Nathan and Erin McDade

Well hello there to all of our supporters, family, and friends!  We have been back north of the border for nearly a month and a half now, and the time has flown by.  An update is in order for any and all who are curious about the latest goings on of la familia McDade.  I’ll format the update as answers to the most frequently asked questions we’ve fielded recently:

Q:  Where are you living? 

A:  The short answer is “Atlanta”.  The longer answer is “Mostly with Erin’s parents in Powder Springs, but also with frequent stays to my parents’ and brother’s houses, several short trips, and a week and a half planned to be in Johnson City, TN, which was rescheduled to December due to a virus”.  Or, in other words, “Everywhere, and nowhere, and in our car, and out of our suitcases”.  We have been bouncing around a good bit, but we have maintained home base in Powder Springs and all of our friends and family have been very gracious and patient in sharing their space as we invade it not only with ourselves but also with all of our STUFF.  We’re in the process of gathering our things from Mexico (still in transit), plus all of the things we had in storage and loaned out to friends during these seven years, combining all of this and eventually getting it to Maryland.  It’s a pretty ridiculous and hectic process, and we are so thankful for all of our loved ones all over the map who are helping to make it as smooth as possible.

Q:  So what exactly are you doing this Fall between Mexico and Maryland? 

A:  By my estimation, we had a handful of goals for this furlough time which could summarized by the words “transition”, “family”, and “$upport”. 

Regarding the transition, a large part of what we are supposed to be doing right now is making the cultural transition back to living in the USA and “decompressing” from life on the foreign mission field before beginning our new jobs and new life in January 2012.  This is a bit vague, I know.  But I’ve also become convinced of its importance.  So part of what we’re doing is reading some things, talking to some people, and generally processing these big changes in a healthy and appropriate manner.  Anyone who has ever gone through a culture shock curve and/or worked in ministry will appreciate the importance of a buffer period between two life chapters, and we are very appreciative of CMF’s guidance and encouragement through this process.  (Note:  Though we are leaving the payroll, our love and appreciation for CMF International only continue to grow, and we look forward to staying connected in new ways.)  We already see some of the benefits of this furlough time for our family, and we expect that even more benefits will reveal themselves in hindsight during the coming months and years.

A great deal of our time and energy has been spent so far on another one of our furlough assignments; reconnecting with loved ones up here north of the border.  Though we often celebrate the fact that our time in Mexico has resulted in trading quantity for quality with many of our Stateside relationships, there is also something to be said for some quantity, and we’ve enjoyed just being geographically close to folks for a few weeks here so far.  This is especially true now that we have these two beautiful little girls who are, of course, in high demand among their grandparents and others.  So far this Fall, we have been able to attend several events which we normally miss, such as the Bethany UMC Perlieu Stew, the Bobo Bash, the McDade men’s golf weekend, Oakley Thanksgiving, our friends Chris and Dana’s wedding reception, a GTCCF Bible study, the GT athletic hall of fame induction banquet at which my friend Bryce Molder was honored, and various other meals and visits – all of which we have thoroughly enjoyed – and that’s without even mentioning the dozens of low-key family meals and visits that we’ve enjoyed in between.  We also look forward to other fun times planned for what remains of 2011, including holiday gatherings, a long weekend at the beach, attending a cousin’s wedding, and so forth.

We also give thanks that we were able to spend some precious moments with one of my all-time favorite people – my great Aunt Ruby – just before she passed, and that I was able to be at her funeral, which was a touching and uplifting tribute to her great life.  She lived her 95 years with a twinkle in her eye, loving and teaching and shining the light of Christ.  On her deathbed she told me “I’ll tell Jesus y’all’re coming soon”, and “Goodbye …  well, goodbye down here, but hello up there!”  Aunt Ruby always called me “her buddy”.  I’m so thankful for the times we spent together.  I wish there had been more of them, but I smile in anticipation to meeting her again someday in eternity.  Praise God for a life well-lived here on Earth and a life eternal that continues in His presence, pain- and cancer-free.  Miss you already, Aunt Ruby.  See you soon!

The other main foci of our furlough time revolves around $upport.  First of all, we are making it a priority to spend as much time as possible with those of you who’ve been such faithful financial and prayer supporters for us during our time in Mexico.  We want to say, in as many ways as possible, THANK YOU for all you’ve done.  Because of you, hundreds of young people in Puebla have been exposed to the truth of the gospel and have had life-changing encounters with the Living God.  We want to remind you of this, share stories, buy you a meal, hug your necks, and do whatever else we can to communicate our heartfelt gratitude.  Please contact us if you’d like to get together!  We know the holidays are crazy, and time is getting short before we head north, but we will bend over backwards to get together with any of you who are interested in doing so!  (I’m on Facebook almost daily and check my email nathanmcdade@gmail or @yahoo and cell phone 443 528 7319 frequently.)

Aaaaaaaaand we would also like to persuade as many of you as possible to CONTINUE supporting El Pozo, either through shifting your support over to another staff member, or, even better, becoming ongoing $upporters of El Pozo through the Puebla Operational fund.  What this means is that you would send money to CMF as always, and instead of earmarking it for the McDades, you’d just change that to “Puebla Operational”.  Our dream for this is to have a core of people who have grown to love the ministry of El Pozo supporting monthly in such a way that the staff there can be assured of a certain operating budget no matter how many staff are (or aren’t) there and no matter how each of their individual support-raising efforts are going at a given moment.  This plan would build long-term stability into the ministry’s finances, insuring effectiveness for years to come.  We are SO THANKFUL that our four largest supporting churches will be continuing to support El Pozo in significant ways after we are gone!!!  Praise God for this!  This is a huge blessing not only for El Pozo, but also for us as we leave Mexico with great peace of mind.  We also want to challenge all “ExPozos” gringos – former staff, former exchange students, Summerscope alums, and so forth – to continue praying for El Pozo and to give something each month toward the operational budget.  Our initial goal is $1,500 USD/month above and beyond what the churches are doing.  If everyone reading this were to commit to $10, we would more than reach that goal, and if some of you could do more, that would be amazing.  If you’ve been supporting us, please consider taking some percentage of what you’ve been giving and continuing to send that money to CMF for El Pozo.  Many of you will probably get some individual calls and emails from me in the coming months regarding this, so consider yourselves warned – and please prayerfully consider continuing to support this great ministry in the coming years.

And most of all, again, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Y’all have been amazing and it is with more than a little sadness that we approach the end of this supporter/supportee relationship.

