Mixed emotions for sure. It happens every time we come down here. It is truly a joy to serve and fellowship and live / breath so close to the living God. Yet…we have our other lives back home…family, friends, school, jobs, etc… We love our friends and family so much, but who can fault us for not wanting to leave a place where the Holy Spirit is so alive that it influences everything you say, do and think..?! Nobody.

It is now our hope and prayer that this trip has changed each one of us for the better, and that change will be one that will last. Not be a temporary one. If you’re reading this and you are a friend or family member that is willing, would you hold us accountable..?! Would you pray for us and talk to us about it..?!

We love you all and we’ll see you when we get back “north of the border.” Adios…

Apex team picture

Jamie getting roasted by a soccer prodigy.

Today was a very interesting day. We were going to go hiking but due to the rain from “Dolly” we went and saw Kung Fu Panda in spanish with the kids from Douglas.  After the movie we went and had a dinner at Douglas. Dinner consisted tamales, chips, limeade and hot sauce.  When a few of us were done with dinner we went and played soccer. Carlos again put us Americans in our place with his quick feet and amazing agility. (Exit Jaime – enter Jay) We also had the privilege of working right here on the compound of LDM. (Before we went to see the movie and all of that…) We were able to work on what will be a future home for teenage girls as well as a medical clinic. We painted, did some plumbing and electric work, dug trenches for a future sprinkler system and a few other small jobs for the staff. It is always so cool to work on a building here and then the next time you come down you get to see the finished product. (Exit Jay – enter Eliana) HOLA!! Well this week has been awsomeee.  i loved it. the first 2 days were kind of hard at first but then it got better.  the last 2 days i played soccer and i am sooo sore.  then i stepped on a HUGE piece of glass and it HURT.  the kids were so cuteee.  i loved it here and hope to come back next year and next and next and onnn.  I really think that GOD has a wonderfull plan for all these kids and is gonna use them in other peoples lives like he did in mine. PEACE..!! (Exit Eliana – enter Darren) So I’m sitting here looking at the clouds rolling over the mountains, and I realize that I don’t want to leave this magnificent city. Ah well…life goes on, but the mission stays the same. We’ve all learned many lessons this week. Lessons that most of us will not soon forget. The mountains truely are beautiful…(Exit Darren – enter Becca)  Today was a good last day here in Mexico.  Because we worked here on campus, I was assigned the job to paint the closet doors to the future clinic.  I was really worn out from this week, but we finished and got much accomplished.  I had an awesome opportunity to talk to a girl who is in my small group last night who was struggling with life at home, and we prayed together and I sang her a song that has meant so much to me in my life. (In Christ Alone)  It ended well and today was a much better day for her.

(Exit Becca – Enter Zach)

God is good. From playing soccer in the streets to holding kids in our arms; from coloring pictures to creating hand clapping games, God was glorified in all our service this week. We are all exhausted like expected, but that’s when God does his work in us all. God has been moving. He has been restoring and refreshing too. And we praise Him for who He is.

(Exit Zach, Enter Bethany and Amanda….OK girls!!!)…We are very blessed to have been able to join Apex for this week.  Our youth group has been visiting Monterrey for many years, but recently decided to keep the missions in the states.  This week has been amazing and we love Apex!  We love Monterrey so much and we’re so sad that we won’t be able to join the Mexico party to celebrate 08.08.08.  We are going to miss being here with these sweet people.  Our times have been so great and it’s good to be able to fellowship with people from a different state and church.

Anna and Theresa eating lunch at Casa Hogar Douglas.

View from Casa Hogar Douglas

Today was a very interesting day. It started out pretty much as usual: “Mountain-gazing” for the early risers - breakfast - quiet time – study groups – marketplace shopping – then we walked  to Casa Hogar Douglas. (One of the original children homes) The interesting part of our day was the uncertainty of whether or not we were going to get pounded by “Hurricane Dolly.” It was a typical day of serving / playing with the children, painting, shoveling gravel, concrete work, replacing water heaters, cleaning a cockroach infested kitchen, constructing concrete framing for the roof of a building, varnishing a wood cabinet, etc…etc… The weather threatened / teased us all day long with glimpses of Dolly, but no real affects other then a spontaneous rain shower or some gusty winds.

