Moving right along...

Hello Everyone,

First of all I must say I am very sorry for not updating in so long. Life has been fairly busy. I know there really isn't an excuse for not updating.

Secondly, I need to tell you... I am moving my blog. This one will be here but I have a new one! I hope you all like it better than this one.

The reason for the new blog is that I was having a hard time with this one. I wanted a blog that was easier to use. I also wanted to be able to post more than just my few favorite pictures and also a place where I could post videos!!!

Thanks to Michele I have been introduced to such a place! I am very excited about it and hopefully it will give you a better look into my life! This new blog is not yet up to date because I have so many things to post, but slowly and surely I will get there! For the most part the pictures and videos are up to date however my blog posts are still behind.

I am currently working on typing up hand written entries from my journal, that were written on a 2 week trip into Mexico, I was able to go on. I hope to have them all posted very soon.

www.joyfullyhis.shutterfly.com

Check it out and book mark it! Thanks for your prayers!

Persecution

I’ve been learning are that people closer to you than you think are being persecuted for their faith in God.

I recently heard someone tell about the deaths of some believers, in Mexico because of their faith.

It is very common practice in Mexico to have large fiestas. The whole village, city or town celebrates. Most of the time this means a lot of drinking. Each family in the village contributes money to fund the party.

There were believers in a town in southern Mexico that refused to give money to pay for the party and the village got mad and killed 3 and injured 6 more. This happened in late 2008. You can click on the following link to get the rest of the story. Please pray for Mexican believers in Chiapas and Oaxaca in southern Mexico.

http://www.persecution.net/mexico.htm

Voice of the Martyrs is well known, and I have just recently been checking out their website. I would encourage you to do so as well. Are you aware of how many of our Brothers and Sisters in Christ are suffering for their faith? When was the last time you thought about it? When was the last time you prayed for them?

On the Voice of the Martyrs website you can write and print letters to persecuted believers. Sign up. Write a letter. Part of the enemy’s tactics include trying to keep us in the dark about the persecution of our Brothers and Sisters in Christ.

Take a break from the thing you do to relax, from TV, from searching YouTube, from reading, or whatever else is it you commonly spend a lot of time doing.

http://www.persecution.com/media_undergroundReality.html

Pray for them; pray that God would make you more and more aware of what is happening to the Body of Christ around the world.

Amazing Things

Last month many of the students at CPCP and also staff members went on an over night trip into Mexico and we stayed in small village. While we where there some of the people in the village requested a Bible Study. It was very moving.

In the States I don't think there has ever been a time when a group of Christians I don't know stopped into town and we decided to drop everything we had going on and have a spur of the moment Bible Study. It just doesn't happen. I know there are many qualifying statements, and things to be careful of. In the States we are busy, we schedule things. This isn't a bad thing and we should be cautious of anyone who happens to just roll into town and wants to teach, they could be teaching heresy.

However, there you see a few people in a small village who are hungry for the word of God and for Christian fellowship. They want you to talk to them about the things of God. In the States sadly this is not always the case. I know I have never said "Wow, I'm so hungry for Christian fellowship and Bible Study I think I'll cancel my plans for tonight and have a Bible Study." Sadly many times I go to Bible Studies and sometimes even church out of a sense of duty. I am always so blessed and happy to be there but I don't always have the right attitude before going.

Another thing that totally amazed me about this trip is that fact that the people in EZ invited us to stay in their homes, with them when they had never meet us before. Their hospitality was unreal. When ever we extend hospitality to others it is usually on our terms. We do it, when we want to, when it fits into our schedule. Once again there are qualifying statements. I know life in the States is very different from life in Mexico. We can learn things from Mexicans, however I am not saying that we should all adapt to how they do things. I'm simply saying we should evaluate our lives. What does God want us to do??

I feel many times we are simply too wrapped up in our little worlds, doing what we want, when we want, how we want, when what God wants is for us to listen to him and follow him. We have all these convinces and life is so complex that it is hard to make the truly important things priorities. And I will say that I am just as guilty as the next person.

As we were leaving Mexico after this first over night trip, I was really sad as we drove by all the houses knowing that inside most of them were people that are deceived by the enemy.

When was the last time you where moved to tears and truly sad because there are people out there who don't know the Gospel?? Sadly, I think that may have been the first time for me.

