Jon in Mexico

Two weeks ago we held our last English camp in Los Heroes for the summer. The English camps are always a big hit with the locals, especially the kid’s classes. I was paired with a 3rd grade teacher named Chris from Lancaster for the kids’ sessions. I really enjoyed working together with him to teach, entertain and control eleven, 8-10 year olds. The group came from a church called Newsong Fellowship in Lancaster. That’s pretty close to home!

I had neat opportunity to share Christ with a young couple who attended our adults class in the evening. Adrian and Daniela were our most faithful students of the adult group. The camps are not an evangelistic outreach. All we do is teach English. But we are allowed to share our faith with anyone outside of class, or when they specifically ask what we believe. It’s a slower process, but the focus is more on building the relationship and trust first. And we wouldn’t be able to hold the camp if it were an evangelistic outreach. When the camp was over they asked me if I could spend some more time with them teaching English. I told them I’d be glad to. That’s why we’re here 
I always struggle when the teams leave. It doesn’t matter if they’re from Elverson or North Dakota. Those of you who have been on short term teams know what its like. There’s a brotherhood that’s built up and a level of spiritual accountability that is maintained throughout the week. Once the team leaves, it’s a pretty lonely feeling, all over again and takes a readjusting process. Last week, after the team left, I decided to spend the week working at Cristo Victorioso, painting and finishing up details that could not be completed while the CEFC team was here. It was a really good week of work, but a tough week of readjusting.
Anyone who has had the opportunity to work outdoors in Mexico realized one thing immediately. The sun here is a lot hotter than in Pennsylvania! I didn’t have a hat to wear, so I went out and bought one. Not a baseball cap, but a sombrero. No, not the typical goofy stereotypical ones that you can’t fit through the door with. I got a Mexican cowboy hat! It’s the kind of thing that everyone who sees me with it on does a double take, out of sheer surprise. But you wouldn’t believe how cool (as in cool air) and comfortable it is! I bought it for the sheer practicality, but it’s really starting to grow on me  Anyway, if you see some cowboy walking down the streets of Elverson, PA some day, he’s not lost, delirious or misplaced… it’s just me. I think I like the hat.

Other than work at the church, English camp, the men’s group and regular church activities, there’s not much else to report. I do hope you all are doing well and I always enjoy hearing from those of you who write.

Prayer:

1. I have been asking for prayer about what to plan for regarding the future. The Lord has provided me with some very interesting options which right now I’m holding on to rather loosely, because I know that things can change, especially in a year.
2. For continued opportunities and boldness to share the gospel with my neighbors.

Praise:

1. English camp was another success. We made some good solid contacts, and also strengthened relationships with 2nd and 3rd timers.
2. I still don’t have a dent in my car from any type of traffic mishap. Driving in Mexico can be quite hazardous and God has kept me safe through this entire past year. I praise him for safety.

In Him,
Jon

Posted by Jon at 10:51 PM | Permalink

Is your summer flying by? I’m sure I’ve overused that expression in my lifetime but this summer has been no exception. For the past month and a half we have been very busy down here in Puebla. The last update I wrote was about the CEFC team’s work project at Cristo Victorioso. It was only a few days after the CEFC team left that we here in Puebla were back at it again, traveling to the Medical Caravan in the state of Hidalgo and working with them for nearly two weeks.

The Caravan

Many of you are familiar with the caravan from having read about the previous ones I attended while here in Mexico. But for those of you who are not, I’ll explain. There is a Christian organization in San Antonio Texas called Time For Christ who organized the caravans twice every year. They have a few full time employees, but the majority of them are volunteer. TFC gathers together doctors, nurses, technicians, translators, maintenance workers and food preparation workers to travel down to a predetermined village in Mexico and offer medical aid and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The caravan does not travel from town to town, rather it sets up a “mini-hospital” type of facility on the grounds of a school, which includes a clinic, surgery, post-operation recovery room, x-rays, lab, dentist, pharmacy and cafeteria. Every person who comes to the caravan for treatment hears the good news of salvation.

Katelyn Stoltzfus, Debbie Murphy, Efrain Hernandez and I all attended the caravan to serve in any way we were needed. Neil, our group leader, came to the caravan, but had to return to Puebla half way through.
Katelyn came down with the CEFC work team and planned to stay for another 3 weeks afterwards to experience missionary life outside of some of the structure and security that a short term team from the states has to offer. She came with us to the caravan, to activities at Cristo Victorioso, to team meetings, even random trips to take people to the bus station. At the caravan she worked in the kitchen in the mornings until 3pm and then spent the rest of the day running patients from the clinic to the lab, pre-op, pharmacy, x-rays.
Debbie is currently a missionary with us here in Puebla. She is a nurse and speaks Spanish perfectly. She worked in the post operation recovery room. (Sorry I don’t have a picture of her.)
Efrain is a good friend of mine and a brother in Christ from Cristo Victorioso. He is currently on vacation from his studies at the university, so he came to serve at the caravan as a Totonac translator.

I spent my time each day in “pre-op” where the surgeons do a final examination and preparation work on the patients before they enter surgery. While translating, the Lord gave me a number of neat opportunities to share Christ. I had some very special conversations with patients while translating for a surgeon named Dr. Parsons. An airforce fighter pilot, turned E.N.T. specialist, he has a stirring personal testimony of how God humbled him to the core and saved his soul at 44 years old. He had such a heart and desire to share a little of his testimony with each of his patients. He would share with them about how Christ changed his life, I would translate and then he would eventually leave after a few minutes and I would continue speaking with them about salvation and eternal life. We made an awesome team and the Lord used to plant seeds, cultivate and reach people for Christ.

Translating

I’m sure you have heard it jokingly said once that an “expert” is defined as “someone who knows a little more than you do.” Or maybe even you have heard that an “expert” is “someone who is away from home.” Well, I fell into that category of “expert” this past Sunday when I attended Cristo Victorioso with 8 ESL Camp Team members from Lancaster. Or maybe it is better said, “Expert by default.” The service as usual was in Spanish. Normally when I attend with guests from the States, they have the unique cultural experience of having to listen through 2 hours of a service in a language they don’t understand. I mean, that’s all part of the experience, right? Well, before Pastor Juan began his sermon, he shared that he was so glad to see the Americans there at church, but so sad that they would not be able to understand the message. “Yeah, that’s too bad,” I thought, “But hey, life goes on…” It wasn’t even seconds after that thought that Pastor Juan invited me up to the stage to translate the sermon. I was shocked, tried to weasel my way out of it, but to no avail. The next minute I was standing up front, doing my best to let open a little doorway for my American friends that we so often call the “language barrier.” It was quite a humbling experience. First time ever. When it was over I wanted to take a nap. My mind was mush, but God used it in some way for his glory, I’m sure.

Right now we have a team from Lancaster County PA working together with us in our English camp. I’ll write more about that later. Since it’s been so long, I have a lot more to write about but I have to get back to the ESL camp and teach a class tonight.

Prayer

1. For God’s continued direction for my future. Missionary? Engineer? Return to school? Pray for His direction and peace in His timing.
2. English camp has gone very well this week. Praise God that he has held off the rain. Pray that the Lord will use the relationships we are building to lead more into his kingdom.
3. I’ve heard it said that a missionary’s life is a life of “saying goodbye.” Some very special people have entered my life and left during this summer. Please pray that God will fill the void with his joy, peace and Holy Spirit.

I hope you all are doing well! I’m sure your summers are going really fast too. God bless. Take care. And thanks so much for your prayers 

In Him,
Jon

Posted by Jon at 06:00 PM | Permalink