Hello again everyone! I know I promised more pictures this week, but we went to a different internet cafe this week that is not as fast as the other, so they will have to wait until I get back. :)
I have exactly one week left here in Zacatecas, and I am both happy and sad. I am happy because I miss home and everyone there, along with many of my American comforts (selfishly), but there is another part of me that is so touched by the generosity and warmth of the people here, as well as the amazing views everywhere I turn. This truely has been the trip of a lifetime. God has shown me that I can do things through him that I could never have done on my own. When I have been homesick, he has been the one there comforting me. When I have been asked to speak in front of people (something I am terrified of) he has given me peace and courage to do what he has asked. He has also given me the boldness to share things about myself that I though were shameful and embarrassing and used them to change other people's lives. I will be forever grateful to my parents for financing this trip, to Steve for his love and support, and to the Lord for making the opportunity possible. Thanks!
Okay, so on to the happening of this past week! This week has flown by!! I really don't know where the time has gone. Monday during the day, Rocio, Johana, and I had some girl time. We went down to the river and admired God's amazing creation. It was breathtaking! That evening, we headed to Guadalupe Victoria like usual. We had our service for the kids - we sang some songs, Johana told the story of Daniel and the Lion's den, and we played a little volleyball. I think the children in Guadalupe Victoria put the biggest smile on my face of any of the other villages. When the van pulls into town, the kids go running toward the volleyball court. They are always so excited to see us!
Tuesday, we headed to a new rancho called San Antonio (no, not Texas! Ha!). While we were there, I had the opportunity to spend some time with a widow there and tell her some of the things God has done in my life and why having a daily devotional is so important. It was really good. When we left, her spirits seemed to be lifted, so that made me happy to see. That evening, the ladies had their Bible Study and the men had theirs. We discussed the life of Queen Ester. I just love that story! - (Shelley, when we went over it, I thought of you as Queen Ester in the Family Theater! Haha!) It was a very lively discussion and the women were talking and asking a lot of questions. It was great to see them so excited!
Wednesday, we had a time of prayer and fasting for the people of Palmas Altas and the surrounding villages. It really lifted me up as well having some uninterrupted time with the Lord. That afternoon, we headed to a new Rancho, Monte de las Garcia and also back to Villa Hermosa. We stopped at a store in Monte and chatted with some people for a while, sang some songs and shared the Gospel. Afterwards, we handed each child a bag with a toy, snack, pens, pencils, notebook, paper, and a ruler. They were so pleased! Then, we headed to Villa Hermosa is one of the poorest ranchos around - to give you an idea of what it is like, 99% of the people living there have no bathrooms (not even an outhouse) and they will use the water they washed their dirty laundry in to bathe in. It is really sad. There weren't that many people in town, because on our way in, everyone else was heading out on their way to a funeral, but there were about 9 kids who came to our little service. Again, we sang some songs, did the story of Shadrack, Meshack, and Abendego, and then we had another the opportunity to give away some school supplies. :) They were just as exicted! After the service, Johana, Ben, and I got to ride a horse! It was gorgeous! We were joking that it was from the US because it was blonde, and it turns out it really was! The man didn't name it, so at first I decided to name it Barbie, but then I was told it was a boy, so its new name is Ken! :) You all know my sense of humor - I thought it was hilarious!
Thursday was another busy day! The men headed out to the field to help Angel sew oats (I won't even go into the joke there, haha!), while us women did some chores around the house. We did some laundry, cleaningm and cooking and then headed to a new rancho, Santa Rosa, to ask permission to have a Tae Kwon Do demonstration when the other group comes in August. We flew back to Palmas, ate dinner, and headed back to Guadalupe for our second service of the week. We were a little late, but the kids were there waiting for us to arrive! :) After the mini service, we went to one of the local homes for a Bible study.
Today is Friday and I am in Jerez for the day! I hope that you all are having a great week and I will talk to you soon!
Dios te Bendiga,
Katalina!
Friday, July 18, 2008
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Photos! - More to come next week!!
Gorgegous plaza in Zacatecas!
Statue of Pancho Villa in Zacartecas city
Amazing huh?
Same view!
The beautiful view from the Mountain
Me and a Manzania tree - it's really cool looking!
