The Finally...

The Finally…

Haha, I finally finished a blog post. Karly always gets on to me about never publishing my blogs. I start them and never finish them. I have two that I never had finished. So when I get back to the States I promise to finish them and write more about what I have learned and experienced in VG. But this one I need everyone to read and hopefully take action.

FIRST:

I have a favor to ask everyone. Many people have asked me what can they do to help support Oasis. In the past I asked to get school supplies for the kids at Oasis and we received all of those donations when the mission group came in March. We have enough school supplies to last us for a while. Thank you again for all your donations.

There is a new project that I would like to see happen. At Oasis there is a huge shortage on books. We maybe have a hundred books in Spanish for all the kids. So we do not have much of a selection and would like to provide more books for the kids to read. We would like to make a library for the kids to have. Here is a list of steps you can do to help this dream come true.

Classification: Any kind of kids books in Spanish will do fine. We can have duplicates. Age groups are from 6-16 so simple kids books with pictures for the younger kids and chapter books for the older kids would be great. We need more chapter books than kid’s books.

Step 1: Tell your friends, small groups, church, etc. about what we are doing and see if they would like to help. Also email me if you have any questions and/if you are planning to help.

Step 2: You can buy books in “SPANISH” at your local bookstore like McKays, Barnes and Noble, Walmart, or online. Also, you may check online the once a year Scholastic Book warehouse sale going on right now and see if there is a warehouse near you. Here is a link to check the nearest location to you.

Check here for link: Scholastic Book warehouse sale

If you go there they may ask if you are a teacher. Tell them you buying books for the teachers of Oasis in Baja California, Mexico. Then ask if you can buy a few or all of their books in Spanish for kids. If you want to buy them all, ask to receive a discount and they might give you one because not many people buy kids books in Spanish.

Step 3: You can send a money donation to me and I will get them for you if you cannot find any books in Spanish.

Step 4: Send an email to me at steven.jackson1129@gmail.com and I will tell you the address to send the books.

           I would like to have as many books as possible and send them on the next trip to Vicente Guerrero, which is July 21, 2012. So if you get any books, email me as soon as possible. Also money donations are greatly appreciated because I am planning on raising support to make this dream happen. I will be going to a scholastic book warehouse sale in Indiana. Remember every book counts. Any amount of books will help make this dream come true. 

           If you have any questions email me at steven.jackson1129@gmail.com or send me a message on facebook. Thanks everyone and hope to hear from you soon.

SECOND:

I would like to let everyone know that today is my last full day in Vicente Guerrero, Baja California Mexico. I have been here since January 26^th, 2012 and it seems like just yesterday I was arriving. It must be the “Baja Time Phenomenon”. I truly am going to miss this place.

Today I will start my day waking up early to go with Karly to pick up all the cooks of Oasis and take them to the building to start making the famous Baja Fish Tacos. They are delicious! Then Karly and I will continue our journey getting flowers for the cooks for mother’s day. Also we plan on finding Betty, our VG mom, some kind of special gift to thank her for all the love she has shown towards us. Then we will go back to the building as soon as the niños show up for class. Everyone will be outside for a while running around, playing soccer, wrestling, and my favorite- playing with the new puppy SOFI. Then we will have class, eat, and say our temporary good byes.

I will truly miss all of the kids at Oasis. I have become very close to all of them and cannot describe how much they mean to me. Each one of them has there own special gifts and personalities. All of my most favorite memories of this trip have happened when the kids are around. They have an unknown trait that lights up everyone’s day. I wish I could pack all of them up in my suitcase and bring them everywhere with me.

After Oasis I plan on going to the beach one last time with Karly, Mishka, and SOFI. The beach is one of my favorite places to go because the closest beach in Indiana is hours away. I think the thing I will miss most about the beach is the sand and all the wildlife roaming around in the water.

I have learned so many things in the past three months that I believe no school or education can truly teach anyone. You just have to experience for yourself. I would like to invite everyone if you are interested in visiting VG sometime for a short or long term missions trip to contact me and we can get you in contact with people to make that happen.

FINALLY:

The Great Commission

16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

            The Great Commission has been my theme verse for this entire trip. Many of you may also know that this is the same theme verse my previous college had for its chapel meetings. The semester of Fall 2011 there were many speakers and guest from all around the world sharing the great things that God is doing in other countries.

