Santa Cruz de Camotlan & Sayulita

We have been on Outreach for a little over a month now and have seen some amazing things.  God has been doing so much.  We’ve been in various cities and small towns and there are so many stories; I wish I could share them all.  I’ve chosen a couple stories from each town we have visited to share.

One theme that God has been speaking to me about our time on Outreach has been Isaiah 60. 

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you… But the Lord will rise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you.”

SANTA CRUZ DE CAMOTLÁN

I don’t think I’ve ever experienced humidity quite like I experienced in the week we spent in Santa Cruz.  Literally we would drip with sweat.  We took bucket showers down at the river and we would literally never dry, because the humidity was so bad.

A few of us one day took a hike up to a house on the outskirts of town to visit an elderly woman (99 years old), Leonore.  

Leonore in her clean house

Her house was covered in trash, rotting food, feces, urine, cats, etc..  I have never seen such filth.  The filth was literally piled 6 inches from the ground.  Leonore can no longer walk or move around, so she would lay on her bed and defecate on her hand and dispose of her waste on the floor.  No family.  Nobody in the town to look after her.  A lady and her daughters invited us to help clean her house and so we joined them.  We were definitely impacted.  While spending time with her there God showed me His heart for her and broke me to tears as the Holy Spirit led me to intercede for her.

Part of our team with Leonore.

 The following night we sang worship in the plaza.  While worshipping God told me to go back to the house for a Bible that He had told me to bring to Santa Cruz when we were interceding a couple of weeks ago for our time in Santa Cruz.  So with the Bible in hand I prayed that God would show me who to give it to and He told me that the person would actually come up to me and that I wouldn’t have to go to them.  So I continued praying and God gave me a word in Deuteronomy 7 and in that exact moment the lady who cleaned Leonore’s house with us came up to me and asked me what I was reading.  I immediately shared with her Deut. 7 and everything that the Holy Spirit had put on my heart for her.  She was afraid to cry because of what people would think of her and right in that moment the lights went out in the entire town and she was able to let her tears out without shame as she cried out to God for salvation.

We continued worshipping and praying together.  Earlier while praying we felt God telling us to sing “Let It Rain” and that He would make it rain.  It hadn’t rained in this town for months.  So we sang and sure enough, God made it rain.  It was amazing.  The rain clouds came in out of nowhere and the rain storm came in over the town.  The following days the people in the town recognized us as the people whose God made it rain.  God definitely does miracles.

SAYULITA

During our time in Sayulita we stayed with a family at their bungalows in the middle of the jungle.  We were able to be Jesus’ hands and feet in serving around the property.  

The boys built a storage room with old tires and mud while the girls did housekeeping of all of the bungalows and gardening.

We were also able to partner with a local church called Calvary Sayulita. Clearing the land where they are planning on building their church.

We did a couple presentations in the main plaza with dramas, choreographies, skits, testimonies, music, etc..

Honestly being in Sayulita was a very hard time for me.  I have never experienced a spiritual attack as strong as I did in Sayulita, but God kept comforting me with Psalm 91 and the prayers of my teammates.  He also spoke to me through a song with the following lyrics:

Take a moment to remember who God is and who I am.  There you go lifting my load again.  No longer am I held by the yoke of this world.  Come up under the yoke of Jesus.  His yoke is easy.  His burden is so light.  You’re lifting my load.  Your love carries me.  Through all the valleys and the darkest places.  Your love carries me.

While we were preparing for Outreach God gave me a drama that basically it shows how that throughout life we start believing so many lies about ourselves that become burdens.  But in reality God gives us the invitation to cast off our burdens onto Him and believe the truth that He says about us.  While I was feeling super attacked in Sayulita I had to present my drama in the plaza and honestly I did not want to present it because I felt so weak, but God told me that He wanted me to cast all of my burdens upon Him not only in the drama but in my life as well.  And I did.  I started declaring His truth in Psalm 91 until I believed it. 

I praise God for the way He has been speaking to me in this time and for the amazing things He has been doing in and through our team.

