"Parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say good night till it be morrow."
(Romeo And Juliet Act 2, scene 2)
Monday evening July 20: After returning home from the prison our task was to get all of our clothes and things packed and ready to load. We were to be loaded and ready to travel by 7:AM Tuesday. With that task completed we spent the last hours having some fun with the kids. An unexpected surprise was another mission team visiting from Louisiana. The did some songs, skits and a puppet show for the kids then left. Then it was pizza time. And after pizza........was one of the biggest water fights I have been in. It started with water balloons, but when they were gone it was bottles, can, buckets or anything that would hold water. An hour later not one person was dry, but oh what fun. (I'll have to get pictures from someone else for this one.) All too soon however, it was time to say goodbye. This time the water came not from the hose but from the eyes. Tears filled everyone's eyes, even those who are good at holding their emotions in check could keep these tears from flowing.
"Is it really possible to develope such a closeness in only 6 days?" you might ask. The answer is a resounding YES!!! Mexican boys and girls were now a forever part of the lives of these 11 Americanos and visa versa. For I believe that's why God created us...to be in relationship with Him and with others.
Pastor Scott on behalf of the team
Thursday, July 23, 2009
The Day That Almost Wasn't
I know that sounds like a strange title but let me explain. When we began preparing in January we were orginally scheduled to leave Mexico on Monday Morning. Later, the team decided they really wanted to stay an extra day so we added Monday to the calendar and pushed off our exit until Tuesday. Somehow that seemed to make a difference to God because some incredible things happened on our last day there.
Monday morning we finished painting the dorm building and cleaning up the grounds. We had an early lunch then drove about 45 minutes to the jail we had visited a couple of days earlier. We were able to meet with the prisoners (about a dozen) in a small room where Enrique shared the gospel and then we handed out Bibles. Eleven of the twelve wanted to be prayed for and at least two of them prayed a salvation prayer. Another of the 12, Francisco, shared with Meghan and me that he had only eight days left and then would be released to go home. He was hesitant however because there is a lot of domestic tensions at home with several family members, so Meghan and I prayed specifically for Him.
While one group was at the prison the rest of our team was in a park. While there Carol and a few of the girls witnessed to a woman. She did not make a faith committment but asked for a Bible. As our van pulled away from the park we saw the woman already reading her new bible.
We then drove a few blocks to the home of the woman who worked in the prison administration building whom Carol and Sheri had prayed for on our first visit. This woman had shared some great needs with Carol and Sheri and dad prayed to receive Christ. They promised to bring her a meal and pray again for her when we returned, which Carol did. Then the woman asked us to go visit her brother who is living with mom. This time Enrique, Scott, Kyle and Travis went in. After some conversation about this man's life and needs, both the of them prayed a salvation prayer.
On our way back to the orphanage we stopped to help out some people who had car trouble. While a few of us were helping with the car Carol was sharing the gospel with a man and a woman who were part of the group traveling in the broken car. Both of these people responded by saying "yes" they wanted to pray for God's salvation.
As we talked together about these things on our drive home, Enrique reminded us that only God knows for sure the sincerity of those who prayed to receive Christ. We can't save anybosy, that is God's job, but we can help people understand God's love for them and invite them to trust Christ alone for salvation and forgiveness of sin.
So you see, God blessed this day...the day that almost wasn't.
Pastor Scott on behalf of the team!
Monday morning we finished painting the dorm building and cleaning up the grounds. We had an early lunch then drove about 45 minutes to the jail we had visited a couple of days earlier. We were able to meet with the prisoners (about a dozen) in a small room where Enrique shared the gospel and then we handed out Bibles. Eleven of the twelve wanted to be prayed for and at least two of them prayed a salvation prayer. Another of the 12, Francisco, shared with Meghan and me that he had only eight days left and then would be released to go home. He was hesitant however because there is a lot of domestic tensions at home with several family members, so Meghan and I prayed specifically for Him.
While one group was at the prison the rest of our team was in a park. While there Carol and a few of the girls witnessed to a woman. She did not make a faith committment but asked for a Bible. As our van pulled away from the park we saw the woman already reading her new bible.
We then drove a few blocks to the home of the woman who worked in the prison administration building whom Carol and Sheri had prayed for on our first visit. This woman had shared some great needs with Carol and Sheri and dad prayed to receive Christ. They promised to bring her a meal and pray again for her when we returned, which Carol did. Then the woman asked us to go visit her brother who is living with mom. This time Enrique, Scott, Kyle and Travis went in. After some conversation about this man's life and needs, both the of them prayed a salvation prayer.
On our way back to the orphanage we stopped to help out some people who had car trouble. While a few of us were helping with the car Carol was sharing the gospel with a man and a woman who were part of the group traveling in the broken car. Both of these people responded by saying "yes" they wanted to pray for God's salvation.
As we talked together about these things on our drive home, Enrique reminded us that only God knows for sure the sincerity of those who prayed to receive Christ. We can't save anybosy, that is God's job, but we can help people understand God's love for them and invite them to trust Christ alone for salvation and forgiveness of sin.
So you see, God blessed this day...the day that almost wasn't.
Pastor Scott on behalf of the team!
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