Reward for a job well done

As Gaby rounds up the team for one last picture, little do we know we're about to be baptized. Notice the before, during and after shots. Awesome job team!!!

 

 

 

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Perfection at its Finest Savanna Kemper

Phenomenal. Life changing. Eye opening. Exceptional. Loving. Thats only a few words that begin to describe this mission trip. Ask any of us how our experience was and I can guarantee you no one will have awords to describe it! No words amount, but hopefully our actions following this trip will show y'all our transformation. I couldn't have asked for a better team; these people have truly been the reason for such a memorable trip. I can't picture it with anyone else. Along with the people from Georgia, the people we met here in Mexico are also the reason for the perfection of this trip. The ONE thing I ask of everyone is to keep in touch with one another and to try as hard as they can to communicate with the Yucatecos here. I think that alone will help us persevere and maintain the growth of our faith in Christ during this trip. That would make my world y'all. :) Just know how grateful I am for each and every one of you. You are all beautiful and handsome people and never let anyone tell you differently. Anything is possible through Jesus Christ! Never forget that! I love you all to the moon and back. Thanks for making this trip everything and more. God bless!

 

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This trip has been the experience of a lifetime. When I applied for a mission trip, I was hoping to get on the Brazil team. When I got the email saying I was put on the Mexico team, i wasn't sure what to think. It was the shortest trip of the three. I attended the first meeting and instantaneously I was beyond word excited to go to Mexico. We BY FAR have the best/funnest people on our trip. It went from the first meeting to the last meeting in the snap of a finger, and before I new it, we were going through customs coming into Mexico. The first day del kind of slow to me. We explored the wild sink holes of Mexico. The next day, we started our goal of building the second story of Blas Pascal. The team worked ridiculously hard, and before we knew it, the second story was done. This trip has been life changing. I've connected with people in ways I never have before. I made new friends, got to know people better, and most importantly found brothers and sisters in Christ. God has affected me in so many ways on this trip, and I'm beyond blessed to experience something like this.

-Derek Barker 

Necesito Dormir

Today I woke up at 5:30 am. I went to bed earlier that morning at one. After doing some quick mental math, you can calculate that I slept for approximately 4 hours. That's half as much as I would like to have. After a delicious breakfast of quesadillas, we went to work. I was the concrete mixer mixer, so I threw gravel, sand, water, and concrete into a giant rotating sphere and then dumped it out. Repeatedly. When we got our fifteen minute breaks, I usually slept. By the end of the 5 hour day, I was best friends with Pero and Moses. They were awesome even though they spoke as much English as I spoke Spanish. Although I wouldn't consider this a "fun" day, it was the most joyful I have been in a while. The blisters on my toes, cuts on my hands, and concrete burns on my face didn't keep me from the contentment that Christ provided me. Some of this sounds like complaining and asking for pity, but it was awesome. Fantastic. Beautiful. We finished the second floor today, and it was worth every hour. So far this trip has definitely taught me some spiritual disciplines that I will be able to take back to the States. I have also formed some awesome friendships. But the most important part of the trip is what will be left here in Merida. The children we entertained in VBS. The buildings we constructed. And the workers we befriended using Spanglish. To be honest, I didn't have many expectations for this trip. I had no clue what to expect. However, this trip completely destroyed any expectations that I could have had. It has been phenomenal. Monumental. Even despite the lack of sleep.

Gloria a Dios,

Josh Martin

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From A Student's Perspective

Though I have never left the Southern area of the United States or even the country itself, I am enjoying  Merida far more than I originally thought i would. I thought Merida would be a confusing place covered in a language I wouldn't understand. Instead, most of the people down here speak English at a nearly fluent level and the culture is so amazing that I regret that we have to leave tomorrow. Merida in general and Mexico at large will leave a large, lasting impact on my life, my story and my relationship with God.

The stereotypical view of Mexicans being cheap workers that want to leave their country at all costs is a complete hoax. The people down here are just as normal as anyone else, though I believe they might be slightly super human. The food we have been eating is all homemade and better than any upper class restaurant I have ever eaten at before. It's been said over and over during meals that their isn't a bad meal in Merida, and it is completely true.

God has opened my eyes through the people that helped me build a second floor for Blas Pascal, and he has reinforced my faith and my subservience to him by the amazing sights I have been allowed to witness. It has been an earth shattering experience, from the bottomless sinkholes to the middle schoolers who can't wait to see the long awaited second floor on top of Blas Pascal and I honestly don't want to go home. Merida, Mexico is an awesome place to serve.

-Ben Strube

Work is completed!!!

All our hard work has paid off! Today we completed the roof to Blas Pascal so that the kids will have 4 new classrooms this fall. It was by God's strength alone that we were able to complete this task. Our strength alone would have failed long ago. I think I finally understand what my grandpa always says, "I came into this world with nothing, and I've still got most of it!"-Zane Williams

 

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Our morning song...

Each morning we were treated to a song on the bus by one of our stellar leaders Emily Stubbs...this particular time was very special as it was our last time on the way to eat breakfast and serve at Blas Pascal (and yes, you read the clock correctly in the front of the bus...6:00AM - I told you your students were amazing).