what an amazing day!

August 26, 2009- Wednesday- Day 8

WOW what a day! It was so crazy and filled with things I never thought would happen. It started out with us really tired and hardly awake for breakfast then Sergio came to get us. He is so funny and told us story after story. We started out by getting our friend Martin that he had not seen in two years! It was pretty crazy… we have all grown up a lot and now he has long hair with dread locks. We headed over to the new hospital after picking up Martin. Last summer we were able to help build some buildings for the new hospital. There were either 3 or 4 buildings up but now there are 11! It was super amazing to see how far they have come in a year. There is a place to eat, a home for the people who run the place, and different areas for the patients.

After looking through the colorful new hospital with over 50 hospital beds donated to them we headed to the Hospice Center. Last summer they were mostly all in a garage but Sergio helped them find a place to rent and it is really nice. It broke my heart being there. I was kind of slapped in the face by God. There were men in diapers lying around and lots of people missing limbs. One man had just had a hip replacement and he wasn’t taking it well. He was so skinny and frail… I didn’t know what to do… he was kind of gasping for every breathe. Upstairs in the place there was a man who used to be a heroine addict who had blown out his veins so he couldn’t really move that much but they were doing therapy for him. Outside were more people and we talked to the lady who runs it with her husband. She used to be in jail and now goes to the jail to talk to the ladies about loving Jesus. Sergio asked me if I would be willing to go lead worship at the jail when she goes and talks. I was so excited and said of course.

Driving around in Tijuana is really interesting and scary but with Sergio talking it makes it all ok. He told me when Aaron (the guy on his staff who sets stuff up from people in America) said there was a girl from Nebraska calling he knew it was me. I asked him how and why did you remember me. He said you have such a passion and I knew you looked like a Baja Vision girl. (Baja Vision is his ministry) He really wants me to pray about coming on their staff full time. He wants young people with fresh ideas to come in and help. He said he loved that we are here and wants us to be here all the time.

We went by this place that is really poor. Over 300 families need new homes in this area and it is Sergio’s next mission to get them what they need. It is horrible and I can’t believe what people are going through. There houses are made out of garage doors or tables or anything… it is tough but we can help them we just need to.

We had to get back to the orphanage for lunch and to drive the kids to school. Then later I was able to have a long talk with Israel about who he is and everything. His youngest boy is a miracle baby. His wife and him have been married for 22 years and were told they couldn’t have kids. But a guy came and talked to them about different doctor ways to have kids but they didn’t have the money so they prayed about it. 15 days later his wife found out she was pregnant! Now they have an adorable 3-year-old named Israel. His older son Alberto is from a different lady and Israel didn’t know about him tell a little over a year ago. Alberto’s mom died of a drug overdose… and Israel used to be bad into all that stuff. He had a tough life.

Later we talked about our hearts and why people are afraid of coming to Tijuana. I said they hear the news and are scared plus people are so comfortable in there houses. It was tough to talk about because I would love to find people to come and help build houses for people down here. They need our help and it’s not tough at all. Anyone could come hug a child or hold an old persons hand or help paint a house… not tough its just giving up your time. We need to stop putting our God in a box and realize He is everywhere and will protect us.

A couple from Canada came down and bought some pizza for the kids. They seemed really nice and they are going to go with us tomorrow to some different places. I can’t wait to head over to the old folks home! It is going to be so much fun! Tonight we were also able to go with Israel to pick up his son from school. He goes to school from like 5 to 9 at night… its weird. His school is also in downtown Tijuana by the Prostitute areas and stuff. We actually saw some prostitutes tonight… I wanted to cry realizing their lives. We got to see Tijuana at night though… a view of all the lights and everything from a big hill. It was amazing. It was a busy and fun filled day. I wanted to cry quite a bit… things just really got me. I am seeing Jesus in the face of these orphans or in a man dying at a hospice center or in a prostitute longing for love. Jesus will show us and he is walking in Tijuana. I don’t deserve to be here with these people but God I guess thinks I do.