Leaving: Tepic and a Legacy

On December 6, 2016December 9, 2016 By Kamiko BlalarkIn Conferences/Church Events, La Fuente, MexicoLeave a comment

Hey guys!

First off, I’m home in two weeks! Things are coming to a close here, and I am very excited to come home for the holidays. I am going to miss Tepic, but hopefully, my “home for six months” plan will work and I’ll be able to raise enough money to stay in Tepic for two more years, so I won’t have to worry about being away for very long.

Please pray that things go smoothly – that I will qualify for the Vanguard internship (that will give me a connection to the church and allow me to work here for a year before a decision is made where they want to put for the long term), and that fundraising will go better than I’m planning it to (and I’m planning a lot). I encourage you guys to take a look at my Prayer Requests page to find more things for which you can intercede in prayer on my behalf. That would be greatly appreciated!

La Fuente’s Women’s Breakfast

Next, I’d like to talk briefly about the Women’s Breakfast that La Fuente Tepic held this past Saturday.

It was really fun (and the tamales they served were amazing), and it was nice to see all the women in the church staff and of the congregation come together and fellowship with and encourage one another, and it was equally great to see the men help out, too – making sure everything went smoothly and helping to set up beforehand and clean afterwards.

The way the church here is so ready to serve one another is truly inspiring, and I am proud to be a part of it. Worship – as usual – was awesome, and I was honoured to be there with them.

Vanguard was involved in a couple of ways: as always, we were tasked with helping with the set up and with the cleaning, and we were split into different teams to cover different areas.

We also put on a small concert and sang and “danced” to a song called “Ha Nacido El Rey (Es Navidad)” (The King Has Been Born (It’s Christmas Time)), which honestly kind of reminded me of those recitals grade-schoolers have to put on for school every year, but I had fun doing it. We all did, and I figure that was sort of the point. It was all-around a good day.

Dia de los Muertos

Finally, and I’m a little embarrassed to post about it now, since it’s been a little over a month since I participated in/observed the holiday, but I figured you guys would like to hear about Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. Now, I get that it isn’t a very “Christian” holiday, but bear in mind that it’s a big part of Mexican culture, and the people of La Fuente celebrate it as part of Mexican tradition.

So November 1st, as I was told, is technically the day set aside for the children to celebrate the holiday, and the 2nd is for the adults. I celebrated on the 2nd, but ended up celebrating the next day, as well, so to be honest, I’m not too sure how long they celebrate the event.

But it was a Friday, so I went after Anormal with two friends of mine, Pepe (who you may remember being our “guide” from when Lex and Dulce came to pick me up) and Jonah (who is another gringo from Colorado).

When we got there, the place was totally decorated with Day of the Dead characters, and there were people with La Catrina face paint and dresses and the whole shebang. I was overwhelmed with trying to take it all in. There were stands that advertised the history of the holiday with notable historical figures, there was food everywhere, and at the end of it all was the graveyard. At a certain time, they opened the graveyard to the public and allow people to walk through it, taking pictures and videos, and paying respects to those who are buried there. Pepe even showed us where a couple of his family members were buried, which was… neat?

I thought the whole thing was really interesting, and I was so enthralled by the culture. For example, I saw HUGE mausoleums dedicated to well-respected families and individuals who I had never even known existed, but everyone else around me understood the history behind it all. Then there were the small, humble graves that you could very easily miss, or even mistake as open ground, and I found myself feeling a tang of sadness for the individual buried there. And finally, the ways the tombs were decorated definitely stood out. All of the things that people would bring to honour their loved ones, from flowers, to hand-knitted quilts, to full bottles of Coca-Cola – it made me think about where I would fit if I was part of the culture here.

The three of us made jokes and comments about how big our graves would be, and where they would be located, and what items would adorn them, and it made me think of how inevitable it is for every person to leave behind a legacy, whether it is made to be well-known or not. So I’ve been trying to pin down what exactly I want my legacy to entail, but so far, I haven’t quite figured it out. But I still ~~(hopefully)~~ have plenty of time to think about it. All I know is that I want there to be no question that I put everything I had into living my God-given purpose, and I think, at this point, that’s a good start.

Please don’t forget to share, comment, like, and do whatever else you would care to do to let me know you enjoyed the post!

The ADN Conference: Upon This Rock

On November 15, 2016November 17, 2016 By Kamiko BlalarkIn Conferences/Church Events, La Fuente, Mexico, VanguardiaLeave a comment

Last week was the ADN conference, which, as I mentioned in my last post, was all about our identity as the Church of Christ. The theme was “Sobre Esta Roca,” or “Upon This Rock,” from the passage Matthew 16:13-18 – Peter’s Confession of Christ. We had guest speakers and guest worship leaders, introduced a new mission statement and new songs, and built on the unity we have in Christ as a church, as a congregation. It was only three days long, but it was amazing.

Check out the promo video from my personal page (shared from Jesiah Hansen‘s page):

Translation:
Twelve disciples. One question.
“What do people say about me?”
“Some say that you are John the Baptist.
Others say you are Elijah.
Others say Jeremiah.”
“And you, who do you say that I Am?”
And Peter responded: “You are the Messiah.” And Jesus said
“Upon this rock
I will build
My Church.”

