The Trip So Far

Well, I am seated on the couch at my brother's house in Indiana as I write this blog. Josiah and I were sent off by the entire Zaragoza family, Victor and the remaining 16 kids, on Friday at the Mexico City International Airport. My stomach was in a permanent state of butterflies as I dreaded leaving the kids, yet couldn't wait to have 10 days in the U.S. staying with my parents, visiting supporters and having the opportunity to be at my home church.

Josiah LOVED flying (he flew at age 2, but doesn't remember that)! It was a very unusual experience to have only one child to look after. We enjoyed the time on the plane reading, playing a card game and watching a movie.

Josiah and I on the plane.

Saturday was a full and very blessed day. The morning started out with my meeting with the Friends of Fishers of Men group. This is a group of people from the Toledo, OH area who meet quarterly in order to bring themselves up-to-date on the latest happenings of Fishers of Men, as well as to brainstorm ideas to help promote and support the ministry of Fishers of Men stateside.

Saturday afternoon consisted of a meeting with the Fishers of Men Board of Directors. It was so refreshing to be able to be with several of the board members in person, rather than through video conferencing on the internet. We still had two board members from Indiana and one from Iowa on the OoVoo video conference, but at least we didn't have to worry about a third connection to Mexico! I thank the Lord for each of our board members who seek to help guide and encourage the ministry in accordance with God's Word. Thank you!

Saturday evening and Sunday morning I had the incredible honor to preach at the three weekend services at my home church! I am so thankful to the Lord for not ever calling my parents to another congregation, and to my parents for never moving themselves to another congregation. They have pastored my home church for 36 years. There is an incredible richness that I experienced by being able to go back to my home church and see people that have known me since the day I was born and having the incredibly humbling opportunity to preach for people who were my Sunday School teachers and youth leaders. A tree, in order to grow tall, must have deep roots. It is so refreshing to have such deep roots to enjoy and reexplore!

Josiah and I at the Fishers of Men display table at my home church.

Sunday afternoon we headed out to Indiana to visit my brother, Dan, sister-in-law, Teri, and their two children, Casey and Sienna, for two days. I had never met my nearly two year old niece, Sienna, so I am enjoying time with them. The kids don't know me well at all, so I am actually quite quiet, enjoying the surroundings, the totally different environment and the dear people around me.

Uncle Dan and Josiah fishing. Josiah is catching his first fish!

I feel like I may be having some culture shock today. The first three days, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, were so busy there wasn't much time to think or let things soak in. However, since I have gotten to my brother's place there are so many things that are reminders of how different our lives are...and the many differences between both countries.

When people go on mission trips they talk a lot about how God has called them to get out of their comfort zone. I didn't expect it, but being in the U.S., to some extent, is now out of my comfort zone! How weird! I am more comfortable at Refuge Ranch, with 17 kids running around me, the dirt blowing in and out of the house, eating in a warehouse, etc. The silliest things grab my attention...after eating at Grandpa and Grandma's house Josiah promptly wiped all of his crumbs onto the floor. He needed to be taught that we were eating in a real kitchen and that crumbs stay on the table, until you wipe them off with a cloth. Although I try to not let the kids sweep their crumbs off the table at Refuge Ranch, even though we eat in a warehouse with cement floors, they are obviously doing so! Oops!

Josiah's new found fascination is mailboxes! We do have mail in Mexico, but it is very rarely used. If we ever do get mail (usually just the phone bill once a month), the mailman comes out to Refuge Ranch on a motorcycle and honks until we go out, pick up the mail and tip him about a dollar. So, on the drive from the airport to Grandpa and Grandma's house he started asking questions about the mailboxes and, since then, has observed as to if there are mailboxes on one or both side of the streets, if the flags are up or down, and the various colors, shapes and sizes.

Our mailman in Mexico.

We are fully enjoying our time here, readjusting, observing, living, loving, and learning, while missing Refuge Ranch and, at the same time, feeling like we are on a whole different planet! I so praise the Lord that He is with us everywhere, at all times, and never changes!

Please continue to pray for our remaining time here! Tomorrow evening, Tuesday, we are holding an informal gathering at Mark and Corrine Sattler's house, our Fishers of Men Board of Director's President, in order to provide an opportunity for new individuals to learn about the ministry in an informal setting. Please pray that this meeting would be well attended and that the Lord would move hearts to support Fishers of Men regularly. We have discovered that it takes about $365 dollars to run Refuge Ranch for a day. This includes all expenses: staff salaries, food (28 people sit around our table three times a day), homeschool books and materials, water (we purchase water from a water truck), electricity, telephone, propane gas, gas for our vehicles, as well as vehicle repairs, medical expenses, etc. The total income for Fishers of Men this past week was $325! I truly praise the Lord because He is always faithful and has never let us go..and He never will! However, I do ask your prayers that the Lord would use this trip to encourage more people to become a part of all that He is doing in and through Fishers of Men!

Thank you so much for your prayers!