Ely- Salvation in the Tanning Salon :)

Ely, my friend :) 

This is Ely (pronounced Ellie). One could say that our lives randomly intersected, but I've known Jesus long enough to believe that there are no such things as coincidence. He had planned for us to meet long before I even had a clue. I hope this story shows you that God wants to use you wherever you go, according to His plan, not yours :)

  I met Ely exactly one month before my wedding. I know it was exactly one month before my wedding because that is when I had decided I would start tanning for the "Big Day." Ely works at the tanning salon. I remember walking in and seeing this pretty redheaded girl but was nervous about my first time in the tanning beds so didn't give her much thought. Honestly I felt super self-conscious about tanning for my wedding. "What a frivolous thing to do", I had told myself one hundred times. "I'm a missionary, what will people back home think?" I admit that I am one of those who teases others about "fake baking" and here I was about to  bake myself! However, I knew I didn't want to look like a ghost with my white skin in my white wedding dress on that "Big Day" and I surely didn't want to terribly stick out in the photos with my new Mexican family. So, there I was shamefully signing my name to a month of sessions.

When I'm nervous I just talk, doesn't matter the language. So I started talking to Ely as I signed my name and pulled out my lotion. I told her that I was marrying a Mexican man in one month and wanted to be tan for the wedding, even though it seemed frivolous. I told her we had dated for two years. I told her all about his proposal and all about the wedding plans... I only stopped talking when I noticed that Ely was crying. She brushed away tears as she told me that her and her boyfriend of three years had just broken up. ( Yeah, just call me Cruella Devil!) Well, that definitely shut me up! I told her I was so sorry, grabbed my lotion and headed for the back room.

After this first questionable meeting I saw Ely about 3 times a week as I stopped by to tan. Each time we talked more and more. I learned about her life, her parents, her ex... and in return shared with her my pre-wedding stress and joys. There were some days that we talked longer than I was actually in the tanning bed!

 Three days before the wedding (as I was on the way to the airport to pick up my parents) I stopped by the shop for one last tan. I noticed that Ely seemed really sad. I asked her what was wrong and in a fountain of tears she told me that she had hit the lowest spot in her life. She missed her ex like mad but was terribly hurt by him, she spent all her days sitting in the tanning booth which gave her lots of time to dwell on the negative things in her life. She felt hopelessly trapped. In this moment I sensed that nudging peace of the Holy Spirit to share. I had to tell her the Good News! So I did. I began by saying that God had a huge plan and purpose for her life, that it was not His will for her to live sad and defeated. I told her that our help comes from the Lord our God the Maker of heaven and earth.

Ely looked at me with tears in her eyes and said that when she had first met me (Cruella Devil day) she was taken by how much joy I had (had to be God!). She said I intrigued her and she knew that she wanted to be my friend. I told her that it really couldn't have been me mustering up the joy she saw that day (honestly, I was a wedding stress ball!). No, it was Christ dwelling in me that made me joyful. So there that day I shared with Ely the truth of the Gospel and the joy that Christ wanted to give her.

It was over two weeks before I saw Ely again. I had gotten married, gone on a honeymoon, moved into a new apartment, etc. Feeling urged by the Holy Spirit I stopped by the tanning salon one afternoon to say hi and to catch up.... It turned out to be that day that Ely prayed to receive Christ as her Lord and Savior!

Since then Ely and I have been meeting once a week at a local coffee shop to study God's Word together. She is so hungry to know more of the Lord. She came to the second week of discipleship with 20 chapters of Matthew marked up with pencil. Wanting to know that pharisees were and what the parable of the sower and the seed meant, and tons of other questions. I love it! Her heart is genuinely seeking the truth and devouring what it receives. Ely has also refreshed me with the joy of new salvation! She has helped me to see the scriptures as she does... with brand new eyes. I love to hear each week how God has showed up and surprised her, either through her morning devotional that turned out to be perfect for that day, or through strangers as church giving her a word that was right on. God is so taking care of Ely and rapidly teaching her. It is a delight to see her grow! Praise Jesus for salvation!

