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| Sue, my SUPERHERO!!! |
For the most part, YWAM was a heavenly place for a child to grow up, but at times it was difficult. For example, every person who’d spent five minutes at the mission thought they were your parent. You never really felt at home, unless you were me, which of course made everyone else feel quite less at home. There were soooooooooooooooooo many stupid rules like “don’t run in the ridiculously long hallways,” which administrators spent hours dreaming up. The superfluous rules to an 8 year old? Ridiculous…
Anyway, Sue opened up my world. She took me horse riding,
made me co-pilot wherever we went, gave me access to the digging equipment so
that we could build our all-important underground cubbies/forts, let me
sleep-over, came with us on holidays, everything.
Sue was a good sport too, took knocks on the chin, defended
me to the death (DOWN WITH THE ADMINISTRATION!), made dumb obligatory-stuff
fun, and was my best friend. Well, if there was a character like that in San
Diego, his name was Jamesy-poohs.
James drove through the night to LA and collected us when we
arrived in the US. He drove us around town and showed us the sights. He mucked
about with our team and gave our boys stax of love and respect. He helped our
girls to feel like Western teenagers and was a great reference point for Liz
and I.
If there had have been a vote for the most outstanding
would-be-host of the year, Jamey-poohs would have won hands-down. He
bent-over-backwards serving us food and drinks, cleaning up after us, and then
in the next hour was up the front leading worship. Then, after service, he had
his apron on again and ran around after our every whim & fancy, of which we
have many.
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| Ericson, Stivey, James & Jonny |
The kid was on fire. And the best part? He works at the
Vista Assembly, as an intern, for free… He doesn’t know exactly where his path
will lead, but he’s on track. He’s a winner. He’s serving. He’s right where
someone should be if they are waiting on God to be given a bit of direction.
He’s an example of God’s heart, a server who leads from behind. I really cannot
speak highly enough of this dude, and neither can our Nica-youths, they fell in
love with him, and were left thinking that this fella represented every soul in
the West – sadly mistaken I’m afraid…
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| James & Lorenzy |
On Saturday we came “home” to the Camacho residence
exhausted but satisfied. Our week was all but over and boy what fulfillment. We
only needed to sleep, go to Church (3 times), then jump on a bus, then a train,
then another bus, then be transported by car to New Life Church in Sacramento,
and we would be at our very next “home.”
Of course Xinia was stirring the pot (of hot cocoa) when we
arrived home. The spa was bubbling – volcanically. The popcorn began to pop,
pop, pop. It was on for young and old!
Xinia put a dvd in the machine and moments later we found
ourselves watching “Rio.” 3D glasses were handed out and comfy seats were
formed on rugs, blankets, cushions, couches and laps. Xinia had clearly watched
the movie before, laughing before things happened, preparing us for her
favourite parts, and singing along with the ever-stylish Billy Joel
(guesstimate).
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| Pastors Xinia & Greeyvin |
Greeyvin has a smile a mile wide and speaks in hushed tones,
responding to cues with grace and love. He fathers all who pause to question.
Xinia just pours. She pours and pours and pours herself into those around her.
I think I’m a similar age to Xinia, though want to say I’m a bit younger
(apologies), but even I found myself being offered a pure love by Xinia, I was
being filled up with Christian, sisterly/motherly, nurturing, caring love.
In fact, so great was their love for us they offered to have
the Latino youth, from Vista Assembly, over for a BBQ on Saturday. There were
SO MANY of us, it was ridiculous. But that’s what happens when you have BIG
hearts.
Greeyvin & Xinia were the perfect hosts. When the
Latinos arrived there was plenty of time for mingling (an important moment in
Latino socialising… There were 15 or us and let’s say 20 of them, with everyone
hugging and kissing that’s somewhere in the vicinity of 300 interactions!!!
Yes, it took a while…). A wee bit awkward, because there were so many gorgeous
people and our boys become shy when confronted with masses of beauty. However,
soldier on we did!
Then, Greeyvin organised people to be doing stuff. There was
volleyball and soccer, cards, video games, board games, basketball, etc. You
name it, we played it! And Greeyvin? Sleeves rolled up and in there with the
rest of them.
Now you could image at something like this, on your day off,
being the hostess would mean preparing everything and then retreating to the
boudoir to escape the hullabaloo. Well not our Xinia! She didn’t shut herself
in her room and spend the time painting her nails, no! She ran around
organising the food, chatting with the guests, playing practical jokes and
generally getting into all sorts of trouble. At this point in our stay, it
seemed our hosts’ age levels became slashed in half, but their maturity and
wisdom continued to soar.
