We’ve arrived safely back in Oregon! Thank you for all your prayers. We had a great trip. A family of 10 received a new home, over 100 desperately poor people received clothing for their families, over 40 children and some of their mothers were fed breakfast every day, and all of them were served with love and hard work. The students didn’t complain and the gospel was lived out for many in the towns of Maneadero, Chapultepec, and El Zorillo - all near Ensenada, Mexico.

See our pictures here. Also, continue to read below as more student and leader reports are posted.

Well, I'm back from Mexico. We, I, had an amazing time down in Ensenada. So much was accomplished for the Kingdom of God. A desperate family of 10 received a new house that our team built in four days. Over 100 filthy poor people receive new clean clothes for their families. About 50 different kids that don't get to eat very much were served breakfast every day. It was amazing.

It was very eye opening, seeing their poverty, knowing that there is zero chance of them ever rising above that poverty, and also knowing how much I have back here in the States. I mean, this poor family of 10 lived in a 1 room shack, made of scraps of wood. They slept on two beds, had a dirt floor, an old card table to cook on, and the world's worst bathroom located right outside their house. They got their water from this big tank with a garden hose running out of it. They would pinch off the hose between some rocks when they were done using the water.

They were poor. We built them a 16 x 20 (320 sq. ft.) house that had two bedrooms and a loft, along with a main living space, on a concrete slab. This is going to dramatically improve their life.

Yet I come home to my 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom, nice kitchen, separate living and dining rooms, 1 deck apartment and am not sure where to put all my stuff.

I was encouraged this week by the clothing distribution that we did. We often say, "Dios le bendiga" - God bless you - when we are down in Mexico. I felt very much that I was living out the Kingdom of God that Jesus spoke of many times as I was able to give someone clothing that they desperately needed, and say, "Dios le bendiga."

But now I'm back to reality, well, my reality. My nice (small?) apartment. My TV. My internet. My bed (only 2 people are in this bed, not 5 like in Mexico). My car. My wealth. I want to live differently, I want to live out the Kingdom of God with my resources now, here, not just in Mexico.

It truly was a powerful time for me as I know it was for the others on the team. It never ceases to amaze me how we go to give, and come away having received so much. I received much this year, from God.

It seems that going to Mexico every year, like I do, always works to re-calibrate my life. Let me explain. It is so easy to fall into the trap of living for the "American Dream." Our society engrains into us that "More is better." "Bigger is better." "He Who Dies With The Most Toys Wins." No where in Scripture do I read messages like this.

True confession time....I am guilty of living for the American Dream. Living in our culture, it is all too easy to slip into living "the dream" and not even know it. Spending time in Mexico, surrounded by such poverty, and yet such strong love, joy, and hospitality, I find my life re-calibrated to where it should be. This year I came home saying, "May I Never Forget."

May I never forget how most of the world lives. May I never forget how God has blessed me and my family. May I never forget how "easy" life is for me in the U.S.. May I never forget why God has blessed me with what He has blessed me with. May I never forget that the American Dream is a lie.

So feel free to ask me sometime what dream I am living for....the American dream or God's dream (desires) for my life. I want to live a life that honors God. I want to live a life committed to honoring God with the resources that He has given me. I want to live a life committed to ministering to the needs of people around me, both in my community and abroad.

Join me in living the REAL dream life!

God taught me that his way is the best way. When we got to Mexico the children’s team had all the lessons, songs, and games planned out for the week. One lesson was given out of five; at first I saw that as a huge disappointment. It was Wednesday afternoon and nothing had gone the way I expected, we had only given one gospel message, we had a hard time getting the kids to listen to us everything seemed to be going wrong. But as I was sitting in chapel that night I realized that everything was going the way God wanted it to go. The whole week I prayed that Gods will would be done and it was being done right in front of my eyes. I was discouraged thinking that Satan was attacking us. God opened my eyes and showed me that His plan wasn't for us to give all five stories and gospel messages but for us to love on the people of Mexico. The last two days were the best because my eyes were opened and I was watching God work through our team, and I was able to see that God had it all planned out to begin with!