Re-entry to blogging: Mission trip to La Paz, Mexico

I have been lost from this blog for awhile. It seems that I have a calling now to write again and share what is in my heart and mind. FIRST Let me start with letting you know that 2012 held another amazing MISSION TRIP this time with my 14 year old daughter Camille to LA PAZ, MEXICO. Here are the writings about this experience: Monday February 20, 2012 Hello Everyone, We have now been in La Paz, Mexico for one week. For those of you who ask where is La Paz? It is in Baja California, Mexico about 4 hours north of Los Cabos San Lucas. La Paz is a small town along the Sea of Cortez. The translation of La Paz in English is the peace. We are living with a family in La Paz. Our family has a mom, Gabriela, her daughter, Rebecca who is 10 years old, three dogs: a black lab, Ballena (means whale in Spanish), a white poodle mix, Willie, and a small blond heinz 57 dog, Hina. Our house is nice and clean. Gabriela is very careful to prepare my food the way I need it.....I am a vegetarian and eat differently than most due to the special diet that I eat in order to minimize the MS symptoms and the progression of the disease. The weather here is cool in the nights with temperatures 55 - 65 degrees and in the day 68- 75 degrees. This mild temperature is why I chose this location and this time of year. The MS symptoms increase in hotter temperatures. In the morning we have Spanish class and in the afternoon we teach English as a second language in the orphanage. The boys and girls we work with are as young as 13 years old and as old as 20 years old. We assist two other English speaking Americans in teaching English lessons in one group together and then we split up into 4 groups to help the students practice more individually. Last week our focus was on the present progressive tense. This tense is used a lot in every day expressions making it very important to know. Having the opportunity to learn and practice English is rare in La Paz. The boys and girls are very eager to learn. The orphanage is church based and the children/youth know very well who the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are. We do not yet know the depth of this relationship that they each have. We of course hope to have a positive impact in this area of their lives as well. The orphanage's money comes from donations from people, foundations, organizations and businesses in Mexico and in the United States. It is such a pleasure to serve God in this way. It is a gift to have this time to make a difference in a child's life. Some of you know I had to have a total hip replacement Oct. 25, 2011. Yes, another physical problem....I am so thankful that I can actually participate in such a mission trip. There has been times that I have questioned God, "How is it possible for me to serve You with all of these physical challenges?" In my daily time with God, I hear, I read and I continue to learn that with God all things are possible! This is so amazingly true. I have learned all God wants from me and you is to have a readiness to be in action and a loving heart for serving HIM and He will work out all the details. We will write more next week. Know that you are loved and that you are in our prayers. Please keep us in your prayers. En servicio a Jesus Cristo, In service to Jesus Christ, Lisa and Camille Overcash :) P.S. please feel free to send this email to others that may be interested in reading it..... Monday February 27,2012 Dear Friends, We have now completed our second week in La Paz. Camille and I are doing well. We continue to be very thankful to be here and to have this opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the people that we interact. Our Spanish language skills are improving with each class session as well as with each time we use our new skills in the community. The native Spanish speakers here are very kind as they smile and correct us. When you are learning to speak a new language it really does help to be immediately shown the correct manner in which to say something. I guess that little bit of friendly and supportive embarrassment that you said something wrong motivates you to make sure you understand the correct way so you hopefully say it right the next time. Our work at the orphanage continues to progress very well. It helps so much that we are with the same children each day. The boys are one day then the girls are the next day. The orphanage feels that the boys and girls learn better without the distractions of the opposite sex. Camille and I now feel that we know each of the children better: their specific age, their personality, their likes and dislikes, their current English skills, the way they learn best and what motivates them. About six weeks ago, the lead teacher, Nancy noticed that the students did not know about potential careers or jobs for their future. Nancy began a unit study on careers and jobs of course in English. She secured numerous speakers in different jobs/professions to visit the class. Each speaker is asked to share information that answered specific questions that they were given in advance. Each presentation is in Spanish. One day last week we had a visiting speaker. The speaker was a man from the Military of the Air Force branch. After this person left, we asked the students questions about the presentation but in English. Here is a sampling of the questions: Is it necessary to have a university degree or certification for this job? Where did you get your education/training and how long did it take? Are there jobs available here in La Paz in this career? How much does this job pay, on average? How many hours do you work each week and when? This past week we have been teaching the children the future tense, the formal ex. I will go to the store. and informal ex. I am going to go to the store. In addition to the tenses we have new vocabulary words each week. "El Carnaval" was a big topic in our English class last week because last week was the time of "El Carnaval." Here in La Paz "El Carnaval" is the six days before Ash Wednesday. This is a celebration similar to Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday in New Orleans. This is a time of celebrating and feasting before the 40 days of Lent. Many people from out of town visit La Paz during "El Carnaval." In La Paz there are three parades with the first parade on Sunday afternoon at 5:00 pm and the other two continuing each afternoon on Monday and Tuesday. I asked the question, Why are there three parades? I was told that in the past there were too many people at the one parade and when the parade ended all these people stayed out in the streets. With this huge number of people out in the streets, there was a lot of trouble and crime that the police had to eliminate. The town officials decided that having the same parade three times may help decrease the massive number of people at one time. With less people at each of the three parades the problems have decreased and there has been less need for police intervention. In La Paz "El Carnaval" officially begins Thursday afternoon and ends Tuesday night. Back to the English classes....With "El Carnaval" going on much of the children's attention was on "El Carnaval." Why fight it? We used "El Carnaval" to our