Miko in Mexico Half-Time Report

On By LexIn Uncategorized1 Comment

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.

Five Things I Learned in Tlajomulco

On 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!

 

A Conference, A Crusade, A Reassurance

On By Kamiko BlalarkIn Uncategorized4 Comments

Saludos!

A lot has happened since I last let you guys in on what I was doing, what with a pretty big conference and the fact that Vanguard is quickly coming to an end (and since it’s technically second semester, they are piling on quite a bit of work as a way to make the students prove themselves ready to work in the ministry), I’ve been pretty busy. Bad news – that won’t be changing for another month or so; good news – after that, things will be getting a lot more relaxed. After the Vanguard mission trip, all that will be left to worry about is the graduation (which I obviously won’t be a part of because of when I joined the school), and then I’ll be free the rest of the summer to help La Fuente in any way I can.

I have been unsure of what I should write about next – so much has been happening lately, and while that gives me more to write about, it also leaves me with less time to write about it. I know you’ve been missing me and what I’ve been experiencing down here, so, here you go! A few things I wish I could have shared with you all before today.

envivo1

The first thing I would like to share about is the En Vivo (live) conference. A week full of amazing words from passionate and empowered guest speakers, as well as from La Fuente’s very own Pastor Diego (Dwight) Hansen and his wife, Mary Jo (and yes – I am understanding a great deal of the messages. Estoy tan emocionada!). Not to mention incredible worship from a Spirit-filled and energetic team. This week had it all. It was pretty emotional for quite a few reasons, some of which I may write about in later installments, some of which I might tell in person, and others, I’ll probably keep to myself. Either way, I’m glad I was here for this conference, and I hope I can be a part of more during my stay here. I’m still growing from things I dealt with that week. It was awesome in every sense of the word.

envivo
(Snippets from En Vivo, from La Fuente’s Facebook page)

Next would be the upcoming Vanguard mission trip (cruzada). I do see the humour in the fact that I am here for a mission trip, and within this mission trip, I will be participating in another mission trip. We as a class have been split up into two separate groups, each going to a different location, doing slightly different things. Both groups are going to Jalisco (the state that contains Guadalajara), but to different places therein. One group, my group, is going to a city called Tlajomulco to help with a church that has already been established. I’m not too sure on what exactly “help” fully entails, but either way, I’ll be more than happy to offer my service. The other group is going to two different cities – Zapopan and El Coli – to not only help out a pre-established church, but they will also be traveling to another location to actually assist in planting a church, which is something I was really hoping I could be a part of (though I am happy to help regardless of what I’ll be doing). To say I’m excited would be an understatement. I was a little disappointed that I would be missing out on my last year to go with my youth group to Love Packages (if you don’t know what that is, I encourage you to check them out – they are a group of three guys in Butler, Illinois doing a great work for God’s Kingdom), but it seems like God, as usual, is probably going to more than make up for it. We leave May 16th, and we don’t come back till May 30th, so I have only three weeks of Vanguard left, in terms of having classes to attend. Then it’s la cruzada, until finally, the graduation, in which I’ll be saying goodbye to a good portion of my classmates, save for those who choose to do an internship with La Fuente. But even then, they could be shipped to any one of the extensions that the church has planted. Either way, I ask that you guys would pray for me and my classmates, that we would have a confidence in the direction that God leads us as individuals, and that we would continue to follow His plan, and whatever else you feel God puts on your heart – all prayers are greatly appreciated. Being a young adult is pretty hard work on it’s own – but we are also college students and missionaries. That’s crazy.

vngrd2015-16
My classmates (more or less).

Lastly (for now), I thought I should share with you guys a couple of the things I found out about myself over the last month or so. The week before the En Vivo Conference, we had a teacher come to the school to teach about the Holy Spirit (he also taught on early church history in the mornings, which I thought was really neat), and during one of his classes, he had us prophesy over our classmates, which scared me to death, for a couple of reasons.

