Mexico + March 2011

March 29, 2011

March’s recap is a guest post by Brian Adams a first time volunteer. Each month Love Walks looks for volunteers to share their experience in Mexico. Are you interested in posting next time? Contact us at info@lovewalks.org

I was asked to write the blog for the March Mexico trip. Why? I’m not sure. I wrote a little something for another blog about the trip (I know, I’m kind of a big deal) so I will try to come up with something new and exciting for you all to read! I will try to change the way you view possessions, poverty, and money. I will throw numbers your way showing how much money we all waste and how we could save 1 life if we just gave $2 everyday. I’m going to make you feel guilty and depressed and how poorly you spend what God has let you borrow. Aren’t you excited to read this?!

Just kidding, I’m not going to do that. A lot of people already do that. Yes, we are bad at spending money. Yes, the part of Mexico we went to was in a state of poverty I didn’t really think existed and it’s only a few hours away. The weird part, though, is that I never felt guilty when we were down there. I didn’t think about all the money I wasted on stupid stuff and then vow to never eat fast food again and instead give that money to the poor. I didn’t look at my clothes and realize how much money I wasted on them. For some reason, the guilt of how I spent my money didn’t come across my heart strings once.

If I had to say, I would say that the power of God was what I noticed most. I saw people with nothing, literally nothing, so happy. To me, that shows God’s power. The fact that He can reach down into someone’s life and take them out of the pain and sorrow that life gives them. He doesn’t leave a place. He doesn’t forget His children. He knows the pain of extreme poverty and suffering. They can relate to Him in a way I will never be able to because of how desperate they are. I don’t “need” God the same way they do. I need Him for wisdom and help in deciding who I am going to marry. They need Him for those things but they also need Him for food and shelter. They literally need to rely on Him for every aspect of life while I only really need Him for some things. I think I’m jealous.

I don’t have specific story to tell or an experience that I will remember forever. I just have a general feeling when I think about that trip and that feeling is joy. I saw how God will continue to rescue His children on a daily basis and give them what they need to survive. It makes me realize that He will do the same for me. He will give me whatever I need to survive, whether physical or spiritual. He is my Father who loves me dearly and will never leave. He is always walking beside me and carrying me when I can’t walk any longer.

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Mexico + February 2011

1
February 16, 2011

A picture story from February’s Love Walks Mexico Trip

In a port town in Mexico a group of people came to serve,

sharing the love of Jesus that all may claim to have heard.

Starting in the morning the group served many kids, with games and lessons and sandwiches being fed.

Of course the volunteers needed food, so tacos they ate,
you can see this below in the picture of (Australian accent) our mate.

We ate our food, our coke we drank,
then we were off to pack up bags at the food bank.

Each bag we packed had veggies, rice and beans, it had tortillas and tuna too!
With it came our love, and the message of grace too and hope through Jesus (who gave life to me and you)














We love all of our friends in Mexico, and their pets too. Each trip we celebrate with those of old, and we meet some new ones too!

After hour of distributing food, meeting families, and spending time in prayer,
we head to the fiesta, and with those we love it’s a celebration we share!

The Reyes family playes tunes, the kids kick the ball,
the ladies go off and chat, and a few grill food for them all.

The fiesta is a time of joy, just check out the smile of the above boy,
And music is a time of praise, thanking Jesus for all of our days!

Much like a family reunion, each month the party goes on,
always to be anticipated from the moment we’re gone.

And as much as the fiesta is about food and play,
there is always time for an encouraging word, and an opportunity to pray.

After we eat, the dancing get’s moving,
both Americans and Mexicans can be seen groovin’!

If you don’t believe that Love Walks servants can dance,
feast your eyes on the sprinkler by the one and only Can-dance

Sunday morning we attend church at Family of God,
then head to the pier to give the tacos a nod.

Another great trip, another great team,
will you be there in March…really you should, at least that’s how it seems.

Thanks to all our volunteers, and their heart to serve all their days,
Lord may you smile, and see it as praise!

P.S. It wouldn’t be a Mexico trip without a car getting stuck,
this beauty belongs to Bryan…next time we need a truck ;)

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Your Voice + Lindsey Holmquist

February 16, 2011

After heading down to Mexico for almost three years now, I am faced with an entirely different perspective than that which I had on my first trips. To me now many things are known, understood, and fact, but I have discovered that there will always be the random uncertainties (aka God’s plans) during each trip. It’s these factors that seem to demonstrate God’s love and His plans for us while in Mexico.

One of my favorite parts during our trips to Mexico has always been food distribution. I think its because it is something that completely takes me out of my comfort zone. In the past, even less than a year ago, our food distribution looked something like this:

Love Walks: Hola! Como estas? (Hello, how are you?)

Family/Individual: Hola, bien, y tu? (Hi, good, you?)

