Mexico Outreach 2009

April 3-11

Wow, what a week!!! :]

So, a few months ago my mom asked me if I wanted to go to Mexico on a missions trip. I said yes, since I have always wanted to go on a Missions trip! I later found out that I was going to go with a small group of people from Canada. I was so excited, I love meeting new people!

A few days before the trip I found out I was not going to be able to cross the border without a passport. Mine was expired. It was so hard for me those few days because I had been looking forward to this trip for ages. Everyone was praying..and then I finally got an email saying that it was okay to go :]

The day of it, the Canadians were at my church waiting for me and Lucy(the other translator) to come. I got there a little late, but it was all good. All I remember is everyone crowding around me shaking my hand, with Scott(the leader), giving me everyone's name. I remember I was scared because I didn't think i'd ever memorize all the names. There was like 13 of them. Haha. We took a group picture with my mom, and Lucy's mom, and we were off to San Diego.

On our way to San Diego, me and Lucy sat together. It was definitely crazy to go to MEXICO, with people from CANADA, that we had NEVER met before. But God had a plan.

We got to the church we were staying at, and everyone went outside to play soccer. I sat at a bench, because I hate soccer. Haha. Then we went out for dinner. That's when I started talking to Alicia, one of the girls from the group. We definitely bonded over our love for Starbucks haha. We were craving it that night, and when we finally got to go, we found out it was CLOSED. laaaaaaame. We had pizza, then we went back to the church.

When we got back I decided I wanted to wash my hair before going to Mexico, since I was going to get NO SHOWER FOR A WEEK. hahaha. Alicia thought the same way too so we both washed our hair in a sink. It was kinda comical :)

Afterwards, we had a devotional. Me and Lucy got to hear the story of our team. Its honestly so crazy how our team got put together...it was all God's plan! We knew that each and every single one of us was there for a reason, and we all got along great! I honestly felt like they were family from that very first day. Everyone spoke a little, then we prayed. After, we played some worship songs and some people sung along, while others were journaling about their day and stuff. It was such a relaxing night. I was sooooo excited for the next day...MEXICO!!! <3

The next morning we were off to Mexico! I got in the truck with Frank because each car needed a translator. I called my mom and said my last goodbye for the week. At the border crossing, the van made it through...but the truck didn't! Me and Frank had to park and take half the stuff out of the truck so they could check it. Thankfully, the lady finally let us go. Right when we got into Mexico it was SOOO beautiful <3>

We finally got there and the Barnabas team welcomed us in! I already liked them from the very beginning. They were so cheerful:) Setting up our tents definitely took a while. Then we picked roomates, and me, alicia, and delsarose decided we wanted to share one. We set everything up, and then it was time for dinner. My first time going up to dinner was funny. I was DYING. There is a huuuuuuge, super steep hill you gotta climb before you get to the top. Hahahah. I knew I was going to get a workout that week considering I had to climb up there twice a day every day.

Dinner was delish. Then it was time for chapel. When I first sat down I looked up and saw the sunset! It was so pretty. Chapel is outdoors, and right behind the stage you see our tent city, and then hills, and the sunset. Its beaufitul. Team Barnabas introduced themselves, and then it was time for worship. The message that night was awesome. The speaker told us about Divine Appointments. It basically means that everyone that was there in Mexico that week, was there for a reason, and we had to pray to find out that specific reason. They also made a big deal about how there was a bunch of churches who dropped out of the trip because they were too scared to go to Mexico. Its insane. They were telling us that all of us who were there, was there because God wanted us there that week. And its awesome in how much faith we had in God for protection. <3

After chapel, we had group time. I remember walking to the restrooms(outhouses), and hearing a group singing Mighty To Save(my absolute favorite worship song , ever). At that moment I felt so happy, I knew this trip was going to be AMAZING. We had group time and it was awesome. We had hot chocolate and just talked about our day. Then we prayed, and it was time for bed!

Sunday morning...I wake up to this truck driving around our tents with the music BLASTINGGGG the song MMBOP by hanson. Hahahah it was awesome. It was team barnabas..and they were in the truck screaming, "WAKE UP EVERYONE, TIME FOR BREAKFAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! COME ON GET UP!!!!!!". Then, they passed by our tents screaming, "WAKE UP CANADAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!" hahaha! It was the funniest thing ever. We were officially being labeled as, Canada :] It was cool.

Every morning me and Lucy went to a meeting called the interpreters meeting. I heard so many cool stories in those meetings. We got to meet all the other translators from the other churches.(Oh yeah, there was about 400 of us...making up about 20 different churches I think).

Breakfast was at 7 so we got our breakfast and went to the meeting. It was so cool. Then we went to chapel at 8. THIS TIME, I look back and I could kinda see the sunRISE. Hahaha. Again, it was beautiful.

Honestly, I loved the whole 'no distraction' situation. I didn't have my phone, or myspace and facebook to distract me. All I had was the beauty of creation, awesome inspiring people around me with a heart for God, and....GOD! There was nothing else really, and I loved that!!!

