Back in Texas.. Still under His Shelter

Dear Family and Friends

Life has been desperately busy since I returned home from Monterrey 3 weeks ago. I have found very little time to sit and reflect on the past months experiences until now. The same day I returned to Austin, I left with my family to a camp in Navasota for families with disabilities with Joni and Friends Ministries. We have attended this camp ever since I was six. However, for the past 3 years, I have been serving on staff. It was a great place to be for my first week of re-immersion into the states. Right after that was done with my church's summer outreach program kicked off. The Great Adventure was a great time where the gospel was spread and relationships were started. In between all of this, I have been working.

This is my first week were I have nothing to do besides work. It remains very relaxing. However, at the same time, I am not sure what to do with myself. So here I sit in reflection. Let me share with you a little more of what God showed me in June 2009.

God showed me His shelter.
I knew the theme for the summer would be shelter in March. Therefor from the very beginning I prayed that God would make His shelter very real to me. The God of the ages came through. Shelter goes beyond a physical place of protection. The shelter that Psalmist refers to in psalms 91 is one of spiritual implications. If you read Psalms 91, you will see promises of God's protection. ' no harm will befall on you, no disaster will come near your tent'. Those are some big promises especially in world in which we know pain, suffering, and harm exist. In a world in which there are orphans, and there is sickness and disease. How do we mix these to realities, the promise of no harm and the pain that exist to even those that truly do dwell in God's shelter? One might try to question God, and say why did you allow this, I thought you promised. Who are we to question the sovereignty of God? After losing everything, Job questions God. In response, for 3 chapters (39-41) God rebukes Job and shows him the Glory of the Lord Almighty. 'Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation?' We can Not know better then God. Everything that happens lies in accordance to His will. In chapter 42, Job recognizes God's ultimate power and glory. Job later sees the purposes of his suffering. 'The Lord blessed the latter part of Job's life more then the first.' How do we mix these two realities? One word, JESUS. "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33. We are often missing the point. ' Shelter is not about the absence of trouble, but through the overcoming power of Jesus we can find the joy and peace of God's presence in the midst of whatever happens.' That is the shelter that psalmist is talking about. How do we get there? How do we experience this shelter? Its around you all the days of your life. You must chose to dwell in it. Not visit it but dwell in it. Completely rest in His will and you shall find the Shelter of the Lord your God. "There are no if's in God's world. And no places that are safer then other places. The center of His will is our only safety. Let us pray that we may always know it' Betsie Ten Boom.

God showed me His glory.
Through his revelation of shelter to me and other moments were the spirit worked in my heart, God showed me His glory. Through the beauty that surrounded me in the mountains of Monterrey, God showed me His glory. Through the life of the orphan child, God showed me His glory. Through the love, joy, peace, and hope of Christ God showed me His glory.
He makes EVERYTHING GLORIOUS.

God gave me Reliance of Him.
I could not have survived the intense work of the first 6 weeks of summer if it was not for God. He gave me the physical, emotional, and spiritual strength to push on. I pray that I shall ever rely on Him and His strength, not my own.


I would like to Thank each and every one of you for your prayers and support. You helped make so much possible. You prayed, You gave, and God moved. Through the overwhelming blessing of Christ, an extra 1,000 dollars exactly was raised for the internship. The entire sum was given to Casa Jogar Douglas to be used towards their church and home. Pray that the church at Douglas will continue to be a spiritual shelter for the children. They still need your prayers. Please continue to pray for the children of Monterrey, Mexico and the staff of Back2Back Ministries.

I built so many awesome relationships over the summer with the youth, the children, and the staff. I deeply desire to return during the year in order to continue building these relationships. I have also been told I have to because I am not far away. We will see what God has planned. As far as next summer goes, it is in prayer. I plan to continue to use this blog to communicate as God continues to shape my heart for Him, His children, and His mission.

Dios te Bandiga

Andrew Dixon
"He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart."
Psalms 91:4

The Blessing of Our Parents from Our FATHER

The month is closing. God continues to use every day and every moment to break me and shape me. It continues to amaze me how much God shows us and teaches us when we abide in Him. As I have studied, prayed, and meditated over Psalms 91 and God's shelter, God has shown me so many expects and truths about. The one truth in which I have found certain is resting in the will of God is by far the best place any of us can be.

