A Leap of Faith: Coming in for Landing

This is one of my last posts here in Mexico.  Things are starting to settle in that I will not call this place my home for much longer and it's honestly going to be really hard to leave these people next week.

We sent the women's basketball tour home on Monday and I think I am just now catching my breath from that.  To see God's faithfulness and greatness at work throughout the past two weeks was an incredible end to my journey here in Mexico.  Doors were opened left and right as a result of this tour.  Mexican athletes are now aware of AIA's presence on campus and know there is a spiritual outlet available to them- something that is huge for our ministry getting established.  These girls are starting to figure out and ask what it really means to use their sport as both a platform to worship the God who created us, as well as spread the Gospel.

We are meeting with one basketball player already, teaching her the very principles that AIA stands for and explaining what it means to bring God into every facet of your life... not just church on Sundays.  But to really explore every part of your life and see where we have made room for God to work in and through- whether it be your school, family and friend relationships, sport, whatever- God wants each of us and all of us- our whole life.

Anyways, I could list the things resulting from the tour for days but I just want you to know that God showed up in a big, big way.  There is nothing that we could have planned that would have been any better than the way God took these two weeks and make them exactly what he desired to see through all these girls.  Things did not exactly go as we had planned, but I've learned that's not so much the point.  The point is that we allowed God to work his good and perfect plan.

Thinking about all that God has done this week makes me smile and rest assured that although I didn't know God's plan for me in coming down to Mexico for a year, I now am confident that he worked in ways that I did not previously believe were possible.

The stories I have heard and witnessed, the people I have met and love, the transformation in my own faith: these are the reasons I am here.  To try and say thank-you to the people who have made this year possible for me would be a waste of words because there simply aren't any with enough depth to express how grateful I am for this time.  I have been impacted beyond my wildest dreams and I will honestly never forget this time and these people.  I have to quit now because if I start crying my roommates are going to cry and then we will be good for nothing for the rest of the day ;)

My point is this: I love this place.  I am thankful to God for each of you.  I have been changed and I pray that I will be able to display the love of God in the way that I have experienced it down here.  It was definitely a leap of faith, but one that I feel is well worth the risk.

A Real Underdog Story

So I didn’t get to post about yesterday, so here’s a quick rundown.

We started out our day with a team time and was able to teach some ideas from a great book, God Space.  Essentially it’s about using everyday conversation and opportunities to allow the Holy Spirit to work.  It is in this “God Space” that people learn to really trust and open up a safe environment to talk about honest, raw spiritual things.

We talked about the four ways to start these conversations: noticing, serving, listening and wondering with others.  It’s been cool to see the team apply this tool and get into some super cool conversations with the Mexican athletes and see where they are in their faith, what their problems and resistances are to Christianity, and their perceptions of all things we are associated with.  

One thing I have really tried to consistently think about is that most of the time, conversations occur when you get genuinely interested in the person and who they are, because from that God gives you a compassion for them.  So naturally, the more you get to know them, the more you want to know them.  Kind of the same with our God- we are created to be in relationship- both with others and with God.  I’ve found the closer I draw to him, the closer I desire to draw to him.

After our team time, we headed over to the gym to tip off for the third game in three days against UMAD.  I worked extensively with this team from December to January before I became sick and returned home.  I really, really love these girls so it was a blast to play against them again.  God is really wroking on that team as well and several of them have been around our team asking questions and I got to share the gospel with two of them over dinner.

We won by about 20, putting us in Saturday's championship game versus UDLAP.  Afterwards we had about 20 girls over to our place to watch a movie and eat pizza.  We laughed and ate and just enjoyed each other's company.  I'm really starting to love these Mexican girls.

Tip Off

Coaching

Today was the championship game, a rematch against UDLAP, the host team.  We have been able to spend so so much time with these girls and I ABSOLUTELY have fallen in love with them.  We ended up winning today, making us tournament champions.

I want to kind of give you some insight into this trip that might make you appreciate this fact more.  Initially AIA was planning on sending a team down here, made up of about 10 athletes, a coach, a discipler and team director.  What ended up actually making up our team was much, much different.

We had:

2 athletes

a discipler, Soccer player who dressed out for us

a team leader, Rower and Speed Skater who also dressed out for us

the Mexico team (Yost, Erica and me)

a 16 year-old Mexican basketball player

an ex-college Mexican basketball player and good friend of ours

So basically our team of 9 was made up of only 4 people who have ever played a collegiate basketball game in their lives.  And we went undefeated against three college teams that have been playing together for years and practicing together for nearly a year.  Now, I'm not saying that to brag on us.  Or my stellar coaching skills.  I'm telling you because I want to brag on my God a little bit.

God took a team of scrubs that had never met before and worked some crazy things through and in us, both on and off the basketball court.  The way we clicked on the court was the way that teams click that have been playing together for years.  I've played with girls for half of my life that I don't click as well as I do with these girls.  Jesus was the foundation of this team and I think that's honestly why we were set apart.  