Karla and I on our hike
Josh, Kyle, Karla, Me, Shalom, Diana and Nehemias on the way to Guadalupe Victoria
Week 3 - July 12, 2008
Hello again! This week has been just crazy, so I will get started and tell you all about it!
Monday, we started the baseball camp! It was a blast. On the first day, we talked about the rules of baseball and the proper technique for catching and throwing. The kids were very attentive and really wanted to learn, so it was really encouraging to me!
Another group from the US was supposed to make it in Monday evening, but they had some problems getting down here, and didn't make it until Tuesday night. Ben and I were a little worried about Tuesday for the camp because they had all the equipment and we wanted to do a defense lesson the next day. God is so good! He worked everything out perfectly! Before we went on Tuesday morning, I was praying and I asked God for some encouragement. I was reading in my Message Bible, and the first thing I opened to was Luke 9, where god told me "You don't need equipment. Keep it simple; you are the equipment!" Those were the exact words, and once I read that I knew everything was going to be okay - Tuesday was one of the best days of the week! We did infield defense and the kids loved it!
Wednesday we worked on offense. I had the kids practice the correct way to swing and then we did some drills. It was awesome!! It was also really nice to have the other group there with us. That afternoon, we went around Palmas Altas inviting people to a service we were having at 5 on the volleyball court. While they were having the service, the other group and I got everything ready for the "thank you banquet" for our host family. We had steak enchiladas and rice - a Mexcan American feast!
Thursday, we finished up with camp. We were done with lesson, so we split the kids into two teams and played a scrimmage. It was a blast! Afterwards, each kid got a glove and a bat as a gift, as well as some other prizes. It was so cool to see their faces light up! 3 kids even got sets of catcher's gear! What a blessing! That evening, we did a service on the volleyball court in Guadalupe Victoria.
Friday, we went to Zacatecas again!! I love that city! A little history for you - it is a colonial city that was built in the 1500's and the architecture is amazing! It is also the second highest city in Mexico at 8545 feet above sea level!! Awesome, huh? We did some shopping and took a tour bus around the city. Afterwards, we ate at an awesome buffet! It was delicioso!
So, there is a little about my week! It has been a busy one, but I wouldn't have missed it for anything! I look forward to hearing from you soon!
Dios te bendiga,
Katalina
Monday, we started the baseball camp! It was a blast. On the first day, we talked about the rules of baseball and the proper technique for catching and throwing. The kids were very attentive and really wanted to learn, so it was really encouraging to me!
Another group from the US was supposed to make it in Monday evening, but they had some problems getting down here, and didn't make it until Tuesday night. Ben and I were a little worried about Tuesday for the camp because they had all the equipment and we wanted to do a defense lesson the next day. God is so good! He worked everything out perfectly! Before we went on Tuesday morning, I was praying and I asked God for some encouragement. I was reading in my Message Bible, and the first thing I opened to was Luke 9, where god told me "You don't need equipment. Keep it simple; you are the equipment!" Those were the exact words, and once I read that I knew everything was going to be okay - Tuesday was one of the best days of the week! We did infield defense and the kids loved it!
Wednesday we worked on offense. I had the kids practice the correct way to swing and then we did some drills. It was awesome!! It was also really nice to have the other group there with us. That afternoon, we went around Palmas Altas inviting people to a service we were having at 5 on the volleyball court. While they were having the service, the other group and I got everything ready for the "thank you banquet" for our host family. We had steak enchiladas and rice - a Mexcan American feast!
Thursday, we finished up with camp. We were done with lesson, so we split the kids into two teams and played a scrimmage. It was a blast! Afterwards, each kid got a glove and a bat as a gift, as well as some other prizes. It was so cool to see their faces light up! 3 kids even got sets of catcher's gear! What a blessing! That evening, we did a service on the volleyball court in Guadalupe Victoria.
Friday, we went to Zacatecas again!! I love that city! A little history for you - it is a colonial city that was built in the 1500's and the architecture is amazing! It is also the second highest city in Mexico at 8545 feet above sea level!! Awesome, huh? We did some shopping and took a tour bus around the city. Afterwards, we ate at an awesome buffet! It was delicioso!
So, there is a little about my week! It has been a busy one, but I wouldn't have missed it for anything! I look forward to hearing from you soon!
