Back2Back trip

Well, I am home after another impacting trip to Monterrey, Mexico to work with Back2Back. As some of you know, I have gone down there with the James Fund once a year for the past 3 years. This year we had an outstanding team of 14 who worked together extremely well. We arrived on Saturday around noon and had a pool party with the children from Del Norte and ERJ. To these children it was a special day of swimming, splashing and hamburgers.

After supper we had worship in the palapas which was led by a member of the Back 2 Back team from Ohio which he led each evening while we were there. This was one of the neatest events for me as a couple nights I sat back where I could watch the mountains. My item this week that was really going through my mind was about my belief of God. How Big is my God… I’ll talk more about that later.

On Sunday we were blessed to have church at Casa Hogar Douglas with the children. That was our time to be moved by the clear call to Trust in God despite all circumstances. To see these children praying, singing and even crying to God was beyond what words can describe. I sat with 2 children Ricardo and Fernando and both at some point in the worship succumbed to tears. After church we spent our time scraping walls, painting window frames, and playing with the children the rest of the day. I played no with a group of them before we started work! So much fun!

On Monday we drove down to Rio 3. If you have read these letters from previous missions trips you’ll remember the Rio’s are squatters villages. Homes made from various scraps, wood, tarps, metal etc… We met a warrior there named Olga. Olga drives an hour each ways every day to help these people. Her faith is that of one knowing not where the food, provisions etc.. will come from but knowing by Faith it will come. We went there to bless her with our help and in turn she blessed all of us by her faith. It was an excellent day. There was a young girl who passed out right in front of me from heat exhaustion. I helped her come to and gave her water and then just sat there with her. Olga came and picked her up and held her for about 20 min’s until her husband (A taxi driver) came to take her to a doctor. Olga sat there and held her with so much LOVE… Here it was just one of the HUNDREDS in this Rio yet she cared that much for Terrisita.

Tuesday we started the day with a small concrete pour, which it’s not a true trip if concrete you don’t mix. In the afternoon we took the children from Del Norte to Plaza Sesamo (Sesame Street Park.) This is the Disney land of Mexico. What a joy it was to be with the children and give them a special day of love and attention. We swam in the water side half the time and then went on some of the roller coaster rides before eating supper.

This week has been a reminder to me about Faith. It started with a sermon from Hebrews on those who overcame impossible odds with Faith. It was buoyed by a storey that many of you have heard about the faith and trust of a 4 year old boy names Joel who when hungry prayed for meat and God delivered. If you don’t know the story then I guess you’ll have to come on a trip to hear it or ask me and I’ll share. The culmination of it is the faith that our impact with these children will help strengthen them by being Christ to them.

I will end this with a story. This week a man and his wife had come to Mexico. But my story doesn’t truly begin there. Back 3-4 years ago a 16 year old girl from a Ottumwa, Iowa which was one of my stores came with the James Fund and fell in LOVE with the children. She then painted a mural that is in the main kitchen. This gal also painted some paintings of the children which Back 2 Back sold on auction to raise funds. A woman was given 2 of these paintings and in turn interceded on these children’s behalves until she passed away. This warrior died not knowing the outcome of these girls; yet BY FAITH she continued to pray for God’ healing protection day in and day out. Before she passed away she told her son that he needed to find out what happened to these girls. He came on this trip and found them. And found that God had provided a family for them in Todd and Beth.

I challenge you to read the Faith Chapter in Hebrews. Many of the people in this chapter died before they saw the promises from God that they were praying for. But it doesn’t end there. By FAITH we need to pray and intercede for these kids daily. In Faith we need to continue to support groups like Back2Back in our prayers, our homes and our stores. Pray in Faith for these kids. Not with a fickle American style prayer that want instant gratification from God, but with a faith that God will move regardless of if we see it as impossible or not. For our God is a God of impossibilities.

If you want to see photos then check out
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=83023&id=619107927&l=b774180ab8

Pray for Mandy and I as well as we are planning a trip to Back2Back in Late Septemeber.