The life of a world racer…. fun, crazy, busy, chaotic, and totally worthwhile! We’re been in Matamoros four days now and I absolutely LOVE it! I am so grateful for every Spanish class I’ve ever taken. I love being in Mexico, with the language, the food, and especially the wondeful people. The first few days had been orientation, devotion and worship time, and some team preparations (determining our race strategy!), then today was our first day of ministry.
Team Doulos headed out to a place called “Sirvando Canales”, to distribute some donated bread, talk and pray with the people, and evaluate the ministry needs in the area. The term ‘neighborhood’ would not apply to this community. There is no pavement, no electricity, no running water. Imagine, walking into a deserted land, no hills, no vegetation, nothing, and that is where you must reside. Any scrap of material would become your home as you nailed it to other pieces of abandoned wood or metal. Imagine digging a hole in the ground to be your toilet. This is real life for many people in Mexico. Yes, its hard, but its the life that they know. I praise God that He has allowed me to talk with these people, and get such a strong sense of their spirit and humanity. To love them, and enjoy them, and pray blessings over them. Currently, there is no local church for these people, but God is working to change that. Please pray for the believers in this area, that they would passionately pursue Christ, and not wait for a building to BE a church.
What stood out to me about the people we met today, (Juan, Belinda, Olivia, Julio, Catarina, and many many others…) was their openness to visitors and to receiving prayer, and an overwhelming presence of peace. Life in America is so much easier in certain ways…. yet Americans are so much more stressed out. It’s ironic that we claim our abundance of posessions as blessings, when they actually can bring such stress, worry, and distraction from things that are TRULY important. I have a deep hunger in my soul to know the freedom of simplicity, and I hope that I can learn this during this next year.
I love you and am praying for you all. Please pray for me, that I would be able to focus on God and not allow any of my own wants or opinions to stumble me from living a life that glorifies Him. Please also pray that I would be able to get enough sleep! =) Praise the Lord that He has helped me to overcome my fears of flying (I only cried a little!!!) and reaching out (I prayed -out loud- for people I didn’t know – in Spanish – yay!!!!)!
God is so amazingly good, and there is nothing better than knowing you are in the center of His will. Praising God, bringing glory to His name, it’s what I was BORN for! Amen!