pastorjulioloreto
Pastor Julio Loreto

One – I am not exactly a fan of speaking in person, even with people I do know (I prefer to communicate through writing), much less having to pray for people I barely know in a prophetic manner, and the second to last thing I wanted was to sound like an incompetent mess whose vocabulary consisted mainly of what many would refer to as “catch-up words.” Two – I had been struggling with doubt concerning my ability to hear God’s voice, and the last thing I wanted was to sound like an incompetent mess with a painfully laughable vocabulary who also was obviously not hearing from God in any way. I was afraid I would be placed in front of someone and I would say something completely foolish and irrelevant, and everyone would question my “Christian abilities.” Looking back, my fears were actually pretty foolish in and of themselves, but in the moment they were petrifying. In the time it took for the teacher to explain the exercise (praying for each other blindfolded) and for the class to start praying for one another, I had mentally recited several versions of the same prayer around 6 times, begging for any one of my words to be Spiritually-inspired. It wasn’t until I was finished praying for the second person that I really felt a word tug at me. I figured it was for this second person who I had just finished praying for, and I considered just saying it, despite the fact that I had already technically finished my prayer, even though I would have felt really awkward about it. But before I could muster up enough self-encouragement, we were stopped. I felt really guilty about it, because as soon as the opportunity was lost, I was more certain than before that that person really needed to hear the word I received.
My heart sunk in response to my cowardice and indecision. “This is why You don’t talk to me, isn’t it?” I asked through the clatter of my self-esteem shattering, crumbling to new depths. I thought I knew the answer, but yet, I prayed for another opportunity to get that word to my classmate. Then, as if to prove my answer to my own question wrong, I was given a second chance. We were asked to do it again. While we got into formation and were given people to pray over, I heard my teachers make amused remarks that seemed to be directed towards me and/or my person. I pondered the possibility that perhaps He went as far as to bring my lost classmate back to me, but I put that thought aside, trying my best to focus on hearing from the Spirit. The words I wanted to say were still in my mind, and despite how much I tried calling on something else, I was running out of things to say, and it hadn’t even been a minute. So I eventually gave in and said what I had been holding for however long, and as soon as I said it, more things came to my mind, so I went ahead and said them, too. It continued like that for the next person as well. Before I could get it with the third person, however, we were called back again. And I was astonished to hear that the two people I had prayed for felt like God was using me to talk to them – on a personal level. To a greater degree, I was deeply encouraged and reassured, leading me to believe that God was using that situation to talk to me on a personal level. And for the first time in a long time, I cried in public in a room full of people I didn’t really know, and I cried tears of relief, of joy, of excitement (if that’s even a thing). I heard my Father tell me, “I never stopped trying to talk to you. I never will. And if you’re willing, I will use you to talk to others.” I just need to listen and be confident in His word. I just need to know Him, so I can distinguish His voice from every other voice I find myself hearing.
As if in response to this event, this past week we were lectured on the gifts of the Spirit (motivational gifts). And through the testing we did, I found out that my top gifts were Mercy and Prophecy. I find that pretty neat. I should probably invest in some prophet’s robes and a crystal ball or two.

Ha.

Just kidding.

 

There you have it! I’m going to work to see if I can get another one out this week, but if not, just know that in a few weeks time, you won’t have to worry about waiting so long for my updates anymore.

To those who commented – I apologise for my inability to respond sooner.

@themindful1:
The weather is great! It can be bipolar at times, but nowhere near the insanity I am familiar with in Illinois. So far, it hasn’t been too humid, so the heat has been bearable. Though I hear that won’t be the case soon… As for my Easter plans, I didn’t really do much. It was a pretty regular Sunday. One thing I did find different here, though, was the fact that everything, and I do, almost literally mean everything was closed for at least the entire week. The silence was a little eerie, considering I am used to the noise of the streets. But I guess that’s what happens in Catholic countries, where they take Easter VERY seriously. It was interesting, but also admittedly a little bit of an inconvenience, since the stores were all closed, but I was somehow able to survive, haha.

@edtexb37:
Thank you! And even more thanks for your kind words and ongoing support! I really, really, REALLY appreciate it. You and your family are always in my prayers, and I can’t wait to see you guys again! Hope all has been well with you. Big hugs to all of you!

Thank you all for the support and prayers, and please don’t forget to donate! I am getting to that point where I need to make travel arrangements for my visit back home, and with having to pay for the Vanguard mission trip, every donation is a much needed blessing! Also, if you can take some time out to leave a comment or otherwise contact me, it would do quite a bit to encourage me. Reading them always brings a smile to my face, so if you can spare some time to let me know you’ve been following along, it would make me very happy.

Hasta la próxima vez, Dios los bendiga! Los amo!