Well, first off – as you may know, I’m no longer teaching at the base school (ICS). I was there for a year-and-a-half and it was both great and difficult – often at the same time! At the end of the 2006-2007 school year I was feeling pretty much “done” with it, but I continued on through the first semester of the 2007-2008 school year. I really had to press in and pray and God just totally met me – I had a great class and it was a phenomenal beginning. I felt like I was just hitting my stride and meeting with a lot of success and loving the classroom. Then, I was asked to move departments and join up with the Short Term Outreach department, which takes teams out for 1-2 weeks at a time. Isn’t it funny how God works…He didn’t rescue me when I was at the end of my rope, but instead took me to a place where I could leave the school feeling successful instead of defeated! He just always knows what He’s doing…I’m learning to depend on Him earlier and earlier in the process! =)
So, in January I moved over to the Short Term Outreach department…this is who I was helping out last summer when I was working with groups in Mexico. Now, I’ll be heading to Mexico for 1-2 weeks every month leading groups to do house builds or to work in an orphanage. It’s been a great transition and a lot of fun so far. Sierra is 
enjoying getting to come along with me and being part of the ministry. Sometimes she joins up with groups and helps to build, other times she runs around with me getting supplies and keeping everything running smoothly. She also spends time with the missionary’s kids down in Mexico, working on schoolwork or just hanging out with them.So far, I’ve led teams in building 25 houses (this includes last summer, too). These homes are housing over 150 people! The great thing is that we’ve been able to witness to each of these families not only through our words, but also our actions and our love. I get the privilege of going back to visit some of the families, too.
Each week when we bring teams down, we go out into the community for an evening of outreach. Sometimes we visit a large drug rehab center and make a dinner of hot dogs for the guys, and share testimonies with them in their church service – this is a group of guys who have experienced the grace of God and are on fire with His Sprit!!! We also go to a smaller rehab sometimes and take a couple of pizzas, play a couple games of soccer on the beach and then have a big bonfire and fellowship
and share the love of God with each other (you might imagine this is popular with our young men!). One of my favorite outreaches is taking groups to visit some friends of mine who live the “camps” – they are field workers and live in extreme poverty conditions. We go out to where they live and bring a simple dinner and spend time praying with people, playing with kids and encouraging the families. I’ve taught the kids how to play this 
game where you go “give me 5, give me 5 high, give me 5 low (and then you pull your hand away and say) oops! Too slow!” They think this game is the best and want to play it endlessly.Well…that is a little glimpse of what I’m doing these days. Please, please, please…keep in touch!! It is such a great joy and a blessing to hear from my friends and family…it is the most wonderful thing ever! God created us for relationship, and I want to continue building those special God-ordained friendships – they are a true blessing to me. Until then – may God bless you richly!
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