Time to step it up!

So this was incredibly encouraging!!! Despite all of my studious efforts I have felt like that I needed to step it up a notch and cut myself off from English if big language transformation is going to happen. It is very easy to get away with speaking English and in fact there are people who have lived here for years who can hardly communicate in Spanish. During a time of worship and prayer this past Wednesday my school director came up to me and shard something that was on her heart that she received in prayer the night before. Before I tell you all what she said I need to preface this with the fact that the Mexicans who are here are completely Mexican ,and the Americans that are here are completely American. I happen to be a blend of both because I really want to unlock the Mexican side of me, but at the same time as you all already know I am pretty Gringo‘ish. The word that they use for me is “pocho,” a Mexicano who is born in the States, but returns back to the “Motherland”. Anyway, in recent years I have at times felt ashamed for not being as connected to my culture as I feel I should, but I am trying now and everyone here honors that. Continuing, one of the staff members at the base shared a text that was on her heart about receiving a double inheritance and how God would take away the shame of the people, it is in Isaiah 61:7. Harmony, our school director came up to me while all of us were praying and worshiping and shared a little something. She felt that there is an incredible blessing in me being here coming from the States. That I have such a rich inheritance in my Mexican culture, but also being blessed with how God has molded me and blessed me through the States. She sees great leadership qualities in me and recognizes how hard I have been working on my Spanish, but told me that God relayed to her that it is imperative that I learn and speak the language. It was on her heart to share this with me and that there is no accident that I am here and how there is something big on the brink. She had no clue if this resonated with me at all, but felt led to drop it on me. I gave her some affirmation in what I felt about all of that and decided to elevate my commitment to learn. I announced to the class the next day what was on my heart and that I could use their encouragement and patience because I am not going to speak English 6 out of 7 days of the week! The only time I am is if someone really needs to talk to me but besides that Thurs. is my designated English day mainly because that is when I have small groups. This is the second day of this commitment and it is incredibly challenging. Being an extrovert and priding myself in being able to communicate makes this hard, but I know that this is what needs to be done. The response has been incredible because they admire the dedication and work that this is going to take. For me when God moves it is difficult to not be dedicated and motivated. For those of you who are worrying about me posting my blogs in Spanish, don’t bust out with your dictionaries just yet, this will be a little bit of a refuge for me. I thought this was pretty was “super chido” (way cool)!

Week 3

The longer I am here the more I love the Mexican culture and where my family came from! The warmth of the Mexican people and culture is absolutely beautiful. The hospitality, inclusiveness, and celebration makes me feel at home. Even though I come from the States they have made me an honorary Mexican here at the base. When I go to church, talk to the kids on the street, and sing songs of worship in Spanish it motivates me more and more to press into the culture, people, and language. I was talking with the speaker here this week and he told me that I grew up as a hamburger, but I am really a burrito. I have been blessed by a fellow Mexican classmate here to become my personal tutor. She feels as if it is ministry to help me out and knows that God is going to use it in big ways. With all that said I made my decision on where I will be going for the second half of this time. On Friday the school presented the class with this years outreach locations: China, Australia, and Mexico. We were to pray about it over the weekend and decide this past Monday. I’m excited about this outreach where we will be traveling all through this beautiful country from Chiapas to Ensenada. Please be praying for all three teams in preparation, protection, and safety. Meanwhile, the first half of this time has been a little bit of a struggle for me. I love the community, diversity, and spirit of this place, but It has been difficult and humbling for me to be taken from a position of leadership with my church at home and placed into the position of a student under new leadership. I have never considered myself rigid, but I am experiencing some hesitation toward some things here. Being a little older and having to abide by rules that sound like they are for kids at camp is tough. I get the principle behind it and I am in support of it, but to be under it has posed itself to be a challenge, but I know that God is at work.