And then some information about the event…

Yes, La Fuente makes excellent videos. Also, the main girl in the video was my old roommate, Andrea!

“Comienza a declarar quien es Él y Él va a declarar quien eres tú.”
“Start declaring who He is, and He will declare who you are.”
– Pastor Dwight “Diego” Hansen: Sobre Esta Roca (Upon This Rock)

We spent Tuesday and Wednesday morning setting up for the event – cleaning, setting up decorations, making sure everything was in place, and going over schedules so everyone was on the same page to make the week go as smoothly as possible.

Our two guest speakers were Mike Connaway (preached in English) and Andrew Spyker (preached in Spanish). They were both awesome, but to keep things short and sweet, I’ll focus on my favourite teaching, which just so happened to be the only English service (it’s just a coincidence, I promise – I’ve gotten really good at understanding Spanish, so much so that it’s become nearly second nature with a few regular speakers). Pastor Mike Connaway taught an inspiring lesson on Matthew 13:12, “For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

“A miracle, you receive in an instant, a promise you inherit for eternity.”
– Pastor Andrés Spyker

He explained that to the world and those who don’t understand how God’s word works, this verse is the most “un-Christian” verse in the whole Bible, on account for how unfair it seems. But Jesus spoke not of two different people, but of the same person. The verse is all about mindset – if you think you have nothing and speak so over yourself, you’ll find that God won’t bless that attitude, and eventually, you’ll find that you will always have less and “not enough.” But if you speak blessing over yourself and thank God for what you have, and you count your blessings so to speak, you’ll find that God does, in fact, bless this, and you’ll end up with much more than you have now.

Pastor Mike Connaway teaching on Matthew 13:12.

This was something I really needed to be reminded of due to my current circumstances: God is my Provider who won’t let me lack in anything, and as long as I live by this truth, He will honour my faith.

So what, on the surface, reads like the most unfair verse in the Bible, actually turns out to be one of the most empowering verses. Just a reminder: your words have power.

This is the first conference during which I was on the worship team, and those of you who have been here know first-hand that La Fuente takes worship very seriously. In a fun way, of course, but we spend hours on a Saturday as a whole team (meaning all singers and all musicians) perfecting any new song we add to our roster so that when we introduce the song (that Sunday), we can have fun and truly worship with it – no stands, no anything. And God is obviously working with and through these individuals, because they kill it every week. I am so blessed to have an opportunity to worship with them.

Kelly Spyker (Pastor Andrés Spyker’s wife) joining us Thursday night for worship, leading the song “What a Beautiful Name” by Hillsong.

We love to introduce new songs, and last week we introduced two new ones: Come Right Now by Planetshakers, and Open Heaven (River Wild) by Hillsong. I’m hoping to introduce these (and a couple more) when I’m back in Chicago.

And finally – La Fuente is a church that values and strives for growth. On Thursday morning, Pastor Tony Simon (who will be joining Church in the Word for their Thanksgiving service, by the way, and he’s very excited about that) introduced their revised mission statement:

“Existimos para alcanzar y guiar a todos a Jesús, ensañandoles a crecer y servir en su iglesia.”

“We exist to reach and guide all to Jesus, teaching them to grow and serve in their church.”

And I realised why I came here, and why I need to come back. I needed to learn this myself so I could pour into others in an efficient and loving way. When I come back, I’ll also be setting an example of how to grow and serve outside of church, where people least expect it, and I can’t wait.

Thank you all so much for the support and hanging with me during this season of internal growth. Though it’s hard to really showcase the progress I’ve made, just rest assured that it’s all leading up to something a lot bigger down the road. Please don’t forget to like and share, and as always, prayers and donations are much appreciated! If you have any questions, please feel free to ask away.

Love you guys!!

Five Things I Learned in Tlajomulco

On June 21, 2016June 21, 2016 By Kamiko BlalarkIn La Fuente, Mexico, Missions, Vanguardia4 Comments

Saludos!

It’s been a while, and a lot has happened. I want to thank everyone who has been following along despite the fact that I’m not as good as I should be at keeping you updated. That being said, I’ll continue with the update.

As you know (if you read my last post), last month I went on a mission trip to Tlajomulco, a city near Guadalajara. Even though I knew I would enjoy it more than I thought I would (so my expectations were high from the start), I didn’t think I would be as affected by it as I was. I evangelised, fed people, prayed for strangers, sang for worship, acted for skits, etc… and in doing so, I learned these things:

1. Don’t over think. Just be.

I don’t have it in me to do and be everything perfectly, no matter how hard I try or how determined I am or how well-prepared I may be. And that’s okay. I’m not here to make myself or my team or my school look good. I’m here to glorify the only One worthy of praise, and if I keep my focus on Him, then my slip-ups won’t matter in the grand scheme of things, and my mistakes are opportunities for the magnification of Christ, just as much as the things I do right. I learned that God made me the way He wanted, and whatever I don’t appreciate, I either developed in rebellion (anything that goes against God’s Word/ anything I’ve done apart from Him), or I have yet to trust Him with. The best I can do is to seek Him and be in His presence, to focus on His glory and planning. It’s okay to let go and just… be. Be in His presence. Be who He is calling me to be. Be a little uncomfortable sometimes. Be awkward, silly, useful, unsure, emotional – alive. In every moment, be alive, and aware that you’re here for a purpose, and be grateful for those very reasons – sometimes, I think they’re all that separates me from the dead and dying.

