I lost track of how many weird looks I go from people this past Friday when I said we were just going to Mexico for the weekend … to pick someone up … someone’s I’d left there six months prior. (I also lost track of how many times Dulce used the word, “exciting.”)

Miko’s visa expires after six months, so she has to get out. You could say we’re on an extraction mission … that sounds way cooler … why didn’t I think of that two days ago … ?

Anyway, she’ll be home for a couple of weeks before coming back to Tepic to finish her year.

Since I’m here, I thought I’d embarrass her by taking a ton of pictures, and give everyone an updated/outsider perspective of Miko in Mexico.

Friday night was youth group (of course).

Good times. I won’t bore you with all my youth ministry thoughts. The youngin’s went out for tacos and I went back to the house to crash. Two planes, a taxi, a bus, a car, and a youth ministry meeting in a foreign language is my limit for one day. I know: I’m so old.

Saturday morning Miko has worship practice with the Tepic team (i.e. the big leagues). This was her first time, and the worship leader was on vacation, but she got it figured out.

Dulce and I got snacks from the little corner store and colored. ‘Cause we’re big kids.

Then Pepe escorted us all over town. First, for “the best tortas in Tepic.” Was there a bag of dog food on the counter in the back? Yes. Were they the best tortas ever? Yes. So don’t ask questions. And don’t judge us.

And then there were raspados, because America has been doing shaved ice all wrong and I had no idea. Paper cones and colored sugar? Please.

Sunday is church day – all day. And I’m not complaining.

You may be aware that Miko works with the La Fuente team at one of their newest church plants in a small village named Puga. It’s the same small church we visited when Miko got here six months ago.

Puga is about a 45 minute drive from Tepic, and it’s a town that has grown up around the sugar industry. You drive past cane fields. You pass trucks loaded with sugar cane stalks. Most of the people in Puga work in the sugar production process somewhere. It’s a small, very blue collar/working class area.

Much to Dulce’s delight, we got to ride in the back of a truck with the other ministry helpers coming from Tepic:

Worship practice/sound check before the service:

Quesadillas after church? Si, por favor!

The kids are the biggest part of the congregation for now. La Fuente serves breakfast every Sunday morning, so the kids are always there. Lunch doesn’t always happen afterwards; we just happened to stop by on the right week.

It was a long morning, but it’s so cool to see what Antonio and Vanessa, and their super-dedicated team of helpers, have done in six months. Their worship team is growing (by more than just Miko) and they actually have a separate lesson/class for the kids now – in a room that was empty the last time I was here.

Worship is weird for me at all of the services, but the Holy Spirit is always present – and no less so in Puga. I got the general idea of Tonio’s sermon, but he ministers well. It was cool to see hands go up at the end of service – tired, worn, old hands that may never have known the love and freedom of Jesus if a small team of people wasn’t willing to stick out a really tough assignment. The angels rejoice over every one, right? It’s worth it. It’s always worth it. Add Tonio and Vanessa, and Puga, to your prayers.

Back in Tepic, we went to church at 5 pm, hopped over to buy bus tickets for the return trip tomorrow morning, and then got church again at 7 pm.

And then, the moment we’ve all been waiting for (and by “we all,” I mean me): tacos al pastor. For 10 pesos each. That’s less than a dollar. I’m embarrassed to say how many I ate.

Late Night Q&A Time

I thought we’d wrap this up with a little Q&A. We’re getting on a bus in five hours; we’ll sleep then …

Q: If you could describe the last six months in one word, what would it be?

Uncomfortable

Q: What has been the most powerful ministry experience?

The crusade. We had to go out and put into practice everything we learned at Vanguard. There was no room for, “Hey, I don’t feel comfortable with this,” you just had to go do it.

I witnessed a lot of people receive salvation in Christ, but I also witnessed a lot of people refuse that free gift and that really changed me. You realize how important it is to really reach people, because it’s real. A lot of these people have been raised Catholic, and they don’t really know who Jesus is.

 

Q: How are you serving the vision of La Fuente?

They’re all about reaching the younger generation, and I feel like I help with that. I speak up and share my input about how to reach younger people.

Now that school is on a break, I have more time to do what I feel like I really came here to do, which is serve the ministry. With class, it’s really hard, although we serve when we can and when the church does events. But since we’re on a break now, I’m over at the main church every day helping Pastor Mimi (the worship leader) with pretty much whatever she needs.

I’m still doing worship in Puga every Sunday, of course. And Mimi has been talking about getting me involved with the worship team in Tepic as well. I’m open for whatever.

Q: How do you feel about the next six months?

I’m excited about it. I think the hardest part is over: adjusting, starting to learn the language, getting used to being on my own in a lot of ways. I don’t know what the next six months will look like, but I’m excited for it.

Q: Any idea what God might be calling you to after this?

No solid ideas. I’ve thought about staying on in Tepic to work with La Fuente after my time is up, but I’ not sure. So I guess the next six months will include a lot of prayer in that regard.

There are things in the States that I want and need to do too, but how it’s all going to work out – I don’t know. I know I don’t want to just stay here because I’m used to being here now. I want to do what God has for me. I’m just not sure what that is yet.

Q: How do you feel about having come here in general? Would you recommend that high school graduate take a year to do missions before they move on to college or the work force?

In general, I feel like this has been an invaluable experience, really. I guess – ya, I would. I think anyone graduating high school, or anyone who just doesn’t know what to do next, should do missions.

It really expands your worldview, and it makes you realize – not just as head-knowledge – that God is so much bigger than you thought. His plans are so much bigger, and it’s not always just what you see at home. It’s humbling, but it really gives you a much bigger perspective.