On Sunday all of the interns went to El Paso on our "day off". We had way too much fun for our own good, I think :)
First we went to the sovereign grace church in El Paso- it was good to go and worship in English, but it was also a sad Sunday for the church- it was their senior pastor and his family's last Sunday before they leave to help the Jacksonville church. We got to see how visitors feel on those strange Sundays. It was strange, but still good. Here's a picture of all of us (except my roommate Molly, she was home sick in bed) as promised. I'm on the left, then it's Stacey and John David (from Covenant Life), then Lindsay(New Orleans), Amy(Fairfax), and Sheri(New Orleans). And the gorgeous mountains are in the back. I love those mountains.

After that we went to lunch at Bennigans and had fun just hanging out and laughing, and just getting to know each other better. We then went to the mall in El Paso (pobre JD... hahaha) and then WalMart. It was so refreshing and fun to just be together and not have any work to do. And we did go to Starbucks- that iced double tall caramel macchiato was the icing on the cake :)

CLC left yesterday in the morning, and after taking Molly to the clinic in Guadalupe (she had been sick for about a week and was really dehydrated) for an IV, Lindsay, Amy, Stacey and I cleaned (well, more like scoured and sanitized to the best of our ability) the entire visitors dorm. That was long and hard and filled with cleaning fumes, but then last night we just hung out, ate dinner together, talked, and even rode up to the cross last night through the desert in the John Deere gator. We then played Mafia in the dark up at the cross. Stacey won.

It's been about 70-80 degrees yesterday and today (yesterday morning it rained so much the streets of Guadalupe looked like rivers.... so much for a sewer system :P) and right now it is cool and breezy and sunny. Que lindo.

The sickness is almost gone from the ranch (except poor little Jeremiah Adamek- he got it last night) and another group is coming in today. They are a Presbyterian group from Illinois- it should be interesting to see how a different group interacts with the kids, each other, and the ranch.
I can't wait until all of our group gets here. It's going to be so much stinkin fun. I miss you guys!
Hasta luego.

Sooo... the two days since I posted have been crazy....

The CLCers had even more people get sick, and we found out yesterday morning from some tests they had run at the hospital that it is a highly contagious virus. grreat. So those who were sick or getting sick were all transported to El Paso as well. But we've had more get sick since then, and those who took them to El Paso also came down with it.

And then today, three of the kids got sick as well. Three who I have been in direct contact with. (don't worry, I still feel fine right now :) But I was tempted to be anxious, and think of the worst case scenario- all the ranch completely out of commission and on the verge of severe dehydration (including me) and no one to do anything about it. But the Lord quickly brought my heart back to trust in His sovereignty- He is in control of all of this, and knows exactly what is going to happen. So, needless to say, I was with Esmeralda all day long (I even learned the Spanish word for "throw up". Yeah, I know, isn't that awesome? : / ) She did sleep ALL afternoon, though, and is feeling much better now. Poor Sheri (one of the girls from New Orleans) is almost done with nursing school and has been running herself ragged trying to take care of everyone.

Oh and a bag of penicillin pills has 'gone missing' out of John David's apartment... which isn't exactly a good thing.... actually no. It's really dangerous. I don't think they have turned up yet- just pray that none of the kids find them and take them.

Oh yah- and one of the other girls on the CLC team had an asthma attack two days ago, and the doctor gave her some pills to take and a nebulizer thing. So she took the pill today, and then proceeded to have another attack. A REALLY bad one- all the while her dad and sister are in the hospital in El Paso with the virus (her sister has the virus, her dad went with her to be there for her) So John David took another trip to El Paso to take her to the hospital- they are all still there...

