The end really isn't the end...

Wow! What fun you can have with people!

We went to Balboa Park in San Diego, CA to kill some time (some time = 14 hours) before the first flight of people left for VA. We saw huge trees... and created our own paths. Woody and Don and I must have climbed every possible tree. We cut a path through the park to find our car... down a huge hill... up the other side... Bridges, our lone female travel partner had a great sense of humor about it, and played along.

Then we checked out Old Towne in San Diego...

I found my street! And again, just had a blast with the people I'm hanging with... We had to walk 15 miles today. All over San Diego. Up and down the streets downtown... looking for food, only to wind up at a Wendy's???? Then we decided to camp out and wait for the New Years Eve fireworks over the bay... it was a little cold

But we did see some fireworks... I honestly could have just been warm and skipped the fireworks, but we would have missed the fun! People thought we were crazy as they walked by... I even stuck my hand out like I was a bum or something.

Then we finished out the 2007 with a half a mile walk (more like a mile and a half) while dragging our luggage, to the airport. Where we all settled down in the terminal for a long winters nap.

Tomorrow I travel back to VA... I think this adventure is just getting started!

The Beginning of the end...

We left for the states today... I'm unsure of my feelings right now. I can't make heads or tails of what I've seen or even how it's affected me. I love the people I've been here with, and I've seen stuff to change me... just not sure exactly how it will all play out yet.

BTW... Crossing the border back to America is hard

But when you're back... there are advantages.

MMM... In and Out... if you haven't experienced it... you just don't know.

Adventure Day 5

Let's just say... I agreed with this little boy during the service...

"And that's all I have to say about that"

Then we met this lady...Viki!

What an awesome lady...

She has no support from anyone other than herself, and she loves on probably 30-40 kids EVERYDAY. She feeds them... teaches them, and will ultimately CHANGE their lives, because of it!

This was a rollercoaster day.

Well, thank God for fire again. We walked down the blustery beach... bought some wood... made a huge fire, and celebrated our last night in Mexico. I can't really sum up this trip yet... give me time.e

Adventure Day 4

There are some beautiful sights here... and some gross things directly to the left of this picture.

This is Jose Luis' place.


it looks good right?

So, what didn't connect with my soul? It felt strange... I heard nothing about the Holy Spirit... in fact, it felt like "church" as usual. We need to make the "church", translate building... longer, or wider for the people. Really? i guess we'll find out even the necessity of that tomorrow as we will be coming here to worship with the REAL church... the people.

So, let's move to tonight... we made a fire... sat down, talked... LAUGHED... holy cow we laughed. I thought Bridges was going to pee herself. Told more stories about our lives... prayed, and these people are my family now. I love them all in unique ways. They are my brothers... they are my sisters... and I'm changed because of them.

Our time here is waning and it's kinda sad... I love my wife... I miss her... I'd like to even talk to her, but this is really special.

Adventure Day 3

We started our day very similar, but with it's own taste today. We sat in the sun, shared a few stories of our lives... prayed together, and I am feeling SOO close to my adventure-mates.

Then we started out, and we encountered a pretty cool place... at first glance Rancho Genesis feels different from most things we've seen here. It was just put together really well. I could see care?!

And Marcos... Not Ricos (Sorry Bill)

He's an amazing guy. Such a cool calm... God presence about him. He was intriguing to all of us, because he kept saying "Iglesia nuevo". For you who speak only American... that's New Church. He felt a desire for "church" to be different. My heart hooked with his when he said that. Unfortunately with a language barrier, and with him having no context to explain what he means... we didn't get past the surface of that thought. We all want to though...

I think we did other stuff, but that was the highlight! I hope we can talk again, and learn more somehow.

And this is the place that his heart beats fast for... I'll call this Lynchburg, Mexico. The real name is El Zorillo! What a dark dark place. There were multiple church buildings, but no God. We were even threatened by a boy with only one foot while here. Not sure, but I could see God doing some cool things here!

Oh... did I mention that I really like these people God has put me on this trip with... I'm having a blast, and feel really close to God right now... it's AMAZING!

Adventure Day 2

Waking up to this is strange...

We walked on the beach this morning... so dirty, and so full of HUGE shells... the boys will love these.

We ate breakfast... shared some stories, which were AMAZING, prayed together and were off. What a GREAT start to the day.

We met a neat couple named Riggo and Marta that taught a Bible Scohol in a dingy little town...

Then they took us to meet some interesting people that have taught me a little more about life.

These Oaxacan indians (pronounced Wah-Haw-Can) have relatively nothing. The children spend all day everyday alone... they take care of each other. You don't see this as much in American culture... siblings despise little brothers and/or sisters. It's left only to the parents. Now, I'm not saying that parents should abdicate their responsibilities to parent to the kids... but there's something to say about what we saw today. Also... WE HAVE A LOT. It was about 40 degrees today with a strong wind blowing, and most of these kids didn't even have coats... and they were fine. There were no Nintendo DS's... no TV's... just a halfway inflated soccer ball, a few toy trucks (most with at least one missing wheel) and then the children themselves. They would sit in groups to keep warm, and LOVED when we would take pictures of them... when they could see themselves right after.

We need to simplify life.

Then I had one last experience that is AWESOME!

Tacos Los Poblanos...

The picture says it all... AMAZING food, and really cheap.

Oh, and I really like the people I'm here with. We're sharing the stories of our lives... one at a time, and these are AMAZING people. I can't wait to hear more. I LOVE hearing stories.

Beginning an adventure

That's me... leaving Columbus airport on my way to Las Vegas...



On my way to San Diego... on my way ultimately to Mexico...



That's it... my home away from home for a week. Not sure at this point what's going to go on... I'm excited, a little anxious, and thinking that something really cool is going to happen. I'm here with people that I know, but don't KNOW... so, at least I'll get to know them a little better.

There's no heat in this place, and it's a little cold... it's weird leaving my family the day after Christmas, and a little hard leaving Angel as she cried at the airport. Still, I'm on an adventure, and pretty excited about it. Time to sleep... I've been traveling all day, and already done some STUPID things... bringing the keys to the van with me, and having to overnight them back to Ohio for Angel... GOOD JOB MORON!

We'll see what tomorrow holds