1/8/04  7:00 am Meeting of people going to Mexico
1.  Arrive at airport no later than 4:30 am Saturday morning.
2.  Keep a journal of what you did and insights received.

1/10/04  
Had a good time at the airport while waiting.  No problem with security.  Good conversation with Betsy Barnicle.  Wayne explained how the Roig baby died (stillborn).  Talked to Kathryn on the plane.  Read Bible.  will work on testimony ideas.  Betsy thought they sounded good.

9:23 pm
I fell asleep on the bus just after we crossed the border.  Woke up when I heard Mark say "there it is" as we turned into Bobby Crow's compound.  (They don't use this term much any more because it smacks of Jim Jones and David Karesh.)  It had gotten dark so we didn't see much of Ciudad Victoria .

Bobby outlined the schedule for the week.  Sounds like this will be a busy week.  After a cold cut dinner, we toured the new church building.  I helped wash the windows.   Tomorrow will be the first day that the church will meet in the new building.  It isn't finished but they said last week the other sanctuary was bursting at the seams.

Sharing a cubicle with Betsy.  She doesn't seem to mind if I snore.  She also likes to read.

1/11/04
Palabra de Vida is a fantastic church.  Worship for 1 hr 15 min with 8 piece band, 4 vocalists and 5 dancing girls with tambourines.  The worship and services were taped.  So Mark and I were "captured" around the room with others during one song.  My favorite song, "How Great Thou Art" was sung.  The  people were so happy and excited, passionate about worshipping God on this Sunday morning.

Had a baby dedication.  Great sermon about participation in building the church (church of people, not a church building).

4:20 pm
Too much lunch.  We got in our groups to plan for the evening meeting.  We seemed tired; we tried not to show our bad attitudes (about our free time being cut short to have a meeting.)

We each need to be prepared for 5 minutes of teaching or testimony.  Mine are done.  Now for prayer time  I have confidence that we will learn a lot and make changes within ourselves.  The Holy Spirit will do this to/for us.

10:00 pm
We arrived (6:00 pm) at a church which was established only two months ago.  The people were so friendly.  The music was loud and passionate.  The best part was that to several songs, about half the people went forward to "line dance."  The steps were similar to The Hustle.  Larry  Romerogave a Word regarding the cchurchand one of the worship leaders.

Wayne chose the speakers:  Jon Giaimo, Cassie Knapp, Mike Meyers and Doyle Payne.  Doyle gave the main message using Romans 8:28 and I John 3:8 to discuss Purpose.  We have Christ's power within us.

After the service, we students prayed for people.  Not that many came up for prayer--didn't seem to be a lot who had obvious health problems.  Mark prayed for a man who was crippled up; later he was jumping around and dancing to the music without pain.  Then the church people prayed for and prophesied over many of the CBC people.  Everyone was friendly.  It was a great evening which ended with coffee and cookies.

Chili dogs for dinner upon our return to P de V.

The women are already having fits about the restroom situation.  P de V hasn't had any guests lately so the pipes have dried out; therefore smells are coming up.  We have been assured that will stop as the pipes get wet again when we shower.  Apparently Mexican plumbing can't handle toilet paper.  We are instructed to deposit anything that does not come out of our body into the trash cans beside the toilet.  This, you can imagine, is a challenge.

1/12/04  
Only woke up once when I turned over and my cover fell off.  The first night I had trouble going to sleep and then Kathryn woke me up to tell me I was snoring.  Then was awake for another hour.  At 5:30 am another mission group got up to leave--which woke all of our group up.

9:00 am  Prayer time  (Bobby read a chapter each from the Old and New Testaments.  Then we had personal prayers.) and class time.

Class time with Bobby Crow
 
1:40 pm
After class we headed out to do "door to door."  This mostly was sticking the booklet and invitation in doors.  Most people weren't home.  When we encountered people, we said Buenos Dias and handed them the materials.  Raul was the interpreter for Mark, Jon and me.  He told us some of his background and how wonderful it is to be "free" in Jesus.

Wayne assure me that if we didn't get to do the practicing for the skit, it would be okay.  Just to plan for another day.

It is pretty here.  One just has to overlook the negative aspects such as old cars and rotting vegetables in the yards.  These people seem friendly and caring, just downtrodden by their circumstances.

