reflections

This has been quite a week. It is hard to do the stories that I have to tell justice when I am writing them in a blog once a week or so, and because of that a lot of the stories are better left for when I come home. But here is a better reflection into life here in Tlaxiaco now that my stay with my host family is over...

Let´s see, what stories should I share.

Monday was our "Sabbath" or day of rest, and we took a trip up to the missions base which is just a few minutes outside of town. To be perfectly honest with all of you, I didn´t like it up there (although I won´t lie, eating American food was kind of nice!). It´s not that I didn´t like the people I met... because I definitely did, but it was weird. I actually felt somewhat out of place being surrounded with other gringos (white people). I missed my Mexican friends. I missed Spanish. I missed diversity. (Pam likes to call the base "gringolandia" which I kind of like because it sounds like a theme park. lol.)

So anyway... I was not at all disappointed when they said we wouldn´t spend much time at all at the base. The whole bonding thing with our families definitely worked because I felt so much more at home on the streets of Tlaxiaco than I did eating lunch with so many other gringos.

This week we also started talking about community development, which I am really excited about. GFM has formed a civil association here know as Fisher´s of Men that they are working on developing. One of the problems that the full-time missionaries are facing is how to be accepted by the people. The Mexicans here really don´t understand people that are only here for religion, and they frequently ask what we "do" while we are here. The civil association creates jobs both for the missionaries and other Mexicans through things that will also improve the way of life here in Oaxaca. The idea is that GFM staff will get something working that can be completely sustained within the culture here, and then they turn it over to Mexican leadership. For example, the three guy interns this summer are working on making water filters so that tap water can be drinkable.

The projects for the girls are not as well defined, but we are working on coming up with ideas that will both create potential jobs and improve life for the women here. This means a lot of creative ideas, and I will be excited when we start putting them into practice. We are also going to be teaching English classes in about a week. While English classes are not something that can be turned over to Mexican leadership necessarily, the government has actually asked GFM to do them, which is definitely exciting. Through teaching English we will not only help equip the people of Tlaxiaco with something that they really want, but the civil association will help to make a bigger name for themselves, and there is great potential for more relationships.

One of the things that I have been struggling with since I have gotten here is wondering if I can really make a difference. Ministry here is focused around relationships, which I have always thought is the best way to go, and am beginning to feel even stronger about it. Ministry in the states is event focused. We plan church services, revivals, children and youth programs, concerts, bible studies, you name it. But is that how Jesus did ministry? Yes, he did have public ministries as he preached and taught, but everything was within the context of relationships-- with his disciples, and with the crowds.

Our ministry here is completely within the context of relationships as well. It is great, because not only is that the example that Jesus taught, but it also fits into the Mexican culture, but at the same time it is hard when I know I am only here for 2 months, and nearly 3 of those weeks are already learning. Several of us have had really great conversations about this (we have some pretty hard core conversations sometimes, and I love it!). We are realizing more and more that while making disciples is our goal while we are here, the biggest way we can contribute to that in 2 months is by planting seeds within the context of the relationships we are making. So that´s exactly what we do.

In addition to planting seeds, we are also learning a lot. I wish I had time to share with you everything that God is teaching me (but I think the blog would be so long you wouldn´t want to read it!), and I sadly don´t have the time. But to give you a little idea...

I am learning about prayer. I am learning about discipleship. I am learning about the unreached people groups. I am learning about Tlaxiaco. I am learning about the Word. I am learning about the Church. I am learning about cross-cultural churches. I am learning about trust. I am learning about flexibility. I am learning about community. I am learning how to break out of my comfort zone.

I am learning how to live for Jesus Christ and how to teach others to do the same.