Today, I was blessed. For one, I recieved e-mails from really great friends with words of encouragement and love from back home. I don't know if I could ever emphazise how thankful I am for all of your support and prayers- it seems like when the days get tough, one of you will e-mail me a word of encouragement and I'm immediately re-energized. Thank you so much for all your prayers and words.
I wanted to give you a quick run down of all the amazing things that happened today. The Lord is still at work here.
This morning I had practice with the Tec university basketball team. It was the first time I was able to meet them and the girls were super receptive to me. I am constantly amazed at these people for how they accept me despite my complete ignorance for their culture and inability to speak their language. It makes it very cool to get out on the court with them and play basketball- which I strongly consider a universal language. Once we step on the court, it's like we all speak the same.
Anyways, I went on to our Monday staff meeting and was able to be encouraged by our AIA team as each of us reported what the week looked like and how our athletes seemed to be responding to our ministry. We had a time where each of us shared our vision and dreams for the athletes we are specifically working with. I shared mine and wanted to share it with you as well: I am currently meeting one-on-one with two girls from my UMAD university team. They are sweethearts but somewhat new believers. We are going over material every week dealing with our security in Christ (how do I know I have eternal salvation, what does God think of me, etc.) At this point, we are praying and talking to them about having regular quiet times and meeting with God frequently as we discover who he is and what he says about us in the Bible. So for short-term goals, I would love to see them develop a habit of regular quiet times meeting with God over the next few months. A bigger, perhaps more lofty yet very attainable goal that I have is for those two girls to start a small group with their team and lead it. I know there are no dreams too big for God to fufill so I'm going big on this one. I prayed before I came down here that I would find and target a certain three or four girls who could be raised up as Mexican leaders, who would be able to lead their country to Jesus. I pray that these girls would be an answer to that prayer.
As if that weren't a cool enough day, I went over to UMAD for my second practice of the day with the girls. Afterwards we had a team talk, which we do every week, about communication. When we finished we casually asked all the girls if they wanted to grab something to eat with us. Most of them politely declined because they have finals this week and two games. Totally understandable. But one of them asked us to go get pizza with her. This was a major highlight of my day.
Midway through the meal we are talking with this girl. She is a practicing Mormon which really excites Abbey (my teammate) and I because that indicates that she is interested and active in spiritual matters. Abbey has been praying for this girl for a while now. It sounds like we reached a breakthrough today because she initiated some conversation about the Bible and what it says about different subjects that we had talked about over dinner. She then told us that she would like to study the bible with Abbey and I starting next semester. Praise Jesus this was one of the coolest things I have witnessed here. I just wanted to let you know and ask for your prayers that this would happen come January and that through logic and truth we could appeal to her beliefs and let the Word do the work in her. It is my prayer that she come to the realization of what is good and true and righteous.
Again, I love you and want to thank you in advance of your help in getting me here and your help in the advancement of the Kingdom.
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