Left to Right: Buddy Anna visits from London (note: Anna is originally from Germany, but we met her in Mexico back in 2004 and have remained close friends over the years. She's also a faithful supporter of El Pozo!); Sisters loving on one another; and Nathan with father-in-law Kim and Dad Jimmy after a round of golf.

Q:  What will you be doing in Maryland? 

A:  Most people seem to have read the last update and already knew that we’ll be working at Mountain Christian Church (www.mountainchristian.org).  Some were unaware that Erin will also be a part of the staff, not just me.  Many have asked about our specific roles.  As of right now, here’s what we know:  My main responsibilities will involve four things, in no particular order:  1) some sort of leadership role on the staff, which is still fuzzy because the church is currently totally reconfiguring its leadership structure.  2) part of the preaching/teaching team.  This means I’ll be a part of the creative process for sermon planning and prep and probably preach a few times a year, in addition to other teaching opportunities.  3) ministry to young adults – the twenty-somethings.  4) ministry to Spanish-speakers – which will mostly be initiatives because this part of Mountain’s ministry is really just getting off the ground.  I’ll also be stepping up the pace as I work toward completion of my MDiv at Emmanuel, leading some mission trips, etc.  Sounds like a lot!  And I would be totally freaked out and overwhelmed if it weren’t for the fact that we totally trust the folks we’re going to be working with and know that we’ll be brought along at an appropriate pace.  Erin will continue to care for the girls and will split her 15-20 staff hours/week between a couple of roles:  assisting with the semester in ministry internship program that Mountain has with Milligan College and helping to create a “chief storyteller” role on the staff, which will basically be a point person for capturing stories of life change, communicating them to the entire congregation, and connecting ministry to mission in the hearts and minds of the people.  She’ll also likely find her way into some worship arts and women’s ministry activities, and will of course be a part of much of what I’ll be doing with young adults and Spanish-speakers.  Some of this, of course, is subject to change, as Mountain is a fast-growing church and our hire is less of a “fill this role” and more of a “get these guys on the bus and figure it out as we go along” kind of situation – which we have known from the beginning and are totally excited about.

Q:  How are things back in Mexico? 

A:  We are SO encouraged by the reports we’re getting from our students, friends, and teammates down in Puebla!  By all accounts, El Pozo is doing great.  They had a great retreat a few weeks ago, at which our dear friend Jeremy spoke, and it was a real catalyst in the life of the community.  There has been a wave of new people this semester, and the Casa Verde is crawling with new, young faces and tons of ministry potential for the coming years.  The staff is doing well.  God is good and He continues to care for HIS ministry in Puebla.  Please continue to keep El Pozo in your prayers!!!  And check out the CMF supporter blogs of our teammates Kami Burns, Courtney Wilson, Elsa Hurtado, and Heath and Karen Neal and/or the El Pozo Facebook page to stay in the loop on the latest happenings down there.

Q:  Do you miss Mexico? / What do you miss the most?

A:  Well first of all, OF COURSE we miss Mexico!!!  We loved it down there, and, as I’ve mentioned to many of you already, we were not looking to leave.  But God had other plans.  More than anything, we miss the people.  Seven years somewhere is plenty of time to develop a lot of relationships.  Obviously we miss the staff and students of El Pozo a great deal.  We also miss the many friends we had in the community.  People like Roberto and Meny, the couple who sold us juice; don Fernando and his family, who run the local convenience store; Fernanda, our friend the world-renowned Talavera artist (and quite an entertaining character!); Victor the UDLAP security guard; our neighbors and their kids; fellow missionary friends; the gals at the local Starbucks; the guys at the VW service center; and soooooo many more…  We miss the food, the warm weather (though we are also thoroughly enjoying the Fall weather here in GA), the fresh (and cheap!) produce, walking to work, having our own space … yes, we miss many things.  But mostly it’s the people, and we look forward to seeing them again as soon as possible.  Hopefully we will see many of them in the spring and summer, as I’ve been asked to do a couple of weddings down there, and we plan to take a group from Mountain to El Pozo’s annual Summerscope project in late June.  Maybe we will see some of YOU there, too!  It’s always a wonderful week, and we strongly encourage you to consider taking your family or small group or Sunday school class or youth group or missions committee down in June to help El Pozo, invest in the future of Mexico, and grow spiritually in the process.  (Contact us or kami.burns@gmail.com any time for more info.)

Q:  Are you culture-shocking? 

A:  Not really…  I mean, I’m sure we’re somewhere on the infamous “culture shock curve”, but we’re certainly not at a low point right now.  Honestly, it just feels like we’re home for the holidays or on a short furlough – maybe it hasn’t completely “hit us” yet that we are not going back to Mexico.  Honestly, we have been back and forth so much between Atlanta and Puebla in the past seven years, that we’re pretty used to it.  We do, however, anticipate a couple of upcoming cultural changes that may prove to be more challenging for us.  One would be moving to Maryland.  We’ve never lived that far north, nor have we experienced more than a few novel days of actual COLD winter.  We are from the South, and we’ve lived in Mexico.  These are warm, huggy cultures.  So get ready, Marylanders – you are about to be hugged and smiled at.  Sorry if it’s weird for you.  Another upcoming change would be the move from the campus ministry and foreign missionary cultures to the local church – and particularly megachurch – culture.  Please keep us in your prayers as we continue to go through a time of great change professionally, emotionally, geographically, and culturally.

Speaking of prayer requests, here are some things we’d love for you to join us in praying over:

• Please pray for our family.  Just because we are no longer “missionaries”, doesn’t mean that we aren’t still missionaries!  Off we go to a foreign land, albeit within the borders of the USA.  No we won’t be raising our own support anymore, but YES we still need your prayers, maybe more than ever!  Please keep our little family in your prayers as we go through this time of so much transition, look for schools/childcare/Spanish tutors/etc. for our girls, establish new relationships, figure out our new budget, and begin our new ministry in Maryland.
• Please continue to pray for the ministry of El Pozo.  Pray for the staff, the students, the universities we’re reaching, the neighbors with whom we interact, the local churches, the government, the violence in other parts of the country that touches the lives of our students and often causes fear and uncertainty to reign, the future of Mexico…  Please also pray for Globalscope and its leaders and all of El Pozo’s sister ministries around the world.
• Pray for the $upport that El Pozo needs to continue to be effective toward its vision in Puebla.  Pray for the $upport that we need to finish out the year and leave in the black, so as not to put a financial burden on El Pozo but rather to bless them with some extra funds on our way out the door.  Maybe some of you will even become the answers to these prayer requests!
• Pray a prayer of thanksgiving for all that God has done in Puebla – and with ripple effects around the globe – through the ministry of El Pozo.

