11Day Immersion

Last week we returned from living individually with a Mexican family for eleven days. It was tough, exhausting, embarrassing, and amazing all wrapped in this one great experience. Before we moved in with our families, we got a chance to briefly meet them at the church we were going to be attending for the next two weeks. It was awkward and we didn't say too much, but it was nice to get to meet them prior to living with them.

Friday was the day; the day we would move into our new homes. I was excited for the experience, yet so nervous for not knowing what to expect. We were to spend Friday to Monday with our families. Tuesday and Wednesday we worked, but would return to our families in the evening. Then Thursday to Friday afternoon we were in San Diego. Returning back to our families for the weekend that afternoon.

My family consisted of: my parents, three sisters- two of which were married, two brothers- both married, two nephews and two nieces- two of which were babies. A total of fifteen people- myself making it sixteen. That's a large family! They were so welcoming though and made me feel at home right away. My home was pretty small. If you walked through the door you would see the living room and then the kitchen to the left. There would be two rooms on the right of the kitchen- one was my parents and the other my brothers and his wife's. There was another room to the right of the kitchen and that was one of my sister's rooms. The bathroom consisted of room about 4x10 and was just straight cement walls. There was a curtain between the shower and the toilet and then a curtain outside of the toilet. It was much different than anything I was used to. I slept on the couch in the living room and one of my other sisters slept on a mattress on the floor next to me. The youngest of my siblings was the same age as me, but she had a baby which made me feel like we were in different areas of our lives. Throughout the days there were always members of the family coming and going from the house. They all lived right down the street from each other, so it was easy to stay close.

The language barrier. Talk about hard to understand. Walking into that house I quickly realized how little Spanish I knew. I could barely even create a sentence to talk with them. Thankfully they understood that I knew so little and were willing to work with me and laugh with me. They had lots of questions for me and tried to include me in on conversations, but it was so hard to fully understand them. I really wish I had known more going into it because as connected as I do feel with my family, I wish I could have gotten to know them on a better level. My family seemed to know quite a few English words and would try to use them when Spanish would fail. It was always broken Spanglish though. We enjoyed being together and were always laughing at the silly moments. By the end of the week, I felt as though I could communicate a little better and I even learned a few new words.

I was thankful every time I got to see my American friends and the one Canadian. It is hard when you are not able to speak your own language. It is testing on your patience and frustrating when you can't communicate. I was lucky to have lived down the road from another guy on staff and therefore could see somebody who I could have a quick conversation about what was going on through my head during this time. Overall the experience was the best of the fall here at Caravan and really has changed my time here in Mexico. It feels great to have connections with people who live here, other than the people that we build for. The church I attended was incredibly welcoming and yesterday we had a gathering among our staff and the youth of the church. It was a small party where we were pushed out of our comfort zones and participated in activities were we got to know people on a deeper level, even though they spoke a different language. We had a couple people that could translate enough that we could understand each other. It was really nice to be among a body of believers that are all focused on bringing glory to God.

Only a couple weeks left before break and before I head back home to Michigan. Pray that these last couple weeks would be centered on Christ.That as a staff we would be encouraging to one another and enjoying our time together. Prayer that we would all be servants to each other and to the community. Also prayer for us as a staff to have more opportunities to serve the community and to get connected with them.

                  
                                      

Back in Mexico; Back to work.

Normal workdays have been spent painting, staining, cleaning and working around the dorms. On the weekends we usually have groups and then we'll build houses. This past weekend we had all off, but this upcoming week we have a week long group from Hawaii! Last thursday, I was on my first cement pour! We did it as a staff and it was a 12X16, so it was tough. It was a lot of hard work, but I just ran buckets of cement and shoveled, so not as hard as what others had to do. On wednesday, we had a cultural day where we had to take a califia (bus) to Centro (a big city) to find a university, the Cultural Center, the Palacio, the giant military flag, and the Cathedral. It was an awesome day! So cool to get out into Mexico and really learn about the area. We've been memorizing Philippians 2 and we're all the way up to verse 24 already! Every time we memorize more, I surprise myself in being able to remember all of the verses. Along with verses, we have weekly disciplines. Our first week back, it was no communication with the outside world. Since then we have had a two week long discipline of no personal use of our vehicles. So we have to take the califias around everywhere. It has been interesting and quite an experience. It reminds me of college quite a bit. This week they added a second discipline of no sugar. It has been so hard! haha sugar is in so many things! Also our phones have not been working, so I haven't just been ignoring calling people, I just haven't been able to. Overall it has been fun being back. It's a different vibe from the summer, but things have been going well lately. 

I've been doing a lot of reading since being back. I'm reading Acts, Isaiah, and Proverbs for my devotions right now. Also we have a missions book that we need to read. I'm reading "The Abrahamic Revolution" and it has been really cool seeing how God used Abraham in missions and how that relates to me. We are also taking a class called perspectives. It's good, hard to pay attention, but entails a lot of reading as well. Though, being back I have been learning a lot of taking the focus off of myself and putting it on God. Also being disciplined and diving fully into everything that I do. If I have a negative attitude, I know that I am focusing on my wants and not treating others the way that Jesus would. So a lot of learning and intentionality. 

