Aventuras Con Jedda

Sunset Ventures to León

2010-07-20T14:26:00.000-07:00

Last week the youth group from The Sunset Church of Christ in Lubbock, Texas, came to spend a week here in León to do some mission work. God really blessed us with their visit. I spent the week as a sort of translator and city guide for the group and did my best to help them out any way that I could. They brought down a lot of energy with them and some willing hearts so that made it that much better for us. I am really glad that I got to lead them around and get to know them better. We stayed a lot in the center of town giving out 'abrazos gratis' or 'free hugs', singing songs, passing out flyers for church, and putting on some plays. It was really great to get to talk to people about church and meet a few people that I will try and follow up on. We went to one of the orphanage's to put on a VBS and had a work day as well up at the church building to clean, rearrange, and paint. It was a great week and I think some of the kids are a lot more interested in foreign missions now. Praise God!

This is me reading kids the story of Jesus telling the Apostles to cast their nets on the other side of the boat. It was one of the stations at the VBS.

A picture of us giving out 'free hugs' in el Centro! Great Times!

We caused such a scene we had a few different articles in different newspapers from Leon! The title here says 'Regalan Abrazos!' which means 'They give hugs!' We are famous!!!

After one of the plays in el centro the Youth Minister gave a quick message to the people who were watching and I translated!

Happy Tuesday

2010-02-23T10:56:00.000-08:00

All you can
Do all the good you can
By all the means you can
In all the ways you can
In all the places you can
At all the times you can
To all the people you can
As long as ever you can

Clases de Inglés!

2010-02-17T14:07:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I had my first english class. I had been praying about it all day because I was pretty nervous, but God pulled me through without any major battle wounds and it ended up being a pretty successful class. I have started with 3 students, but hopefully I will be getting some more today. It has been really interesting to have to start from square one with the alphabet. Its taking me back to things in english that I haven't thought about in a long time. I'm really looking forward to getting the class going to get to know my students better, and it is also going to push me in my spanish. I am teaching the class for free and I start with a prayer and end with a Bible verse. So hopefully it sparks the students interest and leads to Bible studies.

We are starting ministries and this is no easy task. We have language ministries and have started going to an orphanage to try and impact some children's lives, that along with working with small groups and all the church events it is becoming insanely busy. We are being kept really busy and I am so happy or that. I would rather be tired at the end of the day from working hard than having a lot of energy from doing nothing. At the same time I am starting to feel like I am being spread thin.

Please pray for our ministries for God's will to be done, productive days, and good usage of time. There is much work to be done, and I am looking forward to the challenge and pray that God uses me to pour out his love on the people of León.

2010-02-05T19:16:00.000-08:00

Since Wednesday we have been up at the church in the mornings to help out with a cooking class. Julie Calderon, sister of our intern Bill Calderon, has been teaching some visitors and other women of the church how to bake cakes and some tricks of the trade. It has been really cold here lately which means its even colder in the building we use, but despite all of that there was a good turnout.
We as an AIM team have been up there just helping out any way we can. It was good for the women of our church to come together and learn to bake better, but it was an even better opportunity to open our doors to visitors and just show them love. Since I have been here I have heard many different stories of how people came to Christ and I have learned to never count anything out.
Please keep me in your prayers as I am still trying to grow and spread the good news to others. I'm definitely not a natural but it is something I know God would have me do.
To those who actually read this thanks for your love and support so far. I have been here 8 months and have grown leaps and bounds.

Dios les Bendiga

Monday Night Small Group

2010-02-01T20:20:00.000-08:00

Tonight we had small group in our apartment. This will be the one that Renato and I are leading up and I'm really looking forward to it. Ben Baker, www.bakersinleon.blogspot.com , is in charge of small groups this year and for January and February we are only coming together to pray about the coming year. We try to make small groups a big part of the church because of the fellowship and the closeness that it brings. Its really a great opportunity to bring in visitors and have bible studies with them. Please remember us in your prayers as we are trying to use our small groups to help the church grow and reach out into León.