As we look back on the eight years or so since we set out on this journey, Erin and I cannot help but join with the psalmist in declaring:

Many, LORD my God,
are the wonders you have done,
the things you planned for us.
None can compare with you;
were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
they would be too many to declare.  (40:5)

Thanks again for the vital role you, our supporters and loved ones, have played – and hopefully will continue to play – in the kingdom impact being made through El Pozo and, humbly, through our missionary efforts.  We love and appreciate you all more than you’ll ever know.  Hope to see each of you very soon!

En Cristo,

Nathan for the McDades

Greetings to all of our supporters, and sorry it has been so long between updates.  One of the reasons for that is that we’ve been trying to contact many of you personally in order to share the big news that hopefully most of you know by now.  Our apologies if you are hearing any of this for the first time right now; we are still making phone calls and writing emails.  I’m sure somebody has fallen through the cracks during this crazy period in our lives.

Of course the first big change in our lives recently has been the addition of Addie Grace McDade.  She was born on August 3^rd, making August the official month for McBabies (Elsa August 2009, my brother’s twin boys August 2010, and now Addie).  She weighed in at 4.11 kilos – just over nine pounds.  In the operating room, the pediatrician laughed out loud and told me she looked like a 3-month-old.  She’s six weeks old today, and she’s beautiful, healthy, and doing great, all of which is also true of her mommy (or, I should say, SuperMommy!), gracias a Dios.  Elsa is also doing great – she turned two on the 28^th – and she’s loving being a big sister.  Our little family is so incredibly blessed, and we are having a lot of fun together.

The other big news is that we are leaving Mexico after seven rich years of life and ministry here. The big transition happens in just under three weeks.  Again, hopefully you have heard this already from us, but if you haven’t, we’d love to get together soon and tell you the details of our journey.  But for now, here’s the very quick version:  For a few years now we’ve been feeling like God has been moving us toward a new challenge and a new mission, and telling us that it is time for a new chapter at El Pozo, with new leadership and new ideas.  We felt strongly that the time was nearing for us to step aside.  After much prayer, discussion, wise counsel, and more prayer, we decided to head to Joppa, Maryland, to join the staff of Mountain Christian Church.  I will be one of the pastors, full-time, and Erin will also be on staff, part-time.  This is an amazing church that has supported us in every way during our work here in Mexico.  We have great friends on the staff there, and they have amazing leadership and a big mission.  Simply put, Mountain strives to make disciples of Jesus, more and better disciples.  Which, coincidentally, has also been our mission down here.  So now we’ll just be leaving the foreign culture of Mexico and instead ministering in the foreign culture of … Maryland.  We look forward to a time of intense learning and the chance to continue to serve in meaningful ways in a new context.

We are both incredibly excited about what is to come and quite sad to be leaving this place and so many people that we love.  Not to mention the community of El Pozo, which, with all due respect to Elsa Lynne McDade, is really our first baby.  Just like with Elsa, we’ve been blessed to play important roles in the birth and maturation of El Pozo.  And just like with Elsa, we know that El Pozo does not belong to us, but instead to the Lord.  The way I feel now reminds me of how I’ve heard some parents describe dropping their kids off at college:  You’ve done your best.  You have raised a good kid – not perfect, but pretty dang good.  And now it’s time to let him/her go, to move into that next stage.  There are a lot of mixed feelings, but mostly it is good, and the timing is right, and you just swallow hard and have a good cry and move forward knowing that he/she will be just fine, and God is good.  That pretty much sums up how we feel right now about leaving El Pozo – which is in great hands, by the way, and has an incredibly bright future.  We look forward to staying involved with this great ministry in new and different ways in the coming years.

Again, if you want to hear more about this journey we’ve been on, please let us know.  In fact, that’s one of our main objectives for the next three months.  We’ll officially be employed by CMF through the end of the year, which means a couple of things:

1)    We would love to meet with as many of you as possible to say THANK YOU!!!!! for your amazing support through the years, and to talk more about this transition.  We will be Atlanta-based during the months of October, November, and December – with at least a week or so spent in Johnson City, TN.  Let us know when you’re available and we’ll buy you supper or something as a small expression of our immense gratitude for your partnership with us during our time in Mexico.

2)    We will continue to need financial support through the end of the year.  We officially go on staff at Mountain on January 2^nd.  The last thing we want to do is leave the mission field with our CMF account in the red, so please continue to support us right up until the end.  AND let us know if you’d like to continue supporting El Pozo after we’re gone!  We’re hopeful that some of you will do that, either via the operational account or by picking up Kami, Courtney, Elsa H., or some other El Pozo staff member.

And of course we ask that you continue to keep both the ministry of El Pozo and our family in your prayers through this time of transition!

I’ll end with a student story.  About four years ago, I met this girl – we’ll call her “Jan”.  Jan was a guard on the UDLAP basketball team, a fiery competitor.  I liked her instantly.  For four years I – and others on the staff – have cheered her on at games, seen her around, taken an interest in her life, and invited her to El Pozo.  For four years she has politely declined.  Until three weeks ago, that is, when she showed up at our first El Pozo “En Vivo” Bible study of the semester.  She came back the next week, and the next, and the next, and she’s even begun to bring some of the freshman girls on the team!  I’ve noticed a change in her.  Known for her competitiveness on the court and party lifestyle off it, I’m now seeing a softer, gentler side of Jan.  She is, in a word, maturing.  Last night during the sermon, Kami challenged everyone to take a free Bible – and actually read it!  Either for the first time, or again.  Jan, who was sitting next to me, said – under her breath but loud enough for me to hear her – “I’ve never read it…”  That is what we campus ministers call a window of opportunity!  Later today, I will give Jan a Bible and a note, and I have already challenged Kami and Courtney to start meeting with her to read the Bible together and talk about faith.  In my mind’s eye I can already see Jan and a handful of other young, talented, future leaders sitting around a table on some Spring day, in a safe place, and getting real about their questions and struggles, wrestling with God and coming to know Him and experience His love.

One of my favorite things to see as a campus minister is that sharp spike in a young person’s faith curve as they near the end of college and start to realize that so many of the things they have been investing in are dead-end roads.  I’m watching Jan start to open her heart to God like never before, and to be here to see this happening has been, for me, a grace gift from God as we head out the door.  I never even knew she was a Christian (and maybe neither did she), but check out these words from her Facebook wall a couple of days ago:

I really am grateful to have Jesus Christ in my life. I know he Loves me and forgive me when I do wrong. I invite you to forgive the people that have done wrong to you…

I like to think that the patient and loving friendship of the El Pozo community had something to do with Jan deciding to write those words – for all to see.  And oh by the way, guess what?  Jan just signed up to get her Master’s degree here at UDLAP, so El Pozo will have a couple more years to influence her and help her to continue to grow into the person God desires for her to be.

