Mexico ~ Tuesday

Tuesday was another typical, warm, breezy day in Ensenada. Having this time every morning before folks get up has been great for me.  I have usually end my days with reflection, but it seems like writing this blog has force me to reflect both morning and night.  A lot to take in I guess.  I think I am finally getting used to life in the neighborhoods here.  How different it looks then mine and how the children come and go.  I have seen very few adults this week other then a few moms.  All of the dads and older children seem to be away.  I am told that we are all way ahead on the building schedule.  The actual build is the easy part for me.  I find it hard sometimes to stop and soak in everything else.  I think I am just too task oriented to justify the compulsion to stop working.  The camera helps, it has given me an outlet to want to see more of the things that are going on around me.  I literally try to just walk out around the site sometimes, and find anything to help me try and focus on the magnitude of the whole experience. The kids, the family, where I am. Something to remind me that the build is not my main focus.

I have been reading the word a lot.  Trying to understand balance.  What Jesus did versus what we are called to do.  What I mean is, we all are called to be like Jesus in mind, values and character, however I do not believe that we are all gifted in life the same way He was in life.  He had amazing gifts like compassion and discernment that we should all grow stronger in.  But on the other hand, He had physical talents too, like carpentry and public speaking skills and such. Things that we are not all going to excel in.  So I want to be sure to be the best that I can be with the gifts that I have been given, especially on this trip. I want to be like Him to everyday, not just here in Mexico.  But here, I feel like we have to make a difference.  Mile McPherson said to Doug on Sunday in reference to our team and our trip, "Pastor, you told them that they can't change Mexico right? that Mexico will change them"? What he meant was that he hoped that we were prepared for the impact that this trip could have on our lives.

I want to come home, not ready to sell everything and move to Mexico, but I want to come home with a better understanding of what the world really looks like.  I want to see the beauty of people the way Jesus does. I want to better understand life outside of the bubble of my American understanding.  I want to have my heart broken the way Jesus' heart breaks for His people.  I just want to learn how to love the world more like we should.

So with two work days left, I am reminded of 1Cor 13:1-8

blessings, dave

Published on: Jul 20, 2011

Mexico ~ Monday

One thing that I find interesting already is that I seem to be living in Eastern time zone on the West coast.  Meaning, I can't sleep a moment past 5 a.m. ( 8 a.m. there) and I am dog tired every night  by 8:30 (11:30 there). I also cant seem to ignore the fact that it is very hot but not humid at all and that it seems breezy all of the time.  I understand now why there is not a lot of need for air conditioners in homes in southern California.

My first work day was great.  We were told by our construction boss that we got more done then he has ever done in a single day with a team.  That was a great feeling.  We all arrived to an empty concrete slab with several large stacks of stuff laying all around us. After teams cutting wood all day, painting all day and framing, we ending up with what looked a lot like a small blue house.  The outside walls and roof framing are up. We even ran the electrical inside before we knocked off. So our progress was good.

On a personal side, I was amazed to see what a neighborhood looks like in Ensenada. Nothing level, landscaped or flat. The yards are very small and often unidentifiable. Crude fences sometimes separate property lines and no one has running water. In fact, the first road in the area is going in now. Most of the roads are more like dirt paths. Some of these houses do not have power. So I immediately thought, how do they wash or cook or clean. Can you imagine?  I work very hard to create a clean safe environment for my kids. Grass and nice flat surfaces to run and play safely on. New, often trendy and stylish shoes on their feet. I could not imagine my boys growing up any other way. Manuel is also a hard working up right man.  The only difference between me and him is that I was fortunate enough to be born American. He was born Mexican. a simple fact that changes everything for us.  I am sure we would love the luxuries that we have. The right to earn an honest wage and provide better for his family.

On this first day, the Dad, Manuel and their oldest son were not on the build site. I was told that he works 12 to 14 hours a day and earns about 13 U.S. dollars a day.  One thing that I could not help but notice was there joy.  Mom, Moses and their little 6 year old jumped in and helped us.  The boys seemed a little reserved at first, maybe because of the language barrier. But soon you could look there way and easily catch a smile. They were glad that we were there.  Unmistakable joy. And we were all openly gracious when they would come up to us and jump on our backs or decide to tickle us and playfully run away giggling. All very affectionate ways of connecting and bonding.

So for me day one was very relational, very productive and deeply meaningful.  A great start to a week. I am excited to see what tomorrow brings.

God bless the journey!  dave

Published on: Jul 19, 2011

Mexico ~ Saturday and Sunday

My first day of coarse was travel.  So flying from Va To San Diego and getting into our hotel was the majority of my Saturday.  We did manage to find some time to eat and walk around a great outdoor mall before bedtime.

Sunday, we visited Mile McPherson's "the Rock Church" here in San Diego. It was great! The service was great across the board. Our team even got some kind words from Miles from the pulpit.  He had remembered seeing Doug from years before and asked about us and our trip. He was very warm and genuine.  Read up about him, he was a Charger, and played Safety during the 80's.  His head of security at the church is none other then Hall of Fame wide receiver James Lofton.  Another humble and pleasant man to meet.

