Mission Day 3

Day 3-Thur 6/14/18 (Oliver & Daniel)

Some of us woke up groggy after a late night bonding session with the boys. The first day of ministry was off to a start with lots of caffeine needed all round, many of us resorting to coffee. Hot breakfast was promptly served at 7am and we were briefed on our upcoming visit to Casa Esperanza, “Home of Hope”, a shelter for abused women and their children. We had a brief pep session in the worship hall featuring an inspiring talk by John Ray asking each of us to share our testimony to at least one other person. Soon we were on our buses off to our destination. We set our focus on Jesus with the songs Breath and So Will I. These songs also set the atmosphere as we gazed out the window, a few of us experiencing the Mexican landscape for the very first time.

The bus pulled into an isolated remote section of Ensenada placed right by the vast and beautiful green hills. A bunch of kids running around greeted us and we joined them in their soccer games. We fooled and laughed around with the kids and eventually settled down for lunch. There were a few of the kids that were there during our visit last year were still there but have grown. Then they were kids that we saw from two years ago were no longer there since they can only live there for a max of two years.

After a filling lunch with ham & cheese sandwich along with all the condiments, cookies and fruits, we filed into the chapel and began our VBS program. We played a few ice-breaker games and then acted out the plot of the story of King Nebuchadnezzar and his statue from the Book of Danial chapter 3. We confirmed the kids’ knowledge with a few questions and the kids were left with a smile on their faces. Both Allen and Lisa was also willing to share their testimony in front of all the kids.

On the way back to the base, we stopped for a quickie at the Thrifty ice cream shop near base adjacent to the Oxxo (Mexican 711) store. Uncle Jeff and Auntie Angela was kind enough to shout us all!

After dinner, we had a special evening called: "Passion Night", which helped to convey God's love for us and inspire a connection. John Ray shared about feeling unworthy and the fear that is instigated along with the feelings of being unwanted. We wrote the "best" thing we had done in our life and the "worst" thing we had ever done on a sheet of paper, which went into a bag. The staff hung the bag on a fake tree and a skit ensued, which portrayed the devil calling people out for their sin, beating Jesus, and nailing him to a cross. However, before allowing himself to be nailed, the person who played Jesus took the bag off the tree and wore it around his neck, telling us that we were worthy and had value in God's eyes.

To respond, we wrote the things we placed our faith in on sheets of paper and nailed the papers to a wooden cross. We also read Romans 8:31 - 39 and had to keep a nail with us as a reminder of Christ's sacrifice, which I placed in the pencil holder of my Bible. We worshiped and prayed and journaled after responding and people cried and shared personal life stories, which I can't share here.

At last, to finish our day, we played cards and continued to share feelings and experiences. We will be heading out to another Outreach Center called: "Circulos" which is run by an Australian couple whom I am anxious to meet.