Dios te bendiga,
Katalina
Friday, July 4, 2008
Week 2 - July 4, 2008
Hola from Jerez again! :) Happy 4th of July to you all! I'm sad I can't be there to celebrate with you, but I have having a good time here. Although I didn't get to celebrate one of my favorite holidays, we did have two parties in a row here. I will get to that a little later!
Okay, so this week has been much more restful than the last. It has been nice to lay low and spend some time reading and just enjoying being in such a beautitul place.
I think the last time I updated, it was Monday, so I will start with Tuesday. Ever since I last updated, it has rained everyday, so thank you for the prayers for rain! It rained Tuesday, most of the day, but we needed it! That evening we had a birthday party for Ben's son, Nehemiah. He turned one and is just about the cutest thing ever! We had a big party and a lot of people from the rancho came. Ben barbequed chicken and we had a really good cake. It was really good.
Wednesday, Ben , Diana, the kids, and I went to one of the poorest ranchos around, Villa Hermosa. In Palmas Altas, almost (if not all) the houses have indoor plumbing with showers. In Villa Hermosa, they don't even have outhouses! We went and visited on of Ben's friends houses, Daniel, but he wasn't there, so we stayed for a little bit and talked to his family. Afterwards, we went to another house. Ben met them last time he was here and they are one of the wealthiest families in the village. We had lunch there (she is an amazing cook!!) and then headed back to Palmas.
Thursday was a little bit busier. We headed back to Guadalupe Victoria to spend some more time with the kids. We sang songs, played Volleyball, and Diana shared another Bible Story with the children. It is always a lot of fun there. Then, we headed back to get ready for the second party of the week! Jose Angel's middle school graduation was that evening and it was really cool! There were a bunch of dance routines done by kids of all ages. They didn't get to have the ceremony part, because of rain, but it was still fun anyway.
Today is Friday, and we are in Jerez to get a few things done. I am making a flyer for the Baseball camp I am leading next week and Ben is preparing his lessons for after the camp. I think it is going to be a lot of fun!
Although I am having a good time, I sure do miss you guys! Hope all is well and I will update again soon! Love you!
Katalina
Okay, so this week has been much more restful than the last. It has been nice to lay low and spend some time reading and just enjoying being in such a beautitul place.
I think the last time I updated, it was Monday, so I will start with Tuesday. Ever since I last updated, it has rained everyday, so thank you for the prayers for rain! It rained Tuesday, most of the day, but we needed it! That evening we had a birthday party for Ben's son, Nehemiah. He turned one and is just about the cutest thing ever! We had a big party and a lot of people from the rancho came. Ben barbequed chicken and we had a really good cake. It was really good.
Wednesday, Ben , Diana, the kids, and I went to one of the poorest ranchos around, Villa Hermosa. In Palmas Altas, almost (if not all) the houses have indoor plumbing with showers. In Villa Hermosa, they don't even have outhouses! We went and visited on of Ben's friends houses, Daniel, but he wasn't there, so we stayed for a little bit and talked to his family. Afterwards, we went to another house. Ben met them last time he was here and they are one of the wealthiest families in the village. We had lunch there (she is an amazing cook!!) and then headed back to Palmas.
Thursday was a little bit busier. We headed back to Guadalupe Victoria to spend some more time with the kids. We sang songs, played Volleyball, and Diana shared another Bible Story with the children. It is always a lot of fun there. Then, we headed back to get ready for the second party of the week! Jose Angel's middle school graduation was that evening and it was really cool! There were a bunch of dance routines done by kids of all ages. They didn't get to have the ceremony part, because of rain, but it was still fun anyway.
Today is Friday, and we are in Jerez to get a few things done. I am making a flyer for the Baseball camp I am leading next week and Ben is preparing his lessons for after the camp. I think it is going to be a lot of fun!
Although I am having a good time, I sure do miss you guys! Hope all is well and I will update again soon! Love you!