God continues to move here, and I’m confident that that will be the case for years to come.  Praise be to the One who has made these seven years possible, who has established another outpost of His kingdom in another unlikely place, and who has blessed us immensely in the process.

And thanks, from the bottom of our hearts, to all of you, who have made it possible through your encouragement, gifts, prayers, and partnership with us.  Many young people have been impacted with the life-changing love of Christ, and we, too, are leaving Mexico forever changed, in so many ways.

Every ending is a new beginning…

We’ll write again soon, next time from north of the border.  WE LOVE AND APPRECIATE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!

En Cristo,

Nathan for the (now FOUR!) McDades

Hello, all!

As I write this, Nathan and 20 other El Pozo students and staff are safely in Acuña, México for our annual Spring Break house building project with CASAS POR CRISTO (www.casasporcristo.org). They arrived there this afternoon, after having left in vans from Puebla yesterday morning, and will spend the next few days working alongside Casas staff (namely former EP intern, Mikell West, and special guest builder, Nathan’s dad Jimmy McDade) building a home for a deserving family in need. This is the FOURTH YEAR that El Pozo has taken students and staff to work with Casas, and, as to date, El Pozo continues to be the only group from within Mexico to partner with Casas Por Cristo in this awesome ministry. It’s a life-changing trip for many and we pray that this year is no different for Nathan, Clay, Courtney, Andrea, Angy, Valeria, Jonathan, Tristan, Debora, Steph, Jerry, Male, Bernardo, Pato, Hector, Carlos, Luis, etc.

Before I leave you with prayers for the week, I leave you with a testamony from our student leader Andrea as she reflects upon how taking this trip with El Pozo has impacted her faith journey over the years…

“This is the third time that I have gone with the team from El Pozo to help out with Casas Por Cristo. I remember the first time I decided to go about an hour before the trip, 2 months after I had ever heard about the Green House [aka El Pozo]. That trip changed my life in many ways; I used to get mad every time I heard a steriotype about Mexico because I grew up in a big city with little to do with drunk guys with sarapes wearing sombretos and driving a donkey through the desert. But the reality is that places like that still exist, maybe not exactly as the world would describe them, but definitely that horrible level of poverty.

That first trip made me so thankful for what I had and made me decide to stop complaining for the simplest things. The kids there are an important part for me; even in the toughest situations they seem so happy and beautiful, so thankful for anything you give them even if it is a piece of candy or your company for a couple of minutes.

Another great part of the trip is building community, working as a team to acomplish something together and facing different situations and problems as a family. It is wonderful to work united for such a great purpose. I highly suggest anyone to do something like that–unity for the purpose of love has to be the best way to honor God and give a testimony to the world that Jesus and His cause is real.”

Very cool! Now on to some prayers for this week:

* Prayer that the students and staff on the trip encounter God in a very real and life-changing way.

* Prayer for Casas Por Cristo as they look to expand building opportunities both inside and outside of Mexico and as they seek wisdom in how to best use thier resources (including volunteer groups) to best serve countless communities and families in need.

* Praise for travel mercies for the first leg of the trip and that, throughout the next week, God’s protection stays on our group while at the build site and during their travels back to Puebla.

* Prayer for the family who will receive the house being built this week by El Pozo/Casas Por Cristo. Although going into this build we know very little about their situation, please join us in praying for real conversations about faith and God’s truth throughout the week. Unique to our group is the fact that EVERYONE (outside of one Australian student and Nathan’s dad) is fluent in Spanish! What an incredible opportunity for our students/staff to share their faith with the children and families they meet this week in Acuña!

* Praise for the countless prayers and $upport that have already been received so that this mission trip can happen. We are beyond grateful to the friends, family, individuals, and churches who believe in El Pozo’s vision for raising up the future generation of Christ-followers in Mexico. If you have ever participated in a mission trip then you know how serving God through serving others in need can light a fire under your faith…and that’s exactly what we are praying for for everyone on the trip.

* Prayer for Erin, Elsita, and McBaby #2 as they stay behind in Puebla this week — for much-needed rest before the last few weeks in the school semester and for quality time with Erin’s parents who are in town until Easter.

Again, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRAYERS! We look forward to sharing news of the trip’s impact upon Nathan’s return.

Much love,

Erin for the McDades

At each El Pozo “En Vivo” Bible study, we pass around “LA MASCARA DEL LUCHADOR” (The Wrestler’s Mask) which doubles as a receptacle for prayer requests.  We like the luchador metaphor as a way of teaching our students that we ALL wrestle and struggle with touch situations, sins, temptations, etc. – and therefore we all need God’s help in this life.  So we pass around the mask with blank paper and pencils and tell them to write down their prayer requests and the staff and some other leaders of the community will pray for them, because although it is a mystery, we definitely believe in the power and importance of prayer around here.  And then we do pray!

Here is a sample platter of some of the prayer requests written down this past Tuesday.  I thought it might be a nice snapshot for you, our supporters.  These are just a few requests from a few students, so extrapolate, use your imagination, and think about all of the ways that God is moving in this community.  It’s pretty cool.

* I ask for support in prayer that God would touch the life of [Jose] and for my girlfriend and that God would provide for the economic needs of my family – [Rodrigo]

* I ask for clarity to know whether or not [Anna] is the girl that God wants me to spend my life with – [Jose]

* I want [a certain event in Puebla] to get moved to another weekend so that I can go on a mission trip to Tabasco.

* For my brother who is getting married in June that the planning goes smoothly and the heart is the most important part.

* For my business project, for all Mexicans, and for the planet – Edmundo

* That the [Spring Break house-building] trip to Acuña will be incredible and that everyone will have a great Holy Week.

* For the health of [my friend], that I would get over my apathy toward school, for my internship, for my thesis – that I would find a topic, and that I would continue to grow spiritually – Miguel

* Please pray for good planning and execution of the upcoming dance competition.  It has me very nervous and anxious.  I’m the choreographer and it has me very stressed out.  I need clarity – Jon

* Thankful for new people in my life, asking for prayer for my mom’s health, for this week that it would go well for all of us, for exams, health, and love, thank you.

* For inner strength to stay on the path toward Jesus, for my basketball team and my coach, wisdom and self-control.

* For the cousin of my friend Priscila who is suffering terribly and will have an operation soon.  She believes in God and knows that He will take care of her.  They asked for prayer.  Thank you – [Roberto]

* For the health of my mom and of my friend who is in very bad shape, and she is very far from her family.  For my best friend, that God would touch her heart and help her to see life through the eyes of Christ.