After a quick hour and a half trip down the pacific coast. And several tolls and check points later, we arrived safely at our destination. The impoverished but thriving town of Ensenada. Covered in rolling hills with a variety of wild dogs, broken down buildings and people scurrying about.

To our surprise and delight, shortly after checking into Yugo (the christian camp) we were invited to meet our family, the ones we would be building the house for. Despite the obvious language barrier it was clear from the look of enthusiasm mixed with uncertainty that the family was excited about us being here and more excited to know that they will finally have a home of their own.  Our hearts have begun to smile already.  Just seeing them was already been a blessing to us.

So I sit here early pacific time sharing these words with you.  Outside of my personal comfort zone, unaware of what the day truly hold for us, but totally willing to go and do whatever God asks me to do.  So I leave you with this.............1 Cor 15:58

blessings, dave

Published on: Jul 18, 2011

What are the odds?

So last night we began a study called "Why Jesus" by David Nasser.  It really did a good job helping to make Jesus (as man) much more personable and understandable. One of the things that came up in group discussion was the probabilities and purpose of the prophecies about Jesus.  There are said to be hundreds of prophecies that Jesus is said to have fulfilled.  Many of these many are still yet to come.  I wanted to share some of the information that I read years ago about the probability of one man lining up with all of those biblical prophecies.

Professor Emeritus of Science at Westmont College, Peter Stoner, has calculated the probability of one man fulfilling the major prophecies made concerning the Messiah. The estimates were worked out by twelve different classes representing some 600 university students.

The students carefully weighed all the factors, discussed each prophecy at length, and examined the various circumstances which might indicate that men had conspired together to fulfill a particular prophecy. They made their estimates conservative enough so that there was finally unanimous agreement even among the most skeptical students.

However Professor Stoner then took their estimates, and made them even more conservative. He also encouraged other skeptics or scientists to make their own estimates to see if his conclusions were more than fair. Finally, he submitted his figures for review to a committee of the American Scientific Affiliation. Upon examination, they verified that his calculations were dependable and accurate in regard to the scientific material presented (Peter Stoner, Science Speaks, Chicago: Moody Press, 1969, 4).

For example, concerning the passage in Micah 5:2 where it states the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Stoner and his students determined the average population of BETHLEHEM from the time of Micah to the present; then they divided it by the average population of the earth during the same period.

They concluded that the chance of one man being born in Bethlehem was one in 300,000, (or one in 2.8 x 10^5 - rounded),

After examining only eight different prophecies (Idem, 106), they conservatively estimated that the chance of one man fulfilling all eight prophecies was one in 10^17.

To illustrate how large the number 10^17 is (which is 1 to the 10^th power or a figure with 17 zeros), Stoner gave this illustration :

If you mark one of ten tickets, and place all the tickets in a hat, and thoroughly stir them, and then ask a blindfolded man to draw one, his chance of getting the right ticket is one in ten. Suppose that we take 10^17 silver dollars and lay them on the face of Texas. They'll cover all of the state two feet deep. Now mark one of these silver dollars and stir the whole mass thoroughly, all over the state. Blindfold a man and tell him that he can travel as far as he wishes, but he must pick up one silver dollar and say that this is the right one. What chance would he have of getting the right one? Just the same chance that the prophets would've had of writing these eight prophecies and having them all come true in any one man, from their day to the present time, providing they wrote them in their own wisdom (Idem, 106-107).

Another way of saying this is that any person who minimizes or ignores the significance of the biblical identifying signs concerning the Messiah would be foolish.

As Stoner concludes, 'Any man who rejects Christ as the Son of God is rejecting a fact, proved perhaps more absolutely than any other fact in the world (Stoner, op. cit., 112).'

well said, dave

Published on: Jul 14, 2011

How to fulfill your calling

Just some words of wisdom that I wanted to share with you from a minister named Tony McCollum on how to fulfill your calling

1. Be Willing ~ But Moses again pleaded, “Lord, please! Send anyone else.” Exodus 4:13 (NLT)

He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.“ So they did, and they caught so many fish they could not pull the net back into the boat. John 21:3-6 (NCV)

2. Humble yourself ~ The most stupid fool is better off than those who think they are wise when they are not. Proverbs 26:12 (TEV)

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." 1 Peter 5:5b (NIV)

3. Ignore your Critics ~ And don't worry too much about what the critics will say. 1 Timothy 5:23a (Msg)

We stand true to the Lord whether others honor us or despise us, whether they criticize us or commend us. 2 Corinthians 6:8a (Living)

4. Look Past your Fear ~ Fear not, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed. I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will uphold you with my victorious right hand. Isaiah 41:10 (TLB)

5. Step Out in Faith ~ And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the LORD... set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap. Joshua 3:13 (NIV)

According to your faith will it be done to you. Matthew 9:29b (NIV)

Be encouraged friends, God always has a purpose and the power the see us through!

blessings, dave

Published on: Jul 12, 2011