I want to share a quick story with you from last week. One week from today I went on a field trip with an orphanage called Imperial del Amor. We went to go ride bikes at a local park in Monterrey. It was a really fun time. One of the girls from the orphanage was wearing a shirt that said in English, 'I Love My Mommy'. God really spoke to me in that moment. It almost broke down right there. The little girl had no clue what it meant, and no one was about to tell her.

I think we often take for granit the blessings of our parents. Atleast I know I do. God used that little girl to teach me the importance of my parents, and how little I remember that. I would like to take this time over the ciber world to thank you Mom and Dad for all that you do. You truly are a huge blessing in my life.

I myself will try to remember that much more for times to come. I encourage each of you to remember the blessing of your parents and remind them of that as much as you can. If not already, someday you to may become a blessing to a child, a parent.

God Bless

Andrew

Take Heart...... I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD

Well it is almost the end of the third week of June, and I am so blessed to be spending it here in Monterrey serving my God.
Saturday was a little extra special this week. Instead of us doing chores in the morning and then being off in the afternoon which gave us a chance to relax and rest before the groups and kids arrived for the Saturday pool party, we held a medical brigade for 8 of the 10 homes Back2Back serves. A local christian doctors organization brought in local doctors who volunteered their services for the kids. It was really a wonderful blessing to see the kids get the medical attention they needed.


Sunday was spent at a orphanage called ERJ. I had never been there before. In the morning took the kids to play and swim in a river that is nearby. It was very cool and refreshing under the shade hiding from the 105 degree Monterrey sun. ERJ lies on the outskirts of Monterrey on a 30 acre plot. Several years ago Juan Porto, one of the staff for B2B Mexico, started a ropes course on the land. The vision was that it would become a self sustaining profit for the Children s Home. Today the ropes course at ERJ has become just that. They have churches and other groups come and pay to use it. The rope course teaches teamwork, endurance, faith, and so much more. Juan eventually would like to see it become its own complete church retreat facility for the people of Monterrey. The group I was with ventured onto the ropes course that afternoon. Sunday was a very relational day. I grew in relationships with several Jovens who live one campus. I have so many new friendships here and will be sad to leave them behind.
Sunday night was a great time of worship. However, after worship I began to smell lots of smoke. The smell kept getting stronger and stronger. At first I thought someone was cooking or burning a small pile of brush. I hear some chaos behind me, and I turn around to see flames and smoke shooting up over the walls from the neighbors across the street of B2B. Beth Guckenburger was delivering one of her inspiring stories to the groups at the time. Everyone however began getting restless. However, she was able to keep the group calm while the guy interns and Jovens on campus started running over there. We grabbed buckets and hoses along the way. We stretched a hose from our property over the walls across the street to the fire and began putting out a rapidly growing brush fire. Within 10 minutes we had put out a what seamed to be a 1/2 acre of burning grass and brush. The fire was started by a guy smoking next to a dry brush pile. What a great idea! The scary part was that given it 3-5 more minute the building, treas, and electrical poles for the entire neighborhood would have been up in flames. At that point the fire would have been out of control. If the electrical poles would have burned, live wires would have fallen onto our campus. It would not have been a good situation. However, God was present and gave us the courage and leadership to act quick. Thankfully, no one was hurt, and the power is still on. Unfortunately, I do not have pictures because that was the last thing that's on you mind when you neighbors house is burning.

Monday was not nearly as exciting as Sunday night. However, it remained a very productive day. I finished a project I had been working on with American group members. Established new and grew older relationships with some of the ninos at Douglas. I really feel connected to those kids and that home. God has truly blessed me. We held a birthday party for the kids who's birthdays were in the last three months. As an orphane, that was probably the only present they would get. Alot of them are blessed if someone even remembers their bday.It was really coool to see their faces of joy. We were able to play a small part in showing them the love of Christ while celebrating them and their birth. That night the interns and some staff went out to Taco Fedes for Andrea's (one of the interns) birthday. By the way as always Taco Fedes was amazing. The best taco in the entire world.

Tuesday was another great day of work and relations at Douglas. I have determined that I sweat more then most people. However, that only means I work twice hard. (jk...) Tuesday's group was the same group that I was with Sunday and Monday. They are really hard workers. However, they do break out into random songs that make no since... a little weird.