 Up next I’ll update you on what God did in our time in: Lo De Marcos, Tepic and Zacatecas

 I appreciate your prayers and encouragement more than ever in this time.  It has been a long and yet fast month of Outreach so far.  God is doing so much and I ask that you would join us in praying for:

*Church follow up in the towns we have been serving in.  That the churches we have been partnering with would continue discipling and seeking out the people we made contact with in those towns. 

 *Spiritual protection for the team. 

*That God would be glorified through our actions and words. 

 *Guidance and direction for our next stop after next week in Miguel Auza.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WEEKEND

Zapotlan del Rey

This past weekend our Community Development Team had the opportunity to go to a small town, Zapotlan del Rey, and serve the community and the local church.  We spent time building relationships with the families, encouraging them, various service projects, etc..

Bonding Time while picking fruit from the trees

Working at the church

They asked us to run the church service on Sunday, so each one of us had a specific responsibility: sharing a message, testimonies, drama, children's teaching, etc..  I had the opportunity to share a message with the church, and I was honestly so nervous.

Sharing at Church

By Saturday morning I finally felt somewhat comfortable with the message that I had prepared, but even so I was not fully confident.  Saturday night around 8pm after all of our activities, I felt God telling me that I was no longer going to share the message I had prepared, but rather Psalm 31.  However the more I studied and tried to prepare something, the less I understood.  God told me that His Spirit was going to speak through me the following morning and that no matter how much I tried/studied, I would not be able to  prepare a teaching, because I wouldn't be the one speaking, but rather His Spirit. 

So the following morning I stood up in front of the church and shared with them what God had told me, we prayed for God's direction and went through Psalm 31.  I honestly don't know what I said, nor how long I talked.  All I remember is finishing by praying and that half of the church was crying, including the pastor.  Afterwards, the pastor's wife shared with me that that was the exact word that the church needed to hear.

Community Development Team with Pastor & Family

God has been teaching me a lot about the importance of listening to Him and following His guidance.  I can do a lot of things in my own strength, but in following Him and what He shows me, He can achieve so much more through me.  I only need to trust Him (Psalm 31- Declaration of Trust) and keep my heart open and attent to what He guides me to do.  This has been something He has been teaching me these past few weeks in our classes (Spiritual Warfare, Worldview, Inner Healing, Evangelism, Holy Spirit) and I was able to put it into practice this weekend.

Building Relationships

OUTREACH PLANS:
We leave for Outreach this weekend! 4 DAYS. We will be 25 students/staff and 3 kids in 2 vans driving through Mexico. We will first visit a couple coastal towns, an indigenous community and then drive more inland.  During the second half of Outreach our team splits into 2 (Community Development & the Upcoming Generation).  My team, Community Development, will be going through the "Circle of Silence" where there is only 2-3% Christian influence.

 
This Outreach is completely focused on hearing God's voice and to go where He guides us, so we are open and flexible to follow wherever He leads us even if this involves changing our tentative plans.  Different activities in Outreach will include: dramas, choreographies, kids teachings/activities, puppets, creative evangelism, other dynamic activities, etc..  We are very excited to see what God has in store for us!

HAPPENINGS THESE PAST FEW WEEKS...

Getting to know Priscilla in Zapotlan.

Boardwalk Ministry

Boardwalk Ministry

I had the opportunity to translate a YWAM couple's wedding.

DTS Group at the Wedding.

PRAYER:
-Outreach: Discernment and Wisdom in hearing God's guidance.
-Financial Provision for the rest of my team.  Praise God that He has provided my finances for Outreach.
-Visa Renewal:  In August I need to renew my visa from temporary resident to permanent resident.  Pray for all of the documents and letters I need to obtain/turn in before I leave for Outreach.
-Guidance and Direction: For all of us students as to where God is calling us after DTS.

God has been teaching me so much over these past 5 weeks.  It has been a blessing to see how this DTS team has really turned into my family.  We have cried and rejoiced together time after time again.  Such a blessing to have a family away from home.

DTS Team + YWAM Staff

Each week on Wednesday afternoons we go out to do ministry in various places around Chapala.

Ministry Brainstorming

My team goes out to the Boardwalk of Lake Chapala each Wednesday.  Every week looks different, but this past week we were able to bless the kids (since it was Kid's Day) with balloon animals, face painting, drawings and candy.  Our favorite part was to be able to share with the kids how much their Papa God loves them.

