Ellen Burns – Journeyman to Mexico

Hey Guys. So today, God did a pretty cool thing. Candace and I were talking last night about how this beginning part of our adventure is feeling a bit overwhelming and discouraging, mostly because we’ve been in our village for almost two weeks, and we have met practically no one. People have been really friendly, but we haven’t found anyone who we have been able to just sit and talk to for a while. Since our job for the first yearish that we are here is learning the language, we really need to find people who are willing to just sit and help us out.

Well, this morning we decided to go walking down the road to attempt to figure out at what point we can get some sort of cell phone signal. (Something is messed up with the phone that we have at our house, and we haven’t had service since thursday.) Well, as we were walking I just asked God to let us meet one person today, even just to learn someone’s name. Almost immediately, a woman stopped in the street in front of us, and starting asking us about where we were from, and why we are here. She was friendly, but then she walked away (after she laughingly asked us if we had any “dolares” from the U.S. Well, we kept walking, but couldn’t get any service, so we decided to just turn around and walk back. As we passed by the little house/restaurant that she went into, she called out to us again, so we went across the street to see what she wanted. She invited us inside, and gave us coffee and some pork and tortillas covered in SPICY salsa. (FYI, that was breakfast food). She then proceeded to sit down and talk with us, and she taught us a few words in our language! She even found an old 1st grade textbook in the language we have to learn, and she gave it to us as a gift! After refusing to take money for the food, she invited us to come back any time when we have more words we want to learn.I know that what she did wasn’t a big thing to her, she was just being friendly and curious about us, but it was a SUPER encouragement to me. Little by little we will learn our language, and meet our people. God didn’t bring us here and then leave us here alone. He has a plan for the two years that we have with these sweet people, and He is the One who will make things happen, in His timing.

Written by Ellen Burns

 

Samantha Burgess in Atlanta – July 2014

The Lord is so faithful. Whenever I write in my prayer journal I try to come up with different names for God, but I always end up coming back to Faithful. His faithfulness in my life never ceases to amaze me and it includes so many different attributes. He is faithful every day to cause the sun to rise, feed the birds, and clothe the flowers. He is faithful to provide everything I need both physically, monetarily, and spiritually. He is faithful to me even when I am unfaithful to Him. This weekend He was faithful to provide the strength and rest I need to finish these last few weeks here.

When I came home last Wednesday night, a part of me wished that the plane ride was a one way trip. Life at home was so normal and easy and comfortable and I was tired—physically, mentally, and spiritually. But, church on Sunday was the reminder I needed of Who is in control. Like the disciples during the storm, my faith has been small. I haven’t trusted God’s plan for the Around the Globe project. I haven’t trusted that He has me where I am for a specific purpose. And I haven’t trusted that He will provide for me spiritually in the midst of these challenges. But, like pastor Mike said, small faith in a big God doesn’t make sense. How can I trust the God who controls the winds and the storms only halfway? My prayer yesterday as I flew black to ATL was that God would make these last three weeks different from the past seven—not by changing the circumstances, but by changing my heart. I want to seek His word and be satisfied and trust that what I am doing in Gainesville is not being done in vain.

Today, God was faithful to answer my prayers. I was able to rest in Him, not because of my own strength, but by His grace. We were able to be productive today and we have a plan for what to do tomorrow. We also changed the plan for the Around the Globe project. Instead of doing an overnight, everyday missions project, we are only going to do stuff in the afternoons and the evenings. This will cut down significantly on the cost of the project and it will be easier for people to participate on such short notice. We still don’t’ have any people yet, but I am trusting that God will provide. Pray that the new structure of the project will bring in people who want to participate. Please pray for the week itself that we will be able to reach the neighborhoods around the church and start building relationships with them.

The kids in the afternoon were good as always. They are definitely the highlight of my day. This week is an important week as we are getting to the climax of the Ten Gospel Truths. We have been walking them through the gospel and this week and next we will be talking about Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. Pray that God will speak through us in a way that is accurate, clear, and understandable for them. Pray that their hearts will be open to the truth of the gospel and that they will come to a saving relationship with Christ.

Thank you again for your prayers. I pray that you also will see God’s faithfulness in your own life this week and that like 1 Corinthians 15:58 says, you will be “steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain”.

Written by Samantha Burgess