Praise Jesus who decided to use me when I least expected it and was by no means looking for it. Honestly, I thought my ministry was just to be to orphans and the poor and my frivolous tanning was just a guilty pleasure. At no time did I expected that He would have me ministering to the young girl in the tanning booth and sharing with her the joys of salvation. Praise Jesus that His plan is higher than ours and that He uses us wherever we go. 

Milagros Graduates

Milagros receiving her diploma

Do you remember Milagros? I've written about her a few times on this blog.  Milagros is an amazing young woman. I met her several years ago in the impoverished community of Rio1 where I serve. Milagros was born poor and born deaf but also born a fighter. I have never seen anyone more determined in my life! Through the generous donation of a supporter, B2B has been paying for Milagros to go to cosmetology school. I'm so excited to announce that Milagros has graduated from her 2 year program!!! Milagros is the first person in her family (and most likely in her community) to graduate from anything higher than middle school. We at B2B are so proud of our girl! She graduated with awesome grades and tons more self esteem than when she started. Praise Jesus who never gives up on us, shows us His favor, and completes the good work He started! Here are some pictures from Milagros' graduation ceremony. (Check out earlier posts to read more about Milagros' amazing story.)

Milagros (top left in black) showing off her model at graduation. Milagros' final exam included doing the hair, nails, and makeup on her model. Milagros stands by one of her teachers and the announcer who is explaining the work Milagros has done. 

Milagros and her weepy-eyed mom, Tere, after the graduation. Tere cried through the whole thing, so proud of her daughter who has overcome so many obstacles to be there that day. 

Milagros' graduating class and teachers. (Milagros is the second from the left) 

Please continue to lift Milagros up in prayer as she now needs to find a cosmetology job! Pray that God would prepare the right place for her to work and continue to give Milagros the strength to pursue it. 

Too Comfortable...

Bed covers entitled "Pure Comfort"

I am way too comfortable, and that is the truth. The theme of "my comfort" has been resounding in my heart for the past several weeks. I know the Lord is getting at something in me with all of this as it just won't go away. Time after time I am hit with examples of living, breathing people who have chosen Christ's love over their own comfort... and are satisfied. To earthly eyes, denying your own comfort in order to love someone else doesn't equal satisfaction. In fact it equals a pretty miserable situation for you. However to heavenly eyes, denying your own comfort in order to love someone else leads to the most satisfying, joyful life you can live. Note that I did not say the easiest life you can live. Not easy, but satisfying. 

I'm reading Kisses from Katie. The biography of a 19 year old American teenager who, compelled by the Spirit, left the comforts of the States to move to Uganda by herself and love people. She is now 21, and the adoptive mother to 14 abandoned Ugandan girls. She is also the director of Amazima Ministries (http://www.amazima.org/ ) which feeds and sends to school nearly 1600 Ugandan children who would otherwise spend their days scavenging for food. Her story has sunk into some deep place of my heart and challenged me that the comforts I crave in my life are "mud pies" compared to to the satisfaction that comes from really dying and serving with Christ's love. I am way to comfortable. 

Katie Davis and one of her Ugandan girls

During the week I picked up Kisses from Katie, a good friend came down on a team to minister for a week with us here in Monterrey. I was talking to him over a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in the cement church at Caderayta one afternoon. I had heard through the grapevine that he and his wife were in the process of adopting a little boy. I began to ask about the adoption and through the conversation again was confronted with an example of denying comforts in order to love as Christ loves. 

God has laid on Chris and Julie's hearts to adopt, but not just any child. They have a fervent passion to adopt a little boy named Ryan who has severe special needs. As Chris started explaining Ryan's needs, I was overwhelmed with the thought of how much work, sacrifice, and love it will take to include him into their family. This boy's needs are so severe that it is likely that he will never even be able to say "thank you" to Chris and Julie. I asked Chris how he felt about all this. His only words were, "We can't wait to bring him home!" ... I started tearing up right there in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the Caderayta church. I wasn't wispy-eyed because of Ryan's story, I was affected by the extreme amounts of Christ's love I saw flowing through my friend for a boy he hadn't even met yet. This was Christ. This was true sacrifice. This was pure joy.