Relationships were developed today between the children and us that will last a lifetime. It always amazes me how the children cling and just attach themselves to our team, and also how the team loves on them so freely. (Exit Jay – enter Jamie)  The kids were very appreciative and excited for us to be spending time with them and to wait for “Dolly” with them.  We were one of the last groups to go to Douglas this summer.  There is a concrete slide aka the Devil slide in which many poor victims injured the “Bumpys” and messed up some of the gravel being shoveld. Another interseting thing about Douglas is thanks to many donations they have a caged-in soccer field.  Many of us fell victim to the mad skills of the kids.  The rest of the group that did not want to have their pride left in the cage, colored and played hand games with the kids. I due to my compettiveness was one the many victims.  Overall the day at Douglas was my personal favorite day. On the way  home a few of us entertained ourselves by shouting the name and color of the cars that drove by us. I was a victim of a suprise attack by Becca. She was holding my drink and waited for me to have my back turned and then she pounced. She poured my drink down the back of my shirt. I was wet the rest of the walk back. Fast forwarding to worship we played a game where music is playing and then when it stops someone shouts two body parts then the partners have to touch those parts (Ex. ::music playing:: People are walking around. ::music stops:: “Elbow to Knee!!!”). After i sufferd a crushing 2nd place finish yesterday.  After that defeat i was determined to win.  (Exit Jamie – Enter Zach) Jamie and I started out early with competetive speed until the circle of frenzy got down to three (3) couples. The intensity begang to takes its toll. Sweat formeded, hearts raced; the game picked up. Jamie and I were up against the last couple when the announcer said “Toe to nose!!!” I dashed over to Jamie and placed my nose on his toe. Suddenly the crowd lifted into and uproar rejoicing in the fact that Jamie and myself had won (Thanks to our practice at church camp). (Exit Zach – Enter Becca)  Today I had the opporunity to play, sing, and talk to a Down’s Syndrome lady.  I felt very comfortable with her because of having a Down’s Syndromes uncle.  I sang to her and she began singing with me, she had the biggest smile and wouldn’t let go of my hand-it was awsome! That’s all I’m going to say because we have writen a novel here and there is still more to come.  (Exit Becca-Enter Abby) OK so today I met the “Devil slide”.  This HUGE slide which when extremely wet makes you go so fast you can’t even imagine. While it was raining Eliana and I decided to go down the extremely slippery slide.  She went first and ended up with some slight holes in her pants.  After she announced her slight pain to the people around the bottom, she told me it didn’t hurt at all.  I was a bit apprehensive to go next. As a result I made sure there was at least 4 people surrounding the bottom to catch me. As i started my first few feet, I quickly began to gain speed. As more and more feet when by I became out of control. None of the “Catchers” caught me.  In fact, they decided to run away because I was going so fast.  Rain was pouring and at the bottom of the slide there was at least five feet of gravel which I slid past and almost off the wall.  As a result I now have a very soar “Bumpy” with tons of scratches, holes in my shorts, and bruses all down my backside and arms.  This is why this slide has a new name of the Devil Slide. (Exit Abby-enter Jamie and Zach) Hello again.  Tommorw, weather permitting we will go hiking with the kids from Douglas.If the weather is not permitting we will probally play with them here or go do something inside.  Please pray for some personal issues that are arising while we are typing this blog. With the end of every day we have time to reflect on our experiences and God-happenings which remind us of His never ending love and power. God has done many things in all of us and there is a most certainly a perfect reason for why each and everyone of us are together on this most glory filled trip. We also would like you to pray for the staff members down here, all the children homes and all of the teams that are down here. Thank you. God is good.

p.s. When students take control of the blog, this is what happens. 

Spending time with Alondra

One another, that is what our whole week about- love one another, encourage one another, and today forgiving one another.  When we think about forgiveness, we first must focus on the forgiveness of Christ, and the fact that we are allowed to be a part of what He is doing.  Today, we had the opportunity to go to a severeley impoverished community called the “Rio 3.”  This is a squatters community where the poorest of the poor live, where the houses made of scrap metal and wood.  There is a building facility there that Back2Back is using for an outreach.  They have church services and Bible studies, and a Sunday school type setting for the kids.  While we were there, we tore down several block walls and removed the rubble while others were playing and singing with the kids.  We also spent time outside in the 110 degree weather moving a large amont of soil, and we played soccer with some of the local kids.  God continues to work in and through our team in a mighty way.  Please pray that we would continue to respound to whatever God puts before us.  Also, pray for the uncertainty of Hurricane Dolly coming inland.  Thank you for your continued prayers, they are definitely being felt. 

