Mexico City: Our hearts go out. . .

Photo by Emily Brown: beautifully humble friend of mine.

I write this in the middle of the night when the city is the quietest.. but alas a am interrupted by the screeching fire siren that makes me wonder if it is going to rescue a face or name that I know, have prayed for, or stared into the eyes of. The 'still' small towners, that see a persons life behind the sound of a siren, are here in this Goliath of a lonely city.

“Are you ready to be less than a mere drop in the bucket - to be so totally insignificant that no one remembers you even if they think of those you served? Are you willing to give and be poured out until you are used up and exhausted - not seeking to be ministered to, but to minister?" -Oswald Chambers, recently quoted by Sidra, a very good friend of mine also on outreach but in a different region of the world. Rom 12:12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Niki (Australia) who herself has
an amazing life story of redemption:
 Staffing the CRS at YWAM Perth.

While many of us were painting (previous posts)... a few of us have been going into the city. Its really interesting what God will do with you if you make yourself available. Even more interesting in what he limits you from doing.

LEFT and BELOW are some pictures of some youth around the ages 17-25, that our team met on the street over the last few days. Matt didnt get a chance to get to know them because he, being the gentleman-sweet-heart that he is, walked a someone in the team home that was sick. I on the other hand was back leading the painting crews for the last several days... I would have loved to meet them.

Meanwhile... our team shared and listened in this group of young people described as studded, pierced, and tattooed. (If you know me well you know I have a soft-creative spot in my heart for these attributes.) While they shared, the group passed around bottles of alcohol, and a working glove. Apparently there was nothing special about this glove but a tissue inside of it soaked in aerosol glue which when placed in front of the nose provides a "high". This is medically called 'huffing'. 

They called themselves "punks", but shelly and I
called them "artistas" (artists) because
they could make the most creative
flowers out of a coca-cola can. "Muy Bonita!"

Many people have a different opinion about drugs and the people that do them... Our heart is to see the person behind the ruff exterior and smell of turpentine. Our team just loved on them and they were positively responsive at all the attention... like someone actually cared that they were hurting themselves for a temporary 'fix', and telling them about a 'fix' that would never be temporary.

We have spent a great deal of time in prayer for these guys. Will you continue to pray with us that they would be able and willing to have an abundant life? Off the streets where they all claimed they lived, and away from the temporary highs that will never full-fill them. We are praying that until those changes happen that God would keep them safe and whole.

* * *

Other Thoughts this week via our Facebook status:


AUG 21 worked with my team all day training young adults in Mexico City -- how to do an 'open air' all day(About 20 showed up), then painted on into the night... whoah... dude! -Tired!!


AUG 22 went to church this morning... even though I couldn't understand the words for most of the 3 hours, it was nice to reflect on the week ... More painting later, after meetings, writing up some testimonies...


AUG 25 Whoah... Broken... Im soo broken.. tired. the "day off" is just not long enough by the end of outreach... dang-it for being physically tired, emotionally tired, and spiritually tired... haha 2 1/2 weeks left.

This was posted after I had found out that the girl walking out of our gate carrying a stolen mat (our neighbors dogs),  was homeless and about 9 months pregnant. It broke my heart as we entered into intercession that evening. We dont have all the answers, or training for every single unexpected circumstance... but if I was to do nothing more than pray...yeah it still broke me in two.


Everyday we see a miracle or healed life in some minor way or another -a "drop in the bucket" compared to the gargantuan magnitude of need in this city... sometime we see one pass us by. We miss a chance, do-to  the lack of a translator (because they dont live with us), due to lack of facilities to refer people to, mostly for me though - due to shock.

AUG 26 Several of the people on our team today went scouting to find more contacts (Local Churches and Leaders) and ways to bring different communities together. Amazing time... while another team stayed back and painted some more... yeah! thats right mmmmmore painting -S.


AUG 27 Wal-mart trip for half the team (groceries- for 10), and more painting for the other half... YAY!! -S


AUG 28 Got to meet the fabulous kids/students at the 'School for the Deaf' today. Amazing! They were celebrating a year in progress/anniversary... lots of pictures taken, and lots of signing "thank you", and "gracias". Mexican signing is different then American.. crazy huh? And we're only 1/2 way through the day.