            When I first read this verse, the first interpretation I got was to go another country and make disciples. I have studied this passage and would like to point out a common misinterpretation of verse nineteen that I have learned since being in Mexico.

In verse nineteen it says,” Therefore go and make disciples of all nations”. Now the Greek translations of the word “GO” can be better understood and read as “As you are going” or “While you are living life”. Put the Greek translation as a substitution and it almost changes the entire first interpretation of the verse.

Now this changes the focus from going over seas or to a different country to focusing more on our own country/towns. I am not saying that people should not still go to a different country, but some people in the States cannot do that.

Since being in a different country, I have been classified as a missionary.

I think everyone should be a missionary no matter what country you live in. Now I could write another three pages about what it is to be a missionary but to just make it short and simple: Being a missionary is about having compassion for other people and living life with them while trying to lead them to Christ.

            So I would like to encourage you to take the next step with me. When I return home I am going to get involved more with making this a reality by joining a non-profit organization or group that serves others in the community. But we do not have to join some kind of organization to make this happen. We can take action by just building relationships with people we see everyday. For example, try and sculpt a relationship with the people at your favorite restaurant, theater, friend group, etc. Then just let the relationships go from there. We come into contact with so many people on a daily basis. I believe the old motto “don’t talk to strangers“ has a negative effect, allowing ourselves to shut out strangers we are living life with. Don’t let shutting people out of our lives realism.

            

Get out of the bubble and take the Next Step..

Thank you everyone for all your prayers and thoughts.

Where the Wild Things Are Coming From, America.

News Update of March 2012 Mission Trip

“It is not about the projects we do; it is about the people.” By caring and loving people, God can use acts of kindness to transform people’s hearts. I have a lot of exciting information about what has been going on in the VG community. I hope with the news it will inspire you to take action within your own community.

On March 8^th we had a missions group come to VG for a couple of days. There were about 26 people who attended the week mission trip. It was great to meet everyone who came on the trip. Most of them had been coming to VG for years. It was great to spend time sharing stories and laughing together. I was super excited to see my mom, Selena Fetherman who came on the trip. The trip to VG was her first mission trip and it was awesome to be able to share that experience with her.

The group had many different task planned for the week for the neighborhood around the church and Oasis building. They gave out food bags to families, helped repair a leaky roof, and made a nice dinner one night. They also showed two movies, on separate nights, at the church that focused on how to be a better father and family.

There were so many projects that were going on throughout the week it was hard to be able to do all of them. I had spent most of my time helping plan, set-up, and build a new home for Oscar. Most of you know who Oscar is by now but if you don’t, Oscar is a great kid who I have become very close with. Oscar, if I had to choose whom my most favorite student is, then it would be him.

Before the group came on March 8^th, Karly and me spent a bunch of time organizing, preparing, and looking for projects that the group could do. One of the projects we had planned was to repair two roofs. One of those roofs was Oscars house. On March 8^th the day the group was arriving Oscar had told Karly that they were being evicted from their house and had to get out by Saturday. They only had two days to pack up all their things and get off the property. The issue was that they had nowhere to go. They were going to be homeless.

On Friday morning a few members of the American group went to start planning to build them a new house. Even though before the group went to get supplies there were a few problems that went back and fourth but they got resolved. Within two extremely long days the group had battled the curse of hunger but they had finally finished. Rafa, Oscars’ dad, was so thankful for what everyone had done for his family. The good news of this story is that Rafa’s family has decided to start going to church.

The trip overall was a great success. Many people who donated clothes, shoes, bath supplies, and many more things to oasis and the church from the states; I would like to say thank you and the donations will help a lot.