I want to learn to relax.  Mary Castillo mentioned enjoying laughter.  I said I didn't have enough in my life.  she replied that we could hang out and she'd have me rolling on the ground in the dirt.  I can't wait!!!

Being with "the girls" is great!  Glad we have separate dorms.  Sharing a dorm bathroom (many stalls) is time to chat.  I see Tori has a lot of wisdom.  Cassie has sensitivity and caring underneath her carelessness.  Betsy is analytical.

10:00 pm
Trying to unwind.  Some of us have "come to bed."  A big group in in the hall near the men's dorm.  Sounds like they are having a good time.

Right before dinner, Jim asked if we could have our skit ready.  Gulp.  he and Mark rounded up the people in the group to "practice" during dinner.  With the new division of teams we don't have to play more than one character.  The Good Samaritan Story is in Luke 10:30-37 .  (A copy of our skit which we revised slightly to perform before the school is at Skit:  The Good Samaritan .)

The Jewish Man -- Larry Romero (alternate: Mark Bolzern)
Thieves--Cassie Knapp and Tori Meyers
Priest--Jon Giaimo
Levite--Mike Meyers (alternate: Doyle Payne)
Good Samaritan--Rudy Holmberg
Inn Keeper--Carol Hellem (alternate: Lynn McHood)
Narrator--Virginia Lane
Interpreter--David Garcia

Without any real practice, it came together.  It would be great if we could do it again.  Wayne says he's talking to Josephina about which groups will go where tomorrow.

This afternoon the men put up a tent in the parking lot near where we were handing out the flyers.  The temperature was coolish with a threat of rain--just right!  After introductions by John Walton, we did the skit.  Then the speakers were Tori, Rudy and Les (Upchurch).  The first two were testimonies and Les did the main message.  I thought Les had the makings of an evangelist.

The group prayed for people at the end.  The music was so loud it was difficult to hear.  The crowd was small, mostly women and children.  Carol was captivated with the children; she and Bob think they have a call to Mexico.  There were more pray-ers than people to be prayed for.  I don't know how much results we saw.  The people do not get excited like we would in America.

They fed us tortilla chips with Velveeta type cheese when we got back.  Okay when hot but plasticy as it cooled.  Came to bed early to unwind.  My blood pressure is way too high.  Why can't i just release it all to God?

1/13/04
Pancakes for breakfast.  

Prayer time with Bobby Crow.  Read Psalm 8 and Acts 7

11:30 am
I wish I had my computer to use to rewrite my messages.  Jim asked me to be the main speaker tonight.  I want to combine my two messages into one: to discuss Jesus as our brother, friend and healer.  How to have a relationship with him that is life changing.  The testimonies we've had have been good but not given details of how they "saw Christ loved them."  I'd like to add some practical application.  The big question is how to keep it simple.  Our messages will be translated into Spanish.  We must speak in phrases or short sentences so the translator can understand the thought but not have to remember too much.

We've delivered 338 booklets by our little group today.  That's Raul, Jon, Mark and me.  It wasn't as hot as yesterday although I took my jacket off, risking sunburn.  We got back before the other group; Jon and Mark played soccer with some boys.  I practiced my Teaching Message for tonight.  We'll also be doing the skit again.  Cassie wishes we could do another one--but she hasn't come forward with ideas.  At present, we think we will again minister in the tent as we did last night.  I should be prepared--the people usually ask for prayers from the faces they saw speaking.  I ask for help from the Holy Spirit.

I never feel comfortable, feeling incompetent, knowing I'm not totally healed.  But I need to not listen to the Devil.  My prayer doesn't have to be perfect; God knows--I'm just the tool.

Carla Mansee gave a sales pitch about missionarying in Mexico.  Turns out they "live on our same street" in Livingston, TX.  In other words, we use the same mail forwarder, Escapees .  Their mail is sent to Kings Way in McAllen, TX and they pick it up there once a month.  Kings Way is a training school for missionaries to Mexico.  They teach culture as well as Spanish.

Today will be a test of my fearfulness.  The ladies have been encouraging me.  (They've had to endure listening to my cough triggered by nervousness.)  Harriet keeps telling me "You are healed in the name of Jesus."  I only have had one big coughing spell today--in the shower.  So that's progress.

