Our last morning in Oaxaca, we thought we would go to an Easter service after eating breakfast. We got to the church and God blessed us by placing a woman there to chat with us. In the course of trying to find out times of services, etc., we found out that it was 10:25, an hour later than we thought. It turns out the time changed overnight and we had no idea. We were supposed to be leaving from the hotel at 10:30 for the airport. Eeeek. So we rushed back to the hotel, grabbed our bags and jumped into two taxis. Brent did an awesome job at last minute rearranging. If we hadn’t found out about the time change, we probably would have missed our flight.
We had enjoyable plane rides all the way home and an awesome waitress at Chili’s, where we had dinner. No luggage was lost and we made it home in one piece! It was wonderful to see those who came to greet us as we got home. God is good. All the time he is good.
Thanks for the incredible support and many petitions to our Father. We would not have had the same trip without them. God is gracious.
Praise for God’s goodness in providing safety!
Praise him for healing! Amanda left on the trip with a pretty severe case of bronchitis. She coughed the first night, and after that, not at all. It was truly a gift from God.
Anytime someone began to feel pain, sickness or heat exhaustion coming over them, the Lord was faithful to heal in a matter of hours.
Praise him for Alex, his family, and the workers that he sends out who are willing to give up everything in this world so that others can be saved in the next. They were a tremendous blessing to us. And God is using this ministry in mighty ways. Please ask the Father for their continued health and encouragement.
Bring to the Father, Mario - the worker in the village we visited, and Peter- one of the first followers in the village.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
DAY 5
Alex came by to get us for a barbecue breakfast after everyone had a lovely night’s sleep in the same hotel we stayed in the first night. After we finished eating, we spent the rest of the morning in the center of the city, wandering around the Saturday market. Because it was Easter weekend, there were far fewer people than normal, but it was still fun for us to wander around and see all the products and produce and talk with people.
Then we headed out to the second village we were going to visit briefly. This time we visited with a family of believers. They are a very poor family. The husband of the woman we spoke with there is having trouble finding work, and the brother is a pastor. We spent a lot of time with the kids in the family and watching the women weave Ouipas (like ponchos but longer and highly detailed – made completely by hand and very expensive).
Even though this family was just as poor as any other we had visited (14 people lived in their house), the contrast between this family and our first village was HUGE. There was such joy in these people. They were so open and caring. Our team had a wonderful time with them and for some, it was the highlight of our whole trip.
After having a fantastic dinner prepared by Alex’s wife and the students there, we headed out on another 3 hour bus ride to return to Oaxaca. We spent what was left of the evening in the main square getting dinner and enjoying the atmosphere. Then we returned to our lovely hotel for a well earned rest.
Then we headed out to the second village we were going to visit briefly. This time we visited with a family of believers. They are a very poor family. The husband of the woman we spoke with there is having trouble finding work, and the brother is a pastor. We spent a lot of time with the kids in the family and watching the women weave Ouipas (like ponchos but longer and highly detailed – made completely by hand and very expensive).
Even though this family was just as poor as any other we had visited (14 people lived in their house), the contrast between this family and our first village was HUGE. There was such joy in these people. They were so open and caring. Our team had a wonderful time with them and for some, it was the highlight of our whole trip.
After having a fantastic dinner prepared by Alex’s wife and the students there, we headed out on another 3 hour bus ride to return to Oaxaca. We spent what was left of the evening in the main square getting dinner and enjoying the atmosphere. Then we returned to our lovely hotel for a well earned rest.
DAY 4
We began the day as every other, hearing Alex yell “Ten more minutes” and then shortly later “Vamonos!!” (which means, let’s go). The women cooked another lovely breakfast, one of the best of the trip. They served a dish called Chilaquiles made from dried out tortillas – everyone loved it.
