*Sigh*

I am sad to say that the "it sucks" feeling Vale described is still with me. My heart is on fire for Jesus, Mexico, and anyone I encounter and yet Satan keeps finding ways two dampen it. He's having a party or something. Anyways, I've been trying to do ANY community outreach projects at church, but they are all shot down. I express concern about evangelizing and I "get in trouble." So yea, I have good days and bad, and on the bad days I'm frustrated and depressed. On Sunday when I was playing with Sarah and Sambu (two kids from Cambodia) I felt like I was on top of the world. Then someone tried to ruin it, but I didn't let them get to me and made the best of their time there. Mexico, Miami, memories, outreach, evangelism, kids, broken and needy people... the list of things running through my head goes on and on. To top it all off I am having a not so great school year. But again, I put on a happy face and try to make the most of the good days. I cant even talk face to face with my "accountability partner" and close friend because she lives so far. Yet, I can tell her close to anything because of that. I know I'm rambling but... I'm overwhelmed and well... bored. =] So yea friends in Miami, Georgia, Tulsa, Houston, Tennessee, etc. To far. Need a road trip. Pray please. =)

Revelation Generation

Well, last Saturday I went to Revelation Generation with some church people. 4 teens, 2 adults. SO much fun. There were bands from Flyleaf to Bethany Dillon. Which April just so happened to really want to go to the interview for. So while April, Emma, and I were through the merch tent some lady stopped us with the tickets for the interview. Needless to say we were pretty excited. At 6 the three of us went in and listened to the questions, then at the end we had the chance to talk to her one on one. Or in our case three on one. We told her how April used her song for our mission trip video and typical questions to ask were, "Where, and for how long?" "Juarez, Mexico and for a week, we wish it was longer." Then I said maybe someday I'll just move there." Then Bethany Dillon said GO, Just do it. So that was confirmation that God really was telling me to go. Thanks Bethany Dillon!!! I prayed the other day and told God I'm now his hands and feet. =]

If Anyone deciedes to read this...

For all you people who might decide to read this..
I tried to go back and fix spelling and grammar errors, but had to stop. I might go back another time but not tonight. As I read my words, I started to laugh a little about some inside jokes we shared, but then I started to cry. Not a lot. But enough to know I miss um a whole lot. Yeah, defiantly a whole lot more then I can describe. My babies in Mexico, the people we helped and prayed for, Team Miami, and the GI staff. Even "the Phillies" if I don't see them often enough. To top it off, there's not a day that goes by that I don't think of the kids from last year, the people we helped last year, Team Miami 1, and last years GI staff. So yeah, basically sorry for all the errors. I type to fast for me to go back and fix. Haha. I just wrote a pointless paragraph. Jeez, I'm tired. And hungry. =] See ya around.

Oh, and check out the song Trading My Sorrows on youtube or I like it in Spanish better... "Cambiare Mi Tristeza."

August 5, 2008

I'm back to life but once again, I left my heart in Mexico. We talked about reverse culture shock, and mission trip high in Mexico. Vale described the feeling as "it sucks."I talk to a couple people online but. Well that "It sucks" feeling hit really hard today. I made it through church without crying but.... I just want to be there more than anywhere else in the world. ='[ =]

Teams and Thanks

Thanks! =]

Thank you sooo much to anyone that supported "The Phillies" this year with thoughts, prayers, and financial donations.

Thank you to Team Miami 2 for "absorbing" us into their team. [words of Roger]

Team Miami: Stephanie, Sylvia, Ruth, Pam, Yani, Aimee, Ashra, Modesta, Ruth, Antonette, Antonne, and Vale [amazing friend]. All my amazing friends.
Roger, Rick, Danny, Andy, Matt. And Allan, Carl, and Austin [the 3 of you truly felt like family, fathers, and brother, and friends]
Both Team Miamis are my second family, I hope to visit you at the Vineyard in the future.

Thank you to the AMAZING Global Infusion staff: Philip [Phillipe], Summer [Verano], Liz, Danielle[Daniella], and Larry. You guys were amazing leaders, Christians, and friends. =]

To GI's Staff

Saturday August 2,2008

Team Miami



Most of us woke up at 5:30 ,but went back to sleep. We were supposed to have our bags at the "curb" by 6:30. Chocolate chip pancakes were deliciously made for breakfast. Thanks Hannah and Jonathan! We took another group picture in front of the rainbow since Modesta and Yani didn't climb the mountain with us. Of course, not everything can run smoothly so when trying to load our luggage into the trailer they found out that they lost they keys. Next option was to saw it off, electrically by Jon and Matt. Sparks were flying and pictures were being taken. Larry drove the red van and acquired some revenge from the Van Wars. Hitting about every bump there was. This year we got across the border much quicker though.

Adrian started to cry as Miami walked over to Delta air check in so Liza and I started to cry. We were left alone for a few minutes at we got our tickets and we just stood and cried. When Adrian appeared out of nowhere again, I told him that HE made me cry,but he just shrugged and said sorry. When he came by a few minutes later though he saw I was serious and tried to comfort me and hug me which made me know I was going to miss everyone more. uhh. We then gave Miami and Vale our cards and said goodbye with more more more tears. Vale was the hardest as I felt and still feel close to her. I could go to her for anything and she'd try to help me out.It took at least a full 20 minutes [maybe more] for Liza and I to stop crying because every time we looked at each other it would start again. Allan told us, "Don't worry. This isn't a goodbye, its a see ya later."

Me and Adrian
As we were waiting for our flight we fantasized that the GI staff would come walking down the hall and we'd maul them with hugs. Our flights were uneventful and we were greeted to our family at the Philly airport.

Friday August 1,2008

• Last full day! ='[


• We headed to the mountain!! My favorite place to pray and think!


• SO beautiful up here. Life Larry said, in a sense, this is how God sees the world. He sees the lost, needy, and broken people. But he know that hope that it holds. And my favorite devo. Needs so explaining first.

Ok so when your on the mountain and you look right to left you see the whole city of Juarez, Mexico. Straight out you see El Paso and the wealth that it holds. So Larry gave this devotion and thought right before our quiet time: The people of Juarez keep looking there,[at El Paso], as the source and answer to all their difficulties. But, [this made me cry], if they would just turn around and seek the cross it would all resolve. Ms. April said it like a box of crayons, some are bright,some are dull, broken, etc. But we all live in the same box.

Before we went down Ruth came up with this idea. Larry was going to play Moses,bang his stick down three times and at the top of our lungs we were to scream "Jesus Te Ama!" Repeated 3 times!

• I didnt fall on the way down this time. Just a couple of cactus pricks! [one right in my finger]


• Lunch at the market


• Market shopping! Liza, me, Carl, and Austin, sometimes Vale and Roger in a group.

MORE FUN

Summer and Liz were Red Van flight attendants. "If you feel you cannot handle this procedures. Get out"

Carl, Austin, and I were backseat buddies.

My Vale accent.

Larry hitting the fence. "It was killing the centipede!"

Manazana Lift

Many Andyisms y mas!