By Tuesday night I was supper tired. The only reason I had made it that long was because of God's strength. He truly gave me the strength, the will, and courage to keep on. However, I have not reached the point of completely dwelling in God's shelter and resting in His shadow. It is my prayer that as the last week of my internship approaches, God would bring me to this point. That I would become ever so reliant on Him and dwelling and resting under His Shelter.

It is Wednesday, my day off. I am resting in Him.


A picture says a thousand words.

God Bless
Thanks you for ALL of your prayers and support. I could not have done it without you.
Andrew

God's Glory Everywhere

Hey Y'all

I realize it has been a little while since I last wrote, but I have been keeping very busy here in Monterrey. I will give a recap of this week. God has really shown me His glory in more than one situation this week. All I did was ask that He would, and He answered.

Sunday
Church at Douglas was an amazing experience as always. This time the worship team brought more of their friends so the band was even bigger. God was truly worshiped and the kids were truly connecting with their God. We had a group of incoming freshmen from a christian school in Cincinnati, Ohio help us that afternoon for the work projects at Douglas. I at first thought to myself that they were going to be a difficult group. I was very wrong. They were the best group I worked with all week. They truly understood their purpose for being there. We tore out lots of debris and started putting in a new temporary fence on one side of the property that was exposed. I also led a small group of these 9th graders in a bible study over the topic of Shelter (the theme of B2B this summer). To see their spiritual growth from day 1 to day 5 was really encouraging. God truly moved in their hearts, and I saw His glory.

Monday
I was at Douglas again. We pretty much just did a bunch of small projects to fix up the church and the clothes lines until about 5 pm. Then we stayed at the home to watch the kids while the encargadas (the ladies that take care of the kids and live at the children's home) went to one of the staff homes to pray. There is going to be a change in leadership among them so there remains a lot of uncertainty while spiritual movement is occurring at the same time. God is in control, and He is moving there. We had a grand time playing with all of the kids while the encargadas saught the Lord's council. The kids behaved better with us then they every had before. God's glory was shown during baby sitting 80 orphaned children.

Tuesday
I went with the same group that I was with on Monday to an area known as Cadareyta. The area and the community we serve in Cadareyta is a very poor area. They were originally living in a Rio community on free land along the river. These communities along the river are called squatter villages. People come squat on the government land for free and build their houses out of whatever they can find or afford. However, this one community was forced to abandon their shelter along the river because the government was going to build a bridge there. The government to provide them very small plots of land in Cadareyta on the other side of the mountains. Pastor Angel served this community when they were by the river. He continues to feel the Lord's call to serve that community. We are building the community a small church there. The church will serve as a community center and a place for Pastor Angel and his family to live. In the late morning, we placed rhubarb on the walls of the church in preparation to pour the second floor. That afternoon we took several people from the community to a public pool and had a cook out. I grilled 60+ pounds of meat for tacos. Pastor Angel shared a message and Mrs. Angel led us in worship. God was glorified through community.

Wednesday
It was my much needed day off. One of the missionary couples took those of us that were off to go see Up. Movies in Mexico are a whole lot cheaper. That evening Satan attacked me. I felt very discouraged and defeated. I became physically, emotionally, and spiritually worn out. Discouragement ranked in my heart. That night in worship, I asked God what he was going to do about this? How was He going to help me? When was He going to help me? Not even a minute later the worship leader said He felt that there was some discouragement that ranked among us tonight. Those that were discouraged he asked to raise their hands. Then others came around us and prayed encouragement and joy upon us. God truly came with loads of encouragement. I saw His glory through His rescue of me.

Thursday
Work projects in the morning at Douglas. The Douglas kids came over for a pool party on our campus. I had a 30 minute conversation with one of the Jovens in Spanish. I have built so many relationships with the staff and the Jovens on campus. I thank God for all of them. Worship was a wonderful experience where a testimony of recovery was shared. God was glorified through the workings of a smooth and wonderfull day.

Friday
I slept a lot. I read a lot. I reflected a lot. I prayed a lot. Then all the interns went out for a night on the town, Intern night out. We took a boat out onto the lake in Monterrey which sits between two mountain ranges. The glory of God is shown through the beauty of His magnificent creation.
I encourage you to ask God to daily show you his glory.
I hope to be posting pictures very soon.