Lunch--

1:30 pm Teaching by Jeremy Crow

5:00 pm  Had a brief meeting before dinner.  Wayne spoke about how to deal with demons if one should manifest during prayer time at the evening services.  

We had taco salad for dinner.  My stomach was doing flip flops.  I kept saying "I am not afraid.  God, I put this evening in your hands."  The reason for this was that at breakfast, I had been asked to deliver the main message at the tent meeting.  Even though I was prepared, I have to admit that I was nervous.

9:15 pm
We just arrived home after a super evening.  I am awed.  The whole evening flowed well.  The little boys with whom Mark and Jon played soccer were among the first to arrive.  By the time the worship music ended, all the adult seats were filled and most of the small chairs were occupied by children.

Wayne did his "Pearl of Great Price" skit with David Garcia.  The Carol Hellem spoke about how Jesus brought her father to know Him so the family became spiritually unified.  Cassie again told about healing from ear infections.

Then we gave the Good Samaritan skit (again).  Mike video taped it so Doyle played the part of the Levite.  They really hammed it up.  My job as narrator was easy.  David read the story from the Bible as it was enacted.  He did a marvelous job--considering his reading glasses were left behind in Colorado.

Ah--then my turn. Teaching Message   It took a few seconds for the interpreter and me to get in sync.  I thanked them and said I loved their winter weather...no coats in January.

It was moving to see how the Holy Spirit helped me remember stuff plus gave me new things to say.  Although mostly I stuck to my script.  The adults did listen.  And even the children behaved fairly well (yesterday they got rowdy and eventually left).

Lily, the interpreter, gave an altar call.  A number of people went forward. (Ultimately for the trip, they said they counted 54 "salvations.")  Although they say that some people go up every time, I do believe God touched many lived tonight.  It's quite humbling to be even a small part of their coming to know Jesus.

On the way home, David, our apprentice, said that he saw the light of Jesus emanating from me.  Wow!  I have to say it couldn't have been my humanity--it must have been a light from the Holy Spirit.  Jan Knurr told me my message was anointed.  Cassie said I wasn't nervous at all.  I made her laugh when I said long skirts hide shaking knees.  Actually I was calm once I started speaking.  God is good!!

The Mexican people seem to be quiet and gracious.  Quite different from the excitable, violent peoples as shown in the movies.  When we pray for people, they are quiet.  They don't jump around and exclaim like we would if we were healed.

The first night, Mark prayed for an older man who had back problems and couldn't hardly move.  Mark told him to do what he could not do before.  I saw him waving his arms and dancing to the music.  (That was a demonstrative church.)

Tonight I prayed for a women with back pain and abdominal pain.  she said her back still hurt a little bit.  Wayne had come up.  He told me to go ahead and pray again.  It was embarrassing to pray in front of him--but I put that out of my mind and commanded the pain to be gone.  She want away smiling.

I prayed for another elderly lady who indicated that her shoulder/arm hurt.  Since we couldn't communicate, I don't know what happened.  But she said "gracias."

1/14/04
Night was too short.  The ladies were all charged up.  Betsy and I were reading since we couldn't/wouldn't sleep with people talking.  Then we started talking about "boys" and relationships.  Turns out Betsy is 42 so we're in the same generation.  Although our experiences are different, we have similar ideas on lots of things.  The ladies finally would down.  Lights off at 11:38 pm.  Snooze.

The first alarm range at 6:12 am.  So we're all up and at it.  I'm in the bathroom writing this.  My cubicle light is up high and shines directly in Harriet's eyes (2 doors down).  I bet she's about ready to get up so I'll go check.  Our group has kitchen duty today.

12:05 pm (noon)
Returned from passing out booklets.  Mark stayed to help put up speakers in the new building.  They didn't rearrange the groups so Raul, Jon and I managed to pass out 525 booklets today.  We kept going and didn't rest.  It was overcast, not really raining but we felt drops occasionally.

"They" are taping a TV show in the auditorium.  We are to be quiet.  No problem.  It's nice to come inside to get clean.  I will have to wash my tennis shoes when I get home.  My fingers cringe when typing my laces since the streets are so dirty.

