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MEXICO TEAM 2013 _____________________________________________ |
SARAH NGUYEN How my experience in San Felipe has affected me will be difficult to summarize, but I will definitely try my best! Foremost, I was really uncertain about whether I was going to go or not. Geographically, I didn’t even know where San Felipe was, I speak muy pocquito espanol, and I thought, do I drink the water there? What do people even drink? Yet, in my uncertainty and lack of expectations, God allowed me to be unrestrained in the way that I would encounter people, how I would live, and the work I would do. He had free game to do heart work within me.
Upon arrival, the word cold was a bit of an understatement since we were prepared for 70 degree weather. I don’t think anyone packed enough sweaters. I distinctly remember poking and prying at a wall unit in my dorm room wondering where the heat function was located. My friend Kaitlin and I realize there will be so such heating in San Felipe. Heart lesson #1: God used minor physical discomforts to show me my overly comfortable and privileged life here—to first recognize that I am incredible blessed but also to stir discomfort in striving towards a life so comfortable that I would be unwilling to serve Him in even more uncomfortable places.
In San Felipe, the team works on whatever is needed. In years past, teams from this church has completed different stages of construction at the Sonshine Hacienda orphanage, local churches, various building inside the 99+1 Ministry compound where we stayed. The compound comprises of the dorms for the teams, a kitchen, an apartment, a home, and the “Serenity House,” an elderly care home for neglected, out-casted, and abandoned men whom John and Bonnie, the founder of 99+1 Ministry, administer care to.
My main job was sanding drywall, priming, and painting the second floor of the Serenity House with Kaitlin. If you didn’t know, Kaitlin, Cody, Mario, and I are all involved in Cru, a Christian college ministry, and we had all served in Santa Monica for two months last summer where we were challenged in all avenues of our faith and walked away equipped and passionate about proclaiming Jesus through the words we speak and the lives we live. So I don’t think it is a coincidence that we all ended up in San Felipe. Serving with Kaitlin again was wonderful to say the least. During the week I found myself encouraged and sharpened by her. I think some of the best encouragements in my walk are found in the heartfelt, honest conversations with other brothers and sisters in Christ.
When I reflect upon San Felipe, what stands out to me the most are the heart of John and Bonnie who devoted their lives to ministry in San Felipe. They have not merited anything significant in worldly standing. However, their faith in the Lord’s provision in daily and grand needs, their courage to live radically without security blankets, and their fierce obedience to Jesus Christ are forces to be reckoned with. Never have I had the privilege to meet more honorable servants. Heart lesson #2: God calls us to love the least of these. Like John and Bonnie, we are called to show unpartialled love to the people whom society considers outcasts and unlovable.
I think that often times cynicism creeps on us and we think…what can God really teach me in one week or in one Sunday service or in one passage of the bible? Well I am here to testify that God can rock your world in one week. He can rock your world in any moment you have enough faith to believe He can. Heart lesson #3: I learned during my week in San Felipe that seeing God move requires faith, willingness of heart, and abandonment of our own expectations. He does His best work in our weaknesses. Our deepest areas of weakness are the places where our own efforts could never restore or make new. There the work of Christ is evident in a person’s life. In 2 Corinthians 12:9 Jesus says, my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.To conclude I just want to challenge everyone to make it a point to pray about being apart of the Mexico team next year, especially the youth. I challenge you to endure minor discomforts, to have a willing heart, and faith that God can and will do radical things in your life for His glory if you allow Him to. I dare you to believe that His grace is more sufficient than any discomfort, fear, or worry you will ever have. I invite you to abandon your expectations and future plans in turn for a week you would have never expected.
CODY SCHILLING I cant begin to tell you what a joy it is to have the opportunity to serve God and His people each year in San Felipe. I am continually amazed by the group of people that are called to go down to San Felipe, their willingness to serve, and their selfless attitudes. The week long trip was full of many sweet moments that I will not soon forget. Some of the things we were able to be a part of was painting and putting gutters on the “Serenity House” where less fortunate, mistreated elderly men have a safe place to be, drywalling the ceiling of our friend Toto’s church, cleaning out a packed garage for a soon-to-be widow, helping with a 2-day VBS for local kids, hearing stories about 99+1 Ministries each night during devotions from John & Bonnie Gilbert, sharing personal devotions each morning, visiting the “Nueva Cancion” mens rehab center, visiting the “Sonshine Hacienda” orphanage, delighting in local fish tacos, burritos, and chimichangas, shopping for trinkets near the sea in downtown, playing soccer, enjoying dessert and worship around a bon fire each night, etc. The list goes on and I would love to tell you all more about it in person if you let me know!