Prayer requests for being more in the cultural, keeping my focus on God, having my heart broken for what breaks His, discipline, intentional conversations, finances, and trusting in God. If anyone is wanting to join me in my time down here and support me through prayer and finances, I could really use the partnership of those in my church community, family, and friends. The address that you can send letters, checks, or anything to is: 555 Saturn Blvd. Ste B-510 San Diego, CA 92154

I love and miss you all! I'm praying for God to be opening up the hearts of all those who read my blog! Hope everyone has a great week!

Home is where you make it

When you consider a place home, it takes up space in your heart. A spot that can't be replaced. This becomes even harder when you consider the people you have met; the people whom you now consider family. Nothing can really be harder for me than saying goodbye and knowing I may never see you again. You may have just been present for a period of my life. A great period that was influenced immensely by your friendship.

It's hard to pack up and say goodbye to these people that have truly changed my life and shown me what it means to be living for Christ. Now nobody's perfect, that's for sure, but we're all trying. Sometimes I tell myself it's time to grow up and realize that people move on and people are changing; that they have somewhere else that they need to be. That doesn't make it any easier though. It was hard saying goodbye to friends in high school. It was hard saying goodbye at the end of this past school year. It's hard saying goodbye to my friends here. And it's not going to be any easier heading home, seeing people, and having to say goodbye all over again. Though knowing that what I am doing is what is right and knowing that where they are at, is where they are supposed to be is comforting. I need to keep that as my motivation; knowing that I have all of these people whom I love and care for and vice versa. Relationships are incredibly important and I've been learning that from God for the past year. I know that in any time of need I always have my family and friends no matter how far away I am.

As you can see my summer here in Mexico is coming to a close. We are heading back to our home states. It's hard saying goodbye to those who are leaving to continue on in school. It's going to be weird not living with 12 people and seeing them constantly. These past couple weeks have been pretty busy. We had a group of only 6 people and then we had a group of like 40 the next week. We built about 15 homes. Over this entire summer though, we've built about 120 homes. That's insane! The people we build houses for are incredibly grateful and it really shows you what life is about; serving. When we focus on ourselves, life is so meaningless and boring and challenging because we are never satisfied in ourselves, but in God and in service to others through Him.

My time in the word has been spent in Mark and Isaiah. It's been good being in the old testament and the new. In Isaiah, I've been reading about Hezekiah and his faith in the Lord as the kings of Assyria are threatening and destroying the land around them. Even in their fear of destruction, they know that above all God has control. In mark, I've been reading about Jesus' Crucifixion and thinking of how impactful that is and how important it is to each and every one of us. Being put on a cross for death would be incredibly painful and He did it for each one of us and covered all of our sins from past to present to future. With that, we focus on being more like Him and taking our focus off of ourselves and placing it on Him.

Today we had our staff prayer and we went around saying our highlights of the summer. There are so many, I couldn't even list them all. Some include heading out camping on the cliff in La Bouf, climbing Mt. Abejas, playing settlers, staff retreat, and just the crazy antics that happen almost every day. I'm feeling really sentimental in knowing that I wouldn't trade one staff member that I've had the pleasure in living with for anybody else. Any time spent as a staff was some of the best times I've had here. I look forward to the fall.

I look forward to returning home tomorrow and seeing everyone that I've been missing so much! You all are incredibly important and I can't wait to be with ya'll sharing crazy stories and making even more memories.

Changes.

I came into Tijuana with no expectations, but with the intentions of obeying God and learning more about Him. Whoa, did I not know what was about to come my way...

Never having been here before, I was smacked with the reality of the way I was living my life. Selfishly is the only way I can describe it. My first week here we had a week long group, which meant we had speakers everyday. Now I knew about missionaries, but to hear directly from them and really listen to their experiences and things that they had to give up really changed my views.

I arrived with the intentions of obeying God and coming to see what He had to teach me for the summer, and returning to school in the fall. Though, He quickly began to work in my heart. I struggled with the idea of dropping out of school and giving Him all of my reliance. I knew that school was the one thing I was holding onto; that my future was what I was so worried about. Matthew 6:33-34 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” To be living for God and like God, I had to relinquish the grip I had on controlling my future. It took a month of prayer and conversations to make the decision to take a break and not return to school in the fall. I knew in my heart that it was not where I was supposed to be, as much as I wanted to be there for people or enjoyment or pride, I had to find direction and discernment in where I am to go to serve God. The more I was to dig myself into debt, the harder it would to ever get out and to be fully usable by God. This does not mean that I will not return to school, but that I need time to refocus my attention and figure out my motives.

