Hola from Mazatlan!
We are currently three weeks into our time here in Mazatlan. Our family transitioned easier this time after spending six months in this city last winter. We really like the apartment we’ve rented and it has provided a convenient location with our involvement with the Vineyard Church.
Some of the great things about our Location:
- Ten Minute from The Vineyard Church which makes walking there every day so much better.
- A Laundromat!!! Literally a two-minute walk from our apartment is the most amazing building ever built in this part of town. From a Mom who hand washed last winter for six months you have no idea what an amazing blessing this is.
- We are closer to the major bus line allowing commuting all that easier.
Our time here looks quite different from last year. While we know a lot of our purpose, there is still a waiting game involved to see those areas to completion.
Jodi: I am taking the role of over seeing the kids home schooling, and we’ve taken on a more relaxed approach this year and it seems to be working better for the kids. They overall seem a lot happier and less emotions are floating around by all of us. No tears yet… (I was referring to me…) 🙂
The kids are taking the role of cleaning and preparation of the Vineyard bus for the bi-weekly compassionate tour. Two times a week the church meets to make sandwiches and bottled water to hand out to the workers who sift through garbage at the city Dump. Ben has really taken owner ship of this cleaning role and it really working hard. Emily really enjoys getting her part of the bus cleaned so she can join the sandwich making. I can see the difference that one year of experience has done for their overall outlook, and a bit of growing up has helped.
My work with making some positive changes to the front lobby has not yet begun because some of the key people are tied up with other responsibilities. Hopefully we can start to make of these changes in the near future. The key to Mexico is patience. When you finally get some, you need to ask for more.
The front of the church is really busy with people and “life” that is refreshing to see. Volunteers are busy working, women are sewing dresses for little girls to give away, and some fundraisers are happening to create great change for the life of the various community centres.
This trip has been a balance act. I’ve been trying to focus on my business more instead of it falling off the universe for three months. A family I’ve been working with in Canada since December is starting a renovation in February and I owe them the hours to take care of the details to see that their renovation is a success. I’m excited to see it to completion and I can’t wait to sit at their new kitchen Island to make a toast! I’ve had a lot of sleepless nights just thinking about the details, as I do with a lot of my clients.
Emily:
She has been working around the clock making rainbow loom bracelets to sell on Sunday mornings. She’s added some new creations that appear to be a bit hit, and every week she’s been taking special orders. To date she raised approx. $3000 Pesos towards feeding kids. That means that 300 + kids will receive a healthy meal. Way to go Emily! And she is just getting started.
Darryl:
He has been in a serious juggling act this time around, and I think he’s handling it as well as can be. He’s been working on a very exciting project with a client back home that can’t be revealed just yet. Lots of hours have been spent on start-up, and we are hoping for great things from it.
He has also slipped back into his continued role working on the administration end of the Child Sponsorship Program here at the Vineyard. This requires a lot of work with the project team in verifying all of the data points on over 600 kids and their matched donor. The eventual goal is to take all of this data and import it into a web-based software solution to manage the communication and sponsor details of the program. Since this program is still in its infancy, they must also create/define all the policy and procedures for how the program is to operate. From our perspective, he is either at the church in meetings, or working somewhere on his laptop.
Family:
As a family we try to get out in the evening for a walk on the street, or a walk on the beach to clear our heads a bit. We’ve experienced some rental challenges with our February and March Tenant and it’s taken a lot of mental energy away from the things that matter here. We’ve both struggled with trying to not let it occupy us too much; it’s all to easy to fall into that trap. Instead, we are trying our best to communicate with grace and love amongst something that is beyond our control. We have to trust that all will work out for the best, or the realization that it may not and we need to be okay with that.
Fundraising: We are almost at our Fundraising goal this time in Mazatlan (at around 85% of our target). We still have a bit more to go, and we are waiting on God to see how that will fall into place. Thank you to those who have supported us, as you have no idea how encouraging this is. Working along side of an organization that truly wants to see God honoured in their work is truly amazing to be apart of and we are most grateful for the experience for our family.
From our family to yours we thank you, we care for all of you.
Jodi and Darryl, Emily and Ben.
I just read your update and please know that I believe your part of God’s plan for His Kingdom is absolutely fantastic! A good friend of mine is also in Mexico (Puerto Vallarta) He is a contractor, and he’s building houses for families in need. May God richly bless you in your work. You will be in my prayers.
Great update. Gives pause, to realize all that is done at the church day by day and week by week.