I loved the devotions at night led by John & Bonnie. Each night they would share their hearts for the ministry as well as the stories of some of the men living in the Serenity House. There are not many words to find after hearing some of the stories of abuse, neglect, mistreatment, abandon that some of the men had to go through. Each story is unique and there is light amongst the darkness in all of them. Each man who seemingly has nothing much to live for is able to hear about the good news of Jesus Christ. Though tough at times, the dedicated team of people who care for them share Jesus with them and help them to have a personal relationship with Him. It was so sweet to hear that each man there currently is believed to have a personal relationship with Jesus. Along with the stories of the men were other topics on John & Bonnie’s hearts. These included the meaning of truly abiding in Jesus, God being just as much a part of the little things in life as the big, greeting the day knowing that it has been given to you by the Lord, how actions speak louder than words, how all things work for the good of those who love Him, investing in others (looking for the flower within the thorn bush), and our story as it relates to our calling, our walk with God, and the fact that we need to have an eternal impact on everyone we come into contact with.
I was extremely encouraged by the nightly devotions along with many other things. I left San Felipe feeling like there are a lot of things I can and should be doing differently, so that my walk with God will grow, I will be more and more trusting of Him with my life (I find it a little tough to call it my life), I will be able to impact others for the Kingdom with my life, and I will be able to invest well in others lives. Seeing the tremendous need of the people in San Felipe only makes me think of the millions and millions of others throughout the world who are in the same boat, and even worse. My heart goes out to those who have a tough time starting or maintaining a relationship with Jesus, because they don’t have the proper resources, or are persecuted for their faith. The song “There Will Be A Day” by Jeremy Camp comes to mind as I write this:
“I try to hold on to this world with everything I have
But I feel the weight of what it brings, and the hurt that tries to grab
The many trials that seem to never end, His word declares this truth,
that we will enter in this rest with wonders anew
But I hold on to this hope and the promise that He brings
That there will be a place with no more suffering
There will be a day with no more tears, no more pain, and no more fears
There will be a day when the burdens of this place, will be no more, we’ll see Jesus face to face
But until that day, we’ll hold on to you always
I know the journey seems so long
You feel your walking on your own
But there has never been a step
Where you've walked out all alone
Troubled soul don’t lose your heart
Cause joy and peace he brings
And the beauty that’s in store
Outweighs the hurt of life’s sting
I can’t wait until that day where the very one I’ve lived for always will wipe away the sorrow that I’ve faced
To touch the scars that rescued me from a life of shame and misery this is why this is why I sing”
How sweet a day it will be when our Savior embraces us and wipes away all of our tears! For now, I look forward to when God leads me back to San Felipe, and I hope to continue to serve alongside great people. I am unaware of what God holds in the future for me, as well as where He will have me in the future, but I am always looking forward to seeing His work being done, His good news being spread, and being able to play a part in the Great Commission.
In His Amazing Grace,
Cody
MARIO GONZALES What's going on, everyone! As you read in my last blog, I was given the opportunity to go to Baja California, Mexico on a mission trip. Here's what happened: We worked on facilities that were designed for elderly people without families to care for them. The facility was called the Serenity House. It was a ministry for the elderly and it was part of a larger ministry called 99+1 Ministries. I had a chance to meet some of the people that were being housed in the Serenity House, and I was encouraged by the stories of some those elderly folks there. We sanded and painted one of the rooms in the Serenity House. I was also one of th guys in charge of putting up gutters for two of the buildings at the Serenity House.
When I was done painting at the Serenity House, I made my way over to a local church, and I did some work there. We put up dry wall on the ceiling of the church. This is one of the longer projects that we partook in. At this point, right as were putting up the dry wall, I realized that the material that we were using was partly paid for with some of the money that everyone used to pay for the Mexico trip. When I had this realization, I became really glad that I even decided to come on this trip. It was one thing coming to spend time working on these facilities, and it was blessing to know that the money we spent for the trip is the money that we used to pay for some of the material that we used for the different projects.
Another thing that we got to see was another ministry focused on assisting men out of the drug-addicted life. We visited an orphanage down there as well. All of these ministries were built from the ground, up, by faith. The materials were donated. The materials and money were all donated. Just before we left, a couple that was heavily involved in these ministries told us that they were planning to build yet another facility by faith (donations only). I thought to myself, "these guys are really working things out here!"
So blessed to even be a part of God's plan down there in San Felipe. Please keep these different ministries in your prayers! They are brothers and sisters in the faith who are working to bring more Jesus to people who really need Him.
If you would like more info on the trips, let me know via email: mariojgonzales@gmail.com
In His hands,
Mario G
