Dysfuncion

The concept of dysfuncional families has been around for a relatively short time. Dysfuncional families themselves have been around since sin entered the world. Just look at Cain and Abel. Mexico, typically, seems to be behind the U.S. in its loss of values. They are quickly cathching up, though. As a result, dysfuncional families, while always having existed in some form, are just now on the rise.

The reality of this for us means that we are dealing with young adults that are deeply scarred and hurt. These hurts almost always lead to vice of some sort through a damaged sense of self-worth. These are hurting people who need to see that they, being made in God's image, are of priceless value. So priceless are they, in fact, that Jesus came to die on the cross for them.

I think of my wife's friend, Aurea. She is a young woman with many hidden scars. She came on a camping trip with us and it obviously impacted her. She came back to Queretaro with a lot to think about. However, she is in a somewhat destructive relationship and is really struggling to give complete control of her life over to God.

Please pray for us. Pray for wisdom as we seek to share the love of Christ in a hurting world. And please pray for those we seek to minister to.

The Swine Flu

Some of you may be wondering how we are doing in Mexico with the outbreak of the swine flu. Thankfully there have been few cases here in Queretaro. Several public places, including schools, have been closed down. Many of our own activities have been put on hold, as well, set to resume tomorrow. We have still been going to our small group studies, including a couple we have today.

Queretaro is only about two and a half hours from Mexico City where the flu broke out. There are other near-by cities who have been harder hit. It looks like the worst of it, at least locally, is over. We ourselves have not been infected, and we are thankful for that and for prayers that many have no doubt said on our behalf. Please continue to pray for our city, and the country of Mexico on the whole as we continue to deal with this reality. Please pray for many opportunities to share Christ at this time.

The Strength of My Heart

Last August we took a camping trip with our young adults near a town called Tres Marias. I can remember as we left Mexico City on our way there, the mini-van climbing laboriously up the ridges. I looked back and could see Mexico City far below. Mexico City is high, but we were climbing much higher! We got to the camping ground and had a great weekend. We played hard, listened to some great sermons, and didn't sleep much. On the last day I started to feel a little weird. My eyes couldn't focus on anything and my head was twitching involuntarily. I squatted down a couple times because I could no longer stand. As my team took off to do another activity I tried to follow.

What happened next, I can now laugh at, but I think everyone else was quite alarmed. As I tried to follow my team, a strange noise, like machine-gun fire, came out of my mouth; tat-tat,tat,tat,tat,tat, and I fell backwards. From what I was told, I was out cold for a couple minutes. I opened my eyes to see several concerned faces around me, Lluvia's included. I was able to get up and was told that my heart was beating very fast due to the altitude. Several people had passed out on such trips.

We traveled back to Queretaro and decided to go for a check-up. This had not been a normal situation since I had convulsed as well. Every doctor we went to (you have to shop around for a good doctor in Mexico) said that my pressure was elevated. We went to visit our friend Elsa at the hospital on the tenth of August. Elsa had previously been in our small group and was a nurse. She checked my pressure and was very concerned. For those of you who might not know, blood pressure is made up of two numbers. If you are a male, the top number should roughly be 130 and the bottom should be around 80. If the bottom number is 110 you are at risk for a stroke or heart attack. Without remembering the exact number, my bottom number was around 120!

Elsa rushed me into the hospital for testing. I would love to say that I was trusting in God at this point, but "panic" would be the best word to describe what I felt. Sometimes the Lord lets you live through a situation to grow you in it. The doctors started trying to get a blood sample. I don't like to see blood, much less my own. They couldn't find my veins and when they did, my blood clotted right away. Soon, I was once again surrounded by a group of faces. But instead of looking concerned, they looked amused. "Wow, he's turning white! And he was already white to begin with!" Needless to say, I was not amused. I was sure I was going to pass out. Thankfully, I didn't. They eventually had to get the blood out of my hands and wrists which was somewhat painful. What hurt me more was my wounded pride. Why couldn't I just trust in God? The next day my hands and arms were bruised.

The diagnosis is that I have high blood pressure. It was detected in my Dad at the same age, meaning its hereditary. Thanks Dad! While I'm currently medicated for it, we have cut almost all cholesterol and fat out of my diet. I have lost a few pounds and my pressure averages at around 117/74. The doctor thinks I may some day be able to get off the medicine. I may go for another check-up this weekend to see what he thinks of my current numbers.

I feel that I can trust God a lot more in this area. I know that He can heal me should He decide to. But even if He doesn't, a verse comes to mind that speaks to my heart in this area. It is Psalm 73:25-26. It reads: "Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." My body may be imperfect and prone to infirmity, but it is God who keeps my heart beating. If I had to choose between health on this earth, and Jesus Christ, I would choose Jesus. Not because I am some great saint, but because He has loved me and proven over and over again how wonderful He is. And when my time here is over, He is what I shall inherit when I get to heaven. What better portion could I ask for than He Himself?