Yesturday was wonderful and VBS was yet again a succes even though we were short one team member... besides Joe who we never know where he will be... but Eric wasnt felling well still so we had him stay back at the hotel. Pastor David did a great job pressenting the plan of salvation to the kids... and dinner was FANTASTIC! we all ate way too much im sure.. kinda normal down here they way they feed us you would think we hadnt eaten in a year. That night was the funeral of Rual's dad and so Don, Bethany and Cindy went back out to LaApoma and got back like 2am. It was good they got to go.
But today was the best and most sad of them all i would say. We had a shorter than normal bible school and had all the kids go to the block party down the street in the town cancha (dont know how to spell that!) They kids got tickets and went around to play the games and win prizes or play with water balloons or get thier face painted. We had a blonde clown come too! He mad the kids laugh, about what im not sure... although he did make fun of the way we say some things. After the games were done we had the kids line up for a snack and we had everyone gather around for our drama Don M, Bethany, Eric and I put on and Hermano Octavio talked about the drama and its meaning.
We had lunch out their as usual but got to go home right after. The young peoples in our group went out shopping while those old folks stayed back at the hotel : )
We had our goodbye dinner tonight (aka: the night of crying) at the church. They dinner looked tasty.. i wouldnt know, i was too busy playing with the kids to eat. After dinner we sing songs, all the tradtions and they give us all presents. Then we sing more and its time to say goodbye. and as always it is very emotional and VERY difficult to say good bye
tomorrow... oh wait that would be today... please pray for safe travel and good health as we head back home. pray that everyone makes it back into the country : )
THANK YOU for all yours prayers and support on this trip!
see you soon! .. good night
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
DAY FOUR/FIVE
Hola Minnesotans!
well im assuming no one blogged last night so here i am to fill you in, three of us on the team had a very exciting night, not at the hotel and not in Culiacan. Let me explain...
My mother, Cindy, knows a couple from the church in LaApoma very well from past trips and they asked her to go to thier son's graduation, but it would be too late for us to go the hour and a half drive back to Culiacan and so she was asked to spend the night at thier house after. My mom of course said she would love to and then Raul and Gloria (the couple) asked if her daughter (me) and her daughter's boyfriend (Eric) would want to come too! Both of us were very excited to have an opporunity to spend a night with the locals. and this the reason I could not write. Having none of our stuff for the night or the next day was the only delema but we thought it would be worth it. The celebration was... diffrent... interesting... elaborate and over all a great experience, But the night was the best part. We slept outside under thier thatched roof next to their summer bed in cot type beds they got all set up for us and four big fans blowing on us. We were actually pretty cold by the middle of the night and needing more blankets! it was wonderful and its the most sleep any of us will probubly get on this trip. The next morning we had a delicious breakfast.
But enough about us, back to the team. The VBS, vacation bible school, has been going very well.
We have made it succesfully through two of our days, presenting the theme 'God keeps His promises' We have stories and singing and puppets and lots of energetic smiling lovable kids. By the end of the day we are all ready for our beds I'm sure. The lunches prepared for us thier are wonderful and I will be missing all the great food when we have to go home. We spent the first day after lunch watching the guys help work up on the roof. Today some of us were invited into Raul's Dad's home to pray for him. So other's from the team went to see him and pray with thier family for him. We suspect these are his last moments. So please pray for that whole situation, Raul and their family as Im sure its not easy for them, and for his dad that this could be as easy as possible, pray for God's hand in all of it.
Tommorow will be a big day at VBS as the new pastor David tells the kids about Jesus and askes for those who want to accept Him and invite Him into thier heart and lives. Please also pray for that. .. A few more prayer requests would be health, Bethany has a slight soar throat from all here talking and Eric has been having chest pain, assumingly from heat exahustion, when he breathes and may be staying back tomorrow if it does not improve. ALso the well being of our team and that all those helping us are well rested because they have been doing so much for us.
One more note before I get to go to bed. Tonight we were invited to the office of the Mayor of Culiacan. We talked about our sister city relationship and how they want to improve the reputation that Culiacan has. It was a very exciting night and opportunity for us to 'rub elbows with the polatitions' as Don puts it. They were sincerely happy to hear about all the trips we have had and how much we love it here and that we would be willing to work with them.
Well I hope my writings do not bore you too much and I will be back on tomorrow night... as long as there are no other suprise sleepovers : ) Please keep us and our brothers and sisters here in your prayers, thank you and goodnight!
BROOKE WHITNEY JOHNSON : )
well im assuming no one blogged last night so here i am to fill you in, three of us on the team had a very exciting night, not at the hotel and not in Culiacan. Let me explain...
My mother, Cindy, knows a couple from the church in LaApoma very well from past trips and they asked her to go to thier son's graduation, but it would be too late for us to go the hour and a half drive back to Culiacan and so she was asked to spend the night at thier house after. My mom of course said she would love to and then Raul and Gloria (the couple) asked if her daughter (me) and her daughter's boyfriend (Eric) would want to come too! Both of us were very excited to have an opporunity to spend a night with the locals. and this the reason I could not write. Having none of our stuff for the night or the next day was the only delema but we thought it would be worth it. The celebration was... diffrent... interesting... elaborate and over all a great experience, But the night was the best part. We slept outside under thier thatched roof next to their summer bed in cot type beds they got all set up for us and four big fans blowing on us. We were actually pretty cold by the middle of the night and needing more blankets! it was wonderful and its the most sleep any of us will probubly get on this trip. The next morning we had a delicious breakfast.
