Wisconsin to Wichita to Juarez

This is my last entry before I head to Mexico on Sunday!

Things have really been coming together for this trip (: I've received support from people all over the world and I'm pretty sure I'm almost at my goal. I wish I could be more specific, but I don't get my invoice until later :/ I'll write another update from Mexico, as I'm allowed to go without having all my funds, but I need to receive them sometime during my trip (if I don't get them now). I'm planning on doing an internship (unpaid) at the  Ozarks base in Arkansas for leadership training as soon as my DTS is done and then hopefully staffing at the base in Montana after that. Unfortunately everything costs money, but if y'all are interested in being a monthly sponsor, please shoot me an e-mail to: katie_williams09@yahoo.com

On to the more fun things!
We have gotten so much snow here in the past few days that the start of our journey will be interesting! We depart Sunday morning around 4am for a 10 1/2 hour journey to Wichita, Kansas. From there we drive 13ish hours to Juarez on Monday. 
We've been working on crafts to share with the kids. I learned how to make a balloon dog and a turtle! I hope the kids like them because I sure do. We have plans to make tie dye pillow cases with verses on them for the children's home kiddos and for the Creel hill tribe kids we want to make some goo involving mixing food colouring, shaving cream and cornstarch. 

I have to pack soon, which might take me all evening. I have to fit two months worth of clothes & toiletries in one bag along with my sleeping bag and sleeping mat. Should be an interesting time! 

I'm so incredibly excited to go to Mexico! So blessed to have this opportunity. I'll write another blog from Mexico if I can, if not, look out for the next one in February when I return. 

Mexico Madness

Hello fellow blog readers!

I thought it was time for an entry dedicated to MEXICO! 

I'll be leaving for Mexico on December 29th, 2012. It will take approximately two days to drive there from Wisconsin with a drive time of 22 hours and 48 minutes (at least that's what google maps says!)

This map is of the journey I'll be taking from Madison (A) to Juarez (B) to Mexico City (C) Mazatlan (D) and lastly Creel (E)

My outreach team consists of John and Beca Stenson and their three adorable children: Elliot, Annie and Leif, Plus DTS students: Maria, Rieneke, Sam, Emily and myself. 

:::Juarez:::

Rancho Los Amigos is a children's home on the border of Albuquerque, New Mexico and Mexico. This home was established through YWAM and is run by Beca Stenson's parents. We will be spending one week there at the beginning of our outreach and one week at the end (due to scheduling restrictions). While there we will be able to spoil the orphans who live in that home and spend time with them & help them have a really special week.

:::Mexico City:::

After our week in Juarez, we will then travel to Mexico City. It isn't determined yet on whether we will fly or take a bus, but once we arrive there we will be working with the street children and ministering in the red and pink light districts. Please pray for safety for my team as this can be a very dangerous city.

:::Mazatlan:::

Mazatlan Carnival is the second largest carnival in the world and draws a massive crowd. My team and I will join with other ministry teams and go out during the carnival to reach out to those in attendance. This carnival is a week long event and is very 'worldly spiritual', as most of Mexico is. Our aim is to bring light to this dark festival and show the carnival goers that Jesus is the reason to celebrate!

:::Creel:::

Lastly, we will be visiting the Tarahumara hill tribes in Northwestern Mexico. This will most likely involve trekking up to their camps in the hills and spending time with them. Our aim in this area is to become a part of their community while we are there and really bond with the Tarahumara people.

Then on February 21st we hope to have travelled back to Madison, Wisconsin. We then have a week of debriefing & preparing for Stateside. Stateside is a week long tour of the eastern, midwest States & Texas where we speak at churches and schools about children at risk and give presentations of what we did on outreach (if you know a church in one of those areas that would be interested let me know).

I hope that information gives you a picture of what I will be doing for two months. I am so excited for what God has planned and I am blessed beyond belief to have your support. Originally I needed the full $2,500 but right now I have $2,045 to go. I have received a few donations in the past day or so but am not adjusting the total until I've received the rest during Christmas break. God will provide!