Day Nine, August 3rd

Aug 10

Originally published on Facebook August 4, 1:16 am

What a joy it's been for us to write to you each night as we try to help you understand what God has been doing. This will be our team's final attempt, as tomorrow, Lord willing, will bring us home and get us ready to update you in person!

The day started with our morning meeting where Travis, Ellie, and Ashely shared their testimonies. Travis spoke of a life following Christ and the disciplines that have served him well to remain tethered to Christ. Scripture, prayer, fellowship, and worship have been the cornerposts of his growth. Ellie Described a profound experience with God that has formed her firm foundation for faith, and Ashley talked about hardships, renewal, and new beginnings. As we've progressed through this week, these students have begun to trust each other and open up. Healing and comfort are the blessings to us who have listened and shared well.

After a great time of sharing, we broke down the schedule.

8 am - Breakfast

9 am - Gustavo Testimony

11 am - Mission Service

2 pm - clean up

4:30 - Celebration service

7;30 - Mexican Ironman

9 pm - Final team time

Let's see if I can take you through this day at this late hour…

8 am — Breakfast

Pancakes with Nutella! Let's go!!! Pineapple juice and bacon! Plus cookies for breakfast! The Fundaćion team prepared 25 meals for all 25 of us over our nine days on site. People, that is 625 meals. We are so grateful to them (Monica and Armando) for the care they put into meeting our needs (and Andie, Laura, and Christine, who helped supplement when team members needed meal alternatives.) Multiple times, a dinner ended with the dining room full of 70 plus chanting loudly… Monica, Monica, Monica and Armando, Armando, Armando!

9 am — Gustavo

Gustavo, along with his wife, serves as the Pastor at the church just across the road from the Fundaćion called the Mission. The church was started by Hilario (Mela's late husband) many years ago. After has passing in 2021 both Mela and Gustavo heard a complimentary word from he Lord that he aught to become the Pastor. For two year now they have hosted a service every Saturday. Those who attend are eager for the word, fellowship and food.

Gustavo's life is one redeemed. After being found on the street by his family passed out from substance abuse he'd finally hit rock bottom. It was from this place that he finally reach to the only one who could truly heal him. He and his wife's marriage is a testimony to Grace upon Grace applied and received. They are now using that healed pain as their tool for ministry to a neighborhood that is filled with similar stories.

11 am — Service

During the service, A local pastor spoke, we worshiped and shared our mural testimony (once again presented by Micah, Ellie, Jordan, Ali, Caleb, Laura, Wes, Jacob, and Kaitlyn), and Andi and Jacob shared their testimonies due to the very demographic and their relatability. In a space that was often filled with chatter, the visual and personal stories quieted the room. Wes concluded with an invitation to accept Christ according to his gift for evangelism. On August 11th we will present this at FIC's morning "Youth Missions Sunday" service. You are all invited!

The community here was so happy to spend the 2 plus hours together in fellowship as they concluded the time sharing a meal and walking away with a bag of food.

2 pm - clean up

Toilets, floors, beds and bags… blah, blah blah… on the the exciting stuff!

4:30 pm — Celebration

The foundation honored us with a prepared celebration that included gifts (I love my custom mug!), choreographed traditional dances, line dances, circled prayer, and a beloved Mexican dish (pigs legs and chicken). Most of our team was incredibly excited about the reappearance of the week's favorite item… Chicken taquitos as a side dish that became the main dish! Seeing how our students have come to love the Fundaćion and receive all of this (even the pig legs) with a smile and a "gracias" is beautiful.

During the celebration about ten of our students voluntarily shared their highlights of the week in an impromptu way. Times included the waterslides, VBS gospel stories, games, and all the laughter. This was reciprocated by the foundation who talked about being cared for and laughing so much!

7:30 pm — Mexican Ironman

After a more formal time of celebration things progressed to dancing some all the students favorite dances… it seems the Macarena is timeless! There was so much laughter as these two groups, the Fundaćion and LIFT student ministries had really become one.

And then everything changed.

Suddenly appearing on the football (soccer) pitch was a 9 foot tall, LED beaming, technotronic dancing machine wearing a sombrero with feet lighter than a hummingbird on air. I've never seen anything like it, nor do I think I will ever see anything like it again. You'll have to scroll down to see the video I'll include!

All I can say is that Mexican Ironman stirred up the party into a frenzy that lasted a full hour. My personal favorite was pulling Mela onto the dance floor to do the Qupid shuffle together.. if you know, you know!

9 pm — team time

Wes led us through a beautiful time together, beginning in worship. Then, reading from John 13, he reminded us that Jesus called us to serve each other as he did. In this case, by washing his disciple's feet. After modeling for us, we all followed his lead and spent the next 45 minutes loving as Christ had loved, serving as Christ had served. Siblings, friends, leaders, family and more, all walking in the way of Jesus with words of encouragement and prayer. It was beautiful to see how unabashed they all were to follow Jesus lead. No doubt the time created a bond and will be cherished for a long time.

After this, Wes transitioned us to a time for "next steps" reflection. A Christ candle was lit in the center of the room, and every team member was invited to come forward, light their own candle from its flame, and share their post-trip commitment — a first step of sorts. This was an intimate time of sharing. By the time we were done, the whole room was filled with the light of His single flame. It was a beautiful representation of what this sort of trip can do if we choose to let it spread beyond our team and this time. (Pro tip for parents and friends… tell them I wrote about this moment and ask, "would you be willing to share the "first step" you committed to on the last night?" Some may not want to answer, but it's a fair question to ask!

The night ended with some passionate worship with many crescendos. Not the least of which was "Firm foundation's" final lines:

Christ is my firm foundation

The rock on which I stand

When everything around me is shaking

I've never been more glad

That I put my faith in Jesus

'Cause he's never let me down

He's faithful through generations

So why would he fail now?

He won't (ayy)

Some final ramblings...

Over these past nine days we have heard of God's hand at work in this place over the past 20 years by so many children, adults, family members, prisoners, people with an addiction, and pastors. We've seen countless lives changed by this reconciling, restoring, and renewing God of ours. What's more, we have experienced him at work in our own lives in a way that brings to mind the old song

I will never be

the same again

I can never return

I've closed the door

I will walk the path

I'll run the race

And I will never

Be the same again.

These students have demonstrated a capacity for risk, faithfulness, wisdom, passion, fun, fellowship, grit, perseverance, compassion, prayer, and more. They've done it all while drawing each other closer together around the power of Christ's love for them and the people of Guadalajara.

Since day one of the trip God lead me to pray that Psalm 63 would be the testimony of these students hearts. And so, from a distance, I've quietly spoken it over them repeatedly as they've walked from place to place, given their testimonies, worshiped, taught VBS, or sat in church service.

It reads,

You, God, are my God,

earnestly I seek you;

I thirst for you,

my whole being longs for you,

in a dry and parched land

where there is no water.

I have seen you in the sanctuary

and beheld your power and your glory.

Because your love is better than life,

my lips will glorify you.

I will praise you as long as I live,