Then we were surprised by a visit from Eligio, one of the people from the village who had lived in a city before and who knew much better Spanish than most people there. He had been to the movie the night before and came to get information and see what we were about. After serving a plate full of breakfast to Eligio and the man who accompanied him, we were privileged to witness an awesome conversation. You almost never get to hear that first conversation. It was amazing the wisdom with which Alex shared. It was truly a no pressure situation filled with grace. He explained that we were Christians, that the Bible was our ultimate authority, and that we are called to help our neighbors. He made it clear we were not coming in to conquer or force people to our religion – this is an important part of being accepted into the community and culture. Alex would share a little, Eligio would continue to express interest, and Alex would share a little more. The Holy Spirit was definitely at work in this conversation. Eligio is more educated and an influential person in the community. He is also fluent in Spanish and Mite. I cannot even imagine the wonderful things that God could do through him in this community. Please petition the Father for Eligio.
After breakfast we headed to the clinic to finish our painting (which we thought we would never be able to accomplish). It was such a fun surprise to see that so many more people showed up to help paint that day. It seemed this must be a good sign since we had showed the video the night before.
At one point we all took a break and passed Pepsi’s all around to have a community moment. The authority for the village was also there, which was an important event in gaining the approval of the community and furthering the work of the worker that lives there. After a brief break, we all got back to work again.
We painted all day. God is good, and with the help of the Mite people we were able to basically finish all the painting before we left.
Eligio came by to bring us lunch, which was a huge blessing as we were trying to put the finishing touches on the paint job. He brought us a chicken and tortillas, and we had some more Pepsi’s. This was a great kindness on his part. Everyone did a good job of eating the food that was offered, which is very important in Mite culture.
As we were eating, a man came up to the clinic with his boy cuddled in his arms. He explained that the little boy had been throwing up. The difficulty in this situation was that there is no doctor most of the time at the clinic and the nurse who might usually be there was on vacation (as were many people since it was Holy week). Thankfully, through the gracious provision of the Lord, Amanda had had some nursing training and made herself available to consult with the family a little. She was then gracious enough to grab some Pepto Bismol from her own bag and explain to them how to give it to the boy. One of the guys talked to the Fathered over the boy and they departed.
A short while later, a mother came through the gate (she hung back from the processional that had been going by, probably so that no one would ask her what she was doing or see her come into the gate). Her smallest girl who couldn’t have been more than three had eyes that were pink and streaming with tears. The poor thing was quite miserable. Our team determined that she most likely had pink eye. A few people went scavenging in the clinic and found some eye drops to give her. Unfortunately, the only instructions on the bottle were to ask the doctor about dosages. Fortunately, with Amanda’s nursing background, Brent’s knowledge of pharmaceuticals, and Alex’s common sense, they were able to come up with a plan to try and help her. Krista then talked to the Fathered over the girl in Spanish and they took the medicine and departed.
It then occurred to us that because of our conversations with the Father and because, at least with the little girl, they would have understood that we asked to our God for healing, we realized that it was very important for these children to receive the healing for which we asked in order to make God’s name great and show the villagers that he is real. Many members of our team spent some serious time in conversation with the Father as we completed the detailing in the paint, asking God to show himself in healing these children. Later that day when we left, we passed the father and son on our way out of the village. The son was walking on his own and the dad had a huge smile and was waving profusely at us as we drove by. We thought this to be a sign that God had indeed honored our requests.
Before saying goodbye to Mario, our team gathered in his small home. We had a sweet time of conversation with the Father for him and for Peter (who is a Christian brother we met at the movie the night before)
Then we were surprised by a visit from Eligio, one of the people from the village who had lived in a city before and who knew much better Spanish than most people there. He had been to the movie the night before and came to get information and see what we were about. After serving a plate full of breakfast to Eligio and the man who accompanied him, we were privileged to witness an awesome conversation. You almost never get to hear that first conversation. It was amazing the wisdom with which Alex shared. It was truly a no pressure situation filled with grace. He explained that we were Christians, that the Bible was our ultimate authority, and that we are called to help our neighbors. He made it clear we were not coming in to conquer or force people to our religion – this is an important part of being accepted into the community and culture. Alex would share a little, Eligio would continue to express interest, and Alex would share a little more. The Holy Spirit was definitely at work in this conversation. Eligio is more educated and an influential person in the community. He is also fluent in Spanish and Mite. I cannot even imagine the wonderful things that God could do through him in this community. Please petition the Father for Eligio.
