Dec 31 Happy New Year

Normally on New Years Eve we have a group of 50-70 people come to our house for tobogganing and games. This NYE we came home to the motorhome and were all in bed when the New Year showed up.  We spent a quiet evening watching a movie and we prayed and gave thanks to God and were in bed long before midnight.  

Dec 30 ...Go, go, go

These next few days were mainly spent helping Randy and Sandy wherever we could, as they had a team from Lancaster, CA down to help them for a few days.   

Zac was teaching piano and guitar, as well as helping out the Lancaster team.  I was helping with school teaching for the girls a bit, and cooking here or there.  Peter was doing errands with Randy, picking up supplies, etc.  

Zac really enjoyed having Lancaster around for a few days, as they were mainly young adults and he connected with them quite well.  Zac was even invited to help lead worship with them for their devotion one night!  

What a blessing this group was to our family and Randy and Sandy!  They came to do some construction and to pour into Randy and Sandy’s girls, with leadership training and God’s Word.  The girls really opened up to them.  The sessions they had with the girls were very powerful!  God moved in a mighty way through this team from Lancaster and we were blessed to watch it in action.  What we found cool was that this team saw the need to benefit Randy and Sandy’s girls and that was their ministry time.  They did not go to migrant camps or feeding programs, but poured into the lives of these young girls and ladies.  

Dec 29 Chuch and group from Lancaster

Randy had to take the Schiller’s back to San Diego via some of the free road, which takes longer due to the twists, turns & narrow road. 

We attended church at Randy and Sandy’s church.  The Church of the Nazarene.  Genesis went to Sunday School before church with Sandy and then we all attended church together.  We were blessed that they had an English interpreter!  Wow! Pastor Daniel is a powerful & passionate preacher.  We completely enjoyed the service. 

The group from Lancaster, CA arrived today.  They have come to frame the first floor on Randy and Sandy’s new girls home.  But, they have also brought a team intending to minister to the girls.  They have been begun doing leadership training with the girls.  

Dec 28 Breakfast program and Migrant Camp

Each Saturday, Sandy and some of the girls go to a breakfast feeding program at one of the rural churches. This Saturday Schiller’s and ourselves joined in.  We walked around the village to invite kids to come.  Then we played games, gave them some oatmeal and fruit and Sandy shared a Bible story with the kids.  

Sheridan helping with food

 We then headed back to Casa de Ester (Randy & Sandy’s) for lunch.  Following lunch we went to a migrant camp that they are also involved with regularly.  This was definitely an eye opener for many of us.  The conditions in which these families live, continues to disturb me, no matter how many times I visit a migrant camp.  There is garbage everywhere and toilet paper and sewage all over.  Many kids running around with skin diseases and sickness, due to the unsanitary conditions.

An interesting story that Randy shared is that a team came to this migrant camp and put in a septic system and toilets for the people to use to help make things sanitary for them.  But, the people need more than just having this resource, they need education in why it is beneficial for them to use flush toilets, and wash their hands to help keep them healthy.  As well they needed training in the operation of the toilets.  Because the people at the migrant camp did not receive this instruction the flush toilets are now plugged and the people have just gone back to their old ways of going outside behind their homes and the flush toilets are of no good use to them.  This was an eye opener for me, that what we think is beneficial does not always work, as we need to understand the culture and the way of life of the people to know better how to meet the needs of the people. 

The Schiller’s blessed Randy and Sandy’s girls and all of us with a night out for pizza!  It was awesome to go to Peter Piper’s Pizza for supper!  A big part of the experience was travelling to the restaurant in the bus.  The girls were playing loud music and singing along, laughing and having a blast on the journey to and from the restaurant. 

Noisy Boisterous Bus

Today, was also the day that an earth quake hit north of Ensenada on the Baja and the toll highway dropped down the side of the mountain.  We had travelled it only days prior. This would force us to take the inland "free" road when we leave Mexico. Winding roads thru the mountains without guard rails and lots of traffic.

Dec 27 Visit from Miles and Heather Schiller and family

Randy headed to San Diego to pick up Miles, Heather, Bailey & Sheridan Schiller to come for a few days to visit and help with the things they are involved with. 

We all had supper together with the Schillers, at Randy and Sandy’s with all the girls.  Meal times are kinda crazy & fun with 20 girls plus others filling the room with noise and laughter.  Genesis and Sheridan Schiller hit it off right away. Zac and Bailey Schiller quickly became friends too.  It was so great to get to know Miles and Heather better.

Zane showing off his "war wounds" bicycle accidents and other traumas