I take this moment to share with you some of my favorite moments since my time here in Mexico. Tomorrow marks my 8th month, and while there have been some rough and bumpy moments, there have been far too many amazing, blown away moments that I just simply need/want to share with you. So enjoy!
The first evening all alone here in Mexico was surprisingly the biggest blessing. Not knowing ANYONE, a group of young people invited me to the birthday celebration for their friend Atzin. Little did I know that this specific group of kids would come to be some of my closest friends here in Mexico. Daniel, Paco, Atzin, Sarai, Yudith, and Karina made me feel like a real part of their group, and I can't help but thank God for them. With my spanish speaking skills almost non-existent, it is only an act of God that I was able to feel so accepted by these people. I look back on this moment with much fondness, realizing that this entire time, God had intended for my support, encouragement, and friendships to come from this specific group of people. :)
The day I came back from my "accident recovery" had to be another one of my favorite moments here in Mexico. What a great way to come back! None of these girls knew that I had planned on returning so soon, and most of them thought I would never come back -- but I did, and that unspoken message made the realization that I was willing to be a part of them, despite the set backs I had received. The picture above doesn't even describe the excitement we shared that day! Catching up on each other's lives and just being together was memorable enough to add this in the "best moments" post.
My first road trip to Monclova. Since being here I've made the trip to Monclova 4 times. It's a nice quiet city about 3-4 hours south of where I live, and Karina, my dear friend, is from there, and I've never turned down a chance to hang out with her. I add these moments to the list, because without them, I wouldn't be so close to Karina and her family. I call Karina's mother, my 2nd mom, and, most of the time, I am with them more than anyone else here in Mexico. Karina has become one of my best friends, a friend who has been more than amazing in listening to my moments of happiness, sadness, and challenges. I can't even describe my emotions about this family - which means they are more than deserving of being put in this post.
Every Friday at 5pm, you'll find me worshipping with the ladies of the Iglesia de Cristo. It's been one of my favorite moments of the week, and definitely the best way to start my weekends. I was given the chance to give the lesson back in February, and while I was extremely nervous to give a 45 minutes lesson IN SPANISH, being able to share a part of my faith with these women really helped the bond in the relationships I have with these women. I feel so terribly close to these women -- much like the wonderful women of God that are part of my cloud of witnesses back home. Praise God for the encouragement we have in our sisters in Christ!
It was pretty awesome getting the chance to see the Magi Boxes delivered to the kids here at the church. In college, I attended the Memorial Road Church of Christ in Edmond, OK. They have a ministry around Christmastime to send Magi Boxes (boxes filled with miscellaneous items) to different parts of the world. On New Years Eve, at our church service, we passed out as many boxes as we could. For something I had only heard and experienced from a church pew in Oklahoma, it was so great to be on the "front lines" of this ministry. The kids loved the gifts so much -- and some still talk about them!!
On Valentine's Day, the young kids group decided to have lunch together in between services, since it fell on a Sunday. It was a nice lunch/buffet, and afternoon together, but I add this moment in this list because it was for the first time that I felt a part of these people. It was this moment that I realized that from now on, for the rest of my life, these people will be in my heart. Some of the kids exchanged cards/letters to each other, and after reading the ones given to me, I realized how my presence here has affected these kids. What a blessing my life is!
On Monday evenings, I make home visits to different ladies of the church. It has been a blessing to be able to spend a few hours with a different woman of the church -- getting to know her, her family, her likes, dislikes, and the such. In some ways, it has helped with the bond I have with these women (like I mentioned before). In other ways, it has helped me have a chance to practice my Spanish - to be taught, instructed, and tested. I usually don't have much going on during the day on Mondays (to recover from my massive weekends), and so Monday evenings have become a very special time for me. A time when I can really unwind and be myself around some of the greatest women here in Mexico.
Without a doubt, my time here in Mexico has shaken and firmed my faith. It has been a challenge and a blessing to be here, spiritually. In March, I took a trip to a small, small, small town called El Porvenir. There we were asked to plan a youth service and women's service, to encourage the small 10 member church there. Out of all the moments in this blog, or not in this blog, that I've experienced since my time here in Mexico -- this is the most interesting. I've never experienced something like that before. There I was, walking the dusty, sandy road with three other young adults, inviting others to church, and asking them to talk about God. I came back from the trip energized and excited about the Church body -- and where the LORD is leading us right now.
Now, before I start crying... let me just say that the girl above is the oldest of my 3 host sisters. Above, she is giving her confession in front of a body of about 300 witnesses. And this night, there were 9 other confessions and baptisms, 3 of them including other members of the CoC @ Gonzalez. Now, I write about this moment, and need to update you on everything in order for you to truly understand it all. The first weekend here my parents joined me to "drop me off." During one of the first dinners I had with them, I got the chance to talk with the girls about who they were, and what they were interested in. One of my questions was how they felt about church and God. The two youngest ones were thrilled to tell me about their favorite scriptures, songs, etc, but Estefany (above) was different, I could tell she wasn't as excited as her sisters were. When I asked her about how she felt about it all -- she wasn't quick to respond, and mentioned that she didn't read the Bible all that much. After hearing her answer, I decided that I would pray for her every week, and that she would somehow come to find a passion to serve the Lord. When she walked to the front that night at the youth rally, tears of joy and peace flooded my eyes. This young girl, who is growing into a wonderful young lady, who didn't find any interest in having a relationship with the Lord, now wanted to be free of sin, and make her lord, our Lord, Jesus Christ, in charge of her life. I can't tell you what emotion I felt that night. And that I was so excited to see the death and resurrection of my host sister.
So just a few stories to share with you. Maybe you've heard them all before, and maybe they're all new to you. I hope you enjoyed reading about them all. I had a good time writing about them. Missing you all deeply! Looking forward to my furlough dates this summer and seeing most of you during that time. Until then...
Be Strong in the Lord,
Rachel
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