Bill Grimalauskso-Home from Mexico

We have already been back from Mexico for 17 days. It is amazing to me to see how time flies, and how we go on with our lives with water, with food, with friends, in a country where even though in a recession is bountiful and abundant with all of our everyday supplies/needs/wants/desires.

I can’t imagine having to go to a water store every day to get something safe to drink, but while we were in Puerto Penasco we did. We typically got 20 gallons of water and 60lbs of ice. It cost us 130 pesos or $13. Do you know that most people in Mexico are making $3 per day.

Do you know the last family that we went to their house to build on an addition hadn’t had water for 7 days. There is suppose to be a water truck that comes around and fills up everything that they can find to put safe water in, but it hadn’t been there. They had babies, and children, and women with no water, and a father who felt helpless because he wasn’t able to provide what we all take for granted….. Yeah water!

The last day we were in Mexico we cooked all of our extra food for a group of people at the church and they were starving. I will never again say “I’m starving” when I am hungry, I will teach my children what it means to be truly starving and help them to appreciate like I now do what it means to be starving.

I had an amazing time with the youth that went on this trip with us; they are all beautiful, caring kids. I hope my kids grow up to have the compassion that these kids already have.

I hope my kids can grow up to know happiness like the children of Mexico. Kids without Wii’s, playstations, baseballs, trampolines, playgrounds. They had each other, they had dirt and sand, and they had a lot of fun, they had tons of smiles, they had warm hugs, they had beautiful eyes.

I am lucky to have gone with the adults that were on this trip, they are amazing, they are intelligent, they are fun, they are all my friends. They taught me a lot about building! They put up with my inability to build anything on my own, while teaching me the entire time.

I had a life changing experience while in Mexico, I look forward to going back next year with Journey, and a few times in between with my entire family and friends. I look forward to seeing the people that we met there and seeing how they are doing, I look forward to having God work through me to do and bring the things that he wants of me to help them. I am excited about my future.

BG3, Bill

All Done

Life Unchanged? Tobin

We have been back from Mexico for just over a week now and I am stopping to reflect on the trip. It seems that life has essentially returned to normal, although I do find that I am more aware of what we are spending money on. I know from experience that the changes that you plan in your life following a mission trip are very hard to fulfill. Life gets busy whether it is school, friends, clubs, and sports, or work and kids. We slowly put aside all the great changes that were planned. This time I hope it is different.

I went to Mexico without my family and I was only able to tell them what I saw and show them a few pictures that Karen had taken. My children are not capable of understanding the utter poverty that those in Mexico and much of the world live in daily. They cannot comprehend that children go without a bed to sleep in, let alone without any fresh water for weeks at a time. They say that they are starving when we do not have the exact snack that they want at the end of the day.  Lest you think that I am picking on my children I must admit that I am guilty of the same selfish shortsightedness.

In an effort to make the life-change stick, Jenn and I are planning on doing something to help remind us of what I was able to experience. We, along with some friends, are going to take our children to Mexico next month to do a small missions project and to allow them to see what I saw. It is my hope that it will open my children’s eyes to what they have and what others do not have. Further, I hope that this will help keep the needs of others fresh in my mind. What I hope most though, is that my children (and Jenn and I) will see and remember that things do not make us happy. They can never satisfy us. As children and adults we can chase things that we think will make us happy and never find the finish line.

Junior, in his sermon, said something that has stuck in my mind. He said that “Jesus came once to show us His love, it is our job to express His love on earth until he returns.” Such a simple statement, but the Bible tells us that the greatest commandment it to love God, followed closely by loving our neighbor. In these poor families in Mexico we see that showing them a little love goes a long way. They will always remember that a group of Americans from Journey came and expressed God’s love in a tangible way. They will be able to experience that love each time they lay in a bed with a roof overhead. But, love comes in many other forms that do not require a passport and a trip to someone in financial need. We need to learn to express our love and God’s love to those that we see daily. Instead of judging our neighbor we need to listen to them, help them, counsel them,… love them. In doing this we will find true happiness in this life. Not only will this make us happy and fulfilled, but it will also make our Father happy. And that is what life is all about.