Katalina
Monday, June 30, 2008
June 30, 2008 - week 1
Hola familia y amigos! This is my first update from the beautiful city of Jerez, Zacatecas! I arrived on late Wednesday night and it has been going by so fast already! Thursday was my first day here and I got to check out the village I am staying in a little bit. It is called Palmas Altas. You can see the Sierra de los Cardos mountains all around and it is beautiful! I am staying with another missionary family, The Elliots, at a host home in Palmas Altas. The host family is very humble and gracious. The father, Angel, works in an orchard near the village (the call the villages rachos). The mother Angelina, is a great cook and is very, very nice. She is always trying to make sure I am comfortable. They have two kids, Rocio and Jose Angel. They are both very shy, but always have a smile on their faces! The Elliots have also been very welcoming! Ben and Diana have two children, Nehemiah and Shalom. There are a lot of people staying in the house, so there is usually no time to be bored! When I arrived, there was also another missionary group down here. Kyle and Josh are from Wildcard Ministries and attend Okaloma State University. They came with a friend from Acuña (a city on the border) named Karla. They were so much fun while they were here! They left today, but they made the transition for me much easier. Karla and I had a lot of fun working on our second languages; she is an English teacher in Acuña. Although we only spent 4 and a half days together, I feel like I know her much better than that and I think that we will be friends long after the trip.
Okay, so what have I been up to the past 5 days? Thursday we went to a village called Guadalupe Victoria. It is gorgeous! It is at a higher elevation than Palmas Altas, so the mountains look even more gorgeous than before! We played volleyball with some of the children the village and then sang some songs together, did a drama, and listened to Diana tell the kids a Bible story. Later on, we went to a man's house, named Marcos, and talked and sang with him. Ben shared the Gospel with him and his daughter and they seemed real receptive. They asked us to come back this week again. The people here are so friendly and so receptive to us. It is nice to be in a place like that.
Friday we went to the city of Jerez to look around. Ben needed some guitar string, and while we were looking for a music store, we got to look around the city a little. The markets that have the fresh fruit and vegetables out smell delicious, except when they are right by a meat stand! Ha! The rest of the day, we just hung out and I prepared what I was going to talk about that night. We played volleyball in Palmas Altas with some of the youth (the game got pretty intense near the end!), and Kyle and Josh and Karla played some songs while the men played a few games. Afterwards, I talked to some of the people who stayed to listen. I shared with them some of the things God has done in my life. Although I hate public speaking, I know that these people are really interested in the things we have to share with them.
On Saturday, I climed a mountain!! Part of our group went hiking in the mountains. It was amazing! I can't wait to post pictures when I get back! The view was amazing!
Sunday, we had two church services, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Josh taught at the first one and Kyle at the second. Both of their messages were really inspirational to me. Just to see the passion they have for the Lord is encouraging! Ben and Karla took turns with the music, and that even touched me! It was a great day!
Sunday was a great day, but I was dreading today. Kyle, Josh, and Karla left today. It is sad for me because I have gotten so close to them, but today hasn't been as bad as I thought it would. We got to spend the morning in Zacatecas. We did some shopping and ate there too. The architecture in the city is amazing! After we took them to the bus station, Ben, Diana, the kids, and I had some errands to run in Jerez. We got some things for Nemi's 1st birthday on Wednesday and had dinner at a pizzeria! It was really good!
God is doing some great things here in Zacatecas and the surrounding areas. This is going to be a pretty full week, but I should be able to update again on Saturday! Here are a few prayer requests:
-RAIN!! The orchards really need rain right now. They will not have a successful crop if it stays as dry as it is.
-Safety as we travel each day
-That I would continue to improve my Spanish so that I can use it for the glory of God!
I love you all and miss you very much! Thank you so much for your support! I could not do this without you!
Dios te bendiga,
(God bless)
Katalina
Okay, so what have I been up to the past 5 days? Thursday we went to a village called Guadalupe Victoria. It is gorgeous! It is at a higher elevation than Palmas Altas, so the mountains look even more gorgeous than before! We played volleyball with some of the children the village and then sang some songs together, did a drama, and listened to Diana tell the kids a Bible story. Later on, we went to a man's house, named Marcos, and talked and sang with him. Ben shared the Gospel with him and his daughter and they seemed real receptive. They asked us to come back this week again. The people here are so friendly and so receptive to us. It is nice to be in a place like that.
Friday we went to the city of Jerez to look around. Ben needed some guitar string, and while we were looking for a music store, we got to look around the city a little. The markets that have the fresh fruit and vegetables out smell delicious, except when they are right by a meat stand! Ha! The rest of the day, we just hung out and I prepared what I was going to talk about that night. We played volleyball in Palmas Altas with some of the youth (the game got pretty intense near the end!), and Kyle and Josh and Karla played some songs while the men played a few games. Afterwards, I talked to some of the people who stayed to listen. I shared with them some of the things God has done in my life. Although I hate public speaking, I know that these people are really interested in the things we have to share with them.