AUG 29 . . .then we find a young homeless girl 'high' on our doorstep. Whoah!!  

Christina, who showed up at our gate with a bottle of tequila in her blouse and huffing tissue in her hand, we led to a shelter where trained people could help her after we prayed for her and encouraged her about her value.

Pray that she would know that she is beautiful, not a failure, and her life is worth living. As we understood she was saying in our broken-understanding of Spanish.. words that she kept on saying over and over. We happened to have a friend that was nearby that spoke Portuguese which is close to Mexican Spanish.

Also pray for us- as many members on our team wanted to adopt her into our home because our hearts ached for her story. This is where the line is drawn, just as it is when a we are sick and we have to go to a doctor. We have to go to someone that is more equipped then ourselves to carry the responsibility. Pray that the people she is helped by not only help her find help out of her 'huffing' and alcohol addictions but the root of those addictions. 

 So all and all the last few weeks are coming to a close and we are growing very tired.. Thank you for all of your time, investment, and prayers. All much appreciated,.. because as we know that we are in this big city joining with local leaders and churches in the communities we have had a big task before us. We know we have not been alone.

Steph and Matt

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Featured Christian Artist:  Why not... I've decided that since this blog is mostly written by me (Steph) and semi-written by Matt, I need to have some of my featured artists be musicians! Oh yeah!
 
First official band to receive such an honor: Temper trap, a band that has unconventional roots to YWAM. And is actually REALLY good to listen to. (and the videos not so bad either)


 
 
 
 
We are currently listening to: John Piper "Adoption: The Heart of the Gospel."

Mexico City: More Photos!

A beautiful bush outside the School.
It rains alot this time of year in Mexico City. At least once a day; sometimes misting
5 minutes sometimes down pouring for several hours. Because the streets are so grungy and gritty,
the reflective puddles and still-dripping trees spring a feeling of 'new life' all over.
This IS a beautiful city....

Getting there... Painting murals as a team at the Deaf School.

Matt Julia... the newbie from Arizona. I told him if I could tell the world one thing
about himself to put on our blog what would it be?

Answer: "I just woke up, my brains not workn'... just say what ever you want to say because.." (mumbles) 

Other Snippets from this week:

Shelly: the leader of our team. Leader, meaning she does our budget (pictured here),
communicates with locals and translators on behalf of our team, and many other things that
just keep us on task of the over-all big picture. Many new people can find the schedule a
little grueling after a while, or having a budget done 'for you' a little over managing... but after
doing this for a few weeks - we are all happy and privileged to have such a chill
and easy-going leader like Shelly.  She does her 'job', and generally makes our 'job' much easier!

Mexican Money: Peso's.... Looks like alot but its not. 

Mexico City: This week - Painting at a School for the Deaf

So we were met by Linda, who didnt speak Spanish... or really any verbal language as her 'first' language. She was a sweet and beautiful woman whos deafness was only noticable only by her often slurred speech. It was really cool to talk to her...for most of us was mostly hand signals, lip reading, and some greatly enuncated English. This was a huge contrast, concidering everyone outside our team mostly speaks Spanish. I still caught myself saying 'si'(yes) or 'gracias' (thanks)... even though I didnt have to.

She -you could tell from her expression- was incredibly passionate and excited for us to help out with what looked like a HUGE project.

We were led past the plain entrance way and through two large doors. Linda showed us around, quickly pointing to the bright and colorful walls all around us, as her voice echoed through what used to be an old warehouse... It was amazing to see so much color on the inside of this plain cement building. Every doorway was painted to look more homey and grandure that it was. There was already much time and investment put into this place.... and to bring 5-7 of us at a time made it that much more of  blessing.

We, with paintbrushes in our hands, and intructions on our hearts from Linda... went at it.

The First project was finishing the boys bathroom... or bano here in Mexico, but called 'toilet' by the Aussies with us.

These were the results, with all of there projected beauty, faux animation, and badly lighted photography:

Obviously from the movie "Cars".