Tobin

Home from Mexico-Cool Bob Engstrom

Wow…We have been back from the mission trip for a week as I am writing this. This being my second time on the Mexico mission trip it was great to reunite with all the families from last year. The first full day we were there we added a bathroom on Gilberto’s house. The next day we were going to start the build on Miguel and Carmina’s house. When we pulled up, I saw the house we had built last year and the family sitting outside in anticipation of us arriving and my eyes started to water, I am sure I had the biggest smile from ear to ear. We started yelling out the window to the family “OHLA, OHLA!” They too were smiling. It was so great to get out and give them all a huge hug; it was like seeing a family member you had not seen in a year. Miguel gave me a bear hug and said great to see you brother (he speaks some English).

Talk about people not having anything but yet they are the happiest people you will ever meet. We started unloading the materials from the trailer to start building and everyone jumped in to help including the family. Then the big thing we had to unload was the “JUMPING CASTLE.” I know that all the kids from last year were just waiting for it. It is the neatest thing to see in the middle of an area with no power this big bouncing castle. The kids played in that thing for hours in blistering heat and they did not care, they were actually doing things that kids should be doing. It was great to see kids being kids!

On Saturday we were finishing up the roof and I looked down towards the road and saw something that will forever be an image in my mind. It was Brandon and Karen praying with a man named Rudy in the middle of the street for several minutes. I could not help but to bend down and start crying on the roof, it made me realize that this mission trip was a success it is not about building things but it is spreading the Word.

Saying goodbye to the families on Sunday was a very hard thing to do for all the Journey students and leaders.  I felt guilty in some ways knowing what they are left to deal with and knowing I was going back to an air conditioned home!!

Thank you to all parents, family members and friends for making the sacrifice of time and funds that allowed all of us the opportunity to go on this mission trip. You have made a difference in the student’s lives that they will never forget.

I can not wait for next year. MEXICO 2010!!!

God bless,

Bob Engstrom or CB

Home from Mexico-Courtney Grimalauskso

Well here I am 4 days back from our trip to Mexico and my heart still starts pumping hard when I have the opportunity to speak of or even think about our amazing Journey.  It is hard to know where to start because our experience had so many memorable moments but I am thankful to share some of my highlights.   It is easy for me to choose the words that best define the days we spent in Puerto Penasco: People, Love, Relationships, God.

    One truth I discovered on this trip is that we have an outstanding group of young people at Journey.  I cannot begin to describe my heartfelt admiration for these kids.  Each one working in scorching temperatures without complaint, energized by their desire to serve the children.  I will never forget at the end of the trip when I would have expected and fully understood if the kids had been pushed to their limits and begged to go home, but on the contrary they pleaded to return to Miguel Angel and Carmina’s for one last goodbye. Laycie, Ginny, Sydney, Michelle, Nicole, Cory, Laurissa, Mikayla, Branson, Kyle, Caleb and Tyler it was my honor and pleasure to work along side you.  I am so proud of each of you.  Also, to the adult leaders, Karen, Brandon, Bob, Lisa, Dawn, Tobin and my wonderful husband Bill, I am so grateful for all that I have learned from you and for the opportunity to share this life changing experience with you.

     I absolutely fell in love with the people we met.  The first of which was our leader Phil.  For me he is a curious man, I often sat back thinking hmmm? He is just such a simple man who has given his life to answering God’s call to serve the people of this city.  I am very thankful for his leadership, commitment and example. Secondly was Gilberto.  Our encounter with him provided me with a great lesson about taking every opportunity to meet and learn about people you don’t know.  I honestly felt a little distant on the first construction day at Gilberto’s house.  Here was a man with no family or children we knew of.  Speaking honestly, there was a moment when I thought, couldn’t our time and/or resources be used a little more wisely, perhaps for a family with young children?  Well, lesson learned.  Who was I to deem a man worthy of what seems like a basic right to have a bathroom.  We were there to answer to God after all, not for me to judge another worthy.  I was given the opportunity to see Gilberto on future occasions such as the church’s youth group where he shared a beautiful singing voice and again on Sunday where he delivered what I am sure was a beautiful and passionate sermon.  So Lord, I thank you for teaching me that I was wrong, this man does have a family.  In fact, we share the same Father and we are his brother’s and sisters.

      As soon as we saw the children in Miguel and Carmina’s family I fully understood why those of us who were returning for a second or third time couldn’t wait for their reunion.  These children were happy beyond words and couldn’t wait to play with our Journey kids.  Our kids joined together with theirs as if they had known each other their whole lives.  Of course the most striking to me was little Mical, the baby girl who reminded me of my Abigail back home.  It was impossible for me to reconcile in my head or my heart that this baby sleeps outside in 110 degree heat with flies all over her body, yet for some reason my baby has her own room with cozy crib and air conditioning set to her comfort.  I don’t know if I will ever fully understand.  Then there was Kati. She was the oldest girl who would give a hug and embrace you could feel deep in your soul.  I so enjoyed getting to know Miguel Angel the father of this family.  We were able to share quite a conversation up on his rooftop and he enjoyed a good laugh at my expense when I admitted to him that I was terrified to go down the ladder.

