This week... This is my last post. I have one week left until I have to go home. I am not looking forward to leaving here. I love it here and serving people is just so amazing.

This past week was once again great. MY group was another new one. They were awesome. They worked so hard. They just pounded it out. They had fun together I think half of the group was related in some way. They took time to know the family. they built a house. How cool.
The site we were working on was interesting. we went to look at sites on sunday night and there was still a house standing where we were to build the next day. We roll up at 8 and the family was working to level the ground. They must have worked all night cause the ground was one of the most level sites I have had this summer. The family was awesome. they were super helpful. the dad would see me trying to hammer something to high for me and he would step in and do it from me. The mom would see how we were nailing in the chicken wire and would go get a hammer and help out. it was so cool. Also the mom had been learning english for a few years so she would try and talk to us. Also the kids around the area really got along well with the kids in the group so they got to hang out. It was cool on the last day one of the it was one of the mexican kids birthday and it also just so happened that the group brought toys to past out so he got a box of toys to share with this friends on his birthday.
So bottom line great week great group awesome family.

To cap off this week we went surfing yesterday which was super fun got a great deal too. 15 for board and wet suit. super fun just playing in the ocean and riding the waves. also Friday was sams birthday and he loves taylor swift so for his birthday we got him a t. swift pinata from a family we built for a few weeks ago it was awesome.

I have a new group this week I don't know where they are from but I am excite for it. I am bummed that I only have this one week left.

Pray

for health we have a few people feeling sick. Ali is sick and I have stomach craps but am fine.
for fun it is our last week lets have some more fun
for safety as we all travel back home
for the families we are building for and the families that are building

So good and sad week. I loved my group they were awesome. They worked hard where a first time group but rocked it out in a day and a half. They were awesome the kids just worked and had fun and were fun to hang out with. Sad week though because they come from so hard places and sad because I ended up helping finish this house with another nexus for a family that the parents were doing drugs and the kids looked like they were starving. It was just hard to see because the kids don't deserve that and did nothing but have to live like that. It broke my heart. On another happy note though. Matt had thrown stucco at one of the staff and in pay back Matt got held down and a bucket of stucco dumped over his head. It was fun to watch.

i don't know I only have 2 weeks left here and I am sad. I don't want to leave it. I want to see everyone back home but I don't want to leave this place and these people.

We hung out in Rosarito yesterday. Rode horses on the beach and took a nap it was fantastic.

Church today was good. James 3 everything we say has the chance to lift some one up or tare them down pick your words carefully. Words are loud and people hear. Our actions might be Christ like but is what you are saying match that. It works the other way too. So really say and act in a Christ like manner. keeping a check on your mouth goes beyond not cussing. think about what you say and do and how it represents god. are you building the kingdom or tearing it down with your words? words are a reflection of the heart and people know that so think about it and think before you speak. This is something I am working on this week and weeks to come. Feel free to join me in this challenge.
That is about it.

Pray for...
I get some direction on what to do when I get back.
That the last 2 weeks are amazing
that all the nexus leave here on good notes and have lasting friendships.

Love you guys thanks for all the support and prayers you have given me over the summer. keep them coming they make a difference.

I don't even know where to start. I don't really have much to say but I am sure I will find something to talk about.
Lets start with today. At church this morning we read James 2:17-...
It got me thinking. here is what i took away from it. you have to do more then accept Jesus to be saved. now be for you go jumping down my throat let me finish. there are two meanings to the word save. there is the meaning by which we know it and there is this other meaning that means make whole. SO to become whole to life a whole life full of joy there is more then Jesus there is action. you have to act it out and live it and serve others with that love.
We also talked about Christianity being to safe. We need to step out and say yes to God and get involved in the work of experiencing God. I mean I need to. I live to safe right in my comfort zone . I need to step out in faith and be willing to be lead by God and not only be lead by him but to say yes to his leading. It is one thing to hear and one thing to act on what you hear.

