Mexico Day 4---Oh the people I meet

Today the pastor at the church invited mac, carly and myself to join the older students and some community members on a trip to the beach today.  He prefaced it saying that these students don't get vacations but for one day they get to feel as if they are on vacation at the beach.  How can you say no to joining that? We hopped in the car and made our way to the beach, where my face later became a lobster, but that is a different story.  It was incredibly interesting to have the opportunity to experience  life with the older students because we are typically spending con los ninos (with the children).  Anywho three people I want to introduce you to today who I just met and made me think an incredible amount. 

First is a 20 year old guy from Tijuana named Manuel. He loved speaking English and stuck to me like glue! He was someone who actually became a friend. We spent the majority of our time in the ocean experience the power and majesty of our creator....oh and we jumped through waves. He didn't say anything inparticular that made me think, he didn't have an incredibloe story to tell, but he interacted with me in a way that I wish more people had the ability to do...he was transparent.  He spent time with me, he cared for me, he asked me question and answered questions, but most of all he was willing to be present with me.  Manuel is the perfect example of an amazing friend, and I have experienced his friendship for one day...and I would not trade that for anything.

Another interesting guy is a 24 year old Mexican named Armando!  Armando es increíble! He has an incredible testimony in which he was once addicted to drugs and drinking and the entire party lifestyle, but God grabbed him by the face and turned his life entirely around.  Then, check this out...He moved to Bellevue where he worked and evangelized in multiple community throughout western Washington!  He returned to Tijuana because of his family, but he still evangelizes in some more southern cities in Mexico, and let me make this clear...for those of us who claim to be Christ followers, we should be ever so proud to have a brother in Christ like Armando.  He lives life with so much joy!  Currently Armando is still evangelizing and he is going to a Bible school in Tijuana.  God has grabbed his heart and turned him around! He also helped us find some killer Taco's today! which is awesome!

In fact, the guy who we found who sent us to find these incredible fish and shrimp tacos with fresh pico de gallo on amazing tortillas was a man named Renee.  Now Renee was not with our church, he was actually a random worker at a taco stand (that ran out of fish and shrimp tacos so we didn't buy from them) on the beach. Anyways we started talking and he asked what I do and I said that I am a pastor and he was crazy confused because I am so young, but God is good and used this to open the door for me to hear his story!  Basically Renee began to used marijuan and began to drive while being drunk and his parents sent him into a rehab center. This rehad center treatsthere patients horrible on purpose.  Their goal is to not give them any luxuries and to break them in order to make them stronger and with Renee it worked. He came back a different man and he believes in God now, but does not know Jesus!  He sees life as beautiful and will continually be in my prayers...but he did say one thing that made me think like crazy.  He lived in LA for a couple years and he said that the rich seem to only want to put their money in their own pockets.  He recognized the greed that runs through America and he asked why people hold on.  He recognized that God calls us to give.  It surprised me that a poorer man would say that if he had money he wouldn't just take care of himself and help his lifestyle.  Instead he was broken over the greed and the lack of love that comes from the rich and was confused by how his very own uncle had become like this!  Renee was amazing...I wish I could do him justice, but it is crazy difficult.....So basically I had a long conversation at some random Market in Mexico with and incredible man who had gone through hell and back and came out understanding that God is good and that life is beautiful! Now let's pray that he understands that Jesus is the savior of the world!  Pray for Renee.

My last few thoughts of the day came while we were sitting in a circle with the students on the beach talking about what we were thankful for.  It was one of those moments where I realized I was on a beach with a church that 2 weeks ago I had no idea existed.  The thought came to my head and I said, "Gracias por que la familia de dios es grande."  "I am thankful becausethe family of God is big."  This is soooo true!  This week I have met believer from California, Canada, Germany, Mexico, Australia, Brazil, Fiji, Costa Rica, Austria, and many other countries.  It's incredible.  We were sitting in this circle singing "Open the eyes of my Heart Lord" in both english and spanish and I looked at this Mexican woman named Brenda at the line that says "I want to see you."  I though just as badly as I want to see and experience the God of the Universe (not just the United States) Brenda also wants to see, experience, and be moved by God.  It blew me away.  So in your prayers begin to pray for the church across the world.  I have began to recognize that few things unite so many different types of people, but Jesus Christ has made me family with many different cultures this week.  I am bonded by my savior with my family....PLEASE PEOPLE IF YOUR NOT SMILING GET IT THROUGH YOUR HEAD HOW EXCITING THIS IS!  THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE DIED FOR US ALL AND NOW FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE THERE IS A UNIVERSAL FAMILY!  God is good!   Please enjoy this.  The ninos here understand this.  My new family includes, Moises, Carlos, Antonio, Alberto, Carmen, Brenda, April, Armando, Renee, Oscar, Alejandro, Liz, Bryce, Stefanie, Brody, Andrea, Jonathon, and many more people!  My heart is tied here....it is tied to mi familia de dios!  

Lastly my challenge to you is to practice this:  Every morning the students gather to sing and in the middle of this singing time multiple students share what they are thankful for!  I have been so impressed that they never cease to thank God for what they do have....so if you are reading this it means you at least have access to a computer to be thankful for! Stop...now and thank God for the crazy amount of blessings he has overflowed your life with!  Keep praying!