On Saturday, I climed a mountain!! Part of our group went hiking in the mountains. It was amazing! I can't wait to post pictures when I get back! The view was amazing!
Sunday, we had two church services, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Josh taught at the first one and Kyle at the second. Both of their messages were really inspirational to me. Just to see the passion they have for the Lord is encouraging! Ben and Karla took turns with the music, and that even touched me! It was a great day!
Sunday was a great day, but I was dreading today. Kyle, Josh, and Karla left today. It is sad for me because I have gotten so close to them, but today hasn't been as bad as I thought it would. We got to spend the morning in Zacatecas. We did some shopping and ate there too. The architecture in the city is amazing! After we took them to the bus station, Ben, Diana, the kids, and I had some errands to run in Jerez. We got some things for Nemi's 1st birthday on Wednesday and had dinner at a pizzeria! It was really good!
God is doing some great things here in Zacatecas and the surrounding areas. This is going to be a pretty full week, but I should be able to update again on Saturday! Here are a few prayer requests:
-RAIN!! The orchards really need rain right now. They will not have a successful crop if it stays as dry as it is.
-Safety as we travel each day
-That I would continue to improve my Spanish so that I can use it for the glory of God!
I love you all and miss you very much! Thank you so much for your support! I could not do this without you!
Dios te bendiga,
(God bless)
Katalina
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Leaving on a jet plane . . .
Hello friends! Tomorrow, bright and early, I will be headed to Mexico! I am exicted, but those nerves are starting to creep up on me again. I think it is mostly because I have no idea what to expect . . . I know the basics, but I cannot seem to get a clear picture in my mind of what the village will look like. For those of you who don't know, I will be in the village of Palmas Altas, near the city of Jerez. Here is a link that will show you where Jerez is located - Palmas Altas was too small to be on the map. :) http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl
I think I have pretty much everything packed - I even managed to fit it all in one suitcase, and for those of you who know how I usually pack, this is the first miracle I have witnessed in relation to my trip! :) I'm sure there will be many more to come! I have been working on making lesson for the baseball camp I am in charge of, so if you have any ideas, please let me know! I have't played in forever, but I am really excited to teach these kids what I learned for ten years straight! I am also in charge of activities with the youth on Friday nights, so suggestions for that would be appreciated as well! I think for the first Friday, I am going to share a little about my life and how different it was before I came to know the Lord. Please be praying that they will be receptive to what I have to say and that they will begin to open up as well.
I will arrive in Zacatecas around 9:00 pm tomorrow, so please also be praying for safe travel. I think we will be going to Jerez on Saturday, so hopefully I will get the chance to update you all on what is going on!
Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers! I look forward to seeing some comments next time I am on. ;) Love you all!!
I think I have pretty much everything packed - I even managed to fit it all in one suitcase, and for those of you who know how I usually pack, this is the first miracle I have witnessed in relation to my trip! :) I'm sure there will be many more to come! I have been working on making lesson for the baseball camp I am in charge of, so if you have any ideas, please let me know! I have't played in forever, but I am really excited to teach these kids what I learned for ten years straight! I am also in charge of activities with the youth on Friday nights, so suggestions for that would be appreciated as well! I think for the first Friday, I am going to share a little about my life and how different it was before I came to know the Lord. Please be praying that they will be receptive to what I have to say and that they will begin to open up as well.
I will arrive in Zacatecas around 9:00 pm tomorrow, so please also be praying for safe travel. I think we will be going to Jerez on Saturday, so hopefully I will get the chance to update you all on what is going on!
Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers! I look forward to seeing some comments next time I am on. ;) Love you all!!
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Introduction to my blog and prayer requests :)
Hola familia y amigos! I am getting ready to start my Mexican adventure! I leave for Zacatecas Wednesday June 25, 2008. AlthoughI am really excited that I get to spend my summer serving the Lord and the community of Zacatecas, I am also a little nervous. Please be praying that God continues to remind me that "he does not call the equipped, but equips the called". I know in my heart and soul that there is no place else I should be this summer than Zacatecas, so please pray that God will use me in ways I never thought possible and that he would give me the courage to continually step out of my comfort zone in order to accomplish His will. Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers!
In Him,
Kathleen
In Him,
Kathleen
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