So, after all of that, Brother Dean told me tonight that all of us girl interns are going to El Paso tomorrow. And he gave me the distinct privelege of driving. The 15 passenger. Yikes. Sooo... we are leaving early in the morning to take a girl to the airport and then we are going to the El Paso Sovereign Grace church for a service in English (refreshing!) and then we'll probably go shopping, Starbucks (iced double tall caramel macchiato, here I come! :) who knows. We just have to be back here at the Ranch by sunset. And bring Dean some Diet Dr. Thunder. hehe. He just wanted us to get away from it all for awhile, especially Sheri. Just hopefully we won't get lost and I won't do anything stupid with the van. But I'm a careful driver, when I want to be. And I do want to be.

Well, I think I'm going to go sleep now, even though the Mexican night is absolutely gorgeous and I would love to just stay out here and look at the stars for a little bit longer... pero necesito descansar. The Lord is so good and faithful, despite strange, scary, and energy-draining circumstances. Hasta luego.

Yola...
Sorry I haven't posted in a while- the internet here has been out. We had a pretty big thunderstorm the other day (yes, it actually rained. But the dust storm before that was the cool part. And the thunderstorm reminded me of VA) So anyways, the internet is back up and running and I'm back up and blogging.

I have still been in the office and doing other odd jobs around the ranch. Tomorrow I get to make breakfast for all the kids and this afternoon I have equipo of Esteban and Jesus. I'm babysitting the Adamek boys tomorrow night, I think, and then Sunday Molly and I have guard ALL DAY. It's going to be long and hard- pray that the Lord would give us grace- and not too many disasters : /

There are a lot of people on the Covenant Life team 2 that are sick. Really sick. Dehydrated, fever, not able to keep anything in their system kind of sick. But gracias a Dios, the doctor who normally comes to the ranch every couple of months to see anyone who is sick and give vaccinations was here today. He looked at them, and they're actually taking two of the girls to the hospital as we speak it was so serious. Be praying that the Lord would heal those already sick, and that He would protect everyone else from becoming sick (it could be a virus)

Also, little Obed and Sergio's mom came and got them abruptly last Sunday- it is not a good situation and it was really tough for those of us who knew about it. Also, one of the older boys had to be "let go" from the Ranch because of reasons I don't know. But I do know it was very serious and that it was VERY tough for Dean to have to do it. So please, also, if you think of it- pray for Obed and Sergio and for Martin, as well, that the Lord would protect them. And that the other older boys would learn from this experience.

Well, I'm off to go find Jesus and Esteban and make sure they're not doing anything crazy :)
I love and miss all of you and I'm getting more and more homesick (while at the same time getting more and more used to being here and loving it- I feel a little split)
But I will see you soon!

Hasta luego.

(oh, and Katie- I'll try to get a picture of all of us interns so you can see... even though you're going to see them in less than 3 weeks ;) )

Saturday was very looooong, but I was never bored, that's for sure :) I babysat the Adamek boys from 7 in the morning til 7 at night (the staff all went to Juarez for a seminar). So we played some card games, raided a fire ant hill for their ant farm (believe me, that was treacherous- we got the queen and everything!), watched Madagascar, played outside, etc. etc. I wasn't feeling very good in the afternoon, but thank God for Brenda and Sonia! They came and watched them while I took a nap. They also cleaned the house before Dean and Denise got home- they have such joyful servant's hearts- I am learning so much from their examples.

Yesterday was my day off. The group from Covenant Life went to Gracia Soberana in Juarez and then to lunch and the market and stuff. I stayed here and just rested. We had the church service in the morning (John David and I led worship again) and then I ate with the kids. The girls and I hung out all afternoon- we watched 'Love's Enduring Promise' and took a walk. I read a lot in my room and even took a short nap- I still wasn't feeling very well.

Last night Sonia Edith and I talked a lot just about our hopes, and our fears, and God's plan for our lives. I love her questions and her openness with me. Plus, the fact that she speaks pretty good English makes it a LOT easier to have a deeper conversation like that. It was very refreshing and I'm glad that she feels comfortable enough with me to share about her life and her walk with the Lord.

