After the first week...

Hola todos! Holy cow, we can´t believe the amazing time that we are having down here. I (jared) have experienced so much in this past week that it is hard to pick and choose what I will write about. I´ve already filled over 10 pages in my journal of just God stuff. We´ve already seen several new believers, but most importantly, it is the new movements that we are launching that are really getting me excited. Everyday we break off into groups to talk with students about finding christians who are excited to start something amazing on their campus. Just today I was with a group who met Gabriela, a girl who leads a small study on her campus. We were able to introduce her to another group doing the same thing. We listened to them talk a while, and we could already see the big things they had planned for their campus that only their combined groups could do.

I´m amazed at the openness of the students down here and their incredible fire they have for the gospel. It blows my mind away. The culture down here is so much more open. Everyone is willing to talk about spritual things. Compared to the states, any conversation that started with spirituality would be over before it began. It´s just the mindset that I see in the states. But here, everyone has a story to share, and a story that they want to hear from others. It is so easy to reach people down in Mexico.

The language barrier is still tough on us. I´ve only had 4 years of high school spanish, and yet all of the conversations down here have been in spanish. But God is gracious and has helped me remember a lot of what I have learned.

Accompaning the open culture, there are many things that give us culture shock. I´m amazed at the many public displays of affection for couples. It is a little awkward, but after a while, you get used to it.

On wednesday, our team went out to do service projects for the community. The boys went to a group home to clean and play with the kids. We went to a local dirt field and played a rough and tumble game of soccer. The ladies went to homes for single moms with small children to clean and also play with the kids. In the big cities, especially a city with 28 million people, you can find whatever you want. The one thing that they all share is the brokenness that comes with a fallen world. God is in the big cities, I have learned, and he wants desperately to reach them. But if we reach the city, so the surrounding country will follow. It is a great vision to live by.

One last thing is that there are many different denominations down here. (Like I said, you can find everything here). I´ve seen huge cathedrals, extremely nice Mormon churches, and run down evangelical churches. It is interesting to see the variety.

Right now our group is staying at Casa Gonzales, a hostal type place located only a few blocks from the main street in Mexico City, Plaza de las reformas. if you watched the Miss Universe pageant a few nights ago, the location was right up the street from us! We are also located less than 3 blocks from both the british embassy and the US embassy.

Wow, I´ve written a lot. Hope to update again soon!