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
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