Last week I received a call from Steve Mickel at Foursquare Missions International. He was asking if I knew anyone that might be able to lead a team of 130 teens from around the U.S. on a week-long mission to Tijuana, Mexico. This team just happened to be scheduled for the same time as our family vacation. We had hoped to visit Southern California but had decided to save money and instead were going to stick around here.
I told Steve I would think about it and see if I could find someone to do it. After talking to Heidi I called him back and asked told him we would do it if they would bring our family down. He said no problem -- they would even give us a car to use and a place to stay.
So we leave on Monday and will be tourists until Thursday night. Our kids will be a part of the "team" and we will spend the last week doing projects in Mexico (August 4-12).
The tickets have been purchased and we are excited that we can do this. It's cool when things like this fall into place. Some would call this good fortune. I think God more accurately and logically should get all the credit for things like this.
As kids get older you start counting down you summers. With Alicia going into the 10th grade this is a perfect time for us to do a family mission trip and spend some quality time together as well.
Keep us in your prayers. We have yet to find out all that this team will be doing. I will update this blog while travelling as much as computer access will allow.
Wednesday, 9:20 p.m.: It's fun being back in L.A. It has been about ten years since we have been here. The Echo Park neighborhood where Heidi and I met and attended Bible College has changed for the better. It still is very urban but has experienced some renewal. Yesterday we went on insane roller coasters at Magic Mtn. We have also shared meals with many old friends including the Fairfield's, Metsker's, Mickel's, and Dave Sheridan.
Tomorrow the mission trip begins around 4 p.m. when the youth start showing up. We have dinner and orientation starting at 5 p.m. This is the part of the trip we have really been looking forward to.
Thursday: Arrival Day
Today we had thought about going to the beach or to the XGames, but instead we opted for a leisurely day preparing for the arrival of the team. We had a few hours to spare this morning so we went to LIFE Pacific College in San Dimas where we "bumped into" Carley Ericson (from Eastside -- now back at LIFE), Mike Gentry (who was in our youth group in Coos Bay), Dan and Connie Stewart (President of LIFE)...we just kept bumping into people from our past. Dan had a letter from me on his desk from EFC and it was his birthday. He dedicated Alicia after she was born (15 years ago) when we interned at his church in Lancaster, CA.
This team is 130 strong, including 8 interpreters and 6 World Base Interns. We seem to have started off real well with all the leaders. Levi and Alicia are staying at the World Base for the next two nights. We leave for Mexico on Saturday morning. Tonight we went to Angeles Temple for a GREAT worship service (see photo). Tomorrow is our training day for the team -- more updates later.
Saturday Night -- August 12th, 11:00 p.m.
We are back from our trip!
It's difficult to know what to say this late at night after an eight days of outreach with over 100 teens from around the U.S.!
I will write more soon.
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