2. Make an effort. Really.

Gosh, how I wish I had put the same effort into the first week that I had put into the last week. I wish I had put more effort into the trip as a whole. I didn’t really understand the extent of the regret I would feel until after we were on our way home and I saw the “TEPIC” sign greeting us, and I forced myself to hold back tears of “have I really left that place? Is it really over?” I wish I had put more effort into my work, my Spanish skills, my worship, my leadership (goodness, my leadership), and my interactions with people. Those I’ll probably never properly meet, and those I should have invested in long before the crusade began. But because I can’t go back and change what I did or didn’t do, the best I can do now is to use it as a learning experience and try my best to carry it with me.

3. Short term =/= Insignificant.

Sometimes, short term relationships (referring to platonic friendships) are just as meaningful as the long term. I’ve always had an insatiable yearning for connection, and as a result, I often find myself avoiding certain people due to the feeling I get which tells me: this isn’t going to last. Of course, coming here to Mexico took every relationship I could potentially form and turned them into one huge boulder that barely fit in the pit of my stomach, and it was hard to swallow. The feeling of “this isn’t going to last” was inescapable. Unless I planned on staying here long-term, none of these people would be in my life longer than a year, and that put me on edge and made me feel a little empty inside. It scared me. I’m still trying to get over the fear, in all honesty. But in Tlajomulco, I met some new people, and I met some old ones as well – my classmates. For months, I kept to myself, endured awkward small talk, and stayed nestled in that nook whose slippery edges I had become familiar with – welcome, but out of place. For months, I did this to make sure I wouldn’t get too attached. But as I worked with them, ate with them, and worshipped with them, they crawled out of the boxes I placed them in, neatly labeled for my convenience, “extras/short-term acquaintances,” and planted themselves somewhere warmer and closer. It was slow enough not to feel fabricated, but quick enough to feel as if it caused me a kind of mild trauma. But I wouldn’t take it back, because they helped me grow, gently urged me out of my shell, and made me feel like I was home. Like I belonged. I forgot I was over 1,000 miles away from home, in a different country. It felt familiar. But saddening at the same time, because as they were all crying over the bittersweetness of leaving one another, I once again felt out of place, because I still wasn’t nearly as close to them as they were each other. But once again, I know now, and I’m investing in the people who are still here – still scared, but not weighed down anymore.

4. Put yourself out there.

For those who know me personally, you know I am not exactly what you would call a confident person. I hesitate. I doubt. I get scared sometimes. But if I don’t put myself out there, I’m not very likely to grow. I can have the best theories, sound theology, and pure intentions, but if I keep it in my head, and not in my heart and hands and on my sleeve, what good is it? If I don’t allow those things to manifest in my character, do they carry the same weight? What better way to prompt that manifestation than to extend my thoughts, love, and actions into the outside world by speaking, evangelising, and serving? For the unsure, this isn’t easy. And it doesn’t always turn out to be fun. Sometimes, you say or do the wrong thing, and sometimes people don’t want what you’re offering. You don’t always see results and you don’t always feel good about it, or accomplished. But God rewards the faithful.It’s not always fun, no. But it’s worth it, I promise.

5. Tejuino is the worst beverage man has ever concocted. Ever.

Seriously. Everyone here thinks it’s the ichor of the heavens, but it tastes horrible. I don’t know what exactly I was expecting from a drink composed mainly of fermented corn, ice, and lime juice, but I attempted to try something new and it backfired horrendously. Tejuino? More like tejuiNO.

Tlajomulco was amazing. I may be missing my last year at Love Packages, but as I predicted, God more than made up for it. In fact, He went beyond my expectations (they can never be high enough). I’m in awe – really. I just hope I can make it back there one day, knowing now what I didn’t know then.

That’s it for now! Next will be what I learned in Vanguard this semester – a list of a few of my favourite classes.

And just a heads up: I’ll be home June 27th, and I’m set to leave for Mexico again on July 11th. That’s two weeks of Miko in America. It’s been amazing down here, but of course, I’m excited to visit home for a couple of weeks to see my family and friends.

Ed:
Thank you so much for the ongoing love and support! It is greatly, greatly appreciated. I will definitely be making time to talk with you when I get back, sir! No doubt.
**(P.S – A big THANK YOU to you and your wife for letting your daughter come down here with Lex to bring me back home! I was giddy when I saw her name on the ticket receipts…)

Don’t forget to like, share, and comment, please! It means a lot to hear from you guys!

Miko in Mexico

Category: La Fuente