I LOST THREE WEEKS!!!

So basically...Keeping up on here has been close to impossible. So much has happened here in the last three weeks that it would take at least 8 hours to write it all. What I'm going to attempt to do is give a brief synopsis of the three weeks and then go back and elaborate on certain areas...( as a side point, I don´t really know why my manner of speaking is so different when I write compared to when i really am speaking...I think I sound smarter when I'm writing, jaja)...anyway...

Well,...its hard to decide where to start...but here it goes.

It was extremely hard to adapt to the language barrier. My Spanish is really really lame...well it was really lame. Its improved a whole lot. Although I'm finding that I have reached a hard point because the Mexicans all know what I know and what I don't... so they only say words that they know I know...which makes it hard to learn, because...i already know!!!! However, I am far less stressed about spanish as I once was upon my arrival,...thank God!!!

My ministry activities are mostly the same, however, there has been a few changes...

Tuesdays: I arrive at the church at around 8 in the morning and work there until around one or two... Just doing maintenance type stuff (painting, sweeping...). And then in the evening we usually just do whatever comes up...

Wednesdays: In the morning it is the same thing as on monday mornings... then in the afternoon, instead of going to the prison (It was too hard to get the credentials) I know go to a rehabilitation center. They hold a small church service there and we go for two hours and minister to the men... this times has actually been really big for me... ill write more on it later... In the evening the church holds a two hour service, for the purpose of prayer only... The people are so dedicated to seeing their city be changed for God.

Thursdays: These mornings are the most important to me... I arrive at the church at around 8 again and spend the entire morning...until one or two...just praying and worshipping God...reading my Bible and books about God... By practicing this it has become a daily thing for me...not to feel like I have to... But really finally having a passion to read my Bible and spend as much time with God as possible... In the evening we go to a town called Villa Union... where a church is being planted... Its very small right now,... but there is some very committed people who serve there. I gave the sermon there last night... and unfortunately it didn't go as well as I would have liked... I know have a new respect for pastors....

Fridays: I meet at a place called Valles del Ejido... basically a giant dirt field... where three of us our digging the forms for what will one day be classrooms for children. This sometimes is my favorite form of ministry...because it is the only ministry that you can really measure the results... sometimes i dont really feel like im really being used by God here...and so its nice to see the fruit of my labors in a tangible way every once in awhile... We get done at 1 or 2 (unless the two people i work with are feeling lazy...which is often unfortunately). Most friday evenings are free for me to do what I like..

Saturdays: I meet in Valles del Ejido again for the childrens ministry...Right now we meet under some really sad tarps that are torn to bits... I pray that the classrooms will begin to go up faster... I really am beginning to love this time, now that a large number of the children have warmed up to me... We teach Bible stories and feed them and children from all over the area walk far just to be there... Its such a humbling time,...to see all the children and mothers who are in such great need. The houses in the area a far from comfortable by our standards...some constructed of sheet metal and other trash...some only partially built...with dirt roads... Its a very special time for me... In the evening is the Youth Group...which like all the church services is extremely boring for me (due to the fact that i cant understand anything)...

Sundays: Is of coarse church...which can last from one and a half hours to three...its very hard for me to sit through because I cant understand the worship or the sermon (and no one translates for me)...although because of this it has made me greatly grow in my relationship with God...I have no church to feed off of...no community worship...no leaders to feed me... I have come to depend almost entirely off of myself...This was a new concept for me...and a challenge!!! To make sure that I was spending time to learn about God entirely on my own...in a way I had never had to do before...And finding the times where I would only have my Zune (thank you Luke) to worship with. I cant say that I dont miss worshiping with other people in my own language. I can now say, however, that I have a much deeper relationship with God than I ever thought possible. Ive come to greatly desire and thrive off my time with God. And if I miss a morning with Him,...all I can think about all day is, "when am I going to get some alone time with God!!!" Its precious.

Sunday evenings and all of monday are free for me. We usually see a movie every sunday night...which is fun...except when they are in spanish with no english subtitles.... (but its a great way to watch a movie if you want to depend entirely on your imagination...and its very unpredictable this way)...

This is the basic overview of my week... but every week (without exception) has a little curve ball in it...some more than others...