Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Wednesday Night

Well, it is wednesday evening and another day is finishing. It was Valentines day today and I got Misty some roses for her present. We also bought some chocolate bars from a lady that works at Joey and Emily's school. Misty made some labels and put them on the bars and we shared them with other DTS students in the morning. We are halfway through with the lecture phase. I don't even know how to start saying how good this has been for us to go through together. We have learned about the Father heart of God together, had amazing interactions with the other students and the guest speakers and I am so glad we were there together. It has been a good group to be in there are only 12 students in the class, so we are able to get to know each other better than if we were in a larger group. I speak from experience; the first DTS I did 11 years ago had like 30 people in it and there are some people I didn't really get to know at all, I never really had the chance. This week we have a guy from YWAM Denver talking to us about missions and giving us information about where unreached people are, and leading discussions about various questions. For example What is the gospel? What is the kingdom of God? What is salvation? Our Speakers name is Chris Failla and he reminds me and Misty of Quentin Steen a lot. Chris manages to communicate without dropping ocasional F Bombs though.

Today the power was out on the Base for all of the morning and half the afternoon while the Power was being repaired out in front of the street. It was a very interesting experience preparing lunch today. I worked Imelda our new cook and she is so good! It reminds me of a scene from the movie BIG starring Tom Hanks. Tom has wished himself to be Big so he is a little kid inside the body of an adult, he gets a job doing data entry at a toy factory and is just working away typing in data andthe guy next to him says: "hey, slow down you are going to make us look bad" I am having a good time working with Imelda. I am so blessed by here being here.

Joey and Emily had a good day at school, today they were celebrating Valentines day Joey had to bring some candy to share and Emily needed popcorn so she could have some for her movie they watched. Joey has just started the 3rd level of Kindergarten and Next fall Emily will start the 1st level, at which point we will have to decide if we take them both up the street to a different school so they can be together or have Emily at the present school-Piccolo Ninos and Joey at Colegio Americana.

Misty is really enjoying the class time, and also when she gets together with some of the other girls in the small group time. She is also enjoying watching Joey as he blossoms as a child; he is getting more verbal and talks all the time and tells stories that go on forever, he is getting taller. Misty is also so proud of Emily and how she is a nurturer, we saw this when we went to the orphanage, and when she plays with her baby dolls. It is also great to see her hair growing back.

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Gabe's House

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcfTQ6sBaCY
Here is a video of the orphange we went to on Saturday. I hope you enjoy, all of us did!

Sunday, February 04, 2007

Superbowl Sunday

Hey!
I wrote my brother an email earlier today and I was telling him how I was wanting to go to the actual Superbowl today except I don't have the tickets to the game or the time off or the money, or transportation either.

So anyhow it is Sunday morning, Misty is changing a diaper, Joey is watching the Wonder Pets on TV and I am posting. We had a really good week in DTS our speaker was a guy named Kenny Peavey and he lead worship and spent time talking about Worshipping God and connecting with Him through worship and as that happens we participate with Him in what He is doing in the world and with other people. So for me (Bill) God was putting on my heart what goes on in the kitchen and all the people I interact with while I am at work cooking there; other staff and students, people from the Rehab center that come in to work in the kitchen sometimes and even the bums who live on the beach nearby coming to the side door asking for food. It was an awesome week actually.

I have a new staff person in the kitchen for a while, her name is Marla from Portland, Oregon and she is a mission builder here for about 5 or 6 months. Marla has been a tremendous help, she handles the kitchen when I have to be gone shopping or when I am in class in the mornings. Between her, Candace, and the other students in the afternoons I have had the time to take care of my work without being in a super rush so that is more good news.

Yesterday, we did some local outreach with the DTS, we all went to an Ophanage called Gabriels House. Gabriels house is for kids that have special needs. There were a few children there with Downs syndrome and some sisters with Muscular Dystropy and just about all the kids were in wheelchairs. So we all split into two groups half of us were cleaning while the other half played with kids. They had a swing set there with special seats for the kids. We pushed them in their chairs and spent time with them. After we came home, it was dinner time and I had to do some shopping for a Missions Adventures conference that is coming up next week.