Thanks so much for YOUR prayers!  They carry us along daily and form the foundation for all that God is doing down here.  We invite you to join with us this week in praying for the above requests, and for the ministry of El Pozo and the lives and faith journeys of these students in general.  THANKS!!!

En Cristo,

Nathan

* Note: Names in [ ] have been changed to protect the privacy of some of our students and their stories. God knows their real names though, so please keep praying for them!

Hello, supporters!!!  Remember me?  The guy who used to send out updates fairly often to keep you up to date on the ministry of El Pozo?  Well, we are still here, we are still alive and working hard, and God is still doing a lot of great things.  I won’t make excuses for why it’s been so long since we last posted an update, but here’s what I WILL do:  I’ll post SEVERAL* updates this month and next in an attempt both to make it up to you and to share some fun and possibly even inspiring stories. Quantity without (hopefully) sacrificing quality – that’s the theme of the McDade supporter blog for April-May 2011!  Let’s start by talking about Tamara.

Tamara is one of my favorite students.  (It’s okay – we all have favorites, whether other ministers admit it or not.)  She’s a wonderful, smart, fun, funny, determined, unique young lady with whom Erin and I have had a growing friendship for over three years now.  She’s a huge fan of bad (a.k.a. hilarious) jokes, just like me.  She’s a basketball player, so she’s got that going for her, too.  She’s a fascinating, bilingual, dual-citizen ( England and Mexico ).  And she’s a gal who we’ve had the privilege of watching grow closer and closer to God over time.

Sometimes, as with all of us, it’s definitely been three steps forward and two steps back.  Tamara – she doesn’t mind me telling you – still struggles with the whole “Jesus is THE way to God” thing.  Just like with most of her generation, the philosophies of “You do your thing, I’ll do mine, and we won’t judge or try to change each other” or “All roads really lead to the same place” still hold a powerful attraction for her.

Tamara also struggles, like many of her peers, to go “all in” with Jesus, knowing that it will require some changes in her life, some awkwardness with her family and friends.  I’d say that she’s definitely gotten her brain around the concept that following Christ comes with a cross to bear, but I’d also say that there’s definitely a battle still raging for control of her heart on a day-to-day basis.  Tamara and I have a running joke where I will bring up a trivial decision – e.g. tacos or burgers – and then I shrug my shoulders, throw up my hands, and dance back and forth both literally and metaphorically, agonizing over the decision.  Basically, in the most loving way, I pick on her for being indecisive.  Or she walks up and does this to me, picking on herself.  And we laugh, because we know it’s still true about things that are not trivial, about some of the most important parts of her life.  I tell her that she needs to quit being afraid and run toward the Lover of her soul, this Jesus that she’s been getting to know through the ministry of El Pozo.

A few weeks ago at our annual beach retreat, Tamara stood up and shared part of her story with everyone.  It marked a huge step forward for her.  “I never, ever, thought I’d be up here giving a talk for Casa Verde!” she said.  Yet there she was, publicly sharing with her friends about how she has grown closer to God in recent years, the importance of community, and the hope that she has for the future.

Last week Tamara played in her final home basketball game, and a bunch of her friends at El Pozo made it a point to be there and support her.  Actually, El Pozo has had a strong contingent at just about all of Tamara’s home games over the years – but this one was extra special.  So several folks made signs for every girl on the team, and then went all-out for Tamara, including six guys who took off their shirts, painted themselves green, and then in orange painted U-D-L-A-P-! on their chests and T-A-M-A-R-A on their backs.  Well, Tamara didn’t have her greatest game ever, and the Aztecas lost, but after the game, none of that mattered.  Tamara’s teammates, friends, and family gave her a great send-off, including flowers, a slide show, and a ten-piece mariachi band!  There were hugs and tears all around, cameras flashing left and right – it was all great.  But my favorite moment came when Tamara asked for a photo “with Casa Verde”.  In the blink of an eye over thirty people huddled together for a photo, and I realized that these were all people who self-identified as part of El Pozo.  I realized in that moment that this little group was a wonderful microcosm of the larger community.  There were staff, children of staff, and students.  There were Mexicans and Americans and at least one person from another country.  There were folks brand new to the community and others who have been around for several years.  There were jocks and nerds.  There were leaders and fringe-dwellers.  And it was a BEAUTIFUL moment.  As we posed for that photo, I felt so incredibly proud to be a part of El Pozo.

Tamara with all of her friends from the Casa Verde

Showing our support at Tamara's last bball game

Recently our friend/mentor/boss Perry Rubin, who is the leader of Auburn Christian Fellowship, came down to spend some time with our staff.  During one car ride, I asked him to name, off the top of his head, two or three things that he loves about ACF.  The very first thing out of his mouth, without a moment’s hesitation, was that it is a community “where students know they are loved, no matter what.”  That comment by Perry came to my mind as we posed for that photo with Tamara.  Why? Because after all of the years and the ups and downs, as I thought about Tamara and her past and her present and her future, I was sure of one thing in that moment:

Tamara knows she is loved.

And that is HUGE.  That makes it worth every ounce of energy, every prayer, every dollar that you’ve sent out that has wound up in one way or another being invested in Tamara.  She knows – not just in her head, but in her heart and soul – she KNOWS that she is truly, deeply loved.  By the God who created her and by other people who love her because He has first loved us.

Tamara and I have another running joke where one of us walks up to the other and says “You know what we should do?  We should talk sometime.”  And then we have a laugh, because for over three years now we’ve been planning to sit down over coffee and really have an extended talk about life, but it just never seems to happen.  Fortunately, though, Tamara has had many great talks with other El Pozo leaders like Erin, Bego, and Becky.  So the second part of the joke is, “Nah, we’ll just talk in heaven someday.”  And then we smile.  I don’t know exactly why she smiles, but I’ll tell you why I do.  I smile because I look forward to that talk, Tamara and me relaxing in the eternal presence of God and finally having a heart-to-heart unhindered by overly busy schedules.  I smile, too, because I think about the extremely bright future Tamara has if she will continue to give more and more control of her life over to God – and all of the people she will have the opportunity to lead and influence and teach and love.  And I smile because she is on a good path, a path I’ve done my God-honest best to help her find and stay on.  Soon I won’t see Tamara nearly as often as I do now, but it’s okay.  She knows she’s loved.  And the memories she’ll take with her of her time with El Pozo won’t ever let her forget it.

Thank you all for your generous, faithful support of us and of our ministry.  You are making ripples that will reach further than any of us could have ever dreamed when we started this journey.

God bless!

