Where are you?

This past weekend one of our missionaries, Diane, celebrated her 50th birthday party. She threw an unusual birthday party as she had her teachers from her exercise dance classes at the gym lead some sessions and we played street hockey. This unique party was in the hopes that she could bring together people from many different parts of her life and celebrate her 50 years God has blessed her with, and also bless others and show God's love.

I think of a lot of ministry has to do with seeing where people are, meeting them there, and sharing Jesus with them. Here, people love parties, the bigger the better. If that's where the people are, that's where we need to be too.

Here, we go to breakfasts and coffees with people, we bike with people, we go to the gym with people, we hang out with the Moms after school. It's really not that complicated: See where people are, go there, and love them like Jesus does.

It's important to be in the world, but not of it.

What does this actually mean? Does this mean that we imitate the culture around us but just Christianising it? Does this mean that we need to go and create a completely separate Christian-culture? Does this mean that we simply deal with the way the world is without actually diving into the mess?

I'm not sure what this means.
But I know that Jesus dove into the mess.
And I know that Jesus met us here, on earth, where we're at.

So if Jesus dove into the mess, what's keeping us from diving into it?

Are we content with our Christian circles? Are we content with always being fed, and never feeding anyone else?

Christmas was a couple of weeks ago and I think it's important that we keep marvelling at the story. That God, sent Jesus not to take over the government, but to challenge it. Not to affirm the self-righteous, but to take the broken, the rejected, and the sinful by the hand and bring them into His kingdom.

We weren't perfect when Jesus came to us.
He came to us when we were still in our stench.
Jesus still does that.
He meets us where we're at.
So it's going to be a messy life.
And that's ok.

Please pray for our ministry as we enter into this new year. It's an exciting time and I feel like big, exciting, unexpected things are going to happen. Please pray for creativity, endurance, and the joy of the Lord in our every day work. Pray that the gospel would resonate with people deeply, and shake them to the core.

Having fun at Diane's birthday party! 

Nativity scene outside of the coto (housing complex)

I also had the amazing opportunity to go to Mexico City and spend Christmas with my host family and their relatives! Here are some pictures from that trip.