On Sunday we were given the opportunity of sharing about our
ministry in the Latino Service. It was a highly emotional time. You only have
to watch Toy Story 3 in Spanish to learn just how deeply feeling Latinos can
be. I was with my students and dear Mrs Sarah De La Torre (my Lincoln School,
4th grade teaching colleague) at the movies in Plaza Del Sol, Guadalajara, and
broke down into a state of deep sobbingliness. I was so touched – the voices,
they spoke to my heart!
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| Pastor Greeyvin & our Nicavangelists, sharing with the Church about Capital on the Edge |
My favourite student, a VERY naughty boy who I wanted to
give knuckle sandwiches to on a daily basis, took my hand and mockingly said
“It’s aaawkay, Miss-tear Beee (think Undalay, undalay, yiiiii ha, yiiiii ha),
heeeeeeeeeeear doesn’t die in da eeeeee-eeeeeend (arriba, arriba)” Gracias
Brian. You’re still staying in at lunch!
I went to the front of the Church, gave a brief history of
Capital on the Edge (Jed, Liz, our kids, the mission, etc.) and then had the
boys perform a quick 5 minute dance. The congregation looked on with faces
slightly shocked, but not displeased. After their performance, I was completely
unprepared for the rousing applause and standing ovation. Touched? I was
floored!
I became a little choked up when trying to proceed, sharing
about the boys’ lives and about what we feel called to. I decided it would be
easier just to have the boys introduce themselves, seeing as though everyone
there was fluent in Spanish – it just made sense. I handed the microphone over
to Yordy and it quickly turned into a game of “hot potatoe.” I grabbed the
microphone back and handed it to Jonny, who is generally our most mature
Nica-Youth.
Jonny introduced himself and spoke with ease. He was a great
example of public speaking to the other boys, and thankfully they in turn
followed suit. Yordy, who is a rather nervous fellow (we believe he has
Asperger’s Syndrome, like Sezni, and I just cannot help but love him as my
son…), even gave it a bash. They all started laughing at something Yordy said,
and although in that moment he was being very serious, and was really confused
to the source of their bemusement, he began to laugh as well.
I thanked the Church and went on to share about what true
discipleship is, using the boys and our family as examples, and then I went to
sit down. Pastor Greeyvin grabbed my arm and informed me that the congregation
would like to pray for me.
Moments later I found myself in a prayer mosh pit,
completely unable to breathe and nearly delirious from the heat. I don’t think
there was a part of my body that wasn’t being touched by a member of the
congregation, and although there was no reason at all to be concerned, it did
tippy-toe across the whole personal space thingy. No matter! Hearts were being
touched, lives were being changed. Just drop it Gringo and flow…
Now the Pentecostal Latino Christians are like the Korean
Christians – when praying, everyone has “a go” at once! The roar was deafening.
One of the chaps directly in front of me just went-off with his prayer,
practically begging the Kingdom to infuse itself into little ol’ Jeddy.
This dude was the surreal! The real deal! It was almost as
if he could see what was going on in the Spiritual realm. His crying was fairly
high-pitched and loud, and the spitting factor was off the charts (handkerchief
to face in a mock-drying-tears-away motion, also learnt immediately that I had
to keep my mouth closed, and pray in tongues through my nostrils – a new form
of communication with God, no less understandable to him).
I just loved this man’s heart. Giving away his inhibitions
he truly blessed me this day. He interceded for me with God himself, and threw
as much love upon me as the HS could channel through the sprightly vessel.
When finished, we were whisked away to the Latino Kiddy
Church where we performed another song and dance, and then were blessed with
more prayers, which were no less fiery than in the adult service. And onwards
and upwards to the youth service. The Latinos sure know how to have Church!
Another song, ANOTHER dance, and then it’s time for
testimonies. Now this is where the rubber hits the road for our boys. Some of
these youths have known poverty. They certainly, for the most part, completely
“get” the culture. The boys know how to turn-it-on for Church, but my fear is
always that they’re not being honest with themselves (doing, but not living
their Christianity).
Beycker went forward to share and sat on a chair. This lad
has a beaut Mum, three sisters and a brother. He is a soft-hearted kid, with a
long history. In short, Beycker’s father has two wives, who both have kids (he
lives with the first wife, away from his father), and he also has a girlfriend
and regularly visits prostitutes.
The Nicaraguan youth are a fatherless generation. There are
“no” dads. The dads were either killed in the war, or by natural disasters, or
through illnesses associated with poverty, or left Nicaragua due to the brain
drain, and so forth.
The men who are left in Nicaragua have been a very poor
example to their children (gross exaggeration here, I apologise for the many
cases that are completely different from what I’m writing about), and now
Nicaragua finds itself buried in a state of perpetual performance, pretending
to be Christians when people are looking, and then running around getting into
all sorts of sins when away from the microscope.
Beycker shared honestly and made us proud. More importantly,
I truly believe he touched God’s heart that day. The tears began to flow, not
from me, but from Beycker and the youth. There were more prayers and group
hugs, and then we zipped out the door in a tremendous flurry.