Chapel that morning was awesome. I wrote a lot of notes on the message. I could write it all out, but it would definitely take forever. It being Sunday meant we were all going to our churches for the Sunday service! Every group had a church they were going to help out at all week, and ours was called Monte De Los Olivos, there in Ensenada :] We went, and I thought the service was awesome. It was all in spanish, obviously, but yeah, it was bombskie. We met some people after, then went back to the camp. I was really tired so i'm pretty sure I took like a 3 hour nap. Haha. Then it was time for dinner and chapel again, then group time, then lights out.

Monday, tuesday, and wednesday were all pretty much the same...but different in their own way. Monday, we met the kids and did crafts and stuff, Tuesday the church made a special service for us, and we had dinner at the pastors house. Wednesday was a story, craft, and songs. It was basically like a VBS type thing. Throughout the whole week I got to meet some awesome kids like Itzel, Antonio, Fernando, Aby, Ana, Nayelli, Abigail, Yulissa, Elizabeth, and Jorge. I built relationships with some of them, and throughout the week a lot of the girls made me little notes and stuff saying they'll never forget me and they didn't want me to leave. One of the crafts one day was to make bracelets for yourself, and that's what I was doing..when all the sudden like 6 little girls come up to me because they had made ME a bracelet. I felt so special. Then I got more!

Oh yeah...the whole week I was translating. Lucy too. It was so cool. I actually felt somewhat important to the team. Me and Lucy liked to think we were the voice of the team, because without us, our team couldn't communicate with anyone in the church :]

I definitely saw a huge need in Mexico. Just with all these kids and stuff. It was crazy. I immediately felt spoiled because of everything I had at home. They have so little, yet they're still so happy.

The pastors of the church had a daughter named Ruby. She is 15. She is sooo soooo soooo sweet, and I got to talk to her a lot. I defintely have at least ONE friens in Mexico now :]

Throughout the whole week I got really close with everyone on our team. I was beginning to get sad because I knew I would soon have to say goodbye :( I got extra close with my tent buddies, Alicia and Delsarose. I even nicknamed them Shay Shay and Rosecake <3>

On thursday we had a candle light service at chapel. It was so pretty and so amazing. I was defintely going to miss chapel and all the worship songs. My favorites were I can only Imagine, The Stand, Declare His Glory, This generation, and Trading my Sorrows. Those were mostly our camp songs :] That last night at chapel me, Rosecake, Shay Shay, and Lucy decided we wanted to speak in acccents. It was kinda hilarious. We went all night speaking in thee most random accents EVER. I miss that night like CRAZY.

Friday we left. It took about 3 hours to get out of Mexico. It was kinda lame haha. Then we went to a mall in San Diego, and me, Shay Shay, RoseCake, and Lucy did some speeeeedy shopping. then we went to Azusa Pacific University to stay the night there. I was very sad on this night.

That whole week I had gotten very close to this group. They were basically like family. I didn't miss my family back at home much because I KNEW I would see them again. But I knew I was NOT going to see these guys anytime soon after this trip. They live in another COUNTRY. It was kind of depressing.

We had shared a lot of laughs, and had some pretty deep conversations as a group, and I was so sad that I was going to have to say goodbye very soon.

That last night I got to talk to shay shay, delsarose, and lucy. We shared our testimonies, and just talked about life. I will never forget that night. We stayed up till 3.

The next morning we went to breakfast at Dennys, and Lucy's brother was on His way to pick us up. Me and Shay Shay were VERY sad.

Me and Lucy had written a poem, so we read it to them. All I remember is that the last lines of the poem go:

"...and now we're standing here about to say our last goodbye, we love you all so much, goodbye mexico'09"

Yeah I definitely almost cried. It was time. We got in a prayer circle, and said our last goodbye. I walked by Alicia and she told me to say goodbye to her last. As I went up to hug her so many things were running through my head. I was extremely sad that the week was over, and now I was saying goodbye to basically my sister. It was a longer hug, and it was a true hug <3>

On my way home I slept. I was so tired. When I got home I cried. It was kind of like a ...back to reality thing. I was so scared. I knew I was going to get all caught up in my cellphone, friends, myspace, and facebook again. I knew I would somewhat forget about God.

I met up with my cousin Aley that day for coffee. It was crazy because I haven't talked to ehr one on one in about 6 months. A lot of family stuff has happened..but she went to mexico that week too with another group, and God did some pretty AMAZING things in her life that week. I was soooo happy on the inside, and we got to talk everything out. I am so thankful that God worked in her heart that week, and we finally reconciled for real this time!

One very last thing that stood out to me: My leader Bethany is one of those people who just wants to get out tehre and be a Missionary and stuff overseas. She always used to tell me that I should get into missions and stuff too, cause the world needed it. I always said no. My heart was never in it for Missions. Before I left on this trip she told me she was going to pray for God to change my heart. I came back, and something was different. I wanted to go back. I loved it! I remember seeing Bethany on Sunday and telling her I now wanted to be a missionary..and I gave her a big hug! <3>

Wow, long blog. And it only covered the basics..

Haaaaaaa.

Thoughts?

xoxo

Monique