Summer in Review

First of all, I would like to make you aware of my most recent milestone (I use the term somewhat lightly). On August 6 I crossed the imaginary threshold from the first half of my three year commitment to Agua Viva Ministries to the second. That's right, I have now been here for more than 1.5 years of the three that I committed to. However, I have been by and large too busy to dwell further on this milestone other than to conclude that time is flying and that I am happy to be here.

If you haven't gotten to hear me talk about summer at Agua Viva yet, let me tell you: it flies by. The past 10 weeks have been a fast-paced cycle of American groups coming to serve through Agua Viva Ministries. It all begins on Sundays afternoon, when the staff shows up around 3:30 to put water and toilet paper in the cabins and then welcome the groups when they roll in between 4pm and 6pm. Dinner is at 6pm, accompanied by a meeting with the leaders. Then at 8pm we have a campfire to introduce our visitors to the Agua Viva staff, the ministry itself, and the rules (ie your toilet paper must be tossed in the trash can, never in the toilet!). Monday through Thursday is devoted to ministry at churches in and around Ensenada, be it VBS, sports ministry, construction projects, medical clinics, etc. Work projects take place at Rancho Agua Viva as well, and almost every week this summer someone has been breaking a sweat on our new seminary building. Wednesday night is a special dinner put on by the staff as a fundraiser for the Ministry Training Institute (the seminary). On Friday morning the groups head home, at which point the staff clean up, pull together the loose ends, and prepare for the coming week. All in all, we are looking at about a 60 hour work week.

This summer I have served as the coordinator (read head Agua Viva support personnel) for three different groups, one in June, one in July, and one in August. First was Grace EV Free Church of Elk Grove, CA. I joined them working on the seminary building in the morning, and then we went to do a VBS at a church plant in the afternoons. I even helped translate. Then in July I joined up with Faith Bible Church out of Canton, OH for another VBS followed by seminary building in the afternoon (highlight = climbing into the dump truck to stomp on trash to make room for more). Then just this past week I worked with a team from Lake View Free Methodist church in Seattle at a VBS in a little town an hour inland from Ensenada where the church had never received an American group before. All in all, I have done my fair share of singing, crafts, Bible stories, tickling and memory verse reciting. It's amazing to see how openly kids respond to the Gospel and the love of the Americans that have come to share it with them.

The busy days of summer are practically behind us now, and I am shifting gears into preparations for our seminary, which will begin on August 24. I have been sifting through donated supplies and organizing them into packets for the students. I have also been pulling musty sleeping bags and towels out of storage to wash them and hang them out to dry (I have grown quite fond of line-drying). We are anticipating our largest group of seminary students yet, between 60 and 80. After spending the past several months fundraising for the students it will be a joy to welcome them to Agua Viva and watch them grow in their knowledge and desire to serve our Lord. And it will especially be a joy to see the new MTI building get put to use for the first time. It isn't quite done yet, so I am anticipating that the days between now and August 24 will include a lot of painting, moving furniture, and whatever else I am able to contribute.

All in all, it has been fun to welcome so many visitors to Agua Viva these past three months and serve with them. I have enjoyed getting out of the office and diving into more hands-on ministry. There is nothing quite like summer at Agua Viva. And now it is time to turn the page into a more restful season, and the second half of my adventure at Agua Viva.