Another Week

This week flew by, in Mexico time none the less. Tonight we had our 3rd evening of celebrating our 32nd anniversary of Templo Christiano Elim. This is the church that we attend. Tonight we had lots of music and the children put on a play about the story "The Tale of Three Trees". It was very well done. There's some very talented people in this church.

I'm also told today that we set our clocks back an hour tonight. This means for 2 weeks the U.S. and Mexico will be off an hour. Then when the U.S. changes their time we'll be the same again. Crazy how it all works.

Starting to feel more at home here. Love the people and the children. Feeling connected after feeling like there are so many I don't know.

Everyone at church calls me Sister. I kind of like it. It makes me feel a part of the family down here. We had our second of 4 services tonight. We are celebrating 32 years of this present church being in existence.

The Ministry of Presence

Saturday, was an interesting day. Many children and staff have been sick and DJ was visiting our home church in the states. It was time for the Schmidt family to jump in and "take it up a notch" as my friend Mary likes to say.

David helped one of the groups with putting in a sidewalk for one of staff to have better wheelchair accessibility. Tyler was busy retrieving things for various adults and running messages and I tried to fill in wherever needed.

By the evening I had to decide whether to stay at the orphanage or go to the church service. I was torn. I emailed my sister to pray for direction with me. I made the decision to go to the service and leave the boys to help Lynette back at the orphanage. She still was feeling ill and usually would be on the worship team at church.

When I got to the service, I really enjoyed it. There was a teaching given by a guest speaker and at the end I was asked to play my sax with the Pastor's daughter, Sophia, at the piano/ keyboard. There I was playing a song I hadn't ever heard before, making myself available and asking God to use me. A call to receive Christ as Savior was given. Many came, but one person in particular caught my attention. Her name is Heidi.

The previous week I had gone to a baby shower for Heidi that was given by the missionary Physician that has a clinic at the local church. Sarah (the missionary) had invited the ladies on staff at the orphanage and the ladies at church to help her throw a surprise baby shower for Heidi. Heidi had absolutely nothing to care for a baby and no family. I went mostly to keep myself involved and open to how God might use me even though I had no way of really sharing my faith by "words". God had another plan.

I attended with no gift. Sarah brought extra and told Heidi that one of her extra gifts were from me. That was very humbling, but I had no money to purchase a gift. But that wasn't important to Sarah. She just wanted Heidi to have a good representation of people who loved God and wanted Heidi to see the love of God showed to her through us.

Heidi was very moved that we would throw her a baby shower. She received more gifts than I have ever seen at one baby shower. Once again I was struck by the generosity and hospitality of the people of Baja. It was all about helping Heidi.

Getting back to Saturday night's church service. Heidi was one of the people who came forward to receive Christ. Though I was not able to communicate with my words the love of God to her, I was able to attend a baby shower, smile and write a note of encouragement to her that someone else would later interpret.

Maybe Heidi would have come to know Jesus even if I had not been at the baby shower. But I learned that God works through relationship, smiles and presence. Because Jesus lives in me, Jesus attended a baby shower last Saturday night. He speaks the universal language of love.

Good Day Shared by All

There's a wonderful group down here serving for a few days. They've come with eyes to see needs and laborers and money to meet the needs. They are very other focused. They realize that when we are blessed it is so God can use us to bless others.

Yesterday, I made my first run to Rosarito as the driver. I went with a few young people that new how to get there and back. I was asked to buy food for the orphanage. I was given a list of things to buy and the money to purchase it with. What I didn't realize was some of the items that I was purchasing was due to the orphanage being completely out. Beans, sugar and a few items needed to be purchased right away. Yet, I sensed no panic when asked to make the trip

The group that's staying here right now, happened to call yesterday to find out what we might need. When they arrived today, they brought an abundance of things we needed. They brought it to meet our needs and not to make them look good or feel good. It was clear they were sent by the Lord once again showing His faithfulness to provide.

It's been a good day. I've seen my boys serving and getting involved with the groups that are down here. I am amazed at God's goodness at surrounding my boys with men who are full of the love of God and the word of God.

My Spanish is getting better. The boys are loving their Spanish class that they just started in school. Hopefully we'll keep improving until we're all fluent.

The one funny thing that did happen today was that David was mistaken for an orphane by one the guys of the group that's visiting. They asked him a question and he pretended not to understand English. It was hilarious to see.