As for the week. It was good. the groups were once again awesome. But really this week I bonded with this little girl named Luce. she was awesome. she would just follow me around and we would play rock paper scissors. it was so fun. She was just so awesome. I am sad i was not there to get to see the keys handed over cause it is my favorite part and my week doesn't feel complete without it. But what can you do.

i was really tried this week and still am today so if you could pray for energy. and also pray for our group as we only have 3 weeks left together. Pray that we continue to get close and grow deeper in our relationships with each other and with God and that we have the energy and the focus to give the last few groups the same experience as the first few groups.

We saw Batman 2 times this weekend. It is a good movie. Some people bought nerf guns so I have been getting shot all week but it is fun.
I think that is about it. I love you all and please keep praying for my team as we finish up strong.

Another cool thing. Last week with new prov. 5 people gave there lives to Christ at a church service in Mexico before they started the work week. How cool.

Two week and finally some time

SO Last week I didn't have time to write much. but now I have a little more time.
The past two weeks have been so good. I worked with an awesome youth group from VA. They were so cool. They just had a ton of fun and it was a joy to be around them. They came down connected to new Prov. which is one of the things I have loved about new prov. That is how the connect and bring down people and get people started with Amor. it is awesome. Then this past week I worked directly with New prov. They are a blast let me tell you. They know how to have a good time and they have amazing food. I eat with them for 2 weeks and I think we repeated one meal. it was fantastic. and more then the food the people were awesome. The relationships I got to have this past week were so good. The people are so caring and loving and open. I just loved getting to know them and have a good time with them. I just can really put into words how much fun I have had with them the last two weeks.

The last day the pastor from New Prov. and one of the local pastors had a combined church service. It was the coolest thing. To see both Mexicans and Americans worshiping side by side and dancing and praising one God is so Glorious. The Mexican pastors wife got up at the end and said that when we are here things are so happy and promising and her neighbor hood is so nice but when we leave things get sad again. That really hit home for me. As much work as we do here there is still more to be done. It never ends. She said that one day they would break out of the 4 walls of there church and I believe that. That one day the local church is just going to shine. I mean it already is.

This past Saturday we helped out at a local church with there kids program. And man you can see it shine. The kids are loving it and it goes on every sunday, that is the church in action. it is not a once a summer thing but every saturday this happens and they love it. They have fun. WE had fun.

Then we had more fun and went to a sick luchadora fight. it was sweet. I loved it. we had to leave early and it was so not cool cause I wanted to stay. but what can you do. At the end as I was literally being pulled out of the building the fighter was getting into a fight with one of the people in the crowd it was sweet like WWF.

i am still loving the Nexus team. i have spent the past weekend relaxing with them in SD. And we have talked a lot and i think it will better the relationships with in the group.

Fun work site things:
- I have a chicken wire twister now so generously donated to me by Eddy from New Prov.
- I did a volcano cement mix with 3 bags of cement and 225 shovels of sand.
- I played with kids from the group and the home
- I spoke with the family comparing words

God Things:
- I don't remember what I have already written so it might be a repeat.
- You have to make time for him. I am in the desert in Mexico with Christians everyday. That doesn't mean i am spending time with him or it will magically be easy to do this. i can still fine distractions and busy my self with things.
-Which leads to point #2 the past 4 days I have been hearing or seeing from god this " be still and know that I am god". I don't know why I keep hearing this but I do. What is God trying to show or teach me? Do I need to slow down and make time for him? Do I need to refocus? I don't know but I think I need to do some thing.
- It is not somebodies deservingness of love it is my ability to love them just as I deserve no love but receive it from Christ. Big statement try it out. It is hard but it makes others feel dang good.

Prayer:
-Sarah has tonsillitis
-Ali has pink eye
- i have a cough after Sarah drank out of my water bottle (I dont think I that tonsillitis)
- Protection for grops this week
- Protection for nexus that we stay healthy.