After breakfast we headed to the clinic to finish our painting (which we thought we would never be able to accomplish). It was such a fun surprise to see that so many more people showed up to help paint that day. It seemed this must be a good sign since we had showed the video the night before.
At one point we all took a break and passed Pepsi’s all around to have a community moment. The authority for the village was also there, which was an important event in gaining the approval of the community and furthering the work of the worker that lives there. After a brief break, we all got back to work again.
We painted all day. God is good, and with the help of the Mite people we were able to basically finish all the painting before we left.
Eligio came by to bring us lunch, which was a huge blessing as we were trying to put the finishing touches on the paint job. He brought us a chicken and tortillas, and we had some more Pepsi’s. This was a great kindness on his part. Everyone did a good job of eating the food that was offered, which is very important in Mite culture.
As we were eating, a man came up to the clinic with his boy cuddled in his arms. He explained that the little boy had been throwing up. The difficulty in this situation was that there is no doctor most of the time at the clinic and the nurse who might usually be there was on vacation (as were many people since it was Holy week). Thankfully, through the gracious provision of the Lord, Amanda had had some nursing training and made herself available to consult with the family a little. She was then gracious enough to grab some Pepto Bismol from her own bag and explain to them how to give it to the boy. One of the guys talked to the Fathered over the boy and they departed.
A short while later, a mother came through the gate (she hung back from the processional that had been going by, probably so that no one would ask her what she was doing or see her come into the gate). Her smallest girl who couldn’t have been more than three had eyes that were pink and streaming with tears. The poor thing was quite miserable. Our team determined that she most likely had pink eye. A few people went scavenging in the clinic and found some eye drops to give her. Unfortunately, the only instructions on the bottle were to ask the doctor about dosages. Fortunately, with Amanda’s nursing background, Brent’s knowledge of pharmaceuticals, and Alex’s common sense, they were able to come up with a plan to try and help her. Krista then talked to the Fathered over the girl in Spanish and they took the medicine and departed.
It then occurred to us that because of our conversations with the Father and because, at least with the little girl, they would have understood that we asked to our God for healing, we realized that it was very important for these children to receive the healing for which we asked in order to make God’s name great and show the villagers that he is real. Many members of our team spent some serious time in conversation with the Father as we completed the detailing in the paint, asking God to show himself in healing these children. Later that day when we left, we passed the father and son on our way out of the village. The son was walking on his own and the dad had a huge smile and was waving profusely at us as we drove by. We thought this to be a sign that God had indeed honored our requests.
Before saying goodbye to Mario, our team gathered in his small home. We had a sweet time of conversation with the Father for him and for Peter (who is a Christian brother we met at the movie the night before)
DAY 3
We woke up for a team devotional, and were blessed by starting out our morning with Jesus. Jason prepared devotions for us every day. (Donkey braying at night, fireworks 5am)
The women went to make breakfast. Only women are allowed in the kitchen to cook and clean in their culture. Libna, Amanda, and Krista prepared and cooked all the meals. Men were supposed to stay out of things unless specifically asked, which would be unlikely. Our men seemed to adjust to this cultural difference quite easily :p (We have decided that the will be cooking us a meal sometime now that we are back!)
As soon as we were done with breakfast we went straight to work on our project in the village. In the Mixtec culture, they live from moment to moment and by current conditions. They do not operate the same way western cultures do, especially in the art of advanced planning. Soooo, we did not end up doing the water project at all, but did leave some funds there dedicated to the work of providing water for the animals of the village. They will also be building a water tank as there is not enough water for the general populace.
We ended up painting the medical clinic. Alex found out about this project the morning we arrived in Tlaxiaco and bought paint supplies that morning while we were training. This turned out to be a fun blessing. A few people from the village were there. One was a very sweet and shy lady that turned up for both days of painting. We did not interact all that much the first day, but she hung around and was involved in helping. The next day she stayed the whole day and interacted a little more. When she went by with the processional of people in the street on the second day, she looked over at me and smiled. I ask the Father for her to see new life in Jesus.