Balloon Animals with the Kids

Cedros Weekend
One weekend our Community Development Team spent the weekend in a small pueblito (town) called Cedros. 

View of the town from the roof

For many years now YWAM has been building relationships with this community and has started a church.  This weekend we split up into groups and spent time with families involved in the church.  One of my teammates, Viri, and I spent the weekend with an older couple. 

My teammate Viri riding a horse for the 1st time in Cedros

We were able to serve around the house, clean, etc., but more than anything we listened.  Building relationships is so much more about listening and talking than doing.  The same with our relationship with God.  In Mark 3 Jesus calls us to first be with Him and then afterwards to go out and "do".  The same with any other relationship; the foundation is on building a relationship of trust and love.

Making a Bow and Arrow with a little boy

Cutting Fruit from the Tree at the House we stayed at

Niko Week
Niko means to conquer, surpass, overcome, prevail, obtain victory and it was a week-long outdoor survival camp.  Technically we are not allowed to share about the camp, because if somebody were to do it later and they knew the details it would ruin the experience.  So I'll be brief, but God spoke to me a lot about what it looks to fully trust Him in every detail of our lives.  He constantly reminded me of Colossians 3:2-3 that He has been speaking to me throughout the entire DTS.  Keeping my eyes on Him and not on what I see, understand, think, feel, etc..  He calls me to fully trust Him and to not lean on my own understanding.

Sunset on Easter Sunday

Father Heart of God
This past week's theme was about God's father heart for us.  He showed me what it means to turn to Him in every situation as I would turn to my earthly dad.  After a week of classes the teacher took us out for a picnic and gave us each a kite to spend some one-on-one time with our Papa God.

DTS Team flying kites at our picnic

We also had to opportunity to really examine our hearts and the different lies we have been believing.  God revealed so much and freed many of us from lies.

DTS Team + Staff praying for me

Intercession for Human Trafficking worldwide

My Little Helper in cleaning the Cafe

DTS-2 Weeks In...

It has officially been 2 weeks here at DTS and I feel that the Lord has been teaching me so much, not only through the classes, but also through the day-to-day activities.   

The DTS Team

The other day we went to do a “Community Development” project to a little town (pueblito-Santa Cruz de la Soledad) on the other side of the mountain.  We walked as a team down the mountain about an hour to the pueblito.  On the way back however one of the staff drove down to pick us up, so a bunch piled into her truck.  

Santa Cruz de la Soledad

Plaza @ Santa Cruz

 Since there wasn’t enough room for everybody in the truck, Erika, one of the DTS leaders, and I walked back.  It was a long hike up the steep mountain back to the YWAM base.  The entire hike was uphill, so we started setting small goals (picking out trees to rest at).  God started to show me that I need to do the same during this time of the DTS.  Sometimes I can get overwhelmed by looking towards the final goal of what God wants to do in me, when I really just need to focus on the small goals that are going to lead me to the final goal.  Pretty basic, but I needed the reminder.  

 

The mountains surrounding the YWAM base

In this first week of classes the focus has been Worship.  Worship is not just singing at church on Sunday mornings.  We all worship something or someone, however every being was created to worship God.  Worship is our reaction to who God is and what He has done.  Worship is a life of surrender to God; to hear His voice and obey.   

Class on Worship

This week’s classes were very convicting for all of us.  God broke me down the first day in asking the question, “Would you be willing to give up ______ for me?”.  If my answer was a “no”, or even a “hesitant maybe”, I have been worshiping something other than the Creator.  Ouch.  It has been a challenging week where God has asked me to surrender everything, because Jesus, being God, surrendered everything. 

God has spoken to me a lot through Colossians 3:2-3

“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.  For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

Thank You all for your prayers and financial support.  It has been such a blessing to see God provide through your generosity.

Praise Report:

-I was granted my visa!

-God has provided financially for the Lecture Phase of the DTS (The 1^st of 2 parts)

Prayer Requests:

-God would show me what it truly looks like to Die To Myself, passions, dreams, etc..

-Rest- The DTS schedule is very intensive with very few times of rest.

-Continued Unity in the DTS team.  We are a group of 18 students from different cultures and languages.

Saying "See Ya Soon" to Abby & Petty at the orphanage