"I have chosen you."

I love how God uses scripture to encourage us right when we need it the most. Recently I was reading a passage in Isaiah and the words were exactly what I needed to hear:  Isaiah 41:9b...from the farthest corners I called you.  I said you are my servant; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

These words reminded me of my call to serve the orphan and the widow here in Cancun. I "happened" to read them the day before our ground breaking ceremony for the new community center in Tres Reyes. So we were buried in the details for the ground breaking, plus we got some discouraging news regarding one of the kids we serve. But in those verses God reminded me that He is the one who called us here. He also called the employees of Certa Pro Painters of Indiana, Tom & Karen Woelk, and John Guckenberger all to come and serve on that day.....I wasn't alone. God reminded me He is our helper. His call may not be easy, but He will strengthen us.

With this foundational truth and reminder, we did want to share with you some pictures from the ground breaking ceremony. We also want to assure you that not only has God called us but He has called you, whether to pray, give, go, or serve right where you are. We know that without your prayers and financial support, we couldn't be fulfilling God's call on our lives.

Thank you for your partnership and for helping us serve the orphans and marginlized families in and around Cancun.

A Tribute to Our Child Sponsors

Chris and Lori Peters with Gloria's family

It's always encouraging to see the children we serve 

get to spend time with the people who sponsor them.  

Earlier this month we had a team from Dayton, Ohio,

Apex Community Church, come to serve.  A couple on their team sponsor 4 children from the same family.

While they were here they were able to celebrate birthdays with Vanesa and Candy. It was precious to see them laughing with the children and making special memories with them. 

We took them to Peter Piper Pizza and the children loved the pizza and games. I'm sure this celebration won't soon be forgotten they children or their sponsors.

We want to thank all of our child sponsors for your faithful support of the families and children we serve. Through your prayers and financial support, you make it possible for us to meet many of their spiritual, physical, educational, emotional and social needs. And if you've never been down here, we would love to have you serve with us and hang out with "your" child.

Thanks for your partnership. God bless you all!

If you have't been to the Back2Back Child Sponsor Facebook page, click HERE to see pictures and much more of these awesome families and children.

Heading Into Hump Week

We've all heard Wednesday referred to as "hump-day" as we get past the middle of the week and look toward the weekend. Well, I'm taking some liberty and calling this "hump-week" for us. We've had three teams come to serve in June and four left in June and July. And while we're not necessarily looking forward to the end of the summer teams, we're kind of at the half-way point, which seems like a good time to let you know what's been happening so far.


With our first week and first team, a group of amazing women from Stoney Creek Community Church, we also welcomed (or didn't welcome) hurricane season - the first week of June. We had 6 straight days of rain. For some, this may not seem significant, but for us it means flooded streets, schools closed, businesses closed, houses leaking, and ministry partners suffering. The team was awesome and didn't let the rain hinder their work. Thanks Stoney Creek!  

While the first team was working in the rain, I was working with a realtor and our partner, pastor Sergio, to finalize details to purchase land in Tres Reyes, for the community center we plan to build there. We have now made a down-payment on the land, have $50,000 committed, but still need $40,000 more by July 15 to purchase the land. It is an amazing piece of property - .75 acres and exactly what we need. 

Land in Tres Reyes

Horizon College Group

As most of you know, our primary ministry is to orphans and impoverished families. That is where we spend the bulk of our time - in the trenches so to speak - living and serving with our ministry partners. BUT, an incredibly important part of our ministry is hosting teams to help us do the work. And during weeks 2 and 3 we had a team of college students and then a team of high school students from Horizon Church, led by Amy Rudge, come down to serve with us. Horizon is very involved in our ministry and a great partner. In the first week, we had 5 college students commit their lives to Christ! In the second week we saw 6 high school students get baptized as a public display of dedicating their lives to Christ.
 We also saw the miraculous and relentless pursuit of God to soften one student's  heart as she made a first-time commitment to Jesus Christ!!

