כניעה הנסיך של

Pues, he complido mi segunda semana en Houston, y nunca había amado a un lugar más que ahora.
Yeah. :)
I love this place. God is breaking my heart on a daily basis for the needs of the people here, and every day I kind of start to dread the fact that I leave in two months. I know home and Mercer are both still mission fields, but this is just what I want to do with my life. Who knows, God may change my heart and my desires, but I love these kids. I love this community. I love having the opportunity to work on improves the conditions their in, and showing the only hope I've ever known.
Oh, well. I'll do what I can do now. God's given me my mission field for the moment, and I'm not going to live in what's to come.
In any case, the block party was a success. I worked the.. golf toss? I think that's what we decided to call it? Haha, but I got to see all of my kids and preteens, so I was happy. We also had a ton of prizes for them to win with tickets the got at the booths, so it was cool getting to see them light up at a new Hannah Montana play guitar (even if I'm not her biggest fan...) or a new soccer ball. Not to mention, we had a Dora la Exploradora bounce house. It was pretty legit.
Our main need right now is funds for the retreat we're putting on for our teens and preteens in late July. If any of your churches is looking for a cause, it's going to be about 10 grand to send all of them to camp, provide them with Bibles, pens, towels, and shirts. A church has volunteered to match whatever we raise up to 5 grand, so that's a praise, but this is a very impoverished community, so most of them don't have their own Bibles and couldn't afford to go to camp otherwise. We'll be talking a lot about issues they'll be facing back in the school year, and we're taking one night to focus on sex, which is extremely necessary in the environment, seeing as most of our girls get pregnant by the time they're thirteen. They need to see that they don't have to live like that. I don't know. I know it's something that we here often, but seeing the girls in guys in their early twenties or younger come into the clothing closets with their kids breaks my heart. Being so desperate so young... I just hate that they have to go through that, you know?
That isn't justice.
In Follow Me to Freedom, Shane Claiborne talks about how many people become followers of others "not because they hold any truth but because they make us feel loved." He says that "one of our deepest longings is to be assured that we are beautiful, that we have dignity, [and] that we have meaning," and we often search for those needs to be met in ugly places. That's exactly what these teens and preteens are searching for-assurance that they are respectable, beautiful, and loved. That's what we're here to provide.
So, I don't know. Sorry I'm jumping around a lot. Need to get more sleep at some point. I guess I'll schedule that in August... Anyway, next week, we're talking "All About Jesus," startin out with Jesus healing the blind man in Matthew 9. Our memory verse for the week is Acts 10:38, Jesus from Nazareth was anointed by God, and God gave Jesus the Holy Spirit and power. Jesus went everywhere doing good.." So. Pray for some awesomely interested and excited nine and ten year olds.

Just a thought, coming up with group games for 7-10 year olds with nothing but bouncy balls, two jump ropes, and, well, that's it in half of a gym is hard. We've done a relay, red light green light, sharks and minnows.. and I can't think of anything else. We don't really do knockout kind of games with the balls, and I'm just lost.. Ugh. I wish they were old enough for giants wizards and dwarves... So, if you have any ideas, I would quite greatly appreciate them. A lot. Just saying.

But yeah, I'm excited for a new week here. :)
And... we sang Rock of Ages in church today. Haven't heard it in forever, but I like what it says.. here are a few stanzas.

Not the labor of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.

Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to the cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Savior, or I die.

I don't know. I just love old hymns. They make me super happy. And convict me.
Simply to the cross I cling. Right now, I'm having a tough time letting go of a few things, and let God do what He wants. It's kind of a slow and brutal process (inner crucifixion..) but He is all I need. I'm gettin there :)
Alrighty. Off to bed.
grace and peace