Our adults are soooooo awesome.  Here are some of the things they wanted to share about the trip:

WOW, what a week it has been so far. This has been my first mission trip with this group from Fusion, and I have been so fortunate to have gotten the chance to get to know each and every one of the youth so far. What an amazing group. Each time I see them interact with the children in Acuna, I get so emotional and overjoyed because I am so proud of them. They are so good with them and how they interact with them, how they play with them, give them so many hugs, and even though they may not speak their language, they are able to communicate so well with them all. When the worship team sings, every single person in that place just lights up. It is absolutely awesome. I know that there was more than just one reason that God spoke to me and wanted for me to come this week.  It was just not to experience this with my daughter, and not just to be able to help with the use of my Spanish, but to be able to work with teens and to get to know them and appreciate their uniqueness.  This is a trip that I will treasure for the rest of my life. Thank you to all the parents for sharing your children and entrusting them to us. God has definitely used them all and I know they are changed forever. God Bless them all! — Maria Yarrow

This week has been in a word…incredible.  I could write a ton about how I am impressed with our youth, but I don’t want to write a novel.  They seem to have a good grasp on what is going on down here.   I feel like they realize how blessed they really are.  We went on a tour of the poorest areas of Acuna.  It was worse than I imagined.  We got to actually go into one of the houses where it was over 100 degrees…or at least it seemed.  Just seeing the conditions was a huge reality check.  It puts things into perspective for everyone, including myself.

I have also enjoyed working with the leaders…yes, even Andy.  I even thought that before I knew he prayed for salvation for 18 children yesterday.  Awesome.  I have also been able to experience this with my wife Shawna and my son Justin.  Justin is great with the kids…and since he has 3 younger siblings he better be.  Seriously, he is fitting in great.  Soccer breaks down barriers.  Mostly though, I am so proud of Shawna.  She is so great and I love her so much.  I have trouble expressing how much this whole trip means to me.  –Shane Wheeler

Today was HOT! VBS is going so well!!!! The students are doing an awesome job and our church and parents should be very proud of them. Today we successfully finished day 2 of our rotation of tours, soccer and working in the warehouse. The warehouse organizes all the school supplies that have been donated to go across the border. Today I played soccer and actually scored a goal. However, this came after I bit it hard and hurt myself1 Why . . . because 1. I am getting older or 2. There is no grass and we are playing on a rock/dirt field, who am I kidding . . . it’s mostly rock. I would love to say it is only because of number 2, but then I would be lying? Every time I get out there I am doing good . . . I get showed up by the 12 year olds from our trip!

We finished the day at Mr Gatti’s pizza, then swimming in the lake. Here are some pics from today, and student perspectives!

Today is day 3 of VBS. We, the drama team did a skit about sin and how it can consume you. We did it for the first time this morning and it was hit with the kids. After it was done we all gave a little Bible verse and an explanation. After that we headed to a little park thing where there was a little soccer/basket ball court.  We played for a little while we moved back to the Church and did crafts with the kids. When that was through we moved to a soccer field and played soccer for an hour and we were so hot. Today was a lot of fun and there is still more to come. Tomorrow is salvation story day and that should be a lot of fun.  –Scott

Today I saw the warehouse and I worked to give most of the school supplies to the Mexicans. I also worked with the kids in VBS for the drama I worked with a chair that said sin I knew that if you sin it will be stuck to that sin until you look to god for guidance and you should ask for forgiveness and should praise him the lord in worship. Well today was awesome and I bet the next day when we do the salvation skit the kids, teens, and the adults will have fun at VBS tomorrow.  –Paul

YESTERDAY I PET A DEER.  We went to a church service last night in Acuna, and my perspective on my relationship with God is completely different. Josh joined into worship with his guitar, and sang songs with a local woman. To hear the same song sung in two different languages with such passion was a life changing experience. At the end of the service, they had an offering basket to give money to the church. Little by little the locals piled to the front to present the small amount of change they had to offer. It blew my mind to think that with such little possessions, they are willing to give up the little amount they had. In seeing a different country worshipping God, The Great Commission has a whole new meaning to me. I now see that it is ABSOLUTELY possible to spread the word of God in all nations and see our world change. –Jaime

Wow, i had doubts about even coming to Mexico, but now that i am here, i am so glad i came. The kids here are so friendly! They don’t even care that we don’t speak their language that well. They still laugh and joke around with us (sometimes even talk with us in Spanish a little). Something i thought was really cool that Josh said during worship this morning was: “God doesn’t speak English or Spanish, he speaks to us with love.”  You’d think that the language barrier would be a problem, but its not- seeing all the guys playing soccer together and all the girls skipping down to the park arm-and-arm is really cool. I got to see so amazing things on this trip. Today we went touring (we took a van and drove and walked around some neighborhoods in Acuna). We literally walked by houses made of scraps of cardboard, metal, and planks of wood. In fact one family let us into their home. It was a one room house made of scraps of wood, and metal sheets as a roof. They had 2 small cots crammed into this small house. It was a mess! These people hardly have anything and they considered themselves blessed. God gave them what they needed and they were so content with what they had although they hardly have anything. They said they don’t need anything else– Jesus is all they need; its the only thing that they said makes them happy. That was just amazing to me. I look forward to going back to Mexico tomorrow 🙂  keep us and these families here in prayer.  –Nicole

Guest blogger who doesn’t blog and i had to tie him down to the chair to put his thoughts here!  Didn’t really tie him down but here is his first ever post!