       One of the moments I will undoubtedly remember most was when Miguel Angel and Carmina apologized to us for being unable to provide a meal, for not being able to feed us.  My heart broke for them and then doing the best I could through a translator, I explained to them what I felt.  I told them that through their willingness to allow us into their lives and into the lives of their children that we were, in fact, truly fed.  Through their faithfulness and hope, our hearts, our souls had been filled with the spirit of Christ’s love.

       The emotions that consumed me upon returning home were not the one’s I had expected.  In fact, for the last several days I have been experiencing this sadness and conflict.  While I am without a doubt so grateful to be home with my beautiful children who I love more than words could express, I must say that after being blessed with the opportunity to take part in two mission’s trips this Summer I am feeling what I call Mission’s Withdrawal.  It is a very uncomfortable and conflicting sort of experience.  I just know that while I was in Peru and in Mexico I felt this sort of weird euphoria.  Despite the unimaginable conditions I was witnessing, I felt a joy and a freedom I had never known.  When I returned to my spacious home and all of my “stuff” it truly made me question the reality of our circumstance.  Do all these “things” we have, add quality to our lives or do they in fact take away from the value God intended?  I have most certainly learned to be much more grateful for what I do have but I can also look back and see that while we were in Mexico, all we had was relationships with people and it was more than enough, He is more than enough.

       OK OK I know I have gone on long enough but in closing I must mention one little girl I will never forget.  Donna is a young girl, 11 years old whom I met in the Sunday church Service. She spoke perfect English to me.  Donna moved to Mexico from, of all places, Aspen, Colorado 3 years ago after her father was discovered to be in the U.S. illegally.    This beautiful girl told me she used to enjoy snowboarding and very much wants to return to the States. I can only imagine her struggle is even greater than the children around her having had the life she did and now being without even electricity.  When we said goodbye to one another she said to me, “Courtney, promise me you will be back. I will be here waiting for you next year.  You have to promise me you will be back.”  Yes! I promise I will be back.

 

Courtney Grimalauskso

Home from Mexico-Lisa Engstrom

As I reflect back over our trip two things stand out in my mind, the people of Mexico and God’s provision.  The amount of work that went into building two washrooms is incredible considering we were all working in triple digit temps with high humidity.  But there was no complaining, the drive that our students and leaders had was amazing!  It was so cool to see the students connect with the children in Mexico.  There was one little boy named Luis who showed up the second night at the mission house to visit with the students.  They jumped on the trampoline with Luis and we invited him in for dinner and games.  You could tell he was having the time of his life!  By 8:00am the next morning he was waiting outside ready to play again.  It was so precious!  The families we built for and connected with were very grateful, yet all the while we was grateful for the opportunity to serve them.

 

On Sunday we provided lunch for the church.  Unlike last years potluck the church members could not bring anything due the financial strain of the economy and I remember wondering if we would have enough food to feed everyone.  Then God quickly brought to mind when Jesus fed 5,000.  I can remember standing in the mission house kitchen saying,”God will provide, HE will multiply what we have.”  And He did exactly that!  Along with the hamburgers and hot dogs, stacks of tortillas were found that we thought didn’t make it on the bus to Mexico, allowing us to provide cheese quesadillas.  We also used the left over peanut butter and jelly to make sandwiches to send home with the families.

 

A big thank you to all who supported us financially, with your prayers, those who saw us off at the church office and those who stayed at home to care for our little ones!  The trip was a success and I’m so proud of our Journey students!  All praise be to God!

Home from Mexico-Brandon Grieser

It’s Monday morning and I am in amazement of what has taken place over these past few days.  The amount of work that was done and the emotions are overwhelming.  I am truly blessed for the opportunity to serve along side the other leaders and students!  Everyday I was amazed to see all of students working so hard and giving of themselves for this great cause.  The relationships they have formed with the kids in Mexico is truly AWESOME!  It was very difficult for our group to say good bye.  I can still picture Kati (Miguel and Carminas oldest daughter – 14 years old) standing at the end of the sidewalk looking back at us not wanting to get into the van that was taking her family home after church.  The look in her eyes as she was looking at us, it was like saying good bye to a family member that you may not see for a long time.  As I walked towards her she put her fingers through the chain link fence and we held hands for a minute and it was incredible!  This girl is amazing.  We all could learn from her as she was always looking after her siblings and helping her parents in a very harsh environment and never complaining!