God Bless
Andrew

THIS IS OUR GOD... He is Lord

Hey All

It is hard to believe it has already been one week for me in Monterrey. The first week's American groups left this morning. The rest of the day the interns and staff were off and we rested. However, I found it difficult to sleep in 109 degree weather with no AC because the power went out for 4 hours this afternoon. Therefore, instead I finished a book. Friday nights are interns out on the town night. We went to the famous Wall-Mart, out to eat, and the Monterrey river walk. It was a great day for reflection on the last weeks experiences.

This week has really gone by fast. I spent almost the entire week at Casa Jogar Douglas. The home was started by a man named Juimon. His son Juimon Jr. now runs it. Juimon Sr. truly desired for Douglas to be not only a physical shelter for the orphans but also a spiritual shelter. This is evident through past visions, the fading verses posted onto the walls, the crumbling baptistry, and the decaying church on the hill. This vision of Douglas being a spiritual sanctuary has faded over the years. The Back2Back captains for Douglas truly desire to reestablish Douglas as a spiritual sanctuary for the orphan who takes refuge in its physical shelter. The first steps were just showing the orphans of Douglas the love of Christ which Back2Back has been doing for 10 years. The second of these was repairing an old and decaying children's home.

The current step that Back2Back has taken towards making Douglas a spiritual sanctuary is the restoration of the church on the hill. The building's roof was falling in, its windows missing, the pews broken, the paint chipping, and its stage crumbling. The roof has been repaired, the windows replaced, the stage re-poured, the church is becoming re-established. There still remains a lot of work to do. We need to make new pews, finish painting the outside, and a few other repairs. It remains overwhelming to see what God has done already. Church on Wednesday and Sunday nights is a magnificent time of worship and fellowship. The kids have a spiritual place in which to find God and rest in Him. A place that was built for that purpose. A place in which others are present to serve God in this need. One picture that has moved me this week, and caused me to see the hole this church is filling involves one littler girl. On Wednesday I walked up the hill to start another day of preparation for the group work projects. That day we were to finish restoring and painting the metal doors. As I walked into God's church, I saw a young orphan girl siting on the stage reading her Bible. The look on her face and the stillness in which she sat as she read the word of the living, breathing God moved me. She was dwelling in the shelter of the Most High God. She was in her spiritual sanctuary. God showed me the importance of dwelling in his shelter. He reminded of how little I rely on Him and how little I stay in His shelter.

As I am reminded of God's shelter, I think of that young girl. In response God promises, rest in the shadow of the Almighty. May we each not just visit or stay for a week in the shelter of the most high, but may we DWELL in the Shelter, live in the Shelter, abide in the shelter, sleep in the shelter, trust in the shelter. When we do this we shall rest in His Shadow. That is a Glorious place. I desire to make it there. It is my prayer. May it also come to be yours.

Prayer Request

That Douglas would become a spiritual sanctuary for every child and house parent living there. That God would make himself evidently known to these children. His Glory be shown.

Tommorow is a new week work and service

He is my Healer
God Bless
Andrew Dixon

Resting in Him

Today is a day of rest. My first day off since arriving and it is much appreciated. I thank you all for your continued prayers. The projects at the chapel at Douglas are still under way. I hope to have pictures of the completed work soon. Your continued prayers are greatly appreciated. I see myself becoming more and more reliant on God's strength. I am eager to see what he will do.
God Bless
Andrew

We Worship You

Howdy Y'all (I have been dying to say that to someone without everyone looking at me funny.)

Well it is a wonderful late Sunday afternoon in Monterrey, Mexico. By wonderful I mean today's high temperature was 103. Since Back2back is based out of Ohio, a majority of the people from the short term mission groups are from up north, I love having advantage over all of them. This heat is nothing, it's like Texas with a few mountains. Thursday and Friday were spent training, Saturday the short term mission groups arrived. We currently have 4 groups staying on campus. Giving us a total of 90+ Americans to help us this week. The kids from two orphanages ( Del Norte and the other I have no clue how to spell) came to the back2back campus for the annual Saturday pool bash. I stood in front of a grill and cooked 340 hamburgers for all the kids and Americans (It only took 3 hours). I don't think I had ever been so hot in my life.