Dean is in El Paso right now picking up the second group from Convenant Life (70 more people!), so I need to call him and see what he wants me to get done. I know this afternoon I have equipo of little David and Obed. If you think about it, pray for me- that my cold would go away and not get any worse and that I would be able to rest well- me being sick and cranky will not be helpful here in the office or trying to keep track of two crazy chicos :)
Les quiero y les extrano mucho- todos de ustedes! I hope you all are doing well.

hasta luego....

Here's some pics as promised... most of these are from guard this afternoon. Me and the chicas chillin by the school... Esmeralda(yes, she's still a little spitfire :) ...The little boys (Chuy, Obed, and David) swingin earlier today...Little Lizbeth is on the left. She has such a sweet spirit.... Yesenia is on the right- I could hear her little laugh in my head when I came home from my last trip- now I hear it again :) So thought ya'll might enjoy a little visual of my afternoon. Hope you like it.

hasta luego.

Interns...

Last night Dean told John David (one of the interns) and I that we were going to lead a worship time with all the Covenant Life-ers and all of the kids and staff... in Spanish. Thankfully, I was just helping John David. Of course, Dean told us typical Dean/Mexico style. What is that, you're asking? Last minute. Very last minute. haha... So needless to say we pulled together a worship band in 5 minutes. Good times :) It was so cool to hear songs being sung in Spanish and English at the same time. Different peoples, all saved by the grace of God alone, singing their hearts to Him. I love it.

Afterwards the other interns and I had our own small group, kind of like a little care group. We are going through Disciplined for Life (C.J. co-authored it) and John David is leading us in discussion and prayer every Thursday night. Last night was very good. We just talked about our walk with the Lord in the past couple of months, how faithful we have been with devotions, etc. It is SO important for us to stay in the Word and in prayer every day while we are down here. Dean is stressing that a lot, and I'm glad for it. Every moment here I feel my need for God's grace and power. And I am glad for that, too. Back home I don't feel it as much, even though I know it is just as true. So it's good that I am reminded of my dependence more and more.

Some of my responsibilities so far are breakfast on Saturday (I get to cook for all the kids... hehe) and "equipos de chicos" which is basically a schedule of keeping track of the younger kids during the day. I have little David and Obed (agh! Lord help me! the terrors of the ranch...) on Mondays, Chuy and Cesar on Tuesdays, Sergio and Miguel on Wednesdays, Jonathan, Esteban, and Jesus on Thursdays, and Esmeralda, Yesenia, and Lizbeth on Fridays. Saturdays I don't have equipo because of my breakfast duty. Eventually we'll have different guards as well (watching the kids at night, putting them to bed, getting them up, etc.) but I don't know when that will start.
As for now, besides equipo and breakfast, I'm still working in the office.

I was a dork and forgot to bring my USB port thing for my camera. So until I find one (hopefully soon) I can't upload any pics. But I'll try my best. I think Sheri (from New Orleans) has the same camera as me, so maybe she brought hers...

hasta luego.

Just thought I would start this up and keep whoever wants to know up-to-date on what's going on down here. So bear with me...

I'm here at the ranch with 5 other "short-term interns" who are going to be here pretty much the same amount of time as I am. So on one hand it's going to be really nice to have people my own age to talk to in English, but on the other hand I know it will present challenges to all of us- to be humble, to serve each other, and to not be irritable with each other. Those of you who have been here before know the temptation even after just a week to be crabby and irritable- just imagine that with 5 weeks left to go.

I'm staying in the girls' dorm in a room with Molly- an intern from Baton Rouge, LA who is very similar to me. Our room already feels like home. It's going to be funtimes :)

So far I've been working in the office with Hermano Dean for most of the days... contributor statements, stuffing envelopes, etc. etc. He is hilarious and makes everything more fun than it is. Also, being in the office allows me to see a lot of what goes on at the ranch. Everyone who comes in from the community comes to the office. Also it's a lot cooler than being outside.

I've had time to hang out with the kids, too, which I absolutely love. I love spending time with them, and I love them. But I'll write more about that later...
I love and miss you all already!

Hasta luego.