En Cristo,

Nathan for the (soon to be FOUR!) McDades

* sev·er·al – a: more than one; b: more than two but fewer than many ( J )

Hey everybody!  Here’s a quick update for you, followed by a couple of important prayer requests.

A couple of fun things I’ve heard lately that I’m passing along because I believe they are indicators of how the ministry is going down here:

1) Wye Huxford, one of our great mentors / bosses / teachers / friends, recently came down and spent a few days with us. He did a “why we can trust the Bible” workshop with our student leaders, which was wonderful, and then led a short staff retreat, during which we learned about Scripture, picked Huxford’s brain about ministry issues, bonded as a team, and allowed God to re-focus and re-energize us for the rest of the semester.  After Huxford had been in town and hanging around El Pozo, I asked him what were the top three things he’d noticed since being here – the three things he had observed that stood out the most.  His answer went something like this:

1. There are tons of students in and out of the Casa Verde, all the time.

2. Everywhere we go, you guys run into somebody you know.

3. Love the pole barn!  (Which is how we affectionately refer to the new structure out back, where we currently do Tuesday dinner and Thursday devo lunch and plan to be doing En Vivo starting in January.)

Huxford’s words were a huge encouragement to us!

Nathan and Huxford enjoying some nieve (delicious shaved ice cream) at our team retreat

2) There’s a girl named Dayna who’s been hanging out around the campus house a lot.  She’s an exchange student (not through Globalscope – we just met her after she arrived here at the beginning of the semester) from Pennsylvania who has really found a home here and stepped up as an awesome servant leader.  Her parents and sister recently came down for a visit, and the other day, as she gave them a tour of the Casa Verde, I overheard something that caused a big smile to break out on my face.  As she gave them a tour and described the activities that take place in each area, I was struck by the pronouns she used.  Instead of saying “Here’s where they do this” or “This is the kitchen”, everything was WE and OUR and US.  “Here’s where WE prepare the food for Thursday lunch”, “This is OUR new building, built in the summer just before I arrived”, etc.  It warmed my heart to know that this girl, who has only been here a few weeks, has already bought into the vision and found a second home in the El Pozo community.  I wouldn’t be surprised to see her come back as an intern or something, which would be incredible!

Dayna and Carly (EP Intern) at an UDLAP football game

PRAY PRAY PRAY!!!  Couple of big prayer requests for you guys…

1) By the time most of you read this, the event will already be underway, but pray big anyway because it’s just the beginning.  TOMORROW (Sunday, Oct. 24^th) we are loading up and heading to the beach at Veracruz to baptize three students!!! Lulis, a girl who’s been involved off and on for several years now, has really stepped it up in terms of her walk with Jesus this semester and recently decided that it was time to take the important step of baptism.  The other night she was talking to some staff members about the when and where, and she said, a little bummed out because our beach retreat is still several months away, that she’d really loved to be baptized in the ocean.  Our teammate Clay, half-jokingly pulled out his car keys and said, “Let’s go!”  Well, we obviously weren’t about to load up and drive three hours to Veracruz at 10 PM on a Tuesday, but from that conversation was born the idea of driving over to baptize Lulis on Sunday the 24^th.  Since then, two more girls (Nala and Sara), both student leaders who’ve been contemplating baptism, have also decided to take this step, so tomorrow we’re anticipating a group of about 40 people showing up to drive to Veracruz, have a little mini-worship service on the beach, do three baptisms, hang out on the beach a little longer, eat lunch, go to Dairy Queen (we don’t have a Dairy Queen in Puebla and usually go like three times a day whenever we find ourselves in Veracruz), and drive back home!  It’s going to be a GREAT day, and we covet your prayers for safe travel and a beautiful baptism experience for these three great girls.  And keep praying for Lulis, Sara, and Nala, as they continue to face trials and tests related to this great decision they’ve made.

Lulis, Nala, and Sara at our Fall Retreat last month

2) On Wednesday, Erin and I fly to Santiago, Chile to spend some time with the staff and students of our sister Globalscope ministry there, El Oasis.  We have been invited down for the dual purpose of doing some staff development/encouragement, and speaking at their annual “Retiro de los Sexos” – a retreat focused on what God’s word has to say about sex and relationships.  Please pray for us as we travel, prepare our thoughts, and spend time encouraging and sharing ideas with the staff and students of El Oasis.  I’m so excited because it’s my first time to Chile (and South America) and because some of the staff members down there are great friends of ours.  Erin has been to Chile three times but she’s excited, too!  Oh and don’t worry, Elsita will be in great hands, as her two Grandma’s arrive on Monday to spend the week with her.  Yeah, she will be juuuuuuust fine.  But you can pray for her anyway – and for her Mommy and Daddy, who will miss her terribly!

Okay – a thousand thanks as always for the prayers and financial support!

Nathan for the McDades

Enjoying some cooler weather while at our Fall Retreat

These words of Jesus calling his disciplines have been playing in the mind and heart of our dear friend and student, *Lola, for the past few years. Recently, she told me (Erin) how ever since she first got involved in El Pozo almost four years ago she has wanted to make a desicion to follow Christ. She has read His stories of forgiveness and hope in Scripture, experienced His love through countless REAL friendships with other faithful believers, and felt the tension of His call to “Come. Follow me.” You see, Lola is convinced that Jesus is the Way, but her family stands in complete opposition to her decision to follow Christ. Although Lola feels more alive since letting that truth invade her heart than she ever has, her parents and extended family see the new changes in her as a betrayal of their Catholic roots.

Lola is ready to tell the world that she is a committed Christ-follower, but she needs our prayers, this week especially. As with a number of our students, Lola will be celebrating Mexico’s Independence with family and friends at home and she hopes to use this time to express to her loved ones the new life she has in Christ. From now until Sunday when Lola returns to Puebla, myself and several other El Pozo students will be sending her text messages and reminders of prayers being sent out on her behalf. Please join us in praying for Lola to be strong, to faithfully follow Jesus’ call on her life, and for her family to come to know the love this young believer has for her Lord and Savior. As always, thank you for you commitment to God’s work among university students in Puebla. It’s AMAZING to watch our Lord in action!!!

[For more information about Lola's story, please see Nathan's blog post on September 3. Also, if you'd like a picture of Lola to help remind you to pray for this new believer, please just send us an email and we would be glad to send you one! Thank you in advance for your support of this great young lady!]