Previously, at our first Sunday service, we had been blessed
with awesome support from the early-birds. I had become incredibly choked up, I
guess because it was my first time sharing (with the Nica-Talent present) about
the boys and the horrendous experiences they’ve had (being sold as prostitutes,
having to prostitute themselves for food, being given away/up, working the
streets as children, their experiences with child trafficking, being
fatherless, etc.). I plugged away, but was surprise by just how emotional I
felt at that point in time. My immediate thought was, “boy, these kids really
feel like they’re my sons. I love ‘em!”
The boys came humbly forward and danced their little
tootsies to the core. I watched their audience, who seemed disconnected but
pleasant. Upon the CRASH (the last sound of the dance) of the music, there was
a two second pause and then BOOM, up they stood, one-by-one, clapping and
cheering and calling out words of encouragement. God had certainly given us a
pearl for our first stop in the USA; San Diego was an unexpected blessing that
fell with a BANG from Heaven.
After the service, a couple who work in the Church, Marco
& Kris, came up to us and blessed us in every-which-way… I cannot tell you
how much this couple blessed us. Besides Greeyvin and Xinia, this couple were
the most significant influence over us on our journey through San Diego. They
are understated humble types, who go about their days serving others,
discipling, boosting morale through encouraging smiles, hugs and handshakes,
offering to help, praying for people, and giving – and BOY DO THEY GIVE! Thank
you Marco and Kris!!!
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| Capital on the Edge in San Diego, with our HERO, Marco, dead-center in the bright green... |
A mega-surprise for us was finding that Walther and Dommy,
from Guadalajara (they’re originally from Peru / Minnesota), had flown in for a
few days to San Diego. Fantastic boost for us! It was so “WOO-HOO” to see ‘em.
They both were given a week off for Easter and decided to use the time to visit
with friends in the area and hadn’t even known we were going to be there (and
neither had we! Ha ha). So it was just one of those nice-GOD-moments where we
were blessed with an extra dose of familiarity (really great for our kids),
especially because this couple are SO important to us, both from our past and
for our future.
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| Dominique and Walther, our GREAT friends in Guadalajara, Mexico |
Now just two more people to mention before we get on a
bus/train/bus combo for Sacramento. Firstly, Pastor Steve. What a legend! Open face, warm smile,
completely generous and from a heart of love – same goes for all of his staff,
his Church is a breeding ground for loving hearts.
I was astounded by his honesty and his desire to push-in to
the things of God, away from the comforts of seeker-sensitive fake-Church. If
you’re anywhere near San Diego, you have a genuine Church Family, waiting with
arms open wide. Get there if you can, VISTA ASSEMBLY…
Gayelee… This handbag swinging loveable thug, had me doubled
over in pain from just ONE hug!!! I adore this woman, especially because of her
genuineness. This woman goes straight in for the kill (or for the pain) and
doesn’t take any prisoners. 5 minutes with the doll and you’ll be laughing and
crying and everything in between (be warned, the handbag can attack without
warning!).
Honestly, at first sight of Gayelee I was a tad bit
apprehensive. Gayelee is not your average “I’m only doing this gig so I can
work my way into an associate pastor’s position” kind of gal. She takes her
work seriously and doesn’t mince words. She’s a forty-something sweet-heart,
and has the youth lingo down-man.
Great moment for me - Through Gayelee I was reminded me of
the Father’s heart of love. I think in the Aussie AG we can tend to get a bit
stuck on the Cross, confused about the Holy Spirit, and give away anything to
do with our Heavenly Father.
Our prayers can tend to be a bit Jesus this, and Christ
that, and Holy Spirit come, if you know what I mean…
BUT, Gayelee shared with me that it all started with God the
Father. It was HE who felt such love for our sick and dying world that HE sent
his ONLY son. Yes, Jesus lived for love, he died for love and we were blessed
by being left with the Holy Spirit. I think we all get that. However, it was HE
who gave… And out of a heart FULL of love… Gaaaaaaylee, you treasure! Get down
to Nicaragua – next summer???
We
are now in California, to share Jesus with our World.
If you would like to
learn more about who our Nica-Youths are, or to support them, please visit their their page, SUPPORT Nica-Talent
To learn more about our street theatre production, "CREATED", please visit our page, NICAVANGELISTS: "CREATED", North American Tour (2013)
If you would like to see a
video of some of our Nica-Youths practicing, please CLICK HERE.
We are not up to budget, and travelling with 14 people is very expensive. We need
an investment from Christian people for our next evangelism tour to the
Midwest. To support us or make a once off donation, please visit our page, Contemplating SUPPORTING something significant?
To learn more about Vista Assembly of God, please CLICK HERE
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