And further more when was the last time you where moved enough to actually do something about it?? I know there are times when we care enough to do something about it for a period of time, and then it fizzles out.

I am praying that we would be moved to the point of deep brokenness for the name of Christ. That it would cause us deep agony to know that there are millions and millions of people who have never heard the name of our Amazing God.

Please pray with me. That God would continue a revival and they we would be a part of it. God is moving greatly in the world, in many places. I am just beginning to get a glimpse of the amazing things he is doing. I am just as much in need of brokenness as anyone else.

May God break our hearts (mine and yours) for the nations and cause us to seek after, to crave him more and more each day. May we be moved to continuous action of speaking his name and telling of his wonders to all we meet.

Please Pray!

Just a quick post here.

At the office this morning about 9:10am we received a phone call from Sue Depew. Some of you may remember that I mentioned David Depew in an earlier post. Sue called to say that her husband (David) is in ICU in Houston. He had some tests done and he now had an infection. It is quite serious and will require several weeks of IV antibiotics.

David Depew was a missionary in Thailand for quite some time and was preparing to go for a visit and then meet the team from To Every Tribe in Papua New Guinea next month. He is very disappointed that he will no be able to make those trips as he spends time recovering.

David Depew has been used by God to play a key role in David Sitton's life. David Sitton said this morning that there are a very few men that he would completely drop everything for and David Depew is one of them.

Please pray earnestly for our Brother in Christ, David Depew, that he would be encouraged, that God would give the doctors wisdom. Pray also for his wife Sue that she would be encouraged. Also as I mentioned in the early post David Depew is the President of New Live Advance International. I believe there are only two other people that work in the office, pray for them as they will be under a lot of stress with David not being there.

Pray ultimately that God would receive glory and that many people would hear the Gospel as a result of this.

2 Day Trip to Mexico Day Dos

Friday night I slept so good. I didn't hear the chickens crow all night like they always do, and I got up at about 7 or 8am. I don't know exactly what time because time isn't' a big thing when you are in Mexico.

Lupita was cooking when we got up. And her husband invited us to visit the farm where he works, after we ate some breakfast. Lupita made us chorizo which is sausage with eggs, and salsa, and cactus which were stuffed in pocket tortillas. They where very good.

After breakfast Lupita's daughter drove us to the farm and we got to see sheep, cows and goats. Caleb milked a cow and I held a little lamb. We also got to see some horses and a few people even rode one of the horses.

The family who lived by the farm also chopped off the heads of some of the chickens while we were there. I missed that action somehow but several people did watch the process.

We also visited the little stores in E.Z which is always a lot of fun because their pop is still made with cane sugar and they different flavors of pop, Doritos, and may other things we do not have in the States.

We left around lunch time and were sad to leave our new friends. We plan to visit them again in February.

2 Day Trip Into Mexico Day Uno

To Every Tribe has decided that they would like for the students (and their families) to spend more time in Mexico this school year than they did last year. I guess it was a few months last year until they went on a trip to Mexico.

So as a part of this they have schedule a 2 day trip for just about every month of the school year. The first one fell on Jan 23-24.

We left about 11am in the morning after loading up all our gear into the trailer and vehicles. We were encouraged to pack very very light since it was only an over night trip and we where hardly going to be there for 24 hours.

Chris Johnson had driven back and forth across the border to make arrangements in hopes that we could camp on individuals property rather than on the school property (as the larger week long groups have done in the summer). Several people opened their homes to us and many of actually stayed in a home with a family.

We stayed in the little town of Emiliana Zapata (EZ) and I was very excited to go back because I had been there for a week last summer. I was very excited to see some of the kids I knew and also Rafaela who had been our cook last summer.

EZ is about a 2 hour drive from To Every Tribe's Base. It is not a coastal town but is a little inland from the Gulf of Mexico. There is a Catholic church in the town. It is a bit more well to do then some of the towns we visit but would still be considered quite poor. It is mainly a farming community. Although some of the men do go to other towns and work.

When we arrived we sorted out who would be staying where. Bianca and I were to stay with the Matt and Leanne and their 3 daughters (Jacy, Julia and Tabby) where to stay on the property of Juan and Lupita. As it ended up we stayed in their house. Juan and Lupita are Christians. They have four daughters and one son. All the daughters have moved out but their son and his wife and their little boy live with Juan and Lupita. There is plenty of room for visitors.