I worked on this one with Renata (Brazil), a girl from the MediaReach DTS team.

Mator -my favorate character- Started by Michelle (Australia), and Chun (S. Korea). Finished by Me and Shelly (USA).

Started by Matt Julia (a newbie to our team from the USA, non-YWAM), finished by Renata.

Meanwhile THIS is the project just starting in another room:

Ji Eun (S. Korea),  on her first hour of the day doing the 'sand' in the 'Aquarium Room'. 
Looks like its going to be a class room.

Luke (UK) also from the Media Reach DTS and Shelly (USA)...can she ever stop smiling??

* * *

Also this past week er so...

Matt and I had a great day together...
Its nice when one lives with 10 other people to just
get some time alone for a few hours.
THIS was a good day... and I wanted to capture it
with a picture of our 2 happy sodas sitting
beside each other...

Matt with his new New Jersey buddy who he met in the park when
we did ministry there with a youth group we met just the week before..
He spent some time in Joy-sy lurn'n english.

Matt doing the "box skit".... in the middle of traffic
 in a little market er ally-way area. This is my favorate
 randition of it to date. It drew a crowd of like, 30!
In a period of 5 minutes.

Matt speaking at an outreach Seminar  and doing a fantastic job too!!.
Aaron, on the right, was our translator of the day. After a while
we have all learned to enunciate and articulate our communication.
Aaron is very good at working past our mumbles.
Amazing guy.

A little girl whos portrait I drew. Its nice when we dont have a
translator 'right there' its  easy to just give a very personal gift
that says "you are valuable and beautiful."

Most of us 'relax' on our day off.... Matt takes cheap transit 2
hours out of the city to go hiking in the mountains with some
of our best Mexican friends. These guys hang out with us every
day during ministry AND still want to be with us on our day off !!
Good friends: Pako, Elisama, and Jaziel (pronounced Ah-zeal)

This stray's collar was choking her.... I am so glad that we found her when we did.

Mexico City : First few weeks

Buenos Dias from Mexico City!!

Matt’s team has been here for about 4 weeks and has almost every day gone out with local youth to do ministry in the city. Every day they have left early and returned late… just simply serving people in the city. The last week of that has been helping out at the Global Youth Outreach (GYO) which Youth With A Mission, Perth is hosting-facilitating-and staffing in Mexico City.

From the Left: Emily, Shelly, Brittany, Jess & Anders w/ baby Olivia, Chun, Matt, and at the bottom Michelle, and Ji Eun (pronounced Gee-oon)

Picture taken before I joined the team.

I have been here for the last 2 weeks. My first week has been working with Art-Reach in the City. The week was such a joy to have a pencil and brush in my hands. Then when I joined the GYO I led the Media team that captured it all on screen. Then on the days of the GYO did outreach in the city we had the youth take up their pencils, brushes, and chalk also. The artists and youth of this city inspire me…

My amazing team that reached out in Azpocazalco, a region of Mexico City.
About 30 youth from different parts of the
region all coming together in unity to serve their community.

Practical serving-ministry during the GYO.

 A huge fountain that did not appear to be

designed with the intention of being covered in graffiti and trash.

Our friends just put gloves on and sifted through the maggot infested rubbish.

 

Sarah (Right of center) and I sharing examples of art with local people in the community

that have gathered together for an art seminarduring ART REACH.

Victor, a local Christian artist, that shared his heart on

the sidewalk during the outreach "Days of Commpassion" of the GYO.

We met him during Art Reach. He is finally picking his

paintbrushes and pencils up again

after years of making room for

everything but the skills and passions God gave him years ago.

For all those that have prayed and supported us these last few months - a huge “thank you” from the communities of Mexico City.

 "I want you guys to tell your churches and tell your families what a blessing you have been to Mexico City."- Local Pastor in Azpocazalco 

Broke my heart to hear.. as I was moving into another region where Matt would be, but I was soo happy to just hear the confirming words from a strong leader in the community. Doing what I do with art and just simple acts of prayer for people sometimes especially at the begining of a long outreach the temptation is that the difference being made is a meager one... but this man really cemented it into my head with his thanks.

