Mexico Day 5 - - -Where are we?

Where to start, where to start where to start.  Honestly I'm not sure if there was much that I realized today that is crazy life-changing more so I realized that my life has the ability to be crazy.

I started the day off by going to church and I expected it to be packed because there aren't any other churches (besides one a catholic one) in the area, but I came down to the church and the place was almost empty, except the orphanage kids.  However this didn't stop them.  I ended up trying to teach a Sunday school class and I was more nervous than I have been speaking in front of 7 people than ever.  Luckily the regular teacher saved me and taught an incredible class on the importance of communion! When we returned to big service there were 50 people total, 27 kids and 23 adults.  Again they had a time where anybody could stand up and say what they are thankful for....they never stop giving thanks.  It was also cool because three songs they played I knew in English and it was so cool to have a chance to say in tandem with them: "Savior, He can move a mountain Our God is mighty to save her is mighty to save."  It just rang through my heart that OUR God is mighty to save, not my God...OUR God.  We get so caught up about how God changes me, and what God says to me, and how I feel about God, and how I relate to God that we forget to acknowledge that he is the God of all of us.  It was also incredible to be able to proclaim with them: "Shine your light and let the whole world see, were singing for the glory of the risen King."  Again it was that idea  that we are only an extension of the church that grabbed my attention, so cool!  Jumping ahead in my day I came back to the church and some youth were listening to music over the speakers and just singing into mic's for eachother.  When I came in they found an English version of "How great is our God and handed me a mic...it was awesome to sing along side them again and to know that they wanted me to join in the worship of God.

Anywho my life got crazy from there... Manuel (from yesterday's blog) was at church and he took us to Aramando's (also from yesterday's blog) dad's taco stand where we ate great tacos and we had sugar cane coca cola's in glass bottles which are like the best thing on the face of the planet, and if you have never had them you are stupid (not really but I was in a dramatic mood).  Anyways after that Manuel took us to this ranch and we saw like 15 horses and so many chickens and they were hanging out amongst the cactus' and we were just wandering around.  Well a horse riding teacher, and friend of Manuel brought out a pony and gave us the chance to ride it which was awesome! The pony was just the right size for Carly, a little bit small for the taller Mackenzi, and crazy small for me...I looked like a Giant (I would say the horse was more Gary sized....OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO DISS!)  Anyways we were picked up by Aramando and rode in the back of his truck through rural Tijuana down dirt/rock rodes avoiding pot holes and dogs (we tried to hit the cats!) all the while drinking more Coca Cola (cause it is like Jesus in a bottle).  Eventually we reached a valley crossed over a stream and arrived at this amazing ranch that had pigs, horses, lambs, a goose and the cutest dog in the entire world.  We wandered around this ranch that had a pretty nice house and old school wood board swings and orange trees, the road to the house was lined with palm trees and the grass was actally green.  It felt like I had found the secret beauty of Tijuana...but to put the money problem into better perspective, right up the hill were two houses put together with left over plywood and hardly standing. but how would this happen! I am in Mexico...but wait...we left this crazy ranch to go up to the weekly horse race in the street! THE HORSE RACE IN THE STREET!  I watched as an entire community came together to ride horses down the street and drink beer and place bets (late I found out that people have been shot over these bets but my mom doesn't need to hear that)!  We came back to this singing and to the kids and ate dinner and spent time with babies and learned card games its pretty cool.  I spent probably 20-30 minutes just laying in the bedroom with all the guys changing words from Spanish to English and English to Spanish and helping them study for school which starts tomorrow!  It's so cool!  I also got to sit down with these two girls and talk to them about the boys they like and a girl named Naomi brought me love letters from two different boys who like her! Oh the decisions and oh how girls are girls!  Oh and the boys both said they wanted kisses....I donno about this (however instead of showing disgust I asked if she wanted a peck or a big sloppy wet kiss...she didn't answer).

The people I want to tell you quickly about today are Alberto and Carmen.  Alberto is the pastor of the church and the head of the Orphanage and Carmen is his wife. They live in an apartment right above the kitchen in the orphanage with there 7 year old son Haciel. They have agreed to share their love with 32 other kids and take them on as their on children.  They are an incredible couple.  Pastor Alberto loves God so much and it runs through everything he does.  He is an amazing leader and an incredible host (plus he has a killer mustache that I have been trying to steal).  Carmen is one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen and I'm not sure if it is just that she is pretty or that her demeanor, her love, her smile all obviously come from her intense heart for God.  She is a mother to all of them and its amazing.  Keep them in your prayers...I like them alot! They have truly grasped how to make a church a community or even more so a family!

So I guess here is my realization for the day: I would not lead close to the same life I lead if Christ were not my reason for living!  It is so clear to me that everything that my life is comes from this transformation that God has done and is constantly doing in my heart.  I would not know a lot of you if I were not a Christian. I would not have the chance to pour into kids students lives if I were not changed by God, I would not be able to be in an orphanage in Tijuana if I did not know Christ, I would not have gone to a horse race today if God had not blessed me with the opportunity to sacrifice for him, I would not have been able to drink two of the godliest Coca-Colas if God were not in my life, I would not have witnessed two healings at church on Thursday if God were not my heartbeat, I would not be the same. Period!  It's funny I guess when I look at how God has changed me I get stuck on the big things.  I get so caught up on how god has gotten me over hurts and has allowed me to see crazy things, but I forget that being a Christian calls for my entire life to be different.  But I have been transformed by Christ to lead a different life- a life full of love, compassion, horse races, ranches, sacrifice, sometimes dealing with pain, other times drinking really good coke, but throughout it all I simply remember that God is God and he has allowed me to live a mighty charmed life! I love you all and am thinking of you!  Continue praying...it works I promise!