For the remainder of the afternoon we visited with people. Some of the group from played soccer with the local kids and I went to Rafaela's house and just hung out. Helped her or rather mostly watched her make home made tortillas. It is quite a science. I'll have to write more about it later. I just hung out with Rafaela. Which was interesting because she doesn't know any English and I know very little Spanish.

A little while later Irian came and translated for me and some of the guys. We had a good time just asking questions and also Rafaela shared a lot about the things she does and what some people in the village do.

Later in the evening we had a group meal with the families who's homes or property we were staying on. We had it at the biggest house in town which actually had 2 floors. We had mole (pronounced moelay). It was amazing. As most Mexican food is.

The people later requested for a Bible study. So we picked a time and the people came. It was pretty awesome. After the Bible study we all went to the place we where staying. Bianca and I didn't go to bed and Matt and Leanne didn't either. We simply sat in Juan and Lupitas living room and talked to them. Bianca translated for us. We asked them about they they believe and about their family. Their Son Ephraim and his wife (Jessica) where also there.

Water

When I first arrived in Texas, I recall driving through town and wondering what on earth windmills were doing down here. I though maybe, just perhaps there were some Dutch people around somewhere. However, at the same time I thought that was rather an unlikely thought. Dutch people near the border to Mexico? Not likely.

Shortly, after arriving I was to learn that nearly everyone drinks filtered water down here. I thought that was rather odd. In Michigan we drink the water out of the faucet. It tastes perfectly fine. So, I asked if it was safe to drink the water out of the faucet. I was told yes it is safe. I thought maybe the fact that we are so close to the border might have something to do with the fact that the people don't drink the water out of the faucet. But apparently that is not the case.

I tried the water. Tasted fine to me but seeing how everyone else drinks filtered water I figured there must be something to it. (Over the last month I've noticed that the water can sometimes have a rather interesting smell, it is a unpleasant smell I might add.)

Meanwhile I was left thinking that every time I needed water I'm going to have to run to the grocery store and buy it?? No thank you! It was then explained that you buy the gallon jugs, filled with water at the grocery store, and you refill them. At the little buildings in town. What little buildings? Where? You know the buildings. No, I'm sorry I don't know what you are talking about...

Well, come to find out that is what all the little buildings (some with windmills on them) are. I'm not sure what else I thought they were. I guess I thought there was a little man who sat in there all day and sold something, coffee or slushies or something. How was I to know there was no such little man and it was for water? This is something we do not have in Michigan.

Needless to say now that we have that figured out, Michele and I get quite a bit of enjoyment and entertainment from loading the bottles into the car, driving there, putting a quarter into the slot, adjusting the filler bar and pushing the one gallon button and watching, in fascination as the bottle is filled.

I do not, however, enjoy carrying all the full gallon jugs back up the stairs to the apartment. It is actually a rather short lived annoyance so we endure. And Michele is very helpful. We both go and get the water and it is quite the trip.

So much for the little man selling the slushies.

Company

Just about every week there is a new speaker at CPCP (Center for Pioneer Church Planting) and all the families and the singles take turns having them for dinner every week. Monday night is the designated night for the singles to cook for the speaker.



Last week we had Fred Zaspel, and this week we had David Depew for dinner. It has been a lot of fun. Between the four singles we figure out what we are going to cook and it very interesting because I think most of us don't have very much experience with cooking. I'm praying that if our attempts at cooking turn out bad that it will not be on Monday nights. However, I am certain that that teachers will be gracious to us, if that does indeed happen.



We had an excellent dinner with David Depew. David is the President of New Life Advance International (I encourage you to google this if you have time) and he is a very interesting man to talk to. David encouraged us to keep learning as we grow older. Tommi told me that he has prayed for an assistant for her for a long time, and also been very instrumental in convincing people that she needed one. It feels very interesting to be told that you are a direct answer to prayer.



Dinner turned out well last night, and I would like to thank Nancy R. for putting together the cook book for me and also for the ladies at my home Church in MI for contributing to the book. I made Marilyn's Chicken Casserole and it was so good. I will be making many more times I am sure.

My Mom finds it very entertaining that I am having to cook. I've called her many times. So far she has enlightened me on how to cook fresh broccoli, fresh beans, how to cook potatoes for her potato salad, sent me her banana cake recipe, told me I won't die if I don't have pumpkin pie spice.

