Orphanage.

Yesterday the youth had the opportunity to go to an orphanage in Puebla to hang out with the kiddos for a few hours.
They put together a skit, craft and snack with Daniel and the Lions Den story in mind. And they played a ton of games.
I am very proud of them and the work they put into this trip (meetings and practices). They are also very grateful for the opportunity they had. It was life changing for some of them!

Needless to say, they want to return. I am going to rest a little first!

The first few moments.

The other day we picked up Jessica from the airport. She is going to be with us for a year. It is exciting to see God bringing people to our little corner of the world.

Mayra and I were talking about what it is like to come here for a more than a little mission trip, but to live here.

I remember, although a lot of the first couple weeks are a complete blur to me, my feelings that day. Some friends took me to the airport. There were tears... although none of us cried until we parted ways. Knowing it would be at least a year before we saw each other face to face.

I had sent my dog the day before (which is nerve racking enough), so, I was always constantly worried about her and how she was doing. And after I had my bags checked and was at my gate I remember "well, no turning back now".

And then I got to Mexico City. I found my luggage and not my dog. Yep, i didn't even know enough Spanish to find my poor dog. And I ended up waiting what seemed like days for someone to pick me up. That is when I began to worry. What the heck was i doing? This is really what God wants me to do? I will never make it here. I can just buy a plane ticket and return to my home, my normal. I can just visit right?

Well I am happy to report... I survived the first couple days. I did more than that, I decided to stay here a long time! =0) It wasn't always easy. I remember almost being in tears the first time I watched a movie in Spanish because I understood nothing. I missed the people at home. I missed the convince of stuff in the states. But, I wouldn't trade the experience for anything. God has changed me, used me, and continues to challenge me. I hope I have made as much of an impact here as this place has made on me (although i doubt it).

I hope Jessica can say she has had an equally impactful time after her year!

By the way, we have broke her into the crazy mexican way of getting things done here yesterday. =0)

SNOW! oh and back in Mexico!

Here I am, neglecting my poor blog again.

I do have a little excuse, I was stuck in Virginia! Its great for a Nebraksa girl to see snow! =0) But over two feet is a little excessive when i have a plane to catch! Whatever, I thought it was beautiful!

Ok, gearing up for a lots happening this week. Classes, english tutoring, bible studies, getting ready to take the youth to an orphanage on Saturday, bible studies, getting Jessicas house read for her thursday arrival.... etc etc! 

Rod wrote about a meeting he has on friday, please be praying about that! Some fun things coming your way from here!

just a week.

This week was another fun week in the community center. Lots o people in all the classes. I definitely think this is one of our best sets of classes yet. English, keyboarding, guitar, kids craft, baking, country dance, exercise and soccer.... so much fun!

At some point this week, I think it was tuesday... we went to a local school and helped a little with the english classes. Topic this time was restaurant service. Rod did a great job making all the Americans hungry by talking about foods found on a US menu!

I felt like I spent a lot of time waiting this week. Waiting in line, waiting at the dentist office, waiting for the trash truck, waiting for the water man... waiting, waiting, waiting... and really not getting a whole lot done. But, sometimes, that is life here. 

Yesterday my house got filled up with wheelchairs again. 20 more to be exact. Rod just posted about that, so read it! 

Last night we had to say goodbye to our intern who has been with us about 3.5 weeks. Anson is the most patient math teacher EVER. He tutored math in english for Danny Fry and in Spanish for a hand full of others. He also taught Keyboard and English classes with the same amount of patience.

Anson headed to Puebla this morning but not before a little excitement! On the way there my car decided to stop working. Nothing like breaking down on a major highway while people are going 100mph. But a nice guy ended up stopping behind me, told me it was my fuel pump (had that replaced a week or two ago) and pushed my car back to Rod's house. 

The crazy thing about this is, I knew something was going to happen, I just had a feeling. I went and got extra money out for the trip to Puebla "just to be prepared". Thank goodness I did!

I think I need to buy a new(er) reliable car.

I hate to leave you all, my faithful five readers. But i need to clean, pack and walk the dogs. I leave at 4:30 tomorrow morning for Virginia. If you are at Liberty University, come check out the Camino Global booth, we would love to see you there!

Support Raising

I don't normally write about support and giving money on here but today I am going to!

As most of you know, I have been in Mexico for the last 2.5 years working on a church plant team in Ixtapaluca (right outside of Mexico City)! I came here and kept extending my time =0). God has called me to go full time and I am working on raising the required monthly (and onetime) support that is needed to do so.

My current need is $1900 a month (more) to continue my service here after August 5th. My desire is to continue living and working here without interruption. I will have to do a small trip in the fall to the states for connecting, asking and sharing the story of what God is doing here.

While 1900 dollars a month SEEMS like a big number, if you break it down, it isn't bad at all.
19 people (or churches or groups) at 100 a month
28 people at 50 a month
76 at 25 a month
95 at 20 a month
190 at 10 a month
OR any combination. See, not bad!

Anyways, would you like to partner with me and what God is doing here in Ixtapaluca?
Are you in a church who would like to hear more?
How about your bible study?

Please let me know if you have questions, suggestions, comments. My e-mail is tbarham@caminoglobal.org

HERE Is my giving link! (if you want a paper form, let me know!)

Tiempo de Vivir

This week was the first week of our new community center block of classes. We never really know how the classes will turn out.... but so far so good!

All classes have been just the amount that the teachers can handle. Rod having like 8-10 guitar students, a room full for english classes, 4-5 for keyboard, 12 for kids craft class, and 12 for country dance class... oh and 2-6 for the everyday exercise class.

The best part of it... there is a great mixture of people we know (whether through the church or through other community center activities) and people we have never seen before!

Please pray for these classes this year. That we can not only provide some new knowledge, experience etc for the people attending but that we can gain relationships with the new people. We know relationships is the first step in being able to share the Gospel.

Greetings are Important

Growing up in the USA the typical greeting was a quick hello, a handshake, a nod. But, here in Mexico it is more customary for people to take the time to stop, say hello, give a cheek kiss, a hug, etc. You are actually a rude if you don't acknowledge the person.

Sometimes I mess up. I get in a hurry or am in my own little world and don't greet someone. I am sure my face turns red when I realize that once again I broke the greeting etiquette and slip back into my American ways. I am a work in progress, i guess. 

It is not just the greetings that are different, but also the goodbyes. You can not just say a blanket goodbye or open the door. You need to again go around to everyone and give individual goodbyes. 

For an american who is always in a rush and focused on the next task, I find this way of living to be refreshing. It causes me to slow down. To enjoy the people and the relationships around me. People are truly acknowledged, like they should be, instead of a quick exchange that barely makes notice of the person.

Greeting people, as I have come to realize, is important. People are not meant to be overlooked and you shouldn't be too busy to invest in that relationship.