Hello, supporters!  We want to invite you guys to participate with El Pozo in “A Week of Poverty”.  This week we are doing something each day to raise awareness and identify ourselves with the poor in order to teach our students and hear from God how we might be more a part of the solution.  Join us if you are able!  Here’s how the week breaks down: 

MONDAY (Sept. 6^th) – A Day Without ELECTRICITY

We’re going to use nothing that requires a power cord or battery for a whole day in order to remember all of those who lack basic necessities.  No iPods, laptops, TVs, cell phones, microwaves, or lights.  Spend some of that time praying, being grateful, and maybe reflecting about how much these devices control and distract us. 

TUESDAY (7^th) – A Day Without MONEY

Half of the people in the world live on two dollars a day or less.  So Tuesday we’re each going to spend 25 pesos (about two bucks) or less on everything we do that day.  Are you up for the challenge?  Can you stand to feel hungry for a few hours?  What will you do with the money you don’t spend that day?  And hey, free dinner at the Casa Verde, just like every Tuesday! 

Also on Tuesday, at our weekly “En Vivo” Bible study, we will take a break from our semester-long series teaching through the Bible and hear from Moi, one of our students who spent the summer doing a REACH internship among some of the poorest people in the world in the Mathare Valley of Nairobi, Kenya.  Moi, an economics major, specifically worked in the microfinance program.  Can’t wait to interview him in front of our students.  Please pray for this week’s “En Vivo”! 

WEDNESDAY (8^th) – A Day Without WHEELS

No cars, buses, taxis, bikes, skateboards, roller blades, or unicycles.  We’re going to WALK, just like most people in the world have to do.  As we walk we’ll think about how many folks have to walk miles and miles just to get to work or to get medical care or clean water for their families. 

THURSDAY (9^th) – Donate SHOES Day

Pretty much all of us have at least a pair or two of shoes sitting around that we really don’t use.  Meanwhile, there are many people in the world who go barefoot every day.  This is more than an inconvenience, as cuts and sores often lead to deadly infections.  So on Thursday dig ’em out of your closet and donate those shoes through your church or some other local organization.  And/or buy some TOMS (toms.com) while you’re at it. 

FRIDAY and SATURDAY (10^th and 11^th) – A Taste of C.H.E. 

Nothing to do with Che Guevara – C.H.E. stands for Community Health Evangelism.  It’s a wonderful, biblical strategy for helping the poor in a way that brings dignity and hope instead of just temporary relief.  CMF has adopted and proliferated the C.H.E. concept and seen wonderful results in Nairobi, Kenya.  Our desire is to play a role in bringing this type of ministry to Mexico, where the needs are great.  If you are interested in learning more, please contact us or someone at CMF and pick up the book “When Helping Hurts” (by Fikkert and Corbett), which outlines the values and strategies that C.H.E. employs.  And please PRAY for our “A Taste of C.H.E.” seminar that we’re putting on on Friday (3-8 PM) and Saturday (9 AM-2 PM) here in Puebla.  We’re hoping for great participation by our students as well as local church leaders!  

Thanks in advance for your prayers and participation with the El Pozo during this special week. 

Nathan

Just got done with my student leadership group meeting – this semester we’re studying the gospel of John. 10+ PM, exhausted but full of energy at the same time, driving our friend Elsa H. home (she keeps the other little Elsa for us on Thursday nights), having a great conversation and being reminded of what a wonderful young lady she is, how far she has come, how NOTHING in her life comes before her relationship with Jesus, how she jumps at the chance to share him with her friends in good times and in tough times… Felt like a proud papa and a proud pastor and a treasured friend all at the same time.

On my way back from dropping Elsa off, I texted Courtney and said “Hey CW I’m having one of those nights”. She replied “Awesome, tomorrow you can tell us all about it”. To which I replied “No one big thing, just 100 little things together plus a strong sense that what we do REALLY MATTERS!”

I won’t list all 100, but here (in addition to the great conversation with Elsa H. and Courtney’s friendship) are some of the reasons behind this good feeling I’m having tonight:

(Note: * = not their real names)

>> Watching Beto grow in confidence, come out of his shell, and finally begin to really GO DEEP after a couple of years of hanging around, testing the waters in the shallow end of the pool, wondering whether or not to really open up. Seeing Beto’s genuine smile and man-hugging him when he walks through the door is one of the best parts of my week. Next week we’ll celebrate his birthday and hopefully make him feel extra loved and special.

>> Humbly accepting the envelope from Fred*. Fred is a strange and quirky guy who has found real friends at El Pozo, a member of my grad Bible study group, and a guy who has decided to tithe on his scholarship money toward our work here. Every time I thank him, he says “Thanks to God!” I am moved by his generosity.

>> Welcoming Wolfgang*, a young German guy who is reading the Bible and really learning about Jesus for the first time. Turns out Wolfgang has a passion for JUSTICE. It is so fun to begin to help him see that this passion comes from his Creator and lines up totally with faith in Jesus. Wolfgang is a modern-day OT prophet in the making and he doesn’t even know it yet. But he will.

>> Allowing my heart to break all over again for Carlos, a guy who grew up without a dad and was pretty much never told he was loved or valued. I have the privilege of telling him those things, studying the Bible with him, providing some accountability, helping him learn to communicate better with his peers, and helping to peel back some of those calloused layers he’s allowed to grow over his heart.

>> Beaming with pride alongside my teammate and friend Kami as she shows me an email from one of our bosses saying “Thank you so much for handling this situation so professionally”. Earlier today Kami said, “Nate, I have an ethics question for you. How should I respond to this email?” I said something like, “Uuuuuuuh – I don’t know! But here’s what I would do if I were you.” So Kami sent another email “up the ladder” before responding to the other email, and a potentially incendiary situation was handled perfectly. It is such a privilege to work every day with people of great integrity who love God and love others with all their hearts.

>> Watching Luis slowly grow into a man of God. It’s almost like I can physically see it happening as he struggles to open up new parts of his life to God’s reign, to let the light flood in, to make the tough decisions that come with the ever-increasing lordship of Christ. I love this guy and am excited to be a witness to the life-changing love of Jesus as we play flag football together, eat lunch and talk about life on Mondays, and study the Bible together with this group on Thursday nights.

>> Sending Jordan* off on a weekend trip with prayers and encouragement. This is a kid who came from the lowest of low places to become a leader in our ministry. This is a guy who continues to struggle mightily against some demons of his past, including alcohol. This weekend he will have a great opportunity to be salt and light to some of his buddies who are very much lost, some even antagonistic toward God and Christians. Will Jordan step up? Will he blow it? I’m praying hard for the former! And either way, we will be here to welcome him back with both grace and truth on Monday.

