Wednesday, July 23, 2003

Dear Praying Friends,

I returned tonight from Chicago, an important time (which I loved) with colaborers.  But, coming home I was aware I hadn't connected with you ... and our team had already left for Mexico on Monday.  Our flight pulled into Phoenix and we were requested to sit for awhile waiting ... just then my phone rang, Billy calling from Mexico with an update.  I immediately thought of you and how great it was I could share with you so far how they are doing.  To be expected, there was "the broken things" report ... Two of our vans broke, limping into a mechanic an hour from Tecate.  Then the challenges to adapt and be flexible ... Tents went up at midnight in a place we've never been before.  The work jobs we thought we might do had to be changed ... so far, normal!  And yet, our team of mostly N.M. teenagers is doing supernaturally well.  I don't know if words can describe what it feels like to us to watch our own kids serve in difficult circumstances.  So will you pray for our precious ones loving those who God has assigned to them this week.  That their lives will be permanently impacted by all they do and see and that they hear God this week, experiencing His heart broken for our hurting world.

Just in from Billy from Mexico:

Hello to you from Testerazo Mexico.  I am down here with 30 of us from Neighborhood Church and Ministries.  Our group includes adults, summer staff, interns, junior and senior-highers, and my family.  Testerazo is a small community about 50 kilometers south of Tecate.  We have chosen this location because of our relationship with Shaun and Maria Sheahan - friends we met a few years ago through our Neighborhood Church.  The Sheahans have been workers in this area of Mexico for over 15 years.
Today was unbelievable.  My attempt to describe it seems to cheapen how powerful it was - but I want to give you a glimpse of what we experienced. We helped a farmer in his field.  We ran a mini-Kid's Club for about 50 children.  We worked on projects for the church and school here.
AND THEN, this afternoon, we all went to work among "the indigenous".  These are native Mexican's - some of the poorest of the poor here in Mexico. They have recently moved to Testerazo because of false reports of jobs here. They are living in what was a chicken farm.  They have made rooms from cardboard boxes and garbage they have found.  Today our team joined the church here in bathing the children.  Many without clothes.  Many with sores on their bodies.  All of them undernourished.  Our team went right to work - bathing, drying, dressing, feeding, playing, holding, and loving little ones - despite the fact that none speak Spanish.  Wow.  Most of us had moments of emotional overload.  It was overwhelming for me as well.  I heard our team - "I feel helpless", "What more can we do?", "We need to come back and help some more!" , "We need to pray".  One of the babies is very, very ill.  She is 5 months old.  She received attention from our girls and women - it was difficult to see her suffer. Her condition is critical.  My wife Charlotte, Maria Sheahan, and the baby's mother took the child to a doctor - about 40 minutes away.  We are praying that some medicine and food will help, but the total environment is so awful.
I want you to picture us at dinner tonight - discussing what we have just experienced: ministry together - prayer - tiredness - trust - faithfulness - community - worship - "doing unto the least of".
Thank you for supporting us!  We have been changed, and look forward to God's direction, not only as we finish this trip here, but as we return to Phoenix.
In Jesus,
Billy Thrall

Pray for their safe trip back home.  They'll be at the beach Friday, and then coming home sandy and sunburned, only to pack and get ready for Kids Camp, which begins Sunday.  I'll talk to you again before then, Kids Camp traditionally marks the end of the summer experiences ... with only one more I CAN DO IT trip to go, also.  You have loved us through so much already.  God Bless you for your perseverance before the throne.
        
Kit
        
(Wayne and I leave Friday to get Katy from California, a new two year intern who will be designing and implementing the faith wrap around program for Head Start, which miraculously also began this week.  That update is forthcoming.  You won't believe what God is doing through Head Start.  Debbi will be back from Colorado to share it all with you soon.)