the best part was...

I honestly can't pin down one best part of the whole trip. The first best part was seeing all the friends I made when I went with WFR to xilitla. You guys were so great to me is was like a family reunion when we met again. I would like to have been able to be with your group more than it turned out to be. Of course non of your interpreters would work with me! Ben needs to get over that fear of women things and just jump in and do it! Just joking, I know dr Don needed him and I love Gabby.
Because of Dr Don and how he encourages me I have once again enrolled in school. Working to be a nurse practitioner before I'm as old as Gordon!
Richie, I loved the time we spent talking. You are a wonderful person with a heart for God's work. Thank you for the t-shirt and the book. I hope they are feeding you well at home. No more kids meals for you!
Having fun on this trip was the best part, laughing, crying, just being with others that love God!
Evonne

ps. this is one of Marsha's pictures that I uploaded to the kodak site today. This one made me smile!

From Marsha Griffin

Well, another trip is history. This was the 7th for Al and myself, and as usual this one was our favorite. Being with all of you, bound by a common purpose of service was awesome. I know that God was glorified by the week. The week was such a blessing for us. Being with old friends, meeting new ones, working with the congregation in Zacatecas, and especially putting the cares of our everyday lives aside to do just what we were created for brings such joy. We love you all and look forward to the next time.
Because of Him,
Big Al & Marsha

Had a great week everyone!! Our next planned trip will be March 6-14 2009. Do not know where though. Maybe Xilitla, or maybe Zacatecas. Come go with us.

Love,
Robert and Cathy

I have to say............ This trip was awesome. When I got home my Dad asked, "How did it go?"...... and what I realized is there was no way for me to explain it to him. I said " well, it's kinda like sky diving Dad. I could tell you all day long about it, I could explain every little detail, you can even get the gist of it all............. but there is no way to know what it is really like until you just do it." Isn't that the strangest thing of all though, We spend our lives tryin' not to inconvenience ourselves...... even for the sake of others (not that this is intentional). But when you finally do just give it up and let people have you, you realize, "I've incovenienced myself this whole time". What a great God we serve. God Bless you guys and I'd go back right now if I could, no doubt about it.

In Him,
Thomas Anderson

i forgot to sign the last post, from me, Evonne
Robert deserved the picture of him I posted, just so you all know!

mexico

Just a few pictures of the work we did. It was an amazing trip. The 2 groups comming together was like a big family reunion, all working together for God.

Well, we just made it home, and I've got to tell you - it is a long way from Mexico to West Monroe.

We had an interesting trip home. Somewhere in Mexico, there was a flock of buzzards on the side of the road. Ritchie, good driver that he is, accelerated when we approached them. I know, most of you are thinking that you would have decelerated, but not Ritchie. One of them hit the van's bumper on his side, and the other hit the windshield on my side. I thought I was dead. A buzzard encountering a sheet of glass at 75 miles per hour usually results in disaster. But we were all okay after they did CPR on me.

We've worked on embellishing the story by adding interesting details like there were a hundred buzzards feasting on a dead elephant and that twelve of them hit the van. But the facts in the previous paragraph are the truth.

I am so grateful for the new relationships I have because of our sharing in the ministry in Zacatecas. You are all wonderful people. It's like finding out that you have a family you never knew you had.

Let's stay in touch. And don't forget to put the pics on-line.

Gordon