Well, today our group from Love God Love People left....It was a really great group and we had an awesome week! In the last week, we were able to help out with some different construction projects at a center for children with special needs...it was great because I haven´t been able to do much construction this past year on our usual weekend trips since I am generally at the kids outreach instead....we got to put up drywall and do some mudding, sanding, and painting....it was a really great time of bonding with everyone...there were 4 guys and 4 girls during the week, so we all got really close...it was also really cool because the guys did a Bible study on Romans and the girls did a study in Philippians which was another awesome time of growing closer together...
Aside from the construction projects, we got to meet with Pastor Julio and some ladies from his church talking to them about their concerns for the youth in their church and in their community so that we can be more of a help than a hindrance in our ministry...It was really great to get on the same page and hear their hearts and pray together....
Another highlight of this past week for me was our beach day with the kids...we got to take a group of 18 kids to the beach just to spend time with them and get to know them better...they all loved it and we all paired up with a few kids to make sure everyone had someone with them...I was kind of surprised that even though they live here in Rocky Point and the beach is so close, so many of them didn´t even know how to swim...it´s crazy because they live really close but they don´t typically have the privilege of coming to the beach...I was kind of surprised that so many parents let their kids go with us even though many of them don´t even know us...but it was great that they did because we all had an awesome time! The kids really enjoyed it! We had a little obstacle course for them on the beach at the beginning and then we just all swam with them and played with some frisbees and balls and stuff like that in the water...It was awesome to see the kids really enjoying it and knowing that they were receiving the love and attention that they need and that many don´t always receive...
Yesterday was our big day with the whole group here....We had our monthly kids´outreach and I spoke on the story of creation...it was great because we got to do a whole skit and had some girls paint the kids´faces before the story, so they were the animals in the story of creation and also helped to hold up different props in the story...So, a lot of the kids got to be involved in the story this month and they all loved it...not to mention that they were all adorable!
In the afternoon, we did our monthly food distribution and gave out about 200 sacks of food...it was an interesting time for one of the vans, as it got stuck in the sand and was stuck for about an hour (I wasn´t there because I drove another group to a different area in my car)...then, one of the girls got a flat tire and when 2 of the guys were changing the tire later on that evening, the jack slipped underneath and the car fell, causing part of the frame to crack...so, there was definitely some spiritual warfare going on to say the least...But, everyone had great attitudes...later that night, I found out that my friend Phil had hit his finger really hard with a hammer...but, he was a good sport too...it was encouraging to see everyone´s great attitudes...
After all the different activities in the busy day yesterday, we had our ¨fiesta¨as we traditionally do at the women´s rehab center...it was great getting to see all the ladies..Shelley and I had spent some time with them earlier this week when we attended a baby shower for one of the ladies there (she actually had her baby 2 weeks ago, so they had to do it after the birth) so it was great to see all those ladies there...one of the younger girls named Lucia had shared her testimony with me at the shower, so it was neat to hear later that she had shared it with a few more of the other girls and to hear them talk about how it touched their hearts...she had previously been at the center for alcohol problems, but came this time because she was struggling with bulemia and anorexia and relationship problems...she has a great heart and it was awesome to hear and see all that God is doing in her life and how she knows now that she is a new creation in Christ (which is cool because the center is called New Creation) and how she doesn´t want to go back to her old life....
Last night, we had a campfire on the beach and debriefed the trip...it was a great time of reflection and of praise and worship too....everyone leaves tomorrow except for me, but I´m excited for what God has in store for me this week!
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