So we are excited about last week and look forward to another week to come. Another DTS speaker, the conference and also a day off from school for the kids on Monday; Constitution Day!

Thursday, February 01, 2007

Our Good Friend Caesar!


Hi gang, this is Caesar and Emily learning Spanish! Caesar is a mission builder, he helps wherever he is needed, and we need him a lot. He's a great guy and we have adopted him as our own.

Misty had an amazing encounter last Friday night, she and the other DTS students went down to the Red Light district called the Bajio's. Here is her story: When we first got there, it seemed like it was just another day downtown with not to many people. Then we put on the music and grabbed some cups of hot chocolate and bread and began to walk the block passing out a cup to whomever I saw. I didn't get far. The men and a few women came to us. I met Omar, who told me his story, he began to share with me how he killed his father and was sentenced to prison for 45 years and spent 22 in prison, and was released and then deported to Mexico. His eyes were filled with tears as he kept sharing with me about his past, he spoke of his mother and how she spent many of nights on this same street were are at making money to buy tacos for him and his brothers. He told me how he felt so guilty that he couldn't take care of his family, and how he couldn't eat the tacos his mom brought home because he knew what she did to get the money. We just listened, and listened. He ended with the amazing pain he was in right now his wisdom teeth are coming in and he has tried to go to the doctor but they can't help him. I asked if I could pray for him and he welcomed it. I felt so bad that I couldn't pull out his teeth for him, I was saddened by the lack of health care for him, I just don't know what God has in store for Omar, but I have to believe in faith that God loves Omar and wants to see him in his Kingdom so I prayed! I shared his story with everyone I could. I wanted a miracle to happen, I wanted Omar to be healed from his pain. I think God wanted him to share his story so I could share the story of how much God loved him! I was so honored and felt a bit anxious that God would choose me to pour his love onto Omar.

I went back to the van to get more hot coco. I was stopped by another man, he was smelly! Really, Really Smelly!! and not the good smell, mostly urine and vomit. He through another guy asked me what I thought about the people I've been seeing? All I could do was look at him as I began to request an answer from God, tell me what to say God, I began to pray. I said "You remind me of my brother*, you know like a friend." (*Not my biological brother MIKE:) just for the readers, I don't want Mike to think he stinks:) ) He said, through a translator, "I want the Joy you have in your eyes" I was blown away! I have Joy in my eyes, I was so humbled, all I could think was how badly he smelled, and he saw past that and wanted Jesus! WOW, I asked if I could pray for him and he accepted! I gathered a few others and we prayed, This man was weeping! he fell on to his knees and was crying out for the living GOD! HOW AWESOME!! I was amazed that God would bring these two gentlemen to me and that I could play a role in their salvation! PRAISE GOD!! Speaking of praising, my last encounter before we had to go was Sal, this guy was drunk, seriously drunk! he was trying to offer me a drink of what he had in his bag, "no thanks" I say and through a translator he tells me, I remind him of his sister that lives in San Diego, how nice I say does she know that you are drinking? no he says, she'd kill me, I tell him that it kills me too, to see him like this. He began to tear up, and said he loves his sister, over and over again. He then began to sing a song to me and with that I was scooped up and put in the van by our leaders. We had to go. I think about theses encounters a lot, and now that I got to share them with all of you I hope that you can think of them as well.

Here is some more amazing news, We as a DTS and a family have a great opportunity to build a home and will do so Feb. 24-25. The Rocha Rojo is our family, this is a single mom with two kids. Her name is Grisel, she is 22 and works in a factory. Her two girls are Ximena 2 and Itzel 5, they heard about the homes of hope through another family who received a home. We hope to meet this family this Sunday. Please be in prayer for this sweet family, and how we can share Christ's love for her, and her girls. We are excited and can't wait to give you more information as soon as we get it.