This morning was very memerable. I went to the new church that was started at La Casa De Joven de Douglas, an orphanage walking distance from Back2back and the first one Back2back ever began serving. It was started kinda suddenly by two members on staff here, and now God is doing some amazing things with it. The church sits in a old chappel on the very top of a hill at Douglas. Let me say, that it is a glorious place to have church. High up in the mountains of Monterrey worshiping God. As we were led in worship in spanish by very talented young artist, I looked around and saw God today. We were singing 'We worship you'.
Then this verse came up,

Gente de cada nación y tribu
De generación en generación

I recieved a little glimps of what heaven may look like. People from diferent backrounds, cultures, languages, ethicity, and languages all coming together to serve one purpose, worship our MAJESTIC GOD.
The rest of the day was spent paintin and scarpin and fixin the church. I will be back at Douglas tommorow leading another group doing the same projects at Douglas.

Thats a quike little update, thanks for listening. My spell check is not working. I apoligize for the awefull spelling.

God Bless
Andrew

Ready to Embark

Good Afternoon

As many of you know, today is my last day in America before I head off to Monterrey, Mexico where I will spend the entire month of June serving as an intern with Back2back Ministries (http://www.back2backministries.org). My flight heads out of Austin to Dallas at 6 am with an expected arrival time into Monterrey at 11 am. The wait for this summer has felt a lot longer then it actually has been. The patience within me was tested. It has been 8 months since my first trip to Back2back and 2 months since my last visit. I applied as a summer intern 6 months ago and was accepted almost 4 months ago. In this period of waiting, God has taught me how much I truly need to rely on Him. He has convicted my heart and shown me that with partial submission war still remains in my heart and peace cannot truly rule in my life. I deeply desire that I would come back with a greater reliance on God and complete submission to his rule in my life. No longer do I want to turn to God just in the good times and the bad times. But every day of my life, living completely dependent on Him, total surrender, total peace. This is my prayer.

Prayer Request
1) That God's will would be done traveling to, from, and around Monterrey
2) For the attitudes and actions of the Back2back team to be Christ like
3) That the people we come into contact with will see the love of Jesus through us
4) That people would respond to that love
5) That God will show his glory to the people of Monterrey and the team
6) For the finances of the internship to be fulfilled---Answered
7) For the heart and life of the orphan to be radically affected by the love of Christ
8) That God would further show me His call and direction for my life
9) That I would use this as a time to truly listen to Him
10) That I would completely rely on God
11) That much would be accomplished towards the orphans cause

The Orphans Cause

These are all from the NIV version unless otherwise specified.

- Psalm 82: 3 - Defend their cause

-Psalm 82:4 - Rescue them

-Psalm 82:4 - Deliver them

-Psalm 113:7 - Lift them up

-Psalm 68:5 - Be their Father

-Psalm 68:6 - Give them a home

-Isaiah 49: 15 - Not to forget them

-Hosea 14:3 - Give them compassion

-Deuteronomy 10:18 - Give them food and clothing

- Deuteronomy 10: 18 - Give them justice

-Psalm 10: 14 - Be their helper

-Psalm 140: 12 - Secure justice for them

- Psalm 140: 12 - Uphold their cause

-Exodus 22:22-23 - Will hear them

-Deuteronomy 14:29 - Give them food

-Psalm 10: 18 - Vindicate them (NASB)

-Not to leave them- Jeremiah 49: 11, Psalm 27: 10

-Come to them- John 14: 18

-Lead them out-John 10:3

-Extend mercy towards them-Hosea 14:3, Isaiah 63:9, Romans 9: 15-

-Incline his ear- Isaiah 37: 17

12.) That above all else God's glory will be shown and His will be done

This years theme for Back2back's summer mission teams is Shelter from the passage Psalms 91. Over the past several weeks I have been meditating and praying on this passage. God has taught me so much through this one passage. I acknowledge God's name and love Him. This is His promise to each of us that does this.

"Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

¹⁵ He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.

¹⁶ With long life will I satisfy him
and show him my salvation."

I encourage each of you to read and meditate on Psalms 91. I will continue to study this passage throughout my internship, and will have much more to share with you on this and what God has taught me. I will have 1 day a week off. This is the day I will be able to update my Blog.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support,

Dios Te Bandiga

Andrew R. Dixon