I can’t believe April is over, it’s been such a whirlwind! Since I last wrote to you, I have:
- Attended a three day retreat with my teammates in Valle de Bravo, Mexico.
- Read an entire book, intended for grown-ups, in Spanish!
- Moved, again!
- Attended a week-long camp in Necaxa, Puelba, with my students from Compa!
- Celebrated the resurrection of our Lord and Savior in Mexico!
- Flown back to the States to renew my tourist card for Mexico.
It has been a crazy month, but it has been filled with good things, hard things, and just plain crazy things.
Just days after writing to you, my teammates and I headed to Valle de Bravo, Mexico, to spend 3 days away from the city, praying, doing a crash course through Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Pastor Pete Scazzero. My teammates and I enjoyed meeting with God and working through exercises on family, confession, prayer, and journaling in the midst of a beautiful, Canadian-style retreat center. We also enjoyed some time on the man-made lake, taking a boat tour of the shore line, and doing some hiking to see mountain tops and waterfalls. Needless to say, after Mexico City’s pollution, the clean, fresh air, green things and clean water of God’s creation did us good! A couple of us even got a chance to drive!
After our retreat, we headed back to the city and I set myself to reading a book in Spanish about discovering the will of God. I finished it! My understanding… Well, let’s just say that it was augmented by having read several books on this topic in English… But hey, I did it! And I finished it in the midst of packing for my 6th move since January! Unfortunately, Hermana Nereyda’s son, Carlos, got transferred back to Mexico City and is living with her until his wife and son can follow in July. Since Hermana Nereyda’s home only has two bedrooms, I was out of a house. Thankfully, my community here in Mexico is wonderful and I have moved back to the home of Fernando and Elvia De Alba, where I have lived in transition times all year long. I am so thankful for their willingness to open their home yet again!
Finally, I spent all of last week in Necaxa, Puelba, for Compa’s national camp. I was able to attend with four of my students from the Derecho celula (Law small group) at UNAM, as well as over 350 staff and students from all over Mexico! It was a great time to reconnect with some friends from regional staff retreat in January, as well as my local staff team. I was also able to meet some wonderful students and staff from around Mexico, like Anayeli from Tabasco, who lead the small group I was a part of all week, and Meri, from Mexico City by way of Japan! We had a blast all week! We even saw Alex, one of the guys in our small group, accept Christ on Thursday night! I am so thankful for the time I got to spend with Compa! As the only blonde in the entire camp, I never lacked conversation partners! In fact, the lack was so pronounced and I answered so many questions (Most commonly “Where you from?”), that by Thursday morning I had managed to swallow enough air to make me physically sick! At least, that’s what the camp doctor told me when I came in… It was an amazing week of meeting with students and with God!
After camp, I returned, exhausted, to Mexico City to celebrate Easter Sunday, before flying to Michigan. I arrived Monday afternoon and will return to Mexico City on Tuesday. While here, I have visited my home church and spent time with family and friends. I have also enjoyed some rest and shopping.
Finally, I am praising God for the donation I received from a church in my hometown, giving $1000 toward my time in Mexico City! And, just today, I found out that my home church has sent in another big donation! I am now less than $2200 from being fully funded for the remainder of my time in Mexico. I would like to ask you to prayerfully consider giving $10, $25, $50, or $100 toward my final four months in Mexico City. I need to have raised $1200 of that by May 20th. Even more, I need you’re your prayers! Although my needs are big, our God is faithful!
Please continue to pray:
- I need to have at least $1200 over May’s expenses in my account by May 20th to be able to stay for the summer, so please pray that God would be faithful to provide and that people would respond to His leading.
- I will be saying goodbye to my church and to my Compa students in the next 3 weeks, as I transition to my summer ministry, so please pray for sweet goodbyes and easy transitions, and that God would be glorified in it all.
- The De Alba family presently has their home for sale. Please pray that it will sell in July or August, but that I will not have to move again until I return to the States in August.
- I will be in some form of leadership with the Spearhead Summer Team, so please pray for growth in my leadership abilities and for the Summer Spearheaders, that God would be preparing them for whatever they will face when they arrive.
God is good and faithful! I hope that He is reminding you of that in this time.
Love in Christ!
Nicole
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