Its amazing how something as concrete as language can become so dynamic and how after one experience a =my definition of a word can change so much. I have always thought of myself as someone that is content with the simple things. All that I really want is a hot shower, a bag of twizzlers, and my music, but tonight as i was taking my hot shower I started thinking about the families i met today and how what I think of as simple pleasures are something that most Mexican families will never have. One of the men working at the mission, Ethan, told us that many houses don’t have water and will go two or three days before they drink anything, and those with water only get cold water. So there goes my simple hot shower.

After that we went into a house that was as big as or if not smaller than the vans that we are driving. The family that lived there was amazing the husband was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and given two years to live… nine years ago. Then in the last few months he found out that he had a brain tumor, however he told us as he struggled to control his own body about how he thanks God everyday for the things he has and the days that he is able to live. This man completely changed the definition I have of what is simple and what it is to be easily contented.

I am excited to see what God has in store for tomorrow.  –Jason

Well we just got back from Mission 2 where we were able to reach out to kids and adults.  The miracle is that God used the message to speak to 4 adults that prayed to receive Christ as their Lord and Savior.  Then on top of that, we had about 30 kids pray to receive Christ also.  What an awesome night and a miracle that God used us (me) to reach others.

During the service, I had one guy start talking back as I was teaching.  I have no idea what he was saying I could just tell that it made others feel uncomfortable.  He choose to leave and when he did, 2 other men got up and followed him out.  Later, as the service was ending, I noticed the guy was still there talking to some of our male adult leaders.  I joined them to learn that the man was a drug dealer, who was high and desiring to change but thought it was impossible to do so.  I shared the truth in love with him asking him if he wanted to change?  He never gave an answer but God is working in his heart.  Please pray for him, his name is Alberto.

What a night, humbled by Gods grace and power and amazed that I was able to play a small part simply by being available!

Day 4 in Mexico and day 2 working with kids.  We made pet rocks, played soccer and I pushed little kids Josiah’s age on swings for what seemed hours.  They smiled and laughed the whole time saying “mas, mas”, which if you are like me means “more, more”!  Really great!  Tonight, I speak for the first time with a translator since I am one of the only graduating high school students from the 90 that graduated without taking a forign language.  I will blog later and let you know how it went!  In the meantime, here are some pics and students perspectives:

Today was day two of VBS. I am meeting alot of kids and even tho none of them speak english, language  is not as big of a barrier as one would think. every day we start off with worship and then the drama team preforms a skit. after the skit the group of kids split up into craft groups and and games groups. I’m not quite sure what the craft group does because i haven’t been with them, but the games time normally has alot of soccer and people getting wet. Every kid here loves soccer and playing it brings everyone together. no matter how good you are the kids wanted to play with you. Today a little boy came up and held my hands behind my back while 40 other kids soaked me with water bottles and sponges. even tho i cant understand a word any of the kids say i feel like I’m becoming close to a lot of them. the kids are also very fond of magic and juggling. i have a magic trick that the kids really enjoy and a friend of mine juggles. altogether i realy enjoyed working with the kids and i cant wait till tomorrow.  –Scott

We had an experience today that i will never forget. We toured some of the area in Acuna (however you spell it) and we met an amazing man and an amazing family.  This man was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and was told that he had 2 years to live, nine years ago. Not only that, he has had a tumor in his brain with was thankfully removed. We prayed for him and his family while we were scrunched in his cardboard house. This man lives in a house of paper and wood and he thanks god for the blessings he has bestowed upon them. This man is one of the strongest men and one of the strongest Christians i will ever meet.  I will never again have the right to complain with what i have for i am truly blessed compared to these people. I envy them in their happiness in poverty. I continue to grow as our week continues in Mexico.  –James

Oh my goodness. Mexico is amazing, and I am learning so much down here. Once i saw how people lived in Mexico my eyes were filled with tears. I absolutely couldn’t believe that we can have so much and still want more. These people don’t have anything, but they are the happiest people i have ever met. I’m having such a great time and i hope these people have the chance to get to know God.  –Kassidy

Today we was the first day we interacted with the kids.  We had about 100 kids for VBS and 20 of them stayed for Soccer in the hottest part of the day.  It was a scorcher.  Here are some pics and story’s from students.

Today we interacted with the children of Acuna for the first time. I’ve never seen so many happy people, that don’t have much more than the clothes on their back. Today i sat down to a little kid and helped tie his shoe, he than turned around and the kid next to him untied them, I made sure to make the next knots more complicated as they laughed and enjoyed this situation just like any kid back home. Later in the day i played soccer with a boy not much younger than me and he was very good, but i made sure to give him a challenge and by the end of the day we were laughing and throwing up high fives. During the bus ride home i started thinking about what happened, are we really any different from these people? I am really looking forward to the rest of the week and learning more about everyone in Acuna. Keep us in your prayers  –Camden

Today we got to go out and do some interacting with the kids. It was one of the most fun things i have ever done. We all had so much fun. We got there and all the kids just started giving hugs and high fives. I have realized how much we are doing for them. They were all so nice and fun. I have also realized how different and how much better we have it. I am so happy that I am able to be here. I have to chance to have a real life experience to show kids how awesome God is. I am so excited for the rest of the week and I’m ready for my life and their life to change for the good.  –Kelly

Today was such an amazing day. We did VBS for the first time today. It was so great to see all the kids so excited, and it was so good to see them so happy, i know that they are happy with the life they have now. Also today we saw the kids play soccer, they were so good! I hope the week goes as good as today did, god please bless us. –Brianne

Well, today was a hot but (really hot) day. VBS for the first day. There were so many little ones. Lots of children. Think’n this was the future setting for “invasion of the little people.” They were well behaved and enjoyed each activity. They liked the soccer, too. The water fountain at the mission shoots 3 ft in the air. Too many people talk in their sleep.  –Kyle

Andy also has a blog and is posting some studet perspectives there also. Click here to get there!