Coming Home

Packing

So we all amazingly got up at 6am.  Despite being really cold and the sun not being up just yet we were able to get moving and get packing.  By the time 7 came around we were all packed up and ready for breakfast.  The staff was kind enough to make us breakfast to-go for us.  They had made us breakfast burritos.  After picking up breakfast and some warm drinks to keep us warm we took a quick pic, prayed a quick prayer and then got in the vans to leave.  We came across some traffic on the way to the border but nothing that was too bad.  We were able to get to the border so early that we were able to beat the big line.  The line was so short to get through the border we got through in less than 30 minutes.  It is by far the fastest that we have been through the border.  We were able to cross with out any troubles and made it back to the school after filling the vans with gas at around 10:30am.  From there we took everything out of the vans.  I was able to get some help packing up the car as I brought a lot of things that people needed, like sleeping bags, and extra chairs.  I made it home around 11:30am.

Group

I look now look forward to resting up a little before class on Monday and of course the trip.  As of right now the next missionary tirp that I could possibly do is the Mexico trip with HIU next semester (in the Fall).  I may also join in on a week long event with Amor called Global Gathering.  The gathering is happening around the new year, so we will have to see.

NO LINE!!!!! At the border.

Work Around Camp

Moving soda into the store.

Painting

Trying to sleep was very interesting.  It rained all night and the wind blew like crazy.  When we woke up for breakfast it had stopped till after we finished.  Even though it was raining we were still able to get work done around camp.  The group split into two groups.  One group got to work painting and the other got to work doing other jobs.  I was part of the second group.  To start we moved inventory in the store and the we moved to putting up slow down sign and putting up some tiki torches.  After we were done with

Lunch

that we went to clean the inside of a trailer.  While we were cleaning to stoped raining.  And by the time we finished cleaning the other team had finished painting and it was time to clean up for Lunch.

For lunch we got a special surprise.  We all got into the vans and were taken to a local restaurant to be treated to authentic Mexican tacos, burritos, and quesadillas.  This was very special as this is something that they are not able to do with all the groups that they work with.  We

Checking Zippers

had a great time and were very thankful for the wonderful lunch that we were treated to.  When we were done eating we got back into the vans to get go back to the campground and get back to work.

When we got back we once again split into two groups.  One group walked around the grounds and cleaned up any and all trash they found.  The other group got busy opening tents and checking zippers.  Due to the fact that Amor works with groups from other countries and states that would be difficult for them to bring camping gear with them so Amor provides these groups with tents.  We went through at least 20 tents.  If the door zipper was broken we made sure to put them in a suppurate pile.  The working zipper tents were gathered and put into storage were they will be till they a group that needs them.  Once we were

Moving tents into storage.

done putting the tents in storage it was time to clean up for dinner.

Once again dinner was really good. After dinner some of the group played some soccer with a couple kids that were there at camp because their mom was one of the ladies that served us.  After they went home we got a fire going. We enjoyed each other company till it was time to go to bed. We all went to bed around 10pm so that we could get up early.

**Pics were taken by me and David (one of the guys that went on the trip)

Playing some soccer. 

VBS Mexico

Drive to Church

We woke up yesterday in time for

Playing one of the games.

breakfast at 8am.  Some got up earlier than others and others were up time but not ready to eat just yet.  After breakfast we had a little down time before leaving at 9:30.  We left to go to a church were we did a VBS (Vacation Bible School).  On the way over it rained on us a little.  But by the time we got the church at 10 the rain had stopped.

When we got to the church, the kids had yet to arrive.  The pastor rang the church bell and shortly after the kids started to arrive. After a couple

Teaching the story.  The chairs is supposed to be the boat.

of kids arrived we started playing games with them.  To start we blew up some balloons and started to bat it around, trying to keep it from touching the ground.  The game ended when the balloon popped.  When the moved on to a new game with new balloons.  This time we as teamed up with the kids.  Together we had to walk down and back holding a trash bag trying to keep our balloon on it.  We had lot of smiles and laughs.  After we played the game we sang a couple songs with the kids.  After we did our

Playing with the craft.

songs we asked them if they had any they could teach us but unfortunately they did not.