So we can't wait to see what God will do in and through the remaining 4 teams coming down to serve: Trinity Baptist, Apex, Kentwood Community Church, and Journey. Please pray with us that God will have HIS way in these teams and in the lives of our ministry partners. Thank you for all your support!

Weeds or Seeds

When we lived in Michigan we loved to plant a vegetable garden every Spring.

We worked hard at putting good things into the soil to help the plants get the nutrients they needed to grow, to be strong and healthy.  We were strategic in where we placed the garden to get the maximum sun.  Over time, we realized that different plants had different needs.  Some plants needed more sun, some needed more water, some needed extra attention to grow. 

I would start off every growing season with this beautifully tilled garden without any weeds.  However, despite all of my planning and efforts, weeds still grew. And if I wasn't diligent at removing them by the root they would take over the garden.

God reminded me that many of the same principles I learned about gardening also applied with people. Because the children and widows we serve have different needs, we use our 5 Point Child Development Plan to assess and then address their Spiritual, Physical, Educational, Emotional, Social needs.  It's also helpful for me to remember that people, just like plants, grow at different rates. So much depends on the soil, and conditions surrounding the plants (people). 

We were at Rossy's in Bonfil on Saturday, and she was singing this song in Spanish with the children.                                                                                                                                                      

Through You, I can do anything

I can do all things

For it's You who gives me strength

Nothing is impossible....

I believe, I believe in You!

She let the song play over and over and by the end of the day the kids were singing it without any  music.

  

I love to see them singing, and even though they might not fully understand the words...the truth that we believe....the seed that was planted...tells them that nothing is impossible for God!

Nada es imposible!

Earlier this week I took Jeny to hear Nick Vijuicic speak.  Nick Vijuicic is a man that was born without arms and legs. He shared his story about how his faith in God gives him purpose. While Nick was speaking - planting seeds in Jeny - I was praying that her faith in God would grow.  That she would learn to trust Him, and love Him with all of her heart, soul, and mind.  I don't know all of Jeny's emotional needs, but God does, and I can trust that He will use the words spoken that night to grow the seeds of perseverance, courage,  and gratefulness in her heart.

I have to be faithful in prayer....praying that the weeds won't choke out the seeds God is planting in the hearts and minds of the widows and children we serve.  I have a page in my journal with the word "Weeds" and on the other side "Seeds."  I'm a visual person and it helps having the actual weed words written out.....anger, bitterness, envy, jealousy, insecurity, pride, selfishness, critical spirit, lack of trust, lying, cheating, etc. So that I can be intentional in praying against those weeds in my life and the lives of those we serve.  

Christmas with the Families

It's 80 degrees outside, the sun is shining and I'm wearing shorts. BUT....Christmas is here, even in warm Mexico. And although I'd rather have snow for Christmas than an 80 degree day, we have been celebrating with music, decorations and Christmas parties.

Mummy-Me game

Joseph

We invited Oti's family: Ricardo, Jeny, Marisol, Paty, Yasmin, Leti, Adela, and Rodrigo; Gloria's family: Carlos, Ansoni, Paola, Vanessa, and Baby Ruth; Dalila's family: Leydi, Jose Luis, and Zuri.; to our group house for a Christmas party. As I drove down the street toward Oti's house to pick them up, some of her kids were waiting at the end of the street. And when they saw me coming, they ran home to tell the others. They were excited. Oti was dressed in a new skirt and blouse that we bought her. She had taken more time than usual getting ready and looked very pretty. It was nice to see her "glowing." At the party, we served the families dinner, played games with them, decorated gi-normous gingerbread cookies, shared the True story of Christmas, and opened gifts. 

At the end of the night, we took Oti's family upstairs and celebrated Christmas with them. 
They each opened 1-2 gifts that we bought them (thank you sponsors). It was so fun to see the joy on their faces. This will probably be the only Christmas they celebrate, so it was special. I drove them home and got many hugs and kisses, all of which I eagerly accepted.

Thanks for the gifts!