Michele and I have worked out a schedule for cooking. Monday is combine meal with the guys and the speaker, Tuesday I cook, Wednesday we do something quick because there is church, Thursday she cooks. And Friday, Saturday and Sunday we eat whatever. That is for dinners only. We each get our own breakfast and lunch during the week.

Community

A few short days after arriving in Texas at my new home, I drove Rachel to the airport, to catch her flight back to Michigan. Also, to our family and most important in her mind I'm sure, her wonderful husband Ben.

As I walked out of the airport door and she walked through security I turned and looked back. I was so afraid to. I wanted to see her face one last time but I didn't. I knew that if I did see her face, she would see mine and we would both start crying. I think that was one of the main reasons we didn't wait long together in the waiting area. In our minds why postpone the inevitable.

So she rode up the escalator and I walked out the door to my car and drove away. Leaving my last family member to be whisked away by a plane. Now my entire family is over 1,500 miles away.

I was happy to get back to my new home, because I knew Tommi would be waiting for me in the office and I could get to work. I expected the transition to be hard. I was hoping to have a lot of time to read since I wouldn't have any family and relatively few people I knew. However, most of my books wouldn't fit in my car.

As it ends up, it doesn't really matter that most of my books haven't made it down here yet, because I've barely had time to read them. So far I think I've picked up a book a handful of times since I've been here. Other than my Bible, of course, which I read every day.

I've introduced you to everyone who lives in the the apartment building however there are still a few you have not met.

First of all our translators, who we use most of the time when we cross the border into Mexico. There are four of them and they are all college aged. There is Irian and his sister Iliana, Burger, and last but not least Bianca. Since they are all about the ages of the singles that live in the apartment building, they frequently come over and hang out.

And the last people you have not met, are people that have offices in the office building. There is Tommi (Office Manager) and her husband David (President or the Chief as we often call him), and there is Ron Sanford (not sure his office title) and his wife Margie. Now you have officially been introduced to everyone here!

When I left home on Jan. 1, I was very sad to leave my family. We all cried. Even my Dad. I had a brief moment when I thought we might all just die. I know this is totally unreasonable, people have made it through far worse things than a family member moving away, but it was pretty intense.

I was excited, but extremely sad to think of all the things I was going to miss. Rachel and Ben has just moved back to Michigan, and Daniel and Marissa (my buddies as I love to call them) and I were getting closer as siblings and best friends by the seconds. I love being anywhere those 2 are. From soccer games, to HPA shows, to KAT programs, to Wendy's for frostys to the kitchen for a late night snacks, those two are my amazing buddies and always will be.

To not be part of all those events was almost unthinkable. I mean who was going to make me laugh until I cried, give me standy upy hugs, get Frosty's with me, and scary me in the bathroom in the morning??

But I know that moving to work with To Every Tribe was the right thing to do. I think I always knew that it was but that doesn't mean I didn't wrestle with it for many months. That doesn't me that it didn't cause me tears, and agony. God was telling me what to do and I had two choices obey or disobey.

I choose to obey. That didn't make it automatically easy. It is a challenge to think that I it could be another 3 months or longer until I see my family again. The longest time of not seeing my family I've ever experienced was three weeks.

But back to the the title of my post. I've mentioned everyone here by name. Even though my blood relatives are very far way I have an amazing family here. They are the body of Christ! We are family by a different kind of blood, the blood of our Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ!

Tonight was the super bowl. I'm not a football fan but even I watch the super bowl. Usually with the Young People's group from my church. I was slightly worried about who I was going to watch it with this year. I shouldn't have been concerned. Turns out the Super Bowl is an excellent reason to have a community meal complete with wings! Which is exactly what happened. Mark and Alex were out grilling them this afternoon while we waited for the kickoff.

We eat anywhere from one to three meals together a week. Many of the other meals during the week are shared with with two families or one family and some singles. Every day I walk down the sidewalk and here multiple little voices saying "Hi Miss Steph".

I've been asked the question "Does your Mommy let you chew gum?", "Where do you live?" Many of the little kids find it quite funny that I live in the same building as they do. I've pulled little kids around in wagons, had lunch with one of the little girls, showed them how glow sticks work and how to make them into bracelets. I've given hi fives and also received them. The kids still have a hard time understanding that my Mommy lives very far away. Go ahead and try to explain that to a three year old.