 

On Sunday after church we shared a meal with the church congregation.  We were told that unlike last year, the people were unable to provide food for our meal because of the extreme poverty right now.  We were a little concerned because we were not prepared to provide a full meal to the many mouths to feed.  God provided an awesome meal of hamburgers, hot dogs, cheese quesadillas, salad, and snacks. To witness and see the hunger that exists in Mexico is life-changing.  We ended up bringing out the remainder of our food as the hamburgers ran out they began spreading ketchup, mustard and relish on buns and eating them with no meat.  As Phil announced that we had peanut butter and jelly to make a sandwich it was like the meal started all over again.  Lines began to form and children were excited to receive more food!  We were also able to send some food home with a few of the families.  They were very grateful.  For most of the morning an older man was looking at me from a distance.  I could see the hurt in his eyes.  It turned out that he has been caring for a young boy and didn’t know where their next meal would come from.  We gave them some food and he was very touched.  He was giving God glory for providing.  Just as this 80 year old gentleman was giving God praise and glory, I myself am doing the same now.

 

Thank you to all of the parents that allowed your children to be a part of this even during these hard times.  They were a blessing to our team of leaders, to the people of Mexico, and most importantly to God.  This is something they will never forget and my prayer is that they are changed because of this experience.

 

I am looking forward to our next Journey down to Puerto Penasco! 

 

God Bless!

Brandon Grieser “aka Brandoon”

 

During church service yesterday, my wife and I were reading though some scriptures.  (the service was in Spanish so we couldn’t understand what was being said)

We came across Proverbs 19 (the Proverb of the day), and Matthew 25:31-46.  Both of which are very applicable to what we were experiencing in Mexico.    

 

Proverbs 19:17 (New International Version)

 17 He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD,
       and he will reward him for what he has done.

Matthew 25:31-46 (New International Version)

 31″When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

 34″Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

 37″Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

 40″The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

 41″Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

 44″They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

 45″He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

 46″Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

Day 4-mission trip-Laycie Kane

This is my 2nd mission  trip so I kinda knew what to expect, but this year has been a lot more interaction with the children and building relationships other then working the whole time.  I can honestly say this has been an amazing experience and I am not ready to go home tomorrow.   On Wednesday we drove and got stuck at the border for three hours and arrived at 7 then we stopped at this super yummy taco stand and had tacos, tamalles and coke! So far we have put up two bathroom/washrooms, painted houses and played with a whole bunch of AMAZING and special children and built relationships with unforgetable people. I will never forget this.

P.S. Tyler G, your Mommy and Daddy love you!

day 4-mexico mission-Laurissa Engstrom

 Okay so far this trip hass been amazing! the second day we went and built the bathroom for gilberto,  that was cool cause all us girls got to paint the Whole house. we made lots of jokes an memiories. i love the people that went with us because they are so funny an we all understand each other.

 But today and yesterday was truly the best days because we got to see and build for the family that we did last year. i love there kids an how they remembered us from last year. they love us an they are always tellin us jokes! the two most funnyist kids that i have meet are jeorge an angel they are so fuuny. its amazing to me that everyone here is so happy,  they only have a fraction of what we have an they are more happy than we are. they take so good of there family members an sibblings way better than we do. honestly were here to help them an teach them but i think that we should learn from them an be more like them! i wish that i could take them all home an i dont want to leave i dont think none of us do!

we went to the beach last nite that was fun. all us girls have so much fun together an can just laugh at nothin, i cant wait to come back next year!!!!!

 

                                                                                                       -Laurissa Engstrom

Day 4- Mexico Mission- Cory

Day we finished the the roof and walls, the family is very happy to see that god has given them something they knew would not have been given if they didnt believe that god is there for them. This morning i went with the early group to get a head start with the roof and jorge and angel climbed up the ladder and began hammering the nails into the plywood we had brought to alow the roofing to stay up. They were that excited to have another room with a roof. Jorge and Angel would not rest while we were working, they were either helping or wrestling on the bounce house. I guess they were to overwhelmed to rest.