Love Walks: Bien, gracias. Quieres comida? (Good, thank you. Do you want food?)

Family/Individual: Oh, si, si, gracias! (Oh yes, thank you!)

Love Walks: Dios le bediga! (God bless you!)

There was no real connection, and we didn’t know how to make the connection either. There were good conversations that were had, and relationships that were built, but they were few and far between. It wasn’t until last May that we began to pray with the families using the few Spanish speakers that we had on each trip. Since then, our approach to food distribution has changed, and we have recently started to create relationships.

In February, we had the opportunity to experience growth in our relationships with the people of Puerto Penasco. During food distribution on the December trip we had met a couple, Ismael and Lorena, who had started their own apostolic church with the assistance of a church in Phoenix. This month we had a chance to sit down and talk to the wife, as the husband was out of town. We learned much more about their vision, as well as what their lives look like on a regular basis.

We also spoke with a woman named Carmen. We had met her husband in September, and her in November and had shared the Word with her then. We didn’t get to talk with her as long this time, but she insisted we remember her name for next time, and also requested a larger print Bible as the one we had given her was hard for her to read. The last couple we talked with was Vicente and Evelina. Aaron, one of our translators, had actually built a relationship with this couple over summer, but hadn’t seen them much since. Their story is an awesome one, but too long to share here. Evelina is pregnant and due at the end of this month, so next month we are looking forward to meeting their baby.

We also met some new people this month and had a chance to talk with them, and we hope to be able to talk with them next month as well. Through all of these relationships, I know God is working and that He has a plan. I’m not completely sure what His plans are, but I know He is using us through all of these opportunities. Even if we just impact a few people over one weekend, they can then impact many people in Puerto Penasco over time while we are not there. I know God is always moving and that whatever He does, big or small, it will be awesome. I’m excited to see where God takes the relationships we’ve started, and watch as the opportunities that He has given us unfold.

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Love Walk Up North + Another Perspective

February 8, 2011

By Kathi Gable

I’ve been thinking a lot about how I trust God. Do I do this well? Do I trust that He will answer my prayers? Do i trust that he is always with me? Do i trust that He loves and cares about me? do i trust that He will provide? Am i in tuned with the Holy Spirit? Or do I give him lip service and go my own way?

Jan 21 has been on the Love Walks schedule for some months, as our January trip. Since we have a trip every month, its generally posted on the website well in advance. I had it on my calendar and had rearranged my work schedule to be able to go. Each ministry is posted; kids, food distribution, construction, Fiesta. Shortly before each trip, the month’s devotions are posted, contact is made with our friends in Mexico, supplies are purchased.

This month was quite the same. Until….. Some information was made available to us and some strong prodding came from the Spirit. Through much prayer and discernment, it was decided that the January LW Mexico crew would not be going to Mexico. This was not a decision made lightly or as a result of fear. But in humility, obedience and surrender. We packed up the cars and drove North instead of South. We spent the weekend in submission to the Holy Spirit, in continual prayer Saturday from 6am till 6pm. There were sign-ups in 30-60 minute increments but this schedule did not last. The prayer room (ok, actually it was a shed) was filled with 3-5 people continually, no one staying less than an hour at a time. We were committed to pray for our neighbors; the people who live in Puerto Penasco; our brothers and sisters who deal with poverty and drug cartels, and the far reaching affects of those things. We prayed by name for those we know, and we prayed for those whose names we don’t know, including the people involved in the violence of gangs and drugs; we prayed for the government, and we prayed for LW and the other Americans who have ministries in mexico. After that we had a time of fellowship, Scripture study, worship, and communion.

Its funny, i prayed for a week prior that the weekend in Mexico would be Holy Spirit led. How little my faith proved to be when i was SO amazed at how God answered specifically; how He worked in each of us through the Holy Spirit.

I was blessed beyond measure to have been able to have these folks at my house. It was a blessing to me, a blessing to my husband, and a blessing to my church (we doubled the population of the church on Sunday!) I am excited to see how God continues to use LW and to see the way our hearts have changed as a result of having the privilege of spending this concentrated time with Him.

Scripture says we are not to be fearful. I believe that. It says too, that Satan prowls around like a hungry lion waiting to devour. Only through a close relationship with Christ are we even able to hear and discern His word apart from Satan’s schemes. It was not fear that kept us from Mexico this weekend – but we also would not be defiant in forging through with “our” ministry and “our” agenda when we heard His leading. I think that throughout our lives, sometimes we hear but don’t listen. Sometimes we listen but don’t heed. God’s ways don’t always make sense to us, nor do his plans always seem to fit ours. I don’t want to have an agenda and ask God to come along. Its way better to follow Him.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,
declares the LORD.
As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Isaiah 55:8-9

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