I am way too comfortable. 

Chris and Julie's Ryan

(For more about Chris and Julie's adoption look here: http://goingafterone.blogspot.com)

Katie, Chris, and Julie didn't choose the easy way or the comfortable way. They chose Jesus' way and are filled with joy and satisfaction.There is no better place to be.

Comfort is our biggest enemy. It can kill the soul, yet I find myself desiring more if it. I look for all sorts of ways to make myself comfortable and to keep that comfort. Jesus hasn't called us to a comfortable lifestyle. His life was nowhere near comfortable! True satisfaction in Jesus can't be found in our comfort, I'm convinced. 

"I am much more terrified of living a comfortable life in a self-serving society and failing to follow Jesus than I am of any illness or tragedy... Jesus called His followers to be a lot of things, but I have yet to find where He warns us to be safe. We are not called to be safe, we are simply promised that when we are in danger, God is right there with us. And there is no better place to be than in His hands." (Kisses from Katie, pg. xix- xx)

That is so true, Lord! There is no better place than to be in Your Hands! I want to be there, even if that means a loss of comfort. Help me to knowingly forgo comfort today, in order to love purely and totally as you love. Take away every point of selfishness and make me like you. I feel challenged with the burning desire to leave everything and follow You. I want to want to forsake it all. We are committed to you Lord Jesus, and not to our own comfort. Keep us from getting too comfortable. Amen. 

Ohio Wedding Reception

We were so blessed to have so many friends and family come out for our wedding reception in Ohio! Here are a few shots from the night as we celebrated marriage and the new year!

The center pieces

Aunt Deb and I :) 

Our wedding cake made by Deb Anderson

Many family and friends! 

The Kalous Family

The newly married Lambs :) 

Good friends Heidi and Tyler

Aunt Laura and Uncle Frank

The Hitchcocks

Maynard Family

Everyone watching a slideshow from the wedding getting ready for dancing! 

Cheque giving me a bit of wedding cake. 

My sister, Lydia, presenting a "Quilt poem" to us :) 

The Beginnings of a Literacy Program...

About 2 months ago I was hanging out with a few girls in the Rio and we got to talking about reading. Somewhere in our conversation I asked them if they ever get read to at home. They both said no.  I knew both the girls had several books in their home, because I had brought them out in a donation. I asked the girls where they books were and they said "on the shelf." I praised them for this, because taking care of items in the Rio is not always a priority. We had a conversation when I first brought the books out about where to keep them and how to care for them. So I was pleased to see that they had done this. However, when I asked how many books the girls had read that week the answer was, zero. When I asked why, they reported that they weren't allowed to take them down from the shelf because their grandmother knew I was going to come by and she didn't want to take a chance that the books would be ruined before my next visit. 

I sighed internally as I realized that this family didn't understand the reason for the books. I remembered the library programs that I participated in as a child growing up in Oxford, OH. Almost every summer we would set reading goals and earn prizes for the books that we read... I wondered if Sara nd Monse needed a little motivation like I did when I was little. I asked for a scrap of paper and scrawled out a one week reading chart for the girls. "Try to see if you can read one book a day or if your grandmother can read one book a day to you for the next week," I said. For added motivation I let the girls borrow some of the children's books I had with me in my car. "Next week when I come, show me what you have read and you can borrow some more books." I then talked to their grandmother to make sure she understood that the books were for the girls to read, regardless of whether or not they got messed up. 

The next week I drove up to Sara and Monse's house and was greeted by the girls proudly standing outside holding up their reading charts. "We did it every day!" They shouted. Each girl got to pick a lollypop as a prize then we sat down to talk about the experience and to read a book out loud together. It was wonderful!