Church Bells

Artist: Gungor Album: Ghost Upon The Earth

Let church bells ring
Let children sing
Even if they don’t know why let them sing
Why drown their joy
Stifle their voice
Just because you’ve lost yours
May our jaded hearts be healed
Amen

Let old men dance
Lift up their hands
Even if they are naïve, let them dance
You’ve seen it all
You watch them fall
Wash off your face and dance
May our weary hearts be filled with hope
Amen

"This song is a call to repentance, a call to wake up. It’s an invitation to join the poor and the sinner and the broken once again that we may come alive and join with God again." -Gungor Commentary

My favorite part of this song is “Let church bells ring Let children sing Even if they don’t know why let them sing” I can just picture a small church on a typical Baja California day. There is a huge tower on the small church and bells at the top ringing.Below the tower are kids lifting their voices with laughter and singing songs to glorify our GOD. They may not know why they are singing but they do it anyway because they know it pleases him.

Psalm 100

A Psalm. For giving grateful praise.

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Following and Trusting Your Heart

This is a story of what has happened over the past two years and how looking back and connecting the dots has lead me to the happiness I am now have in my life. The pictures are from a mountain that I hiked to that overlooked Vicente Guerrero.

The Past:

I had just finished my freshman year at Johnson Bible College and I loved it. I had the best first year college experience anyone could ever ask for. I met many friends that would last a lifetime, I learned about something I was actually interested in, and I developed knowledge of who God is in the world and in myself.

There was a little bit of a dilemma when I finished my freshman year. I was struggling with whether or not I should continue at Johnson Bible College or see what other things life had for me. It was a time where my faith was tested and doubt started to arise in my head. Doc Reese, a professor at Johnson Bible College, once said, “Doubt is not a bad thing in your relationship with God, because it tests your faith. Without doubt, your faith in something could not be true faith.”

During that summer, I was struggling to figure out what I was supposed to do with life and was trying so hard to figure out my calling from God. I started thinking that attending Johnson Bible College and studying ministry were not in the mix. I started to fade away from my faith and my heart. I started to get involved with things that most people shouldn’t. I was living two separate lives, one devoted to God and the other devoted to worldly experiences and myself. I needed to be shaken up to get me out of my slump.

One summer night I was driving home while it was raining really hard. I took my eyes off the road for just a few seconds and in that short time my truck went spinning out of control. There was nobody else on the road except for me, so no one else was hurt. I had spun around the road and ended up in a ditch on the side. My truck hit the side of the embankment and the air bags went off. When I got out to examine the damage, I noticed that I had just barely missed hitting a telephone pole head on. My truck was totaled and the accident shook me up. The car accident was completely my fault. I was fine though and not hurt, just a few bruises.

I tell the story of the car accident because I believe it was a sign from God. I know it was not the worst accident, but I definitely could have gotten hurt badly. When thinking about it all, I had two decisions I could make afterward. Because I totaled the truck, I received enough money to pay for another year of school. So I had to decide between staying at Johnson to see what God had panned out for there, or going to a different college. I was still confused on which path I should choose.

It took a conversation with my mom to wrestle my heart. During the conversation I was yelling and weighing both paths that were before me. My mom just listened and allowed me to express my emotions. The reason it was so hard to choose a school is because I was also choosing a lifestyle. I wanted to go back to Johnson Bible College, but I did not think I was cut out for it. My mom knew I was not yelling at her the whole time, she knew I just needed to say what was in my head and heart. When I finally finished yelling; my mom said, “Just follow your heart.” It was then obvious which lifestyle and profession I was more compassionate about, Ministry.

So I went back to Johnson Bible College with the mindset of getting myself straightened out. I went to all my classes; most of the time; haha. I joined the baseball team and used our chapel service for a time for me to pray, worship, and learn more about God.

I learned many things about how to live my life. What I learned from chapel service was to take every opportunity to love and trust God and also to follow my heart. The verse for the year in chapel was the Great Commission, so there were many sermons about how to share the message in another country. There were many missionaries from around the world who shared what God was doing in the countries they were from. The Great Commission verse sparked something in me that was possibly a new path for my life.

Joining the baseball team was the smartest choice I made that semester. During the entire semester I grew as a man. My teammates became my brothers and a support group. The unity we all shared is a bond that will never be broken. My coaches taught me to always try my hardest, to be a man of integrity, and to follow my heart.

I finished finals and the semester was over finally. I was looking forward to spending time with family and friends during Christmas break. During Christmas break I had another conversation with my mom. I was asked if I was going to go back to Johnson Bible College. I know I did not get the best grades, but I was going to do anything to make my vision of going back to Johnson a possibility, whether it consist of going to community college for a while or some other kind of adventure; possibly a long-term mission trip.

