Last week the FYM team (and leaders) enjoyed a break from the normal schedule when Marcus, Greg, and Jay came down from Berean Bible Church in Columbus, Indiana. Though it was hard work, and we were all exhausted so much of the time, we all learned more about working together as a team and completed numerous projects around the base. The group also went to the city’s old dump, where people still sometimes go to look for aluminum, and this is always something that touches the FYMs’ hearts. I’ll let the FYMs tell you what God has been doing in them this past week.
Okay, so this past Sunday we went to visit our friends Laura and Adolfo again and they are doing better. Laura said she has been praying for Adolfo all week and it turns out he didn’t drink that whole week. How cool is that!…it so awesome to see this happen because she was just wearing the holy death bracelet about 2 weeks ago and now it’s off her wrist and she’s praying. I can’t imagine what God is already doing her life, how much her faith has grown already and how much He is speaking to her. God is pretty tight!…Anyways on to other stuff. This past week we did construction on the church all week and it was pretty fun, it’s cool to see that we made a difference in the church physically. We met new people while we were at it also. Next week for thanksgiving I can’t wait because we are going to the beach and having a thanksgiving dinner or lunch not sure but it sounds tons of fun and really want it to come soon…Everything is going well here and God has been of course moving in our lives…keep praying and God bless. – Ifeoma
Another thing that surprises me about the nature of prayer is how sporadic the answers tend to be. Sometimes we wait like Abraham (the dude was like 100 when he and Sarah had their promised child, Isaac). Sometimes I’ll pray an intercessory prayer for someone’s health, family relationships, or a marriage and *poof* the prayer is answered the next time we see them.
This week, this couple we know, Adolfo and Laura (21 and 16 years old!) have begun to repair their marriage that was on hiatus. Adolfo is now on the wagon (not drinking anymore) and they both showed up to our church last night. In addition, a lady in colonia Estrella named Erica (she is a nonbeliever) said that after her prayer with us, a man dressed in white surrounded by angels (she knew this was God) told her to join him, that he will never leave her, and that she should come to our church on Sunday.
God hears our hearts, even if they are not in prayer. Thanks to Him that he can calm my restless one, and that he’s going to keep at it. – Jill
God has been teaching me a lot about learning to allow him to be MORE than enough for me. He has shown me that HE will sustain me even when I am tired and don’t want to work all morning shoveling cement then go visit people at the hospital… how very blessed we are to have a God that knows our hearts better than we do… He KNOWS intimately every feeling, frustration, ache and pain and truly can provide sustainability for HIS WORK. It has been a joy to do HANDS on work… literally manual labor which has kept us busy and exhausted but it is nice to have a project that we can see its result. – Laura
Poco a poco. Little by little. That phrase has become my theme for this experience. Everything takes time and is a process. Little by little things happen. Little by little things change. When I struggle with Spanish, I remember “poco a poco“. It’s a process. I don’t become fluent overnight. Lately I have been frustrated because I feel inadequate with the language. For the most part I can communicate, but I’m longing to be able to fully express myself to people. I’m learning to wait and be patient. I’m learning to take advantage of what I know and be eager to expand that knowledge. Some days are definitely easier than others, but I can feel myself growing in many ways poco a poco. – Abbey
This week has been a lot of fun. I have had some really great experiences. On Tuesday we went to our community to visit the people there and we visited a family that we always do and usually the dad is not there because he drinks a lot. Well, on Tuesday he was there it was cool because he was actually interacting with his son. I got to play soccer with them. I really didn’t get one on one time with my dad or either of my step dads growing up. So I kind of was a little bit jealous. Then we went to our discipleship class and I teach the kids. Usually they are off the wall crazy but this time they were well behaved. What a great day it was to see some change in things. Then on Wednesday I went to my internship at the children’s home and it seems like the kids are growing closer to us every time. It is so fun to just either sit and hold a kid, tickle them or play with them. I am really excited to see what else is in store for the rest of the week. Stay tuned for more. – Chad
I have seen dumpsters in Romania, I am telling you…but this past weekend, when we went to the dump in Matamoros, I seriously thought we were at a never ending huge city or something….I mean look at the pictures!!!! Our team went out to the garbage dump to hand out hot dogs to those who work there. God is so cool! He gave me the opportunity to get to talk with 3 men who work there and share with them, that not only Mexico has places like this….they were so surprised that there are other countries in this world where there is poverty. This just reminded me to be very thankful for the country God wanted me to be born and raised. It was such a cool opportunity to get to share with these men the hope why actually I am down here in Mexico! Please pray for them that the Holy Spirit would remind them of what they have heard about Jesus and why not that He would convict them about their need! Thank you! – Timi