We visited one of the two Christian families in the village in the afternoon and were privileged to see the more than 80 year old grandmother weaving grasses together to make beautiful hats. It was such a privilege to spend time with them.
We also went up to visit the site where they plan to build a new water tank. Mario is in charge of the water in the village. This is critical to his acceptance in the community. You must have an occupation that contributes to the general welfare of the community. Mario has lain many meters of pipes to bring more water to the village. There simply isn’t enough as it is. He will be building this water tank in addition to the watering area for animals.
As we were talking, we saw a little girl up in the hills and smiled and waved at her. She smiled shyly and waved back and started to come closer. Alex yelled to her to meet us at Mario’s house for cookies. She came! She was so sweet and precious. We had a great time getting to play with her and sent her off with cookies and an apple, also inviting her to come to the movie that night.
Previously, when Alex had showed a movie, fewer than 50 people came to watch. At 7pm, we rolled up to the basketball court in our two SUV’s and saw about 30+ people in the area. A few people continued to show up and they decided to go ahead with the movie, not knowing if more people would come. They showed “La Esperanza,” which means Hope. It was a moving and beautiful depiction of the plan of creation, the fall, the reason for sin, and God’s plan of salvation for all. It was incredible. Alex asked us to separate ourselves as a group and spend time in talking to the Father as the movie began. Because of the closed nature of the culture, we talked to the Fathered sitting in a group, eyes open, as if we were just chatting to one another. By the end of the night, we estimated that over 150 people had attended. It was awesome to see the story of God told so plainly to people who were lost and hurting and probably hearing the real story of Jesus and the creation for the first time ever in their lives. It was an indescribable experience. The power of God in that place was so evident, even in the gorgeous night sky where so many stars were laid out. We ask the Father that many hearts were touched and that many conversations will follow with the man working in that village. You can ask the Father for understanding in the hearts and minds of the people there since Spanish is really a second language for them, and many do not have more than a 2nd grade education in that language.
After this long and exhausting day, we headed back to Mario’s for a little bit of dinner. The excitement of what we had just witnessed bubbled over and renewed everyone’s spirits. It was a lovely evening and God was more than gracious.
The women went to make breakfast. Only women are allowed in the kitchen to cook and clean in their culture. Libna, Amanda, and Krista prepared and cooked all the meals. Men were supposed to stay out of things unless specifically asked, which would be unlikely. Our men seemed to adjust to this cultural difference quite easily :p (We have decided that the will be cooking us a meal sometime now that we are back!)
As soon as we were done with breakfast we went straight to work on our project in the village. In the Mixtec culture, they live from moment to moment and by current conditions. They do not operate the same way western cultures do, especially in the art of advanced planning. Soooo, we did not end up doing the water project at all, but did leave some funds there dedicated to the work of providing water for the animals of the village. They will also be building a water tank as there is not enough water for the general populace.
We ended up painting the medical clinic. Alex found out about this project the morning we arrived in Tlaxiaco and bought paint supplies that morning while we were training. This turned out to be a fun blessing. A few people from the village were there. One was a very sweet and shy lady that turned up for both days of painting. We did not interact all that much the first day, but she hung around and was involved in helping. The next day she stayed the whole day and interacted a little more. When she went by with the processional of people in the street on the second day, she looked over at me and smiled. I ask the Father for her to see new life in Jesus.
We visited one of the two Christian families in the village in the afternoon and were privileged to see the more than 80 year old grandmother weaving grasses together to make beautiful hats. It was such a privilege to spend time with them.
We also went up to visit the site where they plan to build a new water tank. Mario is in charge of the water in the village. This is critical to his acceptance in the community. You must have an occupation that contributes to the general welfare of the community. Mario has lain many meters of pipes to bring more water to the village. There simply isn’t enough as it is. He will be building this water tank in addition to the watering area for animals.