~ Apex Mexico Team

Letting in the light

Mary the Milwaukee Machine!

working hard and loving it

enjoying helados after a long day

Wow…What a day this was..!! Our day started out as usual, (Breakfast, quiet-time, group studies, etc…) Then, it was off to Imperio de Amor for our final day there.  Before we ate lunch and began working, we spent time praying over the children’s home and the owner, Lalo (he has an amazing story, ask us when we return!)  After a good lunch of PB&J, we began the impossible.  It was concrete day for team Apex..!! This project required us to hand load a gas-powered cement mixer, literally dumping in bags of concrete, buckets of water and shoveling in sand by hand. Then after it was mixed, it was emptied into wheel barrows, then into individual 5-gallon buckets. These buckets had to be hand-carried to the 2nd floor of the girl’s dormitory and poured out onto the floor for the mason to level out. We did this all afternoon…until the floor was almost complete. We’re talking 3 rooms here…literally hundreds of buckets of wet cement…in the hot Mexico sun..!! Our team was absolutely awesome.  While pouring the concrete, others were ministering to the kids playing games from jumping rope to blowing bubbles.  A majority of the team made awesome friendships with the kids that will never be forgotten. This particular trip on this particular day impacted the team greatly as well as the children. So much so, that when we left the site in our bus, the children were all waving goodbye and chasing the bus. The bus went down the bumpy dirt road, had to turn around to get back on the highway and 10 minutes later as we passed the site while heading down the highway, we could see the children still lined up at the gate waving to us and smiling. (They knew the bus route and therefore knew that we would be passing them again…they waited all that time just to see us again.)

Then it was an hour drive back to the compound, we ate a delicious dinner, (Tostadas, guacamole and all the trimmings), showered and scrubbed the concrete from our weary bodies…then it was off to worship and singing. Afterwards, we did our usual “debriefing” time whereby we all shared with one another how and why the day impacted us collectively and individually.

Tomorrow…we will visit “Rio 3.” More on that later…

eliana and ava dripped a little paint

aren't these kids the best?

Every morning will look the same while we are here: Breakfast @ 8:00AM – Quiet time @ 9:00AM – Small groups @ 9:30AM – then off to one of the “children’s homes” for various work projects and play-time with the children. Today was no exception. We had a great quiet and then small group time. Our theme for this year is “One Another.” Our Bible verses for this morning were Galations 5:13-26. Look them up…great verses.

We arrived at Imperio de Amor around 11:00AM after a 45-minute bus ride. We were given a short tour, had lunch there then began our work. We painted what is going to be the new girl’s dormitory. It is made totally of concrete. We painted the ceiling white and the walls pink. And as anticipated, we got just as much paint on ourselves as on the walls/ceiling..!! (Too much fun going on here..!!) We also filled cracks and sealed the roof. We accomplished much on the first day. We were then treated to a mini-cantata, as the children sang for us several songs in Spanish. There were about 20 of them ranging in age from 6-17 or so. They were awesome…and very cute. Afterwards, Rebecca accompanied by Darren sang a song for them in Spanish. We then went outside and played with them for the remainder of the afternoon. It was a great day..!!

We came back to the compound, ate a wonderful meal prepared by the Mexican lady-chef named Vita. This lady can cook..!!  We showered, sang worship songs and then “debriefed.” (Debrief: we talked about what experience or “picture in our mind” impacted us the most today and what God was showing us.) A great way to end the night.

We are now sitting in the main fel  lowship area playing games and unwinding. Bed-time will be soon…very soon. Tomorrow…more studying, fellowshipping and serving. Please continue to pray for our team both collectively and individually that we would be open to what God wants to teach/show us and how He would use us during our short time here.

P.S. We’re still trying to post pictures…haven’t been able to yet. We’re not giving up..!!

Courtney with CHD kids

Becca and kids

Well we made it..!! We arrived in Monterrey as scheduled, on time, and had no problems meeting up with the folks that were joining those of us from Apex Community. (How could we miss them…our fluorescent yellow green highlighter shirts could be seen for miles..!!) We arrived at the Back-2-Back compound, had lunch and began our first day. There was a swim party this afternoon as the ministry hosted a group from one of the local childrens homes, Casa Hogar Douglas. It was a wonderful time swimming with the children and enjoying true fellowship with the staff here in Monterrey. This was followed up by a delicious dinner and playing with the kids. Great stuff..!!

We’re presently relaxing and preparing our hearts and minds for worship and sharing tonight. This will be followed by some free time and then bed time. (For some of us, the free time will translate into bed time..!!) This first day has been a great day of getting settled in and enjoying the staff and kids. Tomorrow will be even more of a blessing.

Please pray for us as we will be visiting one of the newest children’s homes, Imperio De Amor, and have been told that this particular home presents many challenges as the home has opened its doors to the “most difficult cases.” Basically children that have the worst stories and the most horrific histories. Also pray for us that we’ll stay focused and remember the reason we are here…to serve.

Stay tuned for more tomorrow…

Beginning on July 19th this will be the daily blog of the team leaving from Apex Community Church in Dayton, OH to go be a part of the missions work going on in Mexico through Back2Back Ministries. You will be able to read updates of the work they are doing, the ways they are seeing God move, the ways they themselves are growing in their walk with God, and we pray also to read updates of changed lives of those who have received the Gospel and asked Christ into their heart.

Please keep this team in your prayers as they are in Mexico. Also be sure to follow this blog daily so you can know what to specifically pray for.