My mom came to me one day and asked me if I wanted to go on a mission trip would I actually do it. I thought it was a silly question because I knew the answer was absolutely yes, if given the opportunity. About a week later I started talking to Mark Collins about going to Vicente Guerrero, Baja California Mexico to work in an after school program. Then a month later, I was on a plane to San Diego and a short car ride to Vicente Guerrero.

The Present:

Today is my third week being in Vicente Guerrero. I can’t believe it has only been three weeks because it seems like I just got here yesterday. It is so much fun and amazing to see God at work with these people and in myself. It is so beautiful here, the people are amazing, the kids are my favorite, and I could not be any happier. The decision to come here is by far the smartest choice I have ever made in my life.

Just to let everyone know, I have no return date other than to come home to see my family and to tour the United States with Karly Dallas. I do not know what the future holds for me but I do know that if I just follow my heart then it will all work out.

Looking back at all that has happened in the past two years is crazy to think about. Two years ago, I could not have looked to the future and connected all the dots. Only now can I look back and connect them. I have learned my lesson from the past to not try and predict life because it only complicates things. You have to trust God by living your life and He will connect them for you. Live your life to the fullest and while doing so love God with all your heart.

Life Lessons:

First, trying to figure out your calling is not your purpose. Your purpose is to just know God and everything else will be taken care of. This is one of my favorite quotes.

"The real issue in life is not the search for God's will, it is the search for God. The issue in faith is not knowing what God is doing, rather it is knowing that God knows what He is doing. The issue of faith is seeking God's presence, not God's plan for my life, because there is no plan outside of my knowing Him. We don't need to know the will of God, we only need to know God... which is, strangely enough, His will."

Second, do not live two different lives. I told myself that I was never “two faced”. I am telling you to not make the same mistake I made. You are only cheating yourself of the potential God has for you.

Lastly, believe that the future will be all right. You cannot look forward and connect the dots, only by looking back. You have to trust your gut, life, destiny, or in my situation, your heart.

Mailing Addresses

I have been getting many questions on how to receive mail from the United States. I do not have an address here in Vicente Guerrero but there is a way for people to send stuff from the States to me. It may take a little while but the package would get here.

The way for it to work is to send it to Misael Venegas. He works with me and karly and is constantly going to the States for work. If you would like to send us stuff in the mail send it to him with his name on the package. Make sure you let me know in an email letting me know you have sent something that way I can let Misael know to get it for me. When he receives it he will bring it down on his next trip down to Vicente Guerrero.

Misael Venegas

City of Children

P.O. Box 893310

Temecula, CA 92589

If you would like to be added to the Email Update Group email at

steven.jackson1129@gmail.com and I add you to the email list

This is my new email account and is used for updates, work, and to get in contact with people from the states. Please do not send junk to it. Thanks for your prayers and support.

Update from Baja Cali 2/3/12

OASIS IS OPEN!

Today we opened OASIS officially for

business for 2012. Karly and I got up kind of early today to finish a few things we did not have time to finish doing early this week. All we had to do was make a few more packets for the kids that had rules and other important things they needed.

After we had finished making packets we headed over to the Oasis building. We got there earlier than the kids so we could organize each of our room's. Karly's teaches the older kids so she needed to get more books and teaching supplies. I am in charge of the young kids. All I had to do was get puzzles and write down the date and bible verse of the day in spanish. Which is not easy for me because I do not know spanish. I am learning though. It is easy to write spanish because the letters are the same but as I write it I am trying to remember what words mean what. That way I can learn the verse as well as the kids.

(The picture above is a picture of my classroom.)

The children started showing up and came wandering toward me asking me my name and wanting me to play with them. This little girl's name with my sunglasses on is Nancy and she is extremely sweet. She is eleven and loved my sunglasses, just like manuel did. She is in Karly's class but her little sister Mimi is in my class and she is just as cute and fun to be with. Nancy was helping me with my spanish and remembering everyone's names. She kept pointing and quizzing me on everyone's name. She also learned the word tickle in english. In spanish it is cosquillas. She tried to tickle me under my arms.