Appreciation Dinner

Two days later, we hosted another party at the group home for our volunteers, four of whom received certificates for completing the volunteer training: Jorge, Dara, Andrea, and Samantha; our tutors: Fabiola and Sandy, and our foster family, the Lopez'. We had dinner for them, played more games, and gave them gifts of appreciation for all the time and energy they patiently devote to those we serve. We are so grateful for, what we call, our "extended staff."

Our "certified volunteers"

On a Mowery family note, this past Saturday we picked our daughter Eliza up at the airport. She will be with us for two weeks, while she's taking break from school. It's so nice to have all of us under one roof. We look forward to some good family time together. 

We hope your family has an incredible Christmas and is reminded often during this busy and over-commercialized season, just how blessed we are to have a Savior who chose to crash into our world as a baby....to save us. An "unspeakable gift," and yet we are to shout it from the mountain-tops. Felilz Navidad!

Story time

The Paper Bag Princess

We had our first Story-time with Oti's kids last month. When we read to the kids, we select books that have a positive message, communicate truth, demonstrate problem solving skills, and make the children think and laugh. So for this Story-time, we read the Paper Bag Princess about a girl who outsmarts a dragon and helps rescue the prince. One message in this story is that it doesn't matter how you dress or if your hair is messy, what matters is who you are on the inside. It also portrays the heroine as brave and smart. Everyone, including Oti, enjoyed the story. 






One of our goals with story time is to help the kids comprehend and think creatively about what they heard. So after Beti finished reading, each child decorated their own paper bag to wear, and then colored pictures of the princess in the story. 

 Second story-time;
Lily and the Purple Plastic Purse

Recently we had our second story-time with Oti when a team was here serving with us. As I was watching Oti's kids and the kids from the team, it occurred to me that, while story-time is nothing new for these kids from the U.S., this was only the second time EVER for Oti's kids to be read aloud to, outside of school. (We assume the teacher reads out loud to the kids in school.) Since Oti is illiterate, she has never read stories to her kids.

 

My hope is that they will learn to love to read! (All of them are just learning.) Along with many Americans, reading and access to books and libraries is something I took for granted in the U.S. But here in Mexico, libraries are very rare and reading isn't encouraged by many parents. For those of us with kids, it's hard to imagine having a 5 year old, let alone 12 year old who has never been read to. So story time for Jeny, Marisol, Paty, Yasmin, Leti, Adela, and Rodrigo is something special. A new form of entertainment, with new and exciting adventures! 

Some of the impact of reading and the Mobile Education Resource Center (MERC) with Oti's kids include:  and increase in their desire to learn and in how they color a picture, improvement in penmanship and fundamentally, learning how to read and how it can be fun. Please continue to pray for them to learn to love reading, and to progress in school.

Nutrition for Oti's family

They all love apples (Adela)

We've been thinking a lot about nutrition lately and how much the foods we eat effect our health, how we feel, and even how we think.  As literate Americans, nutrition and healthy eating habits are often discussed. And sometimes we make significant diet changes to combat or prevent sickness and other negative effects. Changing our diet a little or a lot, while not easy, is very feasible. 

Last weekend I was holding Rodrigo (Oti's 2 yr. old) during VBS. He's a happy boy, but I couldn't help but notice his rotting teeth.

Separating the fruits from the veggies

 When we offered him a piece of fruit he said no. But as soon as the birthday cake came out, he was all over it. We've spoken to all of the kids and Oti as well, about eating less sugar (Coke, cookies, candy, juice), but eating more fruits and vegetables. But it occurred to us that Oti has lived in survival mode at least since we've known her, and she doesn't think of food as anything more than something to fill the belly. How it effects her long-term health and that of her children is the furthest thing from her mind. But one of the goals of Back2Back is to educate the people we serve about healthy habits.   

Eggplant?