I think that is it. I have 4 weeks left here. I am excited for them and I love it down here. I miss everyone back home but I can't imagin leaving here.

Another amazing week. This has to be a short one cause I am headed out real quick. I had an awesome group this week. They were so fun and loving and full of hugs my fav! I had an awesome birthday. They group got me a cake and candy. All around good week. I am excited to work again with New Prov this week. Oh man I love it down here.

Side note new therory on relationship with others: It is my ablitity to love tot he fullest that they get not the love I think they deserve. New practice for the week. A wise person told that to me last week.

Thanks for all the birthday love and I will write more next week!

So lets see here. My home church was here this week. It was super good to see them. It was fun to get to serve them and make them feel welcomed and taken care of for the week. It adds a whole new dimension to the job when doing it for some one you know.

It has been a good week. I have been learning lots. We have been coming in to the US on Sundays for church. The church we have gone to is teaching on the book of James. It was been good with some practical things to keep in mind. Also Just the real convos that I have been able to have in the past week with my team members has been great too. Lots of talking about God and sharing what we have been reading. The most resent is Romans 14. i have been thinking a lot about this summer and how it all relates to life.

Anna the other day when we were walking around downtown TJ asked me if I have thought about going home and how that will go and all. And I have and what I have come to is this. It will be really hard to come home. I love it here and I love it at home. That is not the hard part. the hard part is how do I take what I have learned here in this completely different life and use it back home. I mean down here it is slower and simple for the most part, you are surrounded in general with good people who will lift you up and support and challenge you to grow. Now I can try all I want to take back these things to Madison or home or where ever but the truth is it is hard. Because all I know is the life style and routine I lived at home. how do you go back and not fall back into your old pattern? That is the challenge and thought of the week. I have learned down here that a lot of things don't matter. that is the simple life. I don't need the newest coolest thing. And not that I was super like that before but even more so now I don't need it. I can get along just fine without it and it is just another thing to add to the growing pile of junk in my closet. That is I think the easiest to take and put in to practice the rest involves life changes and commitment and thought out planing which is a lot of work but no need to worry about that now I have another month to think about that.

Let see what else. It was good this week to get lots of hugs. Our team doesn't hug that much it makes me sad. but I got a lot this week from my dad and friends and family so that was super good. Also I got back rubs and gave out a few too. It was good to see everyone. Super fun to get to see the difference in how each group from the same church built the house.

I went to the Mexican Circus yesterday which was interesting not Nealy as good as the American or Russian ones.
Also yesterday we walked about Tj. I was amazed by this one guy. He was a shop owner in a market and sat there with a paint brush dusting off every stain glass window piece he had. Now this amazed me b/c here we are in a super dusty place. He know the second he puts that down it will be covered in dust yet again, but still he sits and takes such care with each piece to dust and place it in the perfect spot. Just the care and attention he showed put me back. I don't know How many shop owners int he US would do that.
It kind of goes back to the way it is down here. The families we worked with this week all at least once got food for the team. you know it is they have nothing yet give it all to us. WE have everything but give just enough to make us feel or look good. One family cooked and said that it was a little food but made with a lot of love. You know things like that. WE handed three families keys to house this week. WE made a difference in those lives. And not just those but many more. 20 kids attended a VBS the group put on. and one little girl who roamed one site said we were nicer to her then the people around here. how cool those kids and that little girl will never forget the group that came down. the impact that the group has on the community is almost endless. I watched one group had over the keys to a crying mother and that is when you know that no matter how stressful week or what else is going on in your life it was all worth it.

So I leave you with that. a reminder that as long as you are impacting someone for God it is worth the pain and the stress the struggle and sweat.

Prayers for the week..
That we would all have a renewal of spirit (we have been at this for a month now and some of us getting tired. not of the work we love it but physically and emotionally.
Praise we all had a healthy week!

Love you guys. Thanks for all the support and prayer Have a good 4th of July.