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.