So Julie had this idea of taking about 20 fruits and veggies to Oti's house and having our first nutrition lesson. We asked her and the kids some basic questions about the fruits and veggies. "What is your favorite fruit/veggie?" "What are some red fruits/veggies?" "What are some green fruits/veggies?" Then we asked the kids to separate the fruits from the veggies. It was so fun and eye-opening for us to see how limited their "food vocabulary" was. Oti had no idea what an eggplant was. She asked us how you cook spinach. It was fun and sad at the same time. But we definitely know where we can invest some of our time. Next up...cooking class with Oti. BUT, teaching Oti how to make new recipes with new food is a challenge because she can't read. It's not as easy as giving her a recipe. This may also partly explain why she sticks with the same food choices. So we'll have to be creative with the cooking class. Any ideas are welcome. Picture recipes included.

Reflecting on our visit...and looking ahead

We are so thankful we were able to connect with so many people while we were in the States.  God blessed us in so many ways, filling us up through conversations, laughter, tears, and worship. It was an incredible blessing to go to Flint First Wesleyan Church, Journey Church, Kentwood Community Church, and Stoney Creek Community Church.....to worship with our whole heart & mind!

Finding a church home is one of the things we've struggled with since moving down here. For me (Julie), my appreciation of worship/church has increased over the past year, mainly because we've struggled to find an English speaking church where we can be fed and call our church home. Most of our teaching has come from podcasts or online streaming. Visiting these churches in the States, I realized how much I took going to church for granted. So we were so excited to go and worship and learn. It didn't matter where we went....big sanctuary...small sanctuary...school auditorium....what mattered the most was that we could engage in worship and understand the truth of God's Word being spoken in our own language!  It filled us up! We didn't realize how empty we were until we were full again. But then, that is what we're called to do, empty ourselves in service to God and then allow Him to refill us.

Becoming fully fluent in Spanish continues to be one of our greatest desires. We long for the day when we can communicate in depth and have meaningful conversations with those we serve.  So to help us in that process we are going to an intense language school for 2 weeks in Merida (due west of Cancun). We will have classroom learning for 4 hours each day and then 2 more hours a day with a conversation guide, visiting Merida. We are praying that this training will boost us to the next level in learning Spanish. And we would ask you to partner with us in this prayer. We'll be in language school from Sept 3-14. Thanks in advance!

A New Smile for Adela

 Many of you may have met Adela either through this blog or if you've come down to serve with us. But if you haven't, she is the youngest (4 yrs.) of Oti's six daughters. Most people who have had the chance to meet Adela in person quickly learn that she loves to give hugs and to be held. Bottom line....she's adorable and fun-loving.

If you've seen pictures of her, you've probably seen some black and rotted teeth in front of her smile. There were also a couple more rotted molars. Some of the challenges faced when working with impoverished families where survival is the highest priority, are bad habits like not brushing teeth (what's flossing?) and eating too many sugary foods. This is true with Adela, in addition to the fact that until just recently, she was still going to bed with a bottle. So we began looking into dental options for Adela and the rest of her siblings. God arranged for a divine appointment and we met a dentist who coordinates other dentists and specialists to do this kind of work - helping the poor. Long story short, he introduced us to Dr. Genoveva Quinones who is a pediatric dentist....and what a gift she has with kids. We then scheduled four visits for Adela to get all her work done. First visit fill several cavities. Second visit fill more cavities and do some other work. Third visit get an impression of her mouth to make her dentures. Fourth visit pull six rotten teeth, including the four in the front and put in the dentures for the front teeth. Fifth visit check the dentures.




So, although Adela's toothless smile was adorable, she was sometimes ashamed of it, and her teeth were rotting. Now she has temporary teeth (until her adult ones grow in) and an even more beautiful smile. These dentures, if cared for, will help protect the holes where the previous teeth were, and allow the new ones to grow in properly. 

Please pray with us that Oti and Adela will be responsible to clean the dentures regularly, and will also begin to reduce the amount of sugary foods that all the kids eat. We are regularly trying to educate Oti about healthy eating and hygiene habits, but it's hard. Changing old  habits for anyone, including Oti is an uphill battle.

(Special thanks to a generous donor who is making dental care possible for Oti's kids.)