(The picture above is the little girl, Nancy)

Once everyone arrived Karly and I started each of our classes. Since I do not know how to speak spanish I have people to help me teach the class. I organize all the material for what is being taught to the kids for the day and they help translate it to the kids. They are amazing people and without them it would be so much harder. Reagan is a senior in high school and knows spanish and english. She is the main person who teaches the class. She helped Oasis last year so she knows a lot of the kids still. Her little brother, Ezekiel, who is in the eighth grade has decided to also help to. He also knows spanish and english. He was helping Oscar all day with his home work today. Which is great because the more one on one time these kids get the better they respond and do better on the homework. Oscar is an amazing kid and is kinda my favorite boy of them all right now but all the kids were amazing and so much fun.

(The above picture is Oscar studying his homework.)

These women in the picture are the women who helped me and Karly all week with organizing and preparing for Oasis. It would have been impossible without them. This week they cleaned all of the building to make nice a clean for when the children arrived for opening day. They also made a grocery list and went grocery shopping with me and Karly. Today they made tuna, macaroni, and corn mixed together on a tortilla. It was delicious, and I never have liked tuna; so it was really good. These women are employees of Oasis and get paid each week for helping. They cook all the meals for the children and clean all the building each time for the kids. The Oasis Program can really use your help with paying these women. If you decide you want to help or may know someone in church that would want to they would only be paying for just one of the women. There are five different women who help us. If you would like to support and help pay these women for what they are doing please email me or send me a message on facebook and we can talk more.

(The cook's)

Short term prayer request:

-Helping me learn Spanish

-There is girl in the church who just had a baby. She is fine but pray to keep them both healthy.

-Me and Karly are still a little sick.

Long term prayer request:

-Always need more helpers and the more people who come and teach at Oasis the more kids can join. Which allows more opportunity's to share Jesus's name with them.

(I am keeping count of how many tortillas' I eat and in a week 12)

Vicente Guerrero

At Johnson University our verse for the year is the Great Commission. Many chapel services were spent of missionaries from all across the world coming to speak about what God is doing in other countries around the world. It was great listening to all of the guest that had come to speak in chapel; I just never thought that I would be in the same boat as them.

When my 2011 Fall Semester ended I did not know where I would be going next. I had gone back home to Evansville, Indiana and was asked if I would like to go be a missionary in Vicente Guerrero, Baja California to be a missionary and teach in an after school program called Oasis. I spent time praying and thinking about the decision and I could not think of a better time to do so.

Given that I needed money to support myself and did not have enough that was one of my struggles of getting to Vicente Guerrero. I did not worry about it I knew I am suppose to and believed it would be taken care of. God is great and everything is paid for. My parents, family, and friends are amazing for help supporting me on the new adventure.

The organization I am affiliated with is called Next Generation Outreach. Their website is ngoutreach.org if you would like to read more about the organization.

In Mexico I will be teaching in after school program. The kids that go to this after school program, their parents spend much of their time working all day long. Since the kids parents work all day long most of these kids have nothing to do. The program is designed to keep the kids busy learning english, having fun, and learning about God.

I strongly believe God has a big plan for me there. I am just going to share to the kids about Jesus and maybe have a little fun along the way. My goal is to just effect one person's life that I come in contact with and share who God is to all of us.

If you want to know more or help support message me on facebook. You can help supporting by finically or helping with things we need. Also, if you would like to visit there is a trip coming in March. You are invited!

OASIS WISH LIST

• All kinds of office supplies
• All kinds of school supplies
• Storage lockers and plastic storage containers
• Basketball hoop and basketballs
• Soccer goal and soccer balls
• Kid's toys
• Furniture for the empty classroom
• T.V., DVD player, and LCD projector
• All kinds and sizes of kid's clothes and shoes
• All kinds of toiletries, soaps, shampoos, tooth paste, etc.
• Blankets and coats
• Oasis t-shirts and worker uniforms
• An official sign for the building
• Books in Spanish
• Desktop computers and a printer
• Dishes, utensils, and appliances for the kitchen
• Money- for the food pantry and to install a big purified water tank at the building
• Money- for special events, parties, organized outings and activities
• Money- to import a 15 passenger van