Mexico, June 30, 2009

GUEST BLOGGERS: Emily, Mary and Mike!

Just a quick note to let everyone know what a true blessing it has been to be involved with Give Me Shelter Ministries and Kenny Phillips. But you know it's not about Kenny Phillips it is about the mission that has been set on his life. We are working on a home for one family in the Columbian Colonials where people mostly are without power or running water. What little bit that we are doing for them and how appreciative they are for it, to see what and how the they live we are so blessed. But through all of the famish and despair there is Great Hope. This trip has touched my heart and through all the hard work and major heat I'm truly grateful God has put me here at this place at this time.
Mike

Well, this morning at breakfast I was sitting with about 6 kids shouting “hambre” about what seemed like 1000 times. I knew that meant hungry, so I couldn’t understand why they weren’t starting to eat. I tried in my best Spanish to communicate, but of course that didn’t work out. They just sat there for probably 10 minutes talking to each other until one stood up to say the blessing for the food. After that, I realized that as hungry as they were they waited to pray before they even touched their plates. That really spoke a lot to me and I was definitely blessed watching that happen.

It was a great start to an awesome day followed by a crazy water fight with everyone. It was just a water balloon toss, and then it turned into a water balloon fight. Since the craft today was water bottles, every little hand held a bottle filled up with water. It completely went downhill from there, but it was all worth it. I was soaked from my head down to my shoes. I could have very well been the wettest one today and also the one that took the longest to dry.

We got past the border easier today than yesterday, thank God for that! Today was for sure an experience, and I hope and pray we go back to the orphanage this week. I’m excited for the colonials tomorrow and Thursday especially the chicken place! Lights are out in 30 minutes and I am super overtired. Goodnight!
<3, Mary (G-Baby)

Hellllloooooooooo bloggers. Today was an incredible day at the orphanage. We had to stop at the border and get off again, but God was watching out FOR SURE because it didn't take long at all. thanks for all your prayers :) we arrived at the orphanage, played with the kids, and started VBS after they had finished breakfast.

My biggest blessing of the day came at breakfast. Gladys is a girl who is probably 15 years old and extremely disabled. before breakfast started, i helped mi amiga Juanita set the tables for the kids. then all the kids rushed in at the sound of the breakfast bell, and Brenda wheeled Gladys in on her wheelchair and put it in front of one of the air conditioning units. All the kids were scarfing down breakfast when i saw the look on Gladys's face- she loves to eat and noone had brought her anything! She can't really talk either, which makes it difficult. but i went to the kitchen and got a plate for Gladys and went over and just fed her breakfast....I'm not saying this for my own benefit at all- Gladys continued to show me true joy. She's sitting in front of me, just two years younger, and spends every day of her life in the heat, sitting in a wheelchair, but she has more joy than anyone i know. She may not express it verbally, but the look on her face speaks louder than words ever could. And when she reached over and grabbed my hand (which is difficult because of her condition), my heart absolutely melted. We are so blessed....im speechless beyond that point.

The rest of the day was awesome as well- we did a puppet show for the kids, they were muchhh more focused during the Bible story, and they loved making water bottles during arts & crafts. But perhaps the highlight of the day was what started as a water balloon toss. It ended up a full-fledged water war. and the kids definitely won. that occurred around 11 and my pants are still wet as I'm writing this right now. Combining water bottle crafts and water balloons on the same idea was a bad idea.

A bunch of the kids left for school at once. we took some of the food boxes over to Felipe's church, went back to the orphanage to pick up the rest of our gear & gang, and headed across the border. now im here, typing my note, while the others are showering because i stole the first shower yesterday :) Mrs. Deindi is fixing Thai food for us tonight! and Leah is joining the fellowship and sleepover :) lots of PTLs! But i better go get cleaned up for dinner and then worship. Hopefully tomorrow afternoon we'll get to go feed the homeless with Randy!
Emily