Lunch and KP-

1:30 pm Teaching by Lynn Crow

11:38 pm
"Mis pies esten consolos."  My feet are tired.  We walked for what seemed like miles this morning.  Then we walked to/through the Crow's house.  They have been faithful servants and God blessed them.  The house was beautiful; they have 2 maids.  Don't know who keeps the yard.  They have 2 fountains, a game room and a guest apartment.  It sounds rich but prices are lower in Mexico.  And they lived for 20 years in a small apartment.

Had a brief nap before dinner.  I slept through my alarm; Tori woke me up.  Still had time to dress.

The evening at the tent was great!  Jan Knurr led several English worship songs.  Then we had more in Spanish.  Lynn McHood gave the first testimony.  Talked about praying for her son who was in prison; he has renewed his relationship with Jesus.  Jim McHood spoke about having paralysis after a childhood head injury.  They told his parents that he would die.  He glories in being able to jump and run.

Wayne did his pearl of great price skit .  We did the Good Samaritan for the third time.  Lynn took over Carol's part as the innkeeper.  Larry was dressed up so Mark played the man who got beat up.  I was amazed at Mark's acting ability.  He and Rudy (the Good Samaritan) had everyone on the edge of their seats.

Mike Meyers spoke about knowing Jesus loves you.  Jon Giaimo spoke about jesus having the Keys to the Kingdom which open the chains of bondage.

The usual children came up during the altar call.  But the pastor's wife did take down names of the adults.

An older lady walked up to me wanting prayer, indicating something wrong with her head.  I prayed about head stuff--then the (presumably) the Holy Spirit told me to pray for her neck--that something was interfering with circulation to the head.  Being as I had no interpreter, I don't know the result except she indicated that she was okay and thanked me.

While the bus took the chairs and sound equipment back to the church, the guys took down the tent.  Mark worked hard.  He's good with a sledge hammer.  It was interesting to see the tent come down.  It was all bundled up with the bus returned.

I arrived back to find Wayne gathering up glasses to wash.  I ran in the kitchen and started washing.  We hadn't been able to do the dishes before going to the services but we needed the glasses for snack time.  So we got most of the dishes done before eating the fabulous, salty popcorn.  John was a blessing--he seems to love to wash dishes.  Mark was revved up.  I hope he sleeps tonight.

All the ladies have gone to bed.  I needed some quiet time so am in the bathroom.  Finished my 14 chapters of Bible reading.  So far have kept on schedule.  I know I need to go to bed soon.

Trying to think of some revelation I should write about--none yet.

1/15/04
Linda and LaVon helped us with the breakfast dishes.  That made them go quickly so we didn't miss much of prayer time.  Mostly the scripture reading.  Mary's group does lunch dishes.  We will be going to a restaurant this evening.

9:15 am   Teaching with Bobby Crow

1:45 pm  
No lunch dishes.  Mary's group is doing them.  Almost finished packing.  Mark will bring over his suit later for me to put in the big suitcase.  We've seen roaches and silver fish.  We'll have to freeze the luggage before taking it into the RV.

This morning we went to the Market.  They warned us that it was for residents, not a tourist market.  I was looking for earrings as a small souvenir.  Many things looked similar to US products.  Finally found a child's bracelet with colorful beads and shapes.  Bought two.  Mark agreed to take one apart to make dangly earrings.  I'll have to decide what to do as we'll want to make them quickly so I'll have them for show on Tuesday.

Monday is MLK Day.  So nice to anticipate a day off to re-settle.  Although this has been a wonderful trip.  

I will read my Bible and then take a nap.

7:30 pm  
Had dinner at the Don Elias restaurant.  The ministry bought.  There was guacamole, chips, tortillas, bean soup, and their version of fajitas.  We got one bottled drink; I got Coca Cola.  Mark just drank the water.  Rudy, Jon, Mary, Robbi, Mark, Elena, David and I sat together.  Our end of the table ate two platters and some of the Crow's platter.  

This is our last evening together.  Hard to believe we are finished here.  Bobby said we passed out over 5,000 booklets.  Very exciting!

