Archive for the 'MX06' category
Get Your Junk Here!
April 10, 2006 11:51 amAfter church and a quick lunch, we took a trip to the fabulous market:
Church At The Ranch
11:32 amDean very generously allowed us to do the church service for the kids and staff of the Ranch yesterday. Peter Gagnon led worship with vocal assistance from Karl Weaver and Carol, Katherine, and Emily Sawyer.
Then I gave a "message" consisting of a simple object lesson: explaining that the gospel through clean and dirty shirts. Our sins make us dirty, and you can't come before God with a dirty shirt. There is no way that for us to clean our own shirts. But Jesus has a perfectly clean, pure, white shirt. He has never sinned. And the gospel means that when repent and believe, Jesus takes our sin-smeared shirt on himself and gives us his sin-free clean shirt. It's as if we've never sinned, and now we can go before God. Dave Echegoyen did a great job translating for me, and Mitch Thorson and Gabe Lewis represented Christ and sinners, respectively. Gabe let us smear him with sin (ketchup, mustard, and chocolate sauce), and Mitch was willing to put the shirt on.
Healthy Living Tips, #10
11:08 amBrought to you by SouthWest Airlines via (of all things) an Oreo Cookie wrapper:
"Combine exercise with your top priorities. Catch the morning news while on the treadmill or go for a walk with a friend."
I Will Not Leave You As Orphans
10:51 am
Sunday morning began with breakfast, some further orientation, and devotions together. I led the devotions by reading a meditation Mark wrote on John 14:18 - "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you."
Here is the full text for your enjoyment. I think we all agreed that this was extremely meaningful given our context.
The kids at Rancho 3M near Juarez all share one thing in common: they are orphans. Some have no parents, others have parents who can’t or won’t care for them, some have been beaten and hurt by their parents. At 3M they are provided healthy food, they are taught to read and write and love God, they are sheltered from the wind and the blazing sun, they are comforted in their sorrows and protected from those who would exploit them. Where would they be without this orphanage, what would their lives be like if they were left to fend for themselves, abandoned to the streets without parents, protection, comfort, provision? Who is more vulnerable than an orphan?
Strange, then, for Jesus to tell his men that he wouldn’t leave them as orphans. These aren’t toddlers, they are grown men, tough Galileans. Fishermen, men of the market place. How could they be orphans? Not only were they grown men, but we know that at least some of them had parents; moms and dads who loved them. Orphans? Hardly. Why the language of the orphan to this group of men? Can you imagine the grief your children would feel if you came home and told them that you’ve got cancer and would be gone in a few weeks? It’s this impending loss that Jesus now prepares his men for. They’ll still have parents and wives and friends, but losing Christ will affect them so dramatically that they’ll feel like orphans. You would, too. Imagine spending 3 years in the company of the savior!
“Remember the wedding, when he turned 100 gallons of water into fine wine? What about when he knocked over the tables in the temple and threw the greedy out on their ears! Can you recall what happened in our hearts when we heard him teach about being poor in Spirit? Or when he explained the parables to us? How about that time he drove all those demons out of that one guy and then all those pigs committed suicide! Remember when he called Peter Satan? Ha! Remember when he first called your name? Remember how, when he looked at you, his eyes told you that he knew the secrets of your heart, yet he loved you anyway? Remember how, when he was around, you knew you were safe? What encouragement! What kindness! What wisdom! What a friend! What a teacher! What a comforter! What a leader! What a provider!” Thirty six months of heaven on earth, walking with the king, and then he leaves and it’s over. Hollow hearts, eyes swollen with tears, brains racing with questions. “What if…? What now…?” He’s gone!
But behold the love of the Savior. “I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you.” They will feel vulnerable and alone, but they won’t be, for the Savior will send the Spirit to them. Those words of Christ which they so love? The Spirit will burn them in their hearts. Those works of Christ, so miraculous and powerful? The Spirit will do the same things. The wisdom, the comfort, the counsel, the power, the gospel…the Spirit will bring all these things to the disciples, just as Christ did. Listen carefully: “I will not leave you as orphans.” The protection, provision, instruction, advocacy they need? All poured out on them through the Spirit. Listen carefully: “I will come to you.” When the Spirit comes, so comes Christ. He is the Holy Spirit, yes, but the Spirit of Christ, too. To have the Spirit is to have Christ. To have the third member of the trinity is to have the second and the first as well. Listen once more: “I will come to you.” The Savior will come, return personally, visibly, bodily, to scoop up all who love and follow him.
This promise is for you, too. “I will not leave you as orphans.” What fear-destroying power is here! What if my pastor can’t get time with me as quickly as I want him to? “I will not leave you as orphans.” What if the friendships I’ve hoped for don’t materialize? “I will not leave you as orphans.” What if my wife dies before me? “I will not leave you as orphans.” Your parents may die, but you won’t be orphans. Your best friend may move away, but you won’t be alone. You may lose your job, but you’ll still have Christ. “I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you.” He has not left us. He will never leave us. He has come to us. He will come to us again. Fear not. You have Christ, and He has you.
Grand Tour
10:35 amAfter arriving at the Ranch, Dean Adamek provided a tour (click on any of the images for a larger view):
Arriving At The Ranch
April 9, 2006 2:28 pmWe had a bit of a wait for our vans yesterday (long enough for me to begin sunburning my scalp), but we arrived safely Rancho 3M, crossing the border without incident. (Click on any of the pictures to see a larger photo.)
We’re Here
April 8, 2006 2:40 pmAirplane Food
2:38 pmI probably don't really need to explain this:
Depart: DC; Arrive: El Paso
2:36 pmOur morning begin at 5am, checking in at the church:
Despite the hour, we enjoyed a lively van ride around the Beltway:
Nicole will tell you that I am a little bit fanatical about being early when travelling: better to wait then to sprint through the airport. People found ways to entertain themselves while waiting for departure:
More to come…
¡Adios, Amigos!
April 7, 2006 8:47 pm 
Tonight I begin live blog coverage of our trip to Rancho 3M in Guadalupe, Mexico, near Ciudad, Juarez. We are leaving tomorrow morning around 5am. I'm all packed!
About our destination: Mexico declared independence from Spain on September 16, 1810 and today is led by President Vicente Fox. With about 100 million residents, Mexico has about 1/3 the population of the United States, and is the 11th in the world. Mexico is quite diverse ethnically, economically, geographically.
We'll be near Ciudad Juarez, wich is the largest city in the state of Chihuahua which is the largest state in Mexico. Juarez is home to about 1.8 million residents (nearly twice as many as Fairfax County). Rancho 3M is in a town called Guadalupe (there are many of them in Mexico), and is about 30 miles from El Paso. But we'll barely be across the border; from the Ranch, I-10 in Texas is dimly visible on the horizon.
There is some very interesting history related to Rancho 3M, but we'll learn more about that when we get down there. See y'all in the morning.
