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.
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 26th, 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.
