Wow, I really can't believe it....

Wow, as I sit here in the airport in México waiting for my plane at 6am to fly to Houston to then get me to Guatemala I can't help but be overwhelmed by the thought of leaving here. I can't believe this year has gone by so fast. It has most certainly had its ups and downs, struggles and triumphs, but all full of blessings. Leaving here I feel like I'm being torn from my home and just am full of sorrow at having said goodbye to my family and friends. The verse in Mark 10:29,30 that says "I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life." I feel truly blessed in the fulfillment of this promise and can say that I have a plethora of homes, brothers, sisters, mothers and the rest. I feel like I have been blessed beyond my wildest expectations. When I think back over the past year I can't help but smile. So many beautiful people have been a part of my life, so many smiles, small acts of hospitality and generosity; so many people accepted me as one of their own, forgot I was some foreigner and just called me friend, brother or son. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve God and the Mexican church over this past year. Tears are coming to my eyes as I write this thinking of being away from home (México), for so long, I know as I go home (Maryland) I will be received by more family and friends and feel blessed to be able to share my experiences, to be able to share of the mighty work and power of God here in México. I know that I say "hasta luego" and not "adios" but it is still hard to leave. I don't know if my place in life is back here, Brasil, the US or some other country, but I know that México will always have a big place in my heart, that I will also as Mexican singer Luis Miguel said carry Mexico in my skin, that it will always be a part of me, a part of who I am. I thank God and you all for allowing me to have this opportunity. I pray for guidance as I proceed forward, I received my Brasilian visa this week and things seem to be order for my trip to Sao Paulo. I pray that I would be able to nail down details when I arrive back home (Maryland) and hope to leave for Brasil in the middle of September. I pray to that I might be able to figure out what comes next after 6 months in Brasil, whether it be a trip to Colombia to learn about ministry and microenterprise, a trip back home (México), or going home (Maryland) and figuring things out there. I thank God for all the blessings he has poured upon me and pray the same for you all. It has been neat this week with my brother, Pete, here visiting México and meeting some of my most cherished friends and family here in México. Yesterday we went to one of my favorite churches and I actually translated the whole sermon as there was a pastor from the US there on a missions trip. It was neat to get to know him a bit and hear his passion for Jesus and reconciliation in the church. I was a bit nervous about translating the whole message in front of everyone (maybe like 250 people), but I thought it went pretty well. The missions team was the most remarkable one I have ever seen or worked with. There were 5 people on the trip, the first a white middle class middle aged pastor, then a female Mexican missionary to India who has been working at the church in Boston and learning english there, the next one was an African American middle aged man, 3 years sober and a former drug addict and alcoholic, the fourth one was from Guatemala and came to the US at 18 not speaking any English and despising the Christian church, he never responded to the gospel until a friend invited him to this church in Boston where he heard the gospel for the first time and gave his life to Christ, and finally the last guy was an African American guy with several disabilities and a giant heart for God. I was so thoroughly impressed by the pastor, the church and the group, I tend to be very much a skeptic these days when it comes to churches and am not easily impressed, but these guys impressed me and were really an awesome picture of what the reconciled diverse church should look like, that through the love of God, we might learn to love one another, not to judge and see that God's kingdom, that our church, has no boundaries and that we were called to go into all the world and to love all the world, not just the ones we choose to like. My flight is taking off, much love to everyone and God bless, see you in a week!