Albergue Ayudando A Una Esperanza De Vida

Recently we found out about a place in Ixtapaluca that takes in mistreated, abused, and homeless older people.

It is actually a little building inside a brick making place. I would guess that most people have no idea that place even exists.  The people that own the brick place let this place be in there indefinitely for free (they pay for what they need, nothing more). Which is amazing seeing as they don't have much... paying for a place to be would be out of the question.

The family that takes care of this place... does so with patience, love, passion and a great attitude.

There are, currently, 25-26 people living there. Most of them are older than 80 years old. The guy told me that the vast majority of them lived on the streets before going to the home. The vast majority were homeless because they were abused in the place they were living. Most people don't have any one come and visit them, or pay for them to be there etc.

A couple of them are younger with mental disabilities. Same situation... mistreated abused and abandoned.

This place is better than living on the streets, that is for sure. But, it is far from a home where they have their family around them. They have food, but usually don't eat meat. They have beds--- 25 in one room! They don't have water and gas, but when they do they are thankful! They don't have many visitors, but love when they do!

Over the past week, we have been able to go visit the people in this home three times. We were able to spend time with them, do crafts with them, serve them, love them. We were able to give them all the cleaning supplies they needed for now, rice, beans, oil, and some chairs.

We plan on this being an ongoing ministry. Please pray we can be a light in this place. Pray we can help in any way we can. Pray we can give these older people the love they need and deserve!

Thank You Mount Calvary

We love having short term teams here. They advance the work that is being done here, they make new connections with people, they encourage missionaries, team up with the local church, they bring down treats from the US ;)

This week we had the opportunity to have a big group from Mt Calvary with us. We had a great week of ministry, of creating friendships, of smiles and laughs and not enough sleep! We were able to share the Gospel with tons of people. We did several work projects. We were able to teach people baking and crafts and english. We laid tile at the church. Started working in a new ministry.

Thank you Mt. Calvary for giving us a week of your time. Thank you for your hearts and your hard work. Can't wait to see you next year!

If you are interested in bringing a team down, let me know, we would LOVE to have you!

#wheelchairwednesday

Well, tonight we were able to do another wheelchair outreach. I have loved every.single.time we have been able to share the gospel and present a chair to a person that really needs it. There is nothing better than watching someones life change instantly. WE know that happens when they accept the Jesus... but to watch the physical change in someone when they receive a chair, is also pretty amazing! It often times means that mom and dad do not have to carry their child anymore or that someone can now leave their house (maybe for the first time in a long time)!

Tonight we were able to give out 8 wheelchairs with a bible with each one. The team shared a great skit about Jesus' love for us. Mayra shared the Gospel to everyone there (probably 70 people). Several more people asked for bibles. And we ate a whole lot of food! Good day =0)

We are hoping to get more chairs, if you want to give to this ministry... e-mail me!

Blessed

We have been incredibly blessed to have a great beginning of our summer!

We, currently, have one Camino Global Intern and 20ish people from Mount Calvary Church in Elizabethtown, PA!

So, we have been busy....

1. Lots of the guys are laying tile in the church

2. Two baking classes down, one to go! All in different neighborhoods. All sharing the Gospel clearly... giving bibles and having a great time!

3. Random service projects in Jesus Maria!

4. Assembling several wheelchairs for tomorrows #wheelchairwednesday

5. Helping at a new ministry area for us.... at a home for neglected and mistreated old folks (and some randoms with mental or physical disabilities)

And the week is only half over! =0) We, here in Ixtapaluca, are blessed. We are blessed to have an amazing body of believers here. We are blessed to have churches back in our country of origin who want to come be a part of what God is doing here.

And another AMAZING thing happened. After fights and battles WE HAVE WATER IN THE CHURCH! 

Lots more planned for the week, but for now, I say GOOD NIGHT!

Third Soccer Tournament!

18 teams,  86 players, team of 20 from PA, an intern and some observers....!

We had a great morning with the THIRD ever soccer tournament in Las Palmas!

Praise God for the nice weather, the group that helped, the short testimony that was shared and the fun that was had!

Reaching the Lost

We are called, as Christians to reach the lost. 

Every person, every place, every circumstance is different. What it looks like to reach the lost is different in the United States than it does in Spain or in China or in Mexico. What it looks like in one city, one neighborhood looks different than another. What it looks like will be different based on who you are and the gifts God has given you. 

We, as a team here in Ixtapaluca, don't like to live in a box. We tend to do things that are outside the norm. Really, just look at our personalities =) God, has given us the opportunity to reach the lost here in Mexico in very creative ways. Every thing we do is to meet a need of the people, get to know them, show them the Love of God and eventually (hopefully) lead them to the Lord. 

Some of what we have done:

- English Classes

- Baking, dancing, music, sports and craft classes

- Community Centers

- Going to a gym to create friendships

- bible studies

- easter egg hunts

- giving out wheelchairs

- coffee shop

- lots of community improvement projects 

(painting speedbumps, cleaning up trash, putting in benches

 and swing sets, painting hand ball courts etc)

- helping at existing projects 

- Youth Rally

- Kids Club

-etc etc etc

Sometimes helping (reaching) others means reaching out to people that you wouldn't normally hang out with and doing things that you wouldn't normally do. Loving the unloveable, that is what Jesus taught us, right? Sometimes reaching others means babysitting, sometimes it means just having coffee and listening, sometimes it is helping after a surgery, or bringing food to someone. 

Whatever we do, we like to have fun doing it!

We want to be Christians that are motivated by love for God and our neighbors. We want to serve God by caring for peoples needs, whatever that looks like. Doing that can change a persons life, it can change a families life, it can change a neighborhood.... maybe even more!

Summer 2015 is Quickly Approaching!

The first Camino Global intern arrives in Ixtapaluca in one week and the first group arrives in one week and one day! =0)

I love the summer... it gives us the opportunity to do more, with more hands and more personalities!

We plan to be busy, and ask that you pray for us, the interns, the groups, the people we will be in contact with!

Here are some dates to keep in mind for the summer!

June 13- Soccer Tournament

June 17- Wheel Chair giveaway (10 chairs)

June 20 and July 15- Street kid ministry

June 22-July 10- Three weeks of community center classes
June 29, July 2,6, 17- Serving and sharing the Gospel at a home for older people without families
July 1 and 16- Helping, serving, and caring at a christian drug rehab center
July 7-10- Sports Camps (two per day)
July 18- Soccer Tournament
Random baking classes, craft, english conversation classes and other events!
Random service projects and construction projects

The photo is a flyer we are going to pass out next week in Palmas... doesn't include things in other neighborhoods!