Tonight the reporters asked me who we were and how long we had been playing together.  People are amazed when we tell them we only met 13 short days ago.  Amazed!  The fact that we are beating college teams is causing some buzz and giving us an opportunity to share with people what sets us apart- the fact that we are playing to glorify God's name and advance his kingdom, rather than for stats, wins, and personal recognition.  It's really an all-for-one type of mentality, and the One is Jesus.

I spend a LOT of time on the floor this game for some reason. 

Karli has a heart of a lion and carried our team.

In yeserday's game, Yost went down with a knee injury.  We think and pray that it is only a minor strain but she was unable to play in today's game.  She was definitely missed. 

Pre-game talk

and prayer

yet again...

trying to breathe in a time out

Three of the Mexican players with Yost

Luis and Moi, two of our favorite Mexican guys

The heart behind the team: Mandi, Jessi and Abbey

After the trophy presentation

Chuka has been at a ton of our ourtreaches

Chuka and I

Our water boys: Magic and Luis

Cynthia is the high-schooler who stepped up and played with us.  I was so impressed with her attitude, poise and abilities.  She's going to be a great player.

Two of my favorite people: Karlie and Irma- hillarious!!!

The tournament had a bunch of press following it

Congrats after the game

Marn and Cyn

Yost's celebration face

Both teams after the game 

AIA team

TJ is a person I really got to know down here and he has been nothing but a blessing to our team.  He goes above and beyond to make sure we are taken care of and gives us open invitations to everything practice-related with the girls.  I have really, really enjoyed getting to know TJ and his heart for the girls team.  They are in great hands.

I think the boy's team had a little crush on our #4 :)

Tonight we had a party at the Casa Verde.  Some of the girls from UDLA came over and we had pizza before building a bonfire and introducing the Mexican girls to S'mores.  So much fun!  We played and played and played worship music until I was hoarse.  We laughed until there were tears and made some great, great memories.  I cannot say it enough: I LOVE THESE GIRLS. 

Hudson liked the guitar.

As did Lucia.  I think.

Pizza

Haruu likes Pizza too

Playing some games

Monica 

So we had some trouble getting the fire started with some wet wood.  Our solution?  A fire dance, of course.

The girls first experience with Smores.

Irma and Shelley

I think Momo liked them.

Marn and Chuka went to get the drum...

and we had a little jam session.

Karli shared her testimony with the group.

Jessi and Ingrid.  Ingrid was responsible for the tour that Manie, Yost, Jessi and I came on to Mexico a couple years ago. Essentially, she did two years ago what we are now doing for the current tour.  We all agree that we're about 100% sure she's an angel.

Monica, Irma and Shelly hanging out after worship

Yost and Chuka

Jess and I

Tonight we had to say good-bye to Jessi as she leaves at the crack of dawn in the morning going back home.  It was hard and emotional because this group has really grown close through this tour.  It's the first of many good-byes that we will be saying for the next week.  The girls on the tour will leave Monday morning, and each of us on the team will be leaving the following Monday.  Lots of good-byes, to each other and to the girls we have grown to call our sisters and close friends.  It will definitely be tough but I know God has intricately planned for our futures and we hope that our paths will cross.  And one day there will be no more saying goodbye.  We will meet in heaven and we can all just hang out and play music and eat Smores.  Sounds pretty perfect.

Day 2 of the tournament

Today we faced UDLAP, the host team of this tournament.  This is the team I have been practicing with for the past two months and have really come to know and love these girls, the coach and administration.  Huge doors are opening on this campus for AIA.

Team praying before the game.

My coaching stance. 

I think the girls were laughing at my coaching advice.  Not cool.

Our bench.

 It was a hard played game that we were able to win.  It was a lot of fun playing against these girls we have gotten to know so well and who are really interested in our mininstry.  I think the entire UDLAP team was at our dorm last night watching the Lion King until midnight.

Marnie and I with Monica after the game.

After, our team and the majority of the UDLAP team went down the street to grab some food.

group shot

Tonight we came home from dinner and found about six players outside our dorm waiting for us.  They came inside and we hung out for a while.  Three of them stayed around and we played some guitar and sang worship songs.  We even got to explain to them some of our beliefs and motivations as to why and how we play for the glory of Jesus Christ.  There is a lot of buzz going around this tournament and lots of questions are being asked in light of it.  I pray, and ask you too, that all the things surrounding the tournament are used for the advancement of God's great name.  That people would not look at us as just another basketball team, but see that we have been marked with a seal and set apart as God's children, playing not for expectations, points, fame or wins- but only for the glory of our God as we love one another and the Mexican athletes.

Thanks again, you guys.  You are great.

John 13:35
"By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."