>> Reminding Serena that she is ALWAYS welcome in this community and that we love her and her ex-boyfriend the same whether or not they are together. This happens multiple times every year: A couple in our ministry breaks up and one or both feel like they ought to stop coming around because it’s just weird and awkward to see the other. Usually it is the one who is newest to El Pozo who feels like the other one has “dibs”, and often this newer one is the one who is really growing the most! So we get the great privilege of telling BOTH parties that God loves them the same as ever and so do we and we hope they won’t stop coming around. I’m proud to say that both Serena and her ex are continuing to be a part of El Pozo and our staff members are seizing some teaching moments through this time.

>> Investing in Rada, one of our two interns and the only Mexican on staff this year. Watching light bulbs pop up over her head every day as she learns about the Bible, about being on a team, about working hard, about investing in students until it hurts, about doing something that counts with her time and energy and many talents.

>> Co-leading my group with Moi and Steph, two of my favorite people on planet Earth and two student leaders who totally “get it” and who are quite simply going to change the world with their awesome God-given talents and huge servant hearts. In fact, they are already changing the world. And they sure have blessed me and taught me a lot over these last few years.

>> Beaming as Erin tells me about her conversation with Lola*, a girl who has struggled with medical problems and grown slowly but steadily over the several years we’ve known here, a girl who’s in my student leadership group this semester. Realizing that this is what it’s all about when after our meeting she pulls Erin aside and says that in spite of strong opposition by her family she really wants to fully commit her life to Christ and is ready to study what it means to be baptized and publically profess her faith.

>> Last but not least, thinking about our wonderful SUPPORTERS who make it all happen. Couldn’t wait to share this good feeling with y’all. THANK YOU GUYS SOOOOOOO MUCH. Keep the $$$ and prayers rolling. Pray specifically for the folks I have mentioned here and know that there are many more like them in other groups, or hesitantly testing the waters of being a part of the El Pozo community, or walking around on campus somewhere not even knowing that we exist. Maybe your prayers and dollars will be get ’em through the doors of the Casa Verde and/or help pave the way for another staff member to enjoy another night like the one I’m having right now.

May God continue to bless you that you may continue to be such a blessing to us and to these students!

En Cristo,

Nathan

Beto

Luis - with girlfriend Isa, who watches Elsa for us four days a week

Moi during his summer REACH internship in Kenya.

Serena's the one on the far left.

Steph (in the middle)

Rada - on the right during our mission trip last Spring.

PRAYER:
Okay folks I know there are a lot of us who pray regularly and fervently for the ministry of El Pozo, but I think we need to step it up. Why? Because, after having 130 people show up for our kickoff cookout, there has been some pretty obvious spiritual warfare going on at our first two teaching events. First, at our first Tuesday night “En Vivo” Bible study, which starts at 8 PM, it started raining at … 8:05. Now since everybody in Mexico arrives late, and since the students around here are notoriously afraid of rain, this meant that we had a disappointing crowd of 73. Much less than expected or desired. But still, you might say, 73 is a lot of people, and doesn’t it rain most nights in the Fall there? Well yes, I’d say back, this is true. But check this out. Two days later. Our first Pozomida devotional lunch of the semester. Clouds looming but rain holding off. Decent crowd in the house. Note that while it does rain here most Fall afternoons, it also almost NEVER rains before 5 PM. Then, just as Kami starts giving her talk, it opens up. Pounds the roof. Dampens the sound. Distracts the student. It rains harder and harder through the talk and then through the Bible reading (Parable of the Loving Father / Prodigal Son / Angry Older Bro). Then, as soon as the preaching and Scripture reading is done – like literally almost exactly that moment – the rain stopped. It only really rained for about 15 minutes, but they were the EXACT 15 minutes that really messed up our teaching moment. Now some people call this a coincidence. Around here we know better. We have a fairly powerful Enemy who doesn’t like what’s going on around here, who doesn’t want God’s Word to be spoken or heard, and who may even have some influence over the weather. So please PRAY BIG, in the name of Jesus, that NOTHING will come between these students and opportunities to hear of the love and grace and truth of God at the events we work so hard to put on for them. We need your prayers! And we thank you for them!

PRAISE:
Well, first of all, today Erin and I became AUNT AND UNCLE! Praise God for the healthy arrival of my brother’s (fraternal) TWIN BOYS, Hampton James and Levi Britton McDade!

Also, in spite of the creepily ill-timed rain lately, there are a lot of GREAT things going on around here, too. The semester has barely begun, and already I can share with you guys these fun student stories…

JON, a student who has been involved off-and-on with El Pozo for a couple of years, was suddenly forced to find a new place to live. One of the first things he did was contact the staff of El Pozo because he knew we would be there for him, helping him find and/or providing him with a place to stay for a while…

LULIS, a girl who has been involved off-and-on with El Pozo for several years, suddenly finds herself looking at a semester with a light course load and much more free time than she’s ever had before. The other day she left class and asked herself, “What in the world am I going to do now?” So she went to her dorm room, where she asked herself, “What in the world am I going to do now?” Then she had a brainstorm, and said to herself, “I know, I will go to the Casa Verde! They will give me something to do!” And she did. And we did. And she’s going to be a part of one of our student leadership groups this semester…

MARI*, a girl who doesn’t yet call herself a Christ-follower but has been growing like a weed for the past year or so, works as a waitress and has typically been unable to come to many of our events because of her work schedule. But from day one this semester she told her employer that she has class on Tuesday nights and won’t be available. And we are so excited to teach her about Jesus every Tuesday night, without even charging her tuition or making her buy any books…

BERNARDO, a guy who has been coming around for a year or two, is going to be a part of a student leadership group for the first time. Last night, as we shared prayer requests at the end of our first meeting, he asked for prayer for a good friend of his who is an alcoholic and said that “Coming here to El Pozo makes me believe I CAN make a difference in my friend’s life and actually help her”, and “when I’m here God gives me a special energy that helps me deal with problems that always seemed hopeless before”…

And HUGO, a guy who has both captured our hearts and frustrated us (the staff) to no end for the past several years, has left school and moved to a faraway state to work with the family business (they sell fancy dresses for weddings and 15th birthday parties, etc.) and be closer to his sick grandma. We have all wondered many times whether all of our efforts really made much of a difference in this guy’s life. Then the other day he chatted a staff member online to tell a story of about how a lady from DIF (government organization like child and family services) came into the store and asked for him to donate a dress to an orphan girl who is turning 15 (a HUGE event in a Mexican girl’s life). Hugo told of how his first reaction was to tell her to get lost, but instead he told her to come back the next day and pick out a dress – which he did, he said, “because I couldn’t help but think of the Casa Verde”…

God is moving! Lives are changing! Thanks for being a huge part of it!

And again – KEEP PRAYING!

Nathan

* not her real name