Another thing I was quite concerned about when I moved down here was, where I was going to get my hugs from. I love giving hugs and getting hugs from my Mom. I think some scientist somewhere has said that we each need a certain number of hugs a day. Well, I always love hugging my Mom. I spent a considerable amount of time, before I moved trying to convince my Mom that she must move to Texas with me. Sadly, she was not convinced.

However, I get I think on average about 4 hugs a day. Although, if I recalculated I think it might be more. The women here (all of them actually are mothers) make sure I get my hugs. For which I am very grateful. They have also brought over many things for Michele and I to eat.

Michele and I like to lay on the couches in our apartment and read but we also enjoy hanging out and talking to any of the couples who live here. I was over at Mark and Belinda's on Friday night and just enjoyed sitting there with them and watching them put their two daughters to bed. It reminded me of my childhood and being put to bed by my parents.

Every Tuesday and Thursday we have Chapel. I love it. Scott plays guitar and Caleb plays the keyboard and we all sing. The Families bring their children and Ron gives us a devotional. The worship time with the families is amazing and Ron faithful challenges us with God's word. One of my favorite devotionals he has given us went over the attributes of God. It was amazing to be reminded of some of them. Things I learned as a child but had little meaning because I didn't know him personally. It brought me to a place of simple worship and awe of our Awesome God!

Another thing I must mention is the Church I am attending. It is very good. The teaching is solid and I am feed and challenged every Sunday and Wednesday. The name of the Church is Divine Providence. If you ever get down this way, I strongly encourage you to attend. It is just over a year old and has grown a lot. The people are joyful, friendly and you can tell they love God and seek after him daily. DP has Sunday morning Sunday school, and church. A Wednesday night Bible Study, Thursday night Prayer Meeting, their men's group meets every Saturday at 7am and the Ladies Group meets once a month on Saturday.

Also here at To Every Tribe the Ladies have been meeting on Thursdays to pray for each other. I am encouraged by how open the ladies are with each other and how they genuinely care for each other.

I'm continually amazed by the Body of Christ here, I'm encouraged and lifted up countless times during the day. We share each others burdens and joys and pray for each other!

1st Trip to Mexico

On Jan 10th we headed to Mexico to a little town call Las Higuerillas to visit come people. There were seven of us who went so we had to take two cars. The guys (Chris, Caleb and Bryan) rode in Chris' Ford and the girls (me, Michele, Faith and Iliana) followed in my car. It was quite the ride. Once we got out of Matamoros and down the road that leads to Las Higuerillas we had to be very careful and watch out for potholes. The road was greatly improved from last time I had been on it 2 years ago. Over all it wasn't too bad but there were some pretty bad ones potholes.

This Mina the and Iliana. Mina is a believer we visited in Las Higuerillas. She invited us in to her home and sent her daughter for some pop. And then she insisted on making us food. She made us eggs with hot peppers and onions. We also had rice and tortillas. It was very good food.

We where at Mina's hour for several hours talking with her and her daughter Miriam.

Iliana translates for To Every Tribe. I have a lot of fun hanging out with her. She and her brother live a few minutes away so they come over often.

This is Michele and Mina's daughter Miriam. Miriam was holding the chicken like one would hold a cat.

This is Michele, Mina, Me and Faith. Faith attended CPCP last year and was on her way to visit her Grandparent is Posa Rica Mexico. And also to study Spanish.

This is Chris, Iliana and Perla. We visited a lot of people that Chris knows in Las Higuerillas.

In Mexico it is considered proper to greet everyone with a hand shake or the women often greet each other with a kiss on the check. And usually everyone says good bye to everyone else.

When we were about to leave a storm was closing it. It was quite an amazing site. You could see a definate line where the clouds ended. It was a little scary.

When we got back to the boreder we had to wait an hour and a half to get back in the country. So we just sat in the car and waited.

Every time you enter or leave Mexico by car people along the road wil try to sell you things. They sell everything from water, candy, gum, newspapers, treats, pillows, and may other things.

Often times the people are handicapped or there will even be small children. One of the little boys we saw wasn't even tall enought to see through the window then looking straight on.

Sadly some of the people use the money they make to fund drug habits. It is heart breaking to look at the little children such the little girl on the left (sorry it is poor quality it was taken with the camera on my phone).

This girl was probably no older than 5 and she was just sitting or standing on the curb.

All in all it was a good trip to Mexico.