Prayer Night

2010-01-28T08:26:00.000-08:00

Renato and I had the opportunity to lead Wednesday night prayer service last night. Omar has started teaching the book of Hebrews on Wednesday night, but once every two months we will set aside a Wednesday night and devote it to prayer. That isn't to say we don't pray outside of that, but its good for the congregation to come together and just focus on prayer. We had four phases of the night with praying as an entire group, then in groups of 4, then pairs, and finally just by yourself. We are trying to put God first in all things this year and really focusing on glorifying him in all that we do. So it was good for us all to anchor ourselves to the Lord and we are going to let him guide us to do his will in 2010.

Spanish Over = Increíble!

2009-12-11T22:54:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Friday, the 11th of December, we finished the last day of Spanish class. This is a great feeling. We have put in our time and now I'm really glad for a break from any kind of school. As AIMers we have a couple things that we want to do already. I'm going with Ramiro to a Children's home to play soccer with them and to start a ministry with them there. The 22nd we have a puppet show we are going to put on for the young kids in the church about why Christmas is really celebrated and we have big plans for that. The Church is taking a break for the holiday with Small Groups and we are chillin' out a bit with that, but after new years we have a lot of big plans so please pray for us! God has blessed the Church here a lot and our time here so far, but we want to keep Growing in the Lord in all that we do. Service, Ministries, and Evangelism to name a few... so please keep us in your prayers!

Guadalajara Guadalajara GUADALAJARA!!!

2009-11-24T22:23:00.001-08:00

Over the weekend Ramiro and I had the chance to go with the Palafox and Gary families to Guadalajara, Jalisco, the second biggest city in Mexico only behind Mexico City. Omar is from Guadalajara and thats where his parents still live and work in the church. Omar's dad planted a church in Guadalajara and this past weekend was there 20 year anniversary! This may not seem like a big deal to most, but after being on the mission field for only 6 months I know how much FAITH and HARD WORK is needed to do something like this. It was such an encouragement to be apart of their celebration. Ramiro and I helped out with what we could of just serving in any way possible and we were happy to do it. The 'Zapopan' Church reminisced on the past some and gave credit to the members where credit was due, but there was also a theme of looking to the future. They were looking forward to where God will lead them in the next 20 years. Omar and his dad have a passion and it lies in planting churches. They love God and want other people to know about God's love. To be around men like this is a huge blessing to me that I couldn't explain.

The Church needs more men like these two! Please pray for Omar and Haro Palafox as they are doing their best to spread the gospel and plant churches in Mexico. Please pray for Strength, wisdom, faith, and patience in helping lead God's family!

Small Groups!

2009-11-13T22:51:00.001-08:00

Every Thursday I head over to Roberto Rubio's house to have our weekly small group. Right now we are going through the Gospel of John chapter by chapter and we just read it and discuss. Its a great time to hear God's word and encourage one another. I have been going since June and it has been really great to get to know the Rubio family better and the other folks who come. This past Thursday was great because we had visitors and another family from the church come so it was bigger than normal. The church is broken up into 6 small groups all over Leon. It is such a blessing to be a part of a young church where people are constantly wanting to grow and learn. Praise God for that. Please pray for our small groups as they are a great place to bring visitors to share the word and because they struggle with some consistency of meeting. DIOS TE BENDIGA!!

What is this blog about??

2009-10-02T18:21:00.000-07:00

I am starting up a blog to give a little more insight into the work I am doing in Leon, Mexico with the 'Leon Sur' Church of Christ. I am on an a team with 5 other youths from all over the Western Hemisphere. We are in the AIM program and working under Omar Palafox, a missionary here in Leon. My team and I have been here for 4 months learning spanish and getting acquainted with our new lives here in Mexico. Our aim as a team and individuals is to serve, encourage, and help grow the Christians here and to let God use us to reach out into the city to spread the good news!

Today, October 2, we went up to the Church building to decorate for a wedding tomorrow! Two of the youth from the church, Jesus and Alondra, have decided to get hitched! It was good to help that couple out with decorating because I'm sure they are a little stressed. I am excited about the two who are deciding to spend the rest of their lives together and I'm praying for them!