 The next week even more kids showed up and the same thing happened the week after. I now have about 6 consistent students every week! I set up a very basic library system, where the kids can check out and return books. The best part is that the kids are reading or being read to and that there are books entering their homes. I've even noticed some of the teenage boys standing at a distance where they can hear the story I'm reading to the children yet still look cool! They were only given away when they too started laughing at the funny parts. 

I have several Christian books and some children's Bibles that I let the kids borrow. Sara told me one day that her grandmother loves the Children's Bible best of all.She reads it everyday to her granddaughters. Yajiara borrowed a Max Lucado book one week that illustrated the story of our Heavenly Father's love for us. She said that her mom started reading it and loved the story. Her mother read it over and over several times that week :) 

I'm excited to see where this literacy program goes!Two months later and the kids are still excited about reading.  I can already see that he kids are enjoying reading and that their parents are being influenced too. Compared to when we first started, the children are now very engaged in the stories I read aloud. They are making their own predictions and making connections to the text... two very important skills for readers to know. I also love to see them being responsible for the books they check out. We have only misplaced a few! They have read most of the books in my collection and I am in need of more! 

Please keep us in your prayers! Pray for the kids enthusiasm to continue. Pray for the ones who struggle with reading to continue learning, pray for parents to continue to be on my team with this, pray for more children's books in Spanish, pray for me to have wisdom to know how to teach and encourage these kids. 

The Literacy Program students with their books. 

My students selecting the books they want to borrow for the week. 

Monse, Sara, and Alondra reading together

Yajaira reading to Daniel

Sara with her book

Alondra decorating her reading chart for the week

My students having some silent reading time 

El Nido de Amor

Many people have been asking about our apartment. Here are some pictures of the before and after remodeling process. It started out as one bedroom and bathroom but, with the help of many fellow B2B staff members, family, and friends it has turned into our apartment! We love living here and are very thankful for all those who put in their time and effort to help us make this home :) 

Bedroom before

Kitchen before

Living Room/Dining Room before

Bedroom before

Living room before

Construction to separate the bedroom from the living room

Bedroom after

Bedroom after

Living room/ Dining Room after

Living room / Dining room after

Closet after

Kitchen after

Kitchen after

The Wedding of Hope and Cheque

It's official. We're married! Cheque and I tied the knot on October 30th, 2011 at 4:00pm in Monterrey, Mexico! Yay! It was an amazing day that I so wish all of you could have been at!  God blessed Cheque and I with every detail of the day. The weather was beautiful and sunny, the flowers fragrant, the guests excited, the food so delicious, the dancing so much fun, but most importantly we sensed God's smile over us:)

My family came in from Ohio and many of Cheque's relatives came from Mexico City. It wasn't just a fun day it was a fun week with people arriving several days before! There was tons of fellowship between the families and so much help as we set up and prepared for the Big Day. 

Here are a few pictures from the wedding. I hope you like them! We are still waiting on the professional pictures, and will put some up when we get them. 

Many thanks to EVERYONE who helped with this day! Thanks for your love, encouragement, support, and friendship! We couldn't have done it without you. 

Flower bouquet and the wedding program

Getting all the buttons done up the back of my dress by my sisters and bridesmaids. 

Mom and I right before the wedding! 

Walking down the isle with dad (Cheque's parents are on the left) 

Our wedding ceremony took place at the Antigua Hacienda de Santiago about 20 min from the B2B property. It had an amazingly beautiful view of the mountains and the lake. 

Cheque and I with the lasso. This is a Mexican wedding tradition. The lasso is draped around the bride and groom during the ceremony to symbolize unity. 

The Kiss! One of my favorite pictures! 

We are pretty excited about being married... as you can see :) 

Me and my silly man! 

Yay! 

Me and my bridesmaids (my 2 sisters and Cheque's 2 sisters)

Cutting the brownie cake. 

Cheque giving me the first bite... and enjoying it :) 

The happy bride and groom :) 

My Family