Restore to me the JOY of your salvation

Hello from the center of Mexico :)

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways and sinners will turn back to you.” Psalm 51:10-13

I read this verse about a week ago and I wrote it in my prayer journal as I do many verses. When I decided to write this update today I went back to my journal to remember what all I have been going through and praying about in the last few weeks. This verse hit me in a new way today - I think the first time I read it, it affected me but today I heard it anew.

My experience here in Mexico really hasn’t been like I thought it would be. I have told God this and I have cried many tears since I arrived here - though this is slightly embarrassing to admit. When I have done mission trips in the past my heart has always been set on fire to tell the people around me about Christ. There is a verse in Jeremiah that says “But if I say, “I will not mention him or speak any more in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I can not.” (20:9). I have felt this kind of fire before but lately it has been only a smoldering heat and not a blazing flame. A dear friend has recently shared with me about the romance of God - his creation and his word display his love for us every single day. I know this romance but as many of you know I am a feeler, which is good sometimes and other times very bad. When I don’t feel God’s immediate presence I struggle - I long for intimacy with him in the worst way. I have known the romance of God but lately my heart seems to have quieted and I am able to feel and see only glimpses of that romance. The other day I went to the park - I had my ipod and I was listening to worship music and the sun was shining and the breeze was perfect and there were pelicans and different types of birds everywhere and I had to jump and sing (when I was sure no one was looking of course) and praise God for his creation and for what He is doing in my life. He has fulfilled so many of my heart’s desires - I desire to be among people that do not know him so that I can share his indescribable love with these people who have never heard. When the days are hard here and I have no one to lean on except for Christ, I feel like that joy and romance from him have been snuffed out but I know the truth of his word! His word says that he loves me, that he will never leave me nor forsake me! I am so glad that Jesus gave me that one seemingly strange day of joy at the park during these days that sometimes seem endless - He gives us glimpses of hope and this we can trust in. No matter what struggles come, I can always lean on him even if I can not feel him in that moment. This is a time of struggle for me - but struggle leads to growth and I want to grow. I want to grow closer to my savior everyday.

The point of this update is not that you would feel sorry for me but so that I can try to encourage you all in any points of trial in your lives. Christ is sufficient! Even when you can not feel his presence he is there - he is constantly with us and he knows all of our inward struggles. You can always fall into his arms and he will never drop you no matter how difficult the situation.

Ok so this update doesn’t really have any prayer requests yet and it is already super long. I am going to list some points of prayer below and hopefully expound on them later. I hope that is ok with all of you who read this.

• Please be in prayer as I have started 2 to 3 new conversation groups with students at 2 different universities. Pray that this would be a chance to share the gospel with these young people who think all they need is a good job and a nice house.
• Please pray for the poor areas of the city that I am thinking about working in. One I have looked at is called Los Naranjos. I am trying to put together materials about child development and nutrition that I can share in these neighborhoods as a way of getting to know the mothers and children. Pray that I would have wisdom putting this information together in a presentable way (as it is in Spanish) and that the government officials would allow me an entrance. Also pray that I would have wisdom in incorporating the truth of the Bible into each lesson and that Bible studies would get started as a result.
• Pray for the few friends I have made here -
• M and B who are new Christians.
• C who is trying to get into a university here in town.
• P who is my age and is not working or going to school - she is constantly with her boyfriend, pray that I would be able to hang out with her without G, her boyfriend.
• Also pray for Pm who is a Christian that I met but who also told me she doesn’t tell many people she is a Christian because she doesn’t believe she is a good example - pray that she and I would both have time to get to know each other better as she has a 2 yr old son.
• Please pray also for the church I have started attending, Divino Redentor. Pray that I can get involved with the jovenes (the youth) in the church and begin to belong to this little piece of the body of Christ.

Thank you all again for your prayers for me. This is a place with a lot of spiritual warfare and I cherish each and every prayer that you lift to the Father in my behalf. I am excited to see what God has in store for me here as I know he has brought me here on purpose.

In Him,

Raquelita

MMMMEEEEXXXXIIIICCCCOOOOOO!!!!

Brothers and Sisters in the faith,

I just want to thank you all again for your continued prayer for me. I know that it is a huge commitment to pray for me during these two years but please know

that I am so grateful. I have needed your prayers a lot lately. I didn’t expect this transition to be as hard as it has been but I know that there is a purpose in it. It seems that sometimes God allows me to struggle so that I can relate to the pain of those around me. This has been a lonely time - In Guatemala I was surrounded by other believers my age and I think I took that for granted. I now have a wonderful team here in Leon - they really are great and I am so blessed by them but at the same time I have a hunger for fellowship in the body with others my age, with others that share my desire for adventure. It is difficult for me to get out in this city everyday alone. The wonderful thing is that God really has been showing up even though it has been hard for me to show up. The guy that I met at the ice skating rink, M, has invited me to his house several times to eat with his family and his wife, B, and I have gone walking and gotten to know each other better. I found out that they only received Christ about 3 or 4 weeks ago so I am sure that this meeting was not an accident. I have asked them about reading the Bible and at this point they don’t really know how to go about it so pray that we can begin reading the Bible together and that this can become a Bible study. These people are definitely people of peace for me so please be in prayer for them. They have 3 children, M, J, & C.

Please also be in prayer for me this week as I am finding all of the Universities in the city and trying to find out which campuses I am allowed on. I went to one University last week and I talked with the director of languages about starting up conversation groups in English. She seemed very skeptical so please pray for her and also pray for me as I try to come up with ideas to present to her through email - please also pray that the email will be clear as I have to write it in Spanish.

I also want to share what has been going on here in Mexico for the last few weeks. There is a celebration/worship service tomorrow in a city called San Juan del Lagos. This specific day is for worshiping the Virgin of San Juan who they believe can give them miracles. People from all over Mexico have been walking to San Juan del lagos in order to receive more blessings - the further they walk the more blessing the receive. Me and another missionary here happened upon a parade of these “pilgrims” as they are called and we followed them to a camp site here in Leon. This was only one of many camp sites but we walked up and talked to a man there about the pilgrimage and their beliefs. This particular virgin is not Mary but they pray to her just as they do Mary in the Catholic church. We listened to a prayer and they believe that she can take away their sins and heal their infirmities. Please be in pray for all of these pilgrims - some that we met had been walking for 15 days from Mexico City. Please pray that God would bring down these idols and that the truth of Jesus would be presented to these people. Please also pray that these people would not be satisfied in their worship of this idol.

I am so grateful for all of your prayers and encouragement! The body of Christ is an incredibly beautiful gift. I am including a prayer calendar that I made for myself and for all of you to help you pray better for this city if you would like. It is only meant to be a reminder to pray and to hopefully give ideas of the needs in this city - I hope it is helpful. I am also attaching a link to more pictures that you can look at on Facebook. Thank you all for everything!

For more pictures:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2653710&id=4922382

Proof of my skating classes....