By relinquishing control of my future, I began to pray for God’s will, as well as open doors in whether to stay in Mexico or to return back to Michigan. It took months of discerning whether my wants to stay relied on myself or on God. I officially decided quite recently to extend my stay here in Mexico based on the things I've been learning and the ways I believe God will continue to reveal Himself to me here. God’s heartbeat for the world is what I have been learning the most; that the gospel would be brought to all the nations. With that knowing that there are 4 billion people who have not heard the gospel and do not have access. They are called the unreached. At first when I got here, it didn't really hit me that these people have no chance for salvation and that they are dying daily. Now I see that without people going to them, they may never know and will continue to burn in hell. How tough of a thought is that? But it is a reality. This past week a speaker was talking about a girl whom he had met that said " I am saved and I know that I will be going to heaven, therefore I don't need to preach the gospel." This was my past attitude. This hit me like a brick wall. I was being so selfish. I still am. But these people need God and God wants to use me to get to them. Do I know what that really looks like for me in my future? No, not currently, but it is something that I know He will continue to put on my heart and reveal to me through the word and time spent here in Mexico. I know God has control and that is really all that matters. So family and friends, my plans have definitely changed, but I know that they are right. 

To give ya'll a quick overview of what goes on down here:

Caravan is not a house building ministry. I am not here to build houses for families in need (though that is extremely important). It is a ministry that mobilizes believers to go out into the missions field. It is a place of spiritual growth and dependence on God. The three postures are to have your eyes lifted, hands open, and knees bent in full surrender to God. 

Over the summer, there are groups here pretty much every week. This means that a group of 20-100 people arrive on Sunday and we spend most of our time with them building houses, going to dinner, going to orphanages, and having conversations until Saturday. Then we do it all over again. We wake up at 6:30, have meetings at 8, out on the build sites at about 10:30 and back before 5 most days. The days are long, but extremely rewarding. On Wednesdays we have staff meetings. They are a great time to rejuvenate and really be back together in unity. Every week we memorize verses ( currently working on Philippians 2) and have a discipline. They have been really challenging in knowing that discipline is key, but also having the want and drive to be doing everything for the right motives. 

With the giant time zone difference, it is really hard to keep in contact with everybody and we have limits on phone use and internet use. So very sorry for anyone who I have been terrible in keeping contact with. I am going to try and work hard on updating my blog from now on and you can always know that I am on here and you can comment and that I am thinking about many of you always. Also letters are always welcome, my friends :) 

If anyone has a chance, prayers are always welcome! 

You can pray for desire and discipline to be in the word and to have right motives in all that I do. Prayer to be more intentional in learning the language and diving into the culture here. Prayer for my time here with staff and groups to be intentional and to have boldness to ask the tough questions. Prayers for strength and peace in what is to come in the future. 

I love you all to the moon and back! 

Mt. Abejas with  my wonderful Caravan family!

Group hug on our last night all together. 

As the school year comes to an end...

There are three weeks left of school. Only three. There are so many scary implications that come along with that: finding out what to schedule for classes for next year (because I still have no idea what to do with my life!!), finances, Mexico, etc. 

MEXICO! I will be leaving in about 21 days. There is no thought more scary than that. It is exhilarating and yet deathly terrifying. I know I must put my entire reliance, trust, and security into God and yet I am still not doing this. It is a battle between the flesh and the spirit as I want with all of my might to go home for the summer, but knowing that this is where God wants me. This is the Plan that He has made for me. That this is the first time I have ever fully understood what it meant to listen to the Holy Spirit. To know that He is saying "Tylyn, you need to go. You need to make sacrifices. You need to change your life. You need to rely on Me." God is commanding me to follow through with The Great Commisson (Matthew 28:19).

Well God, I am ready for you to rock my world. I am ready for you to take away the things of the world that I am so absorbed in (social media, clothes, food, people, and most of all: ME). Break my heart for what breaks Yours.

Compassion. That is a gift that I have recently noticed that you have given to me. My heart breaks when anothers is breaking. My heart breaks for this world, and yet I do nothing about it. God I want you to take control, but waiting will do nothing. Taking that step of faith is exactly how I am going to accomplish Your Mission. My first step sits right here: Mexico.

When I followed through with this first step, I became overwhelmed. I had no idea what was going to happen. I had all trust in the Lord. Now a couple weeks later, I'm finding myself more excited for it! So completely excited to see how God is going to use me in the lives of others. But what about that middle part? Oh, yes, that part. As I drifted away from the glory of God being proclaimed and focused on myself, I became incredibly bitter about going down to Mexico. I felt inadequate, fearful, stuck in the past, and unwilling. God can't use that! How am I supposed to be used by God if I am unwilling and unteachable? Man can I be stubborn and full of pride. I spent the whole week in pity and self doubt. Not really even reaching out for help. Idiot. Foolishness is what it is called in the Bible. We are foolish to not trust in the Lord and to attempt to put all control in our own hands.

I think my favorite thing that I took from spring break this year (5 weeks ago, wow) was that God will mold us into the person that He needs us to be for His Mission. We are to either act upon our missions, or we are to sit and wait as He prepares us. But the part I have been missing out on is the action. I have waited and God has transformed me. He has molded me and He will continue to mold me until I leave for Mexico and even while I am there. But I must be willing to adjust immediately. When God calls, we respond. We do not wait. We take action. I will take action when God calls me into His Mission, and here I go. 21 days. Three weeks. Mexico. God is going to rock my world!

Are you ready for your world to be rocked?