mexico...

So, we made it down to Saint George, Utah the very first day of our journey. Of course, Bart and I had to drive an extra 110 miles from McCall, instead of just leaving from Meridian. But ya know, you gotta do what you gotta do. So, we stayed at Grace Baptist Church in Saint George, Utah. And we have some very special friends who pastor that church. I've known them since I was really little. So, the next morning we left from the ever present heat of Utah, and after passing through many states, we arrived that night in Perris, California. The girls and my parents got to stay at my grandparents' house, and the guys stayed with a family from my grandparents' church. The next morning we got to attend my grandparents' church, Templo Bauptista. And there we met the rest of our team; we had a quick team meeting and then we were sent off from there. We had some really yummy tacos, stopped by my grandparents' house real quick, and then we hit the road again. It took a while to get to San Diego, but soon from San Diego we were right in Mexico, just like that. It's always amazing to me to see difference in the wealth of America and the poverty of Mexico... or a third world country.

So, once we got to the dorm we settled down a little, and then we had orientation. It's crazy because everything was so familiar, but since I haven't been there in over 5 years, everything seemed much smaller. Then we loaded the supplies, for the next day's work, into the trucks. After that was dinner at a taco stand. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday we built houses. But I threw up Monday night, from the cabeza tacos, so I didn't go with the team Tuesday. But both days that I went were a lot of fun. Thursday we helped out at Spectrum Ministry, we washed hair, washed feet, painted nails, and did hair. Friday we helped repair a roof, and then we left for home. Hit the beach for a couple of hours. Next, we stopped by In-N-Out for dinner, and then off to my grandparents' home. We slept there that night, then traveled all the next day home.

My favorite part of the trip was the sessions. Each morning we had messages from different people. Brad Buser spoke one day, and that was really good. He challenged me with obedience, and how it's not always going to be easy or fun, but that's why it's called obedience. And there were some other speakers too, but the last day Eddie spoke. That was really good too. It was just such an encouragement to me as a future missionary. And we sang this great song. The words are:

To the desperate eyes and reaching hands
To the suffering and the lean
To the ones the world has cas aside
Where you want me I will be

I will go, I will go
I will go, Lord send me
To the world, To the lost
To the poor and hungry
Take everything I am
I'm clay within your hands
I will go, I will go, send me

Let me not be blind with privilege
Give me eyes to see the pain
Let the blessing You've poured out on me
Not be spent on me in vain
Let this life be used for change

I wanna live for you
Go where you lead me
I wanna follow you