INCLINE YOUTH GROUP

In the second week of August we welcomed the Incline Youth Group from Monroeville Assembly of God. They braved the August heat of San Luis bravely as they painted, constructed, and ministered in many places and ways throughout the city. I hope to have testimonies from them soon, in the meantime enjoy their pictures and a testimony from one of their young people.

So going to Mexico, I heard it was a life changing experience. It put me under a lot of pressure I guess; I thought God wasn't going to use me down there. When we pulled up to the orphanage last Saturday, tears filled my eyes I couldn't believe we were finally there. Waking up the next morning I was, extremely nervous. But then this little girl Dulce stole my heart all through the week. And I thought, that was all god had in store, to love on her, but I was really wrong. We went to the shut ins on Monday. And God totally changed my priorities. I realized how much I had when we went to a home with a mom who could barely walk 4 boys, and a two room house with two twin size beds. Those boys were probably, the happiest boys I've ever seen though. They had this flattened soccer ball, and they couldn't do anything with it but, they loved it. And another shut in, Ken described as an elderly couple, was a couple in a plywood shack, and the husband was like, pure bones. He had one week to live and he wouldn't eat. He didn't even have enough strength to lift up his arm, he tried and it fell back down. And I was just, in shock. Because I thought of how, with how much I have, I could probably never be in the situation of one room with a bed and a toilet. It made me think of how lately, I've been asking for new bedroom furniture. But the furniture I have is way nicer then the woman's table at shut-ins that fell when she set something on it. God has blessed me with so much, and I haven't been grateful for it, until now. At one of the village ministries, I looked at these people with nothing, who loved God so much and trusted him with everything they had, and I busted into tears. These people were so grateful and so happy. The next day we went to the dump. And everybody was talking about giving away there shoes. And I asked God if I should give them away and he said yes. So I walked up, and I gave Mr. Mike my shoes and they said cinco!? And only one lady there needed my size shoe, and it was just, kind of a blessing to know that, if God wouldn't have brought me down there, then that lady wouldn't have gotten shoes. Its little things like that that shows you God knows what he is doing. And then that night we were at church and, I was in tears from the time service began until the end, and I remember Dulce saying, why are you crying? And I said, I don't know. Later I realized that room was just filled with God's presence. Those people came to the altar and broke down into to tears as we prayed for them. And they couldn't understand a word we said but it was like. They can still feel God! They still know him! And He still loves them SO INCREDIBLY MUCH! So, Mexico really opened my eyes up and set my priorities straight. It taught me to rejoice in everything, trust God, and Love him more than you love anything else because, he's truly all you need. I can't wait to go back next year. - Bethy