As we were talking, we saw a little girl up in the hills and smiled and waved at her. She smiled shyly and waved back and started to come closer. Alex yelled to her to meet us at Mario’s house for cookies. She came! She was so sweet and precious. We had a great time getting to play with her and sent her off with cookies and an apple, also inviting her to come to the movie that night.
Previously, when Alex had showed a movie, fewer than 50 people came to watch. At 7pm, we rolled up to the basketball court in our two SUV’s and saw about 30+ people in the area. A few people continued to show up and they decided to go ahead with the movie, not knowing if more people would come. They showed “La Esperanza,” which means Hope. It was a moving and beautiful depiction of the plan of creation, the fall, the reason for sin, and God’s plan of salvation for all. It was incredible. Alex asked us to separate ourselves as a group and spend time in talking to the Father as the movie began. Because of the closed nature of the culture, we talked to the Fathered sitting in a group, eyes open, as if we were just chatting to one another. By the end of the night, we estimated that over 150 people had attended. It was awesome to see the story of God told so plainly to people who were lost and hurting and probably hearing the real story of Jesus and the creation for the first time ever in their lives. It was an indescribable experience. The power of God in that place was so evident, even in the gorgeous night sky where so many stars were laid out. We ask the Father that many hearts were touched and that many conversations will follow with the man working in that village. You can ask the Father for understanding in the hearts and minds of the people there since Spanish is really a second language for them, and many do not have more than a 2nd grade education in that language.
After this long and exhausting day, we headed back to Mario’s for a little bit of dinner. The excitement of what we had just witnessed bubbled over and renewed everyone’s spirits. It was a lovely evening and God was more than gracious.
DAY 2
We met Alex’s family. The group of workers studying with Alex also prepared us our meals for the next day, along with Alex’s wife. They were all such a wonderful blessing to us. We felt so welcomed and loved.
After breakfast, we set off for our training which Libby was so gracious as to present to us. Libby was a very special gift to our team from the Lord. She is fluent in English and Spanish, and was able to give the training presentation in English to our team. I felt incredibly relieved to not be solely responsible for interpreting. She also accompanied us to the village that night. We probably would not have been able to eat without her! She headed up all the cooking and cleaning. She was truly amazing. Her husband is currently going through the course with Alex so that they can also go out into a village as workers.
In the afternoon we headed to our village to work with Mario, the worker stationed there. We had a lovely ride up into the mountains, and were blessed with a beautiful sunset and beautiful weather. The scenery was striking. Those riding in the car with Libna were privileged to hear her testimony.
When we met Mario, he was very shy, with his head down the whole time. One of the most wonderful things about the trip was to see the transformation in Mario over our short time there. We had talked to the Father so much for his encouragement and that we could be a real help to him. When we left he gave Todd and Jason a huge squeeze and was grinning from ear to ear - one of the precious servants of the Lord. It made a big impact in our lives to think about how much he had given up to serve others in the name of Jesus. He lives in a small building. His home consists of one room, dirt floor, no running water, no flushing toilets. No refrigerator, no cell phone, no internet….just God.
We had frosted flakes and ‘fruitie loopies’ (Alex’s phrase J ) for dinner. Todd was very excited to find something so familiar in the remote mountains of Oaxaca.
DAY 1
Showing up at the airport and having so many people come there to send us off and pray for us. This was a very precious and sweet time for us, and we thank you so much for your goodness to us in the name of Jesus.
Praise that over 14 hours of travel, 3 flights and one 3 hour bus ride, all of our luggage came to us intact (minus an apple, trail mix and a few other things lost at the airport security gates :p)
When Alex met us in a small city two hours from the capital of Oaxaca, he let us know a group of his friends would be coming to meet us. They were amazing people and had a huge impact among us. All were studying to serve as workers among the indigenous ethnic groups in the mountains. They immediately grabbed all of our luggage and escorted us to our hotel and dinner. Jason particularly enjoyed the tacos we had in the town center; he said he felt like a new man. They served without a second thought and were an incredible blessing to us.
That night at the hotel we all slept like rocks – getting a shower that night was awesome.
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