After the songs we played the balloon bating game again as the other part of our team got ready to do the story.  The story was Jonah and the Big Fish.  We got the kids involved with the telling the story.  It was fun to watch the kids act out the story with us.  There were big smiles for those acting and watching.  You could tell the kids really enjoyed the story and how we were including them.

After the story we got to a craft with them.  We got to make a big fish (a cup with eyes) swallowing a Jonah (a balloon filled with flour on a string).  I focused on making sure that every one had what they needed to make the craft and putting the flower in the balloons for the kids.  The

The Group

kids loved the craft.  Once they were done making their craft they went outside and started to play with it.  While they played we started to clean up after ourselves.  When we got close to finishing up cleaning some of us went and gave the kids some snakes before they started to go home and/or school.  We were able to take a picture with all of them before they left.  We had extra craft materials and we decided to leave it them with the church.

We finished everything and left

Painting

around 1pm.  When we got back to camp we had lunch before we got back to work.  We worked around the camp to help them get ready for more campers that will be coming in the weeks to come.  They had us clean the inside of the trucks so that they are nice for the reps.  We also made a fire pit pained some benches, started painting some stands, and hung some lights for them.

At around 5 we started to clean up our what we were working on so we could get ready for dinner at 5:30.  Dinner by the way was amazing and cooked by the staff for us.  After dinner a group of played a game of cornhole as we still had some sunlight.  After the game we went and started another small fire.  We got to talk about the day and had some s'mores. 

Painting

Playing Cornhole

S'mores!

Mexico Spring Trip Start

The Group

Late post as I wanted to post this post this morning. But all well.

I had to get up early yesterday so i could leave the house by 7am, which was a challenge for me with my sleep disorder but I was able to do it.  The reason I had to be up so early was

Crossing the Border

because I had to be at school, Hope International University (HIU), by 8 so that we could pack up the vans to come down to Mexico.  After meeting up with everyone and introducing ourselves to the group we started on our way around with a quick stop at Starbucks for those that wanted to get some breakfast and/or coffee.

Before crossing over into Mexico we stop to get some cross cultural training.  The training is done by Amor which is the organization the school works with.  Amor works in the community building houses and connecting with local pastors to help better the local communities.  If you remember from a previous post the reason they build houses is to try to and fight against human trafficking.  If they have a place to stay at night that has a door and can be locked it is less likely that they will be taken.  While we were at the

Setting up the girls tent.

Amor office they provided us with some lunch before going through the training.

Once we were done with the training we got back into the vans and crossed the border.  Due to the type of vans that we are in the border control pulled us over as asked a few questions but there were no problems as we were let through with out being detained or even having to get out of the vans.  From the border we make our way to the Amor campground.  Once we

Setting up the boys tent.

arrive we get busy with  setting up the camp which consists of two large tents (and one small on because he brought his own).  With the knowledge of rain coming we were allowed to set up camp under one of the large tents that Amor has set up year round.

Once camp was set up we all enjoyed some down time to rest before dinner at 5:30.  Dinner was a very delicious chicken tacos made some of the staff.  For dessert they gave some yummy donuts.  After dinner they opened the store that they have and we were allowed to do some shopping.  All the proceeds from the store goes back into the organization so that they can help the community.  I ended up getting a thick blanket and a shirt for my mom.

After shopping we got a small fire going.  We

Around the Fire

enjoyed the fire till it started to rain us a little.  Once that started we all just into to our tents and went to bed.  I was able to get to bed early which is good since I had not gotten much sleep the night before.  We will be in Mexico till Friday so be looking for the future post about what we did.

**Pictures taken by myself and Siyeon (one of the ladies that is on the trip)