation doesn't matter as much as what actually happens if you stay long enough to hear it!
Mordida (bite) is the Mexican tradition of the birthday person to take the first bite out of the cake sin sus manos (without their hands). That's the fun part. While you are enjoying your first bite, someone will come along and smoosh your face in the cake. Boom. Mordida. I've had the pleasure of enjoying the Mordida twice this past week. Both times extremely delicious and very very messy. One benefit of Mordida is that my face is surprisingly more smooth. Icing must have some moisturizing properties or something!
My time in Mexico has been such an incredible experience already! I'm ALREADY dreading August 2nd! If these past few days are any indication of what the rest of the trip is going to be like, well I must say that God has outdone Himself with this amazing blessing.
Abrazos
Be a Man! 6/7/13
These past couple of days of training have felt like the scene in Mulan, the Disney movie,where they are training Mulan and the soldiers for the war. Except for me, it would be, "Be a Mexican!"
Latin American Mission is completely amazing. These past few days have been basically nonstop sessions of training and praying to the point where I feel completely "prayed up"and prepared to begin living with my host family. They've taught us everything from how to dress in the church, praise songs in Spanish, how to be good Mexican children to our host family, to how to ride the metro. They've also had these super hilarious skits that are COMPLETELY accurate!
The purpose of these trainings have been to prepare us for what we will encounter in our homes and in our churches, but also how to be a blessing in this country. I've never received this level of training before with a missions trip. It is quite amazing and it says a lot about LAM. And there is still even more training to come! (This is not a plug for LAM, but man they are awesome!)
I think that the greatest thing that I'm taking away from training is: confidence.
Confidence in my Spanish speaking abilities that I have and confidence that they will greatly improve by the end of the summer. Confidence that God is with us and before us. Confidence that lives will be changed, whether mine or the Mexicans that I will be ministering to. Also, confidence in my ability to take every opportunity to share the powerful gospel.
I am so grateful for the confidence that they've given me and if I had to leave tomorrow, the trip would be worth it.
Abrazos
Latin American Mission is completely amazing. These past few days have been basically nonstop sessions of training and praying to the point where I feel completely "prayed up"and prepared to begin living with my host family. They've taught us everything from how to dress in the church, praise songs in Spanish, how to be good Mexican children to our host family, to how to ride the metro. They've also had these super hilarious skits that are COMPLETELY accurate!
The purpose of these trainings have been to prepare us for what we will encounter in our homes and in our churches, but also how to be a blessing in this country. I've never received this level of training before with a missions trip. It is quite amazing and it says a lot about LAM. And there is still even more training to come! (This is not a plug for LAM, but man they are awesome!)
I think that the greatest thing that I'm taking away from training is: confidence.
Confidence in my Spanish speaking abilities that I have and confidence that they will greatly improve by the end of the summer. Confidence that God is with us and before us. Confidence that lives will be changed, whether mine or the Mexicans that I will be ministering to. Also, confidence in my ability to take every opportunity to share the powerful gospel.
I am so grateful for the confidence that they've given me and if I had to leave tomorrow, the trip would be worth it.
Abrazos
Thursday, June 6, 2013
A New Beginning 6/5/13
"Spirit lead me where me trust is without borders. Let me walk upon the waters, wherever you would call me. Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander and my faith will be made stronger in the presence of my Savior."These were the words that I sang in church on April 28th, two days after receiving my acceptance email into the Avance Program. This was my act of declaring to God that I would go whoever He was calling me this summer and in that moment in my spirit I felt such a powerful draw to Mexico City that it took my breath away. Now 38 faith growing days later, these were the very words that I was again declaring to God as I began to board the plane to Mexico City. Listening to this song while boarding the plane was intense to say the least. Each step crossing the boardwalk into the plane was a step of faith, a sign of the beginning of the journey, and a literal representation of my obedience to God's will for my life. As I sit on the plane, I am soaring through a myriad of emotions ranging from nervousness to sheer excitement. However, I am choosing to anchor myself to the One who is steadfast and resting in the shadow of the One who holds this entire universe together, including me and my future. ¡Gloría a Jesús! Do I have expectations? Yes, but I've chosen to keep them pretty low because I have NO idea what this summer has in store! I expect to see God move, be used by God, learn a lot from my Mexican brothers and sisters in Christ, and improve my Spanish Do I have goals? Why yes, thanks for asking! I just have 3.I hope to be an avid seeker of God's presence and his work in situations and in people. I will always be asking: "How is God moving in_______? Also, I hope to be innovative in ways of Loving God and Loving Others and to never forget the power of culture! This summer is going to be incredibly crazy, challenging, and amazing! You know what? Bring it! God is in me, before me, and with me! I'm ready.
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