But enough about us, back to the team. The VBS, vacation bible school, has been going very well.
We have made it succesfully through two of our days, presenting the theme 'God keeps His promises' We have stories and singing and puppets and lots of energetic smiling lovable kids. By the end of the day we are all ready for our beds I'm sure. The lunches prepared for us thier are wonderful and I will be missing all the great food when we have to go home. We spent the first day after lunch watching the guys help work up on the roof. Today some of us were invited into Raul's Dad's home to pray for him.
Tommorow will be a big day at VBS as the new pastor David tells the kids about Jesus and askes for those who want to accept Him and invite Him into thier heart and lives. Please also pray for that. .. A few more prayer requests would be health, Bethany has a slight soar throat from all here talking and Eric has been having chest pain, assumingly from heat exahustion, when he breathes and may be staying back tomorrow if it does not improve. ALso the well being of our team and that all those helping us are well rested because they have been doing so much for us.
One more note before I get to go to bed. Tonight we were invited to the office of the Mayor of Culiacan. We talked about our sister city relationship and how they want to improve the reputation that Culiacan has. It was a very exciting night and opportunity for us to 'rub elbows with the polatitions' as Don puts it. They were sincerely happy to hear about all the trips we have had and how much we love it here and that we would be willing to work with them.
Well I hope my writings do not bore you too much and I will be back on tomorrow night... as long as there are no other suprise sleepovers : ) Please keep us and our brothers and sisters here in your prayers, thank you and goodnight!
BROOKE WHITNEY JOHNSON : )
Monday, July 6, 2009
DAY THREE!
hmmm lets see how much i can remember as im ready to check out for the day and into my bed : )
breakfast - yumm!
PROGRESO! - it was so much fun to go out to the community that we have spent many of our trips at playing with the kids and helping out the small church. We got to serve the kids breakfast, play Uno and blow bubbles! It was so fun to see all of them again and see that they remember us too!
WATER PARK - we have many connections down here which came in handy today as we spent our afternoon at a waterpark... all to our selves! it was nice to hang out with some church members and play some volleyball in the water, not to mention its a great way to cool off
dinner - we went back to the church for a great meal as always and as some went out to coffee the others of us worked on preparing for our first day of VBS tomorrow out in La Apoma.
Keep the kids in your prayers as we hopefully will have an impact on thier lives as they do on us. Pray that God will be shown in all that we do and THank you for all the support you have givin us so far.
Buenos Noches (goodnight!)
Brooke : )
breakfast - yumm!
PROGRESO! - it was so much fun to go out to the community that we have spent many of our trips at playing with the kids and helping out the small church. We got to serve the kids breakfast, play Uno and blow bubbles! It was so fun to see all of them again and see that they remember us too!
WATER PARK - we have many connections down here which came in handy today as we spent our afternoon at a waterpark... all to our selves! it was nice to hang out with some church members and play some volleyball in the water, not to mention its a great way to cool off
dinner - we went back to the church for a great meal as always and as some went out to coffee the others of us worked on preparing for our first day of VBS tomorrow out in La Apoma.
Keep the kids in your prayers as we hopefully will have an impact on thier lives as they do on us. Pray that God will be shown in all that we do and THank you for all the support you have givin us so far.
Buenos Noches (goodnight!)
Brooke : )
Sunday, July 5, 2009
DAY TWO!
Well no one has died yet so I guess its been a good day ; )
but really we had a wonderful time, it is so great to be back and get to see our brothers and sisters of the church. After our long day of travels and late night of celebrating yesturday we got to sleep in this morning, a little. We got to eat here at our wonderful hotel resturant that we have missed and were off to church. We spent the day there after service having lunch with the congrigation and planning with them for the week. We are all excited for spending part of the day tomorrow at a water park that we will have all to our selves. We are getting spoiled, but after that its off to work... if you call playing with kids work. Im personally very excited to see them all and it is not work for me at all. Even though it will be very hot and we will be very tired I will love it, as always.
THank you for all the love and prayers, I cant wait to see what God has planned for us and what exciting things we will get to see HIM do this week. Pray that all of us will be a great example of GOds love and we shine His light. Pray also for everyone we come in contact with that they will be able to see God s love in us and we will have an impact in their lives.
=Brooke Whitney Johnson
but really we had a wonderful time, it is so great to be back and get to see our brothers and sisters of the church. After our long day of travels and late night of celebrating yesturday we got to sleep in this morning, a little. We got to eat here at our wonderful hotel resturant that we have missed and were off to church. We spent the day there after service having lunch with the congrigation and planning with them for the week. We are all excited for spending part of the day tomorrow at a water park that we will have all to our selves. We are getting spoiled, but after that its off to work... if you call playing with kids work. Im personally very excited to see them all and it is not work for me at all. Even though it will be very hot and we will be very tired I will love it, as always.
THank you for all the love and prayers, I cant wait to see what God has planned for us and what exciting things we will get to see HIM do this week. Pray that all of us will be a great example of GOds love and we shine His light. Pray also for everyone we come in contact with that they will be able to see God s love in us and we will have an impact in their lives.
=Brooke Whitney Johnson
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