Mexico City : First Impressions.

Est. 27 Million people - One "Grande" city!
(http://srufaculty.sru.edu/james.hughes/100/100-6/d-6-45.htm)

Originally written July 18, 2010 more frequent updates now that we have reliable internet.
 So it is 3 in the morning. I am still recovering from jet-lag and the 32 hour travel. The human body is designed to withstand many things, but the traversing of 11 time zones still does not seem to come naturally to mine. I’ve now been here 2 full Mexican days, and it seems my stomach has noticed some ‘differences’ too, so between that, the jet-lag and the altitude sickness I’m pretty sure I’ve officially “arrived” and still incredibly thankful to be here.




After having met all the community members that Matt works with (pictures coming soon), the first day he showed me around his team’s area of the city. It was wonderful to spend time with him… and just him for the first day. We were so grateful just to spend some time together after over 2 weeks, and a whole ocean apart. We had lunch and stopped at a coffee shop to try and wake me up a little. We caught up and he showed me around like a champ, like he’s lived here for years.

This is a city that considers each one of your senses. Matt took me to the legendary train/subway system that although is extremely efficient is also outrageously crowded even though when we were there he said “it wasn’t so bad”.

Train/subway station.

All over the place street vendors are accessible in the informal alley ways and crevices between the structures, each person shouting at us in Spanish to buy something. Packs of cigarettes, water bottles, candy, cup-of-noodles, you name it - they sold it - if the item could fit in their hands, or in a manageable plastic bag. Oh and the magazine stands scattered between them with everything from children’s magazines to hard-core pornography right next to each other on the shelf.

As we walked between the skyscrapers there were oceans of Mexican people around us, casually flooding the streets. Here and there a mariachi (sp?) band would be on a corner blowing their horns loudly and singing boastfully at the top of their lungs with unreserved joy. On top of those sounds was the blasting American pop-music spewing out into the streets from the store fronts. Beneath all of the overwhelming competing sounds there was a constant hum of traffic and distant echoing blurs of sounds from the distance that has not stopped even now- church bells, machinery, construction, birds and roof-top exhaust systems. As for your sense of smell being overwhelmed - between the pizza shops, taco-stands, layered in is a distinct and dank smell of gasoline, car exhaust and rotting items that I cannot quite describe with words. Im guessing that it is from the sewer systems that have open grates all over the middle of the city.


First visual impression from the limited amount that I’ve seen so far: This is a cement kingdom. Every single building is clothed in graffiti, made up of cinderblock or stone and coated with years of wear from the thick dirt or acid rain. In the air looms a juicy smog that hovers throughout the city. I say the word ‘kingdom’ because it is immense. The street blocks go up and out and despite the fact I’ve seen so little, the vastness of what I have viewed doesn’t even come close to pricking the surface of this city of millions of people.


Familiar things: 7-Elevens, and Starbucks on every corner. Most of the products that I’m used to in America… that I missed oddly enough because it reminds me of my original home culture- Reese’s Peanut butter cups, Heinz Ketchup, Hershey chocolate, common detergents, and house hold goods. Virtually every brand was recognizable even written in Spanish because the logos are still incredibly engrained in my head by default.


Visually cultural things: Beautifuly bright colors. I expected it but here no stone is left unturned. A guy a made friends with on the plane said that the 'its very common for the average person or business that can afford to change the color of their house will often'. I was impressed and inspired by their choices of opposite colors. It blows me away just the use of bright and florescent variations contrasted by blacks, browns, and cement textures.


Mexico City is not like I imagined it at all; I’m not quite sure what I expected. No matter how many books I could study, pictures I could see from other teams, or classes I could take on the culture it’s just not the same as a swift kick in the face of uninhibited culture shock with my own feet actually on the ground.


We want to thank you for your prayers. Its been a miracle to see us both just get to Mexico City. Now that there is a constant internet connection we will first be just throwing out some pictures and some short articles. This has been more than an amazing experience we have seen God moving through the hands and feet of many people in the city. More coming soon.