benefit. Remember we were doing future tense so much of what we discussed and asked questions about in English was for example ....What are you going to be doing at the carnival tonight? What are you going to eat? Will you be riding the rides? Will you play the games? ...and so on.... This of course put a delightful spin on our classes. On Thursday we introduced a little of the past tense. Once again we used the carnival as a topic to discuss what happened when they went to "El Carnaval?" It is clear that God is working in the hearts and minds of these children and the volunteer teachers. It is very difficult to learn a second language and at times it is very frustrating for both the student and the teacher. It is the teacher's responsibility to sense "where the student is" in this spectrum of learning confidence to learning frustration ratio. I think this is where one's relationship with God comes in to play. Calling on God's help to be able to read "where the student is" and to pray for this understanding is very important. Our responses and actions in the moment of frustration of self or of the student can create a desire to learn/understand or squelch/terminate the desire to learn. Also it is necessary to be in prayer daily for your students, your children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews or all children/students in this area of their lives specifically, to have a love for learning and wonderful conditions of learning. The environment in which we all learn especially children should be loving, kind, encouraging, positive, and filled with hope. A person's current and future life is greatly affected by their relationship with God and learning. As a child of God and a Christian I feel strongly that I am an ambassador for Christ. My behavior needs to be Christlike and in favor with God. Thank you so much for your continued prayers! En servicio a Jesus Cristo, :) Lisa y Camille Overcash ...feel free to send this to others that may be interested in reading March 9, 2012 Hola Amigos, Just want to say hello and let you all know what's happening with us in Mexico. We are happy to report that we are both doing very well. We did have to get a few cactus thorns out of Camille’s finger, but other than that our daily challenges have been minimal. Our work at the orphanage continues to be smooth and pleasant. The church that is in charge of the orphanage is very protective of the children that God has placed in their care. The opportunity for the children to have English classes took a long time. It seems that one woman felt God's call on her life to teach English to the children of this particular orphanage for quite a while before the classes actually occurred. After numerous proposals and meetings with different officials of the church and the leaders of the orphanage, a plan was agreed upon and the English classes began. The English classes have been ongoing now for 4 years with a break in the summer. The classes are free to the students and are led by volunteers. It is an honor for the children to be chosen to be in the English classes. The child has to be selected and meet one of several possible criteria: demonstrates to be 1) an excellent student 2) an eager to learn student 3) a child that shows a cooperative and pleasant nature 4) devoted to God. As you can see many children have an opportunity to learn English if they really want to and try. Since there are a limited number of openings each year it is truly an honor to be chosen to be in the classes. Once in the classes the child is expected to do their best to participate in learning English or the child is asked to leave in order to create an opening for another child who wants to learn English. It has been a privilege to see God's hand in how He has worked in these children's lives and the volunteer's lives through these English classes. Incredible! Every day seeds are being planted in the hearts of the children and in the hearts of the volunteers. It has been a true joy to indeed be one of the volunteers. At every English class we give attention to the class as a whole and to each student individually. This is clearly like a shower of love from God for the mind, body and spirit of every person present. There is now a scholarship that has been created for the children that express a desire to further their education in a college or a university. This scholarship is open to all the students that have participated in the English classes. Three students from the English classes have now been granted full university scholarships. Isn’t it amazing how God can change lives in such unique ways? Please remember these precious children in your prayers...that these seeds which are being planted in English classes will blossom into wonderful lives that live for God, serve God, and pass on the message of HIS word, His love, HIS peace and His hope. It matters not where someone lives, how they dress, what language they speak, or how they worship. The differences that divide us pale in comparison to the similarities we share. We all grieve losses, celebrate joys, love our families, and hope for better days for our children. May we value the lives of our neighbors around the world. The peace we wish for depends upon the attitude and actions of each one of us. When we treat others with the same loving-kindness we would like to receive, we contribute to that peace. Let all that you do be done in love. I Corinthians 16:14 Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:9 May you learn and grow through every experience! En servicio a Jesús Cristo, Lisa and Camille Overcash J March 22, 2012 Hello Friends, We would like to let you all know that we have returned safely to our home sweet home in Bahama, NC. We thank each of you for your love, support and prayers. Our mission work at the orphanage in La Paz, Mexico was an amazing experience and privilege that we will always treasure. May you live each moment recognizing the precious presence of our Lord Jesus Christ all around you and inside you. May you live with an attitude of gratitude basking in the blessings of life. In the rush of every day activities, peace and quiet my seem an elusive dream. Beginning each day with a time of prayer, scripture and meditation opens us to the kingdom of God within. This sacred inner space, this center of serenity and love within reminds us that we are one with God. I have a long standing admiration for Mother Teresa. Her devotion to our Lord Jesus Christ as well as her faith and love in action are ways of living in which I strive to be like. I will close with two of her well know quotes: "It is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the doing. It is not how much we give, but how much love we put in the giving." "Speak tenderly to them. Let there be kindness in your face, in your eyes, in your smile, in the warmth of your greeting. Always have a cheerful smile. Don't only give your care, but give your heart as well." In His endless love, Lisa and Camille In the rush of every day activities, peace and quiet my seem an elusive dream. Beginning each day with a time of prayer, scripture and meditation opens us to the kingdom of God within. This sacred inner space, this center of serenity and love within reminds us that we are one with God.