7:50 pm   Teaching by Bobby Crow

After the teaching, Bobby wanted (along with the P de V staff) to pray for the CBC students.  Bobby prayed for impartation of the anointing.  We receive.  Lynn gave a personal  prophesy to Mark and myself.

After we headed back to the dorms, John Walton called us to come back out.  He'd really received during the earlier praying.  He saw things and was told he was to pray for everyone.  He also had a personal prophesy for Mark and me.

Yippie!  Mary's Bible was found.  It disappeared and she had resigned herself that it was stolen.  I saw it today on the lobby table (I should have picked it up) and it disappeared again before she went to get it.  Lulu asked around and apparently found out where it was.  Wayne handed it to Mary during John's prayer time.  So it must have been carried off with the make-up and candy which also was no longer on the table.  Mary was thrilled.  But it belonged to her ex-mother-in-law so she hated to lose it for sentimental reasons.

1/16/04
The first alarms rang at 3:50 am.  Mine at 4:00 am.  People were slow moving after only a few hours of sleep.  It didn't take long to finish packing.  Helped Betsy fold up her bedding.

Mary volunteered to clean the toilets.  Michael Callahan found the toilet brush for her.  Elena mopped.  Tori cleaned the sinks.  As my contribution, I dug long black hair out of the shower drains.

Cereal for breakfast.  Finally some serious fiber.  Realized I didn't know where my original plane ticket folder is.  I put it in a "safe" place.  Wayne says he hopes we don't need it as he doesn't know where his is either.

Bobby gave us some statistics.  We passed out 5850 booklets.  We were told that because reading material is limited, every piece of literature is read by an average of 5-7 people.  Therefore, we theoretically reached over 35,000 people.  It was encouraging to do evangelism in a locale where we knew that new Christians would be encouraged and guided by capable support systems.  Too many crusades "save'm and leave'em to their own devices."  I believe that if you aren't going to disciple them, you may not be doing them a favor by Saving them.


The number of recorded "salvations" was 54.  Mark and I don't know how they recorded them.  I only saw the pastor's wife writing down names on the last evening.

We'll look forward to being home again.  Not so much as to be away from Mexico.  I just want to feel clean.  The humidity keeps things from drying and "dirt" sticks.  I plan to spend lots of dinero in the RV Park laundry.  Since the wash cycle is so short on the commercial washers, I'll want to wash each load twice.

I write this on the bus.  Had a nap while it was still dark.  Mark is talking with Linda about Linux.

2:30 pm
We arrived at the Sunrise Mall at 10:15 am.  Mark and I shared a Chinese plate.  Now we're winging our way to Houston.  We have a 2 1/2 hours layover.  Time enough to get dinner.  If we need to eat something that home, it will be soup or ramen.  The cupboards as in fridge and freezer are pretty bare.

5:30 pm
Had a lovely layover--at at Harlon's BBQ in the Houston-Bush Int'l airport.  then had frozen yogurt and talked with Jan Hanks and Lynn McHood.  Jan feels called to missions.  Says she feels inspired and renewed every time she goes on a trip.

I said I was still trying to figure out how the trip changed my life.  I decided:
1.  Enjoyed door to door distribution of brochures
2.  Keep it simple in teaching
3.  Raul was inspiring and a great example of how he talked to people in simple terms.

Boarding plane at 5:35 pm.  It's raining out.  The Harlingen airport has been closed due to high wind.  Glad we got out.  It's supposed to be cold in Colorado.

Today has gone easily.  No problems getting through customs.  They can demand to go through everything.  We declared by bracelet and the dish I bought for the Daltons (the family who does the Discipleship Evangelism class with us).

8:25 pm  Home again!!!

Nikki picked us up at the airport arrivals door.  Some of the families had come inside.  Was glad to see Linda and Mary's family, also LaVon and Daniel's.  They'd brought Tori's baby; everyone looked happy.

Got our van at the Upchurch house.  Good to be alone with Mark.  Bussie was okay--nice and warm.  We took out the necessaries and put the suitcases in the truck to "freeze."  I'll wash clothes tomorrow.  Mark plugged in the hot water heater.  We need to shower.

So what can we say about the trip?

"The people were great, the food was great: it changed my Life."

Return to Virginia's Journal 2004