Maribel's Kids

This is Katie--She totally captured my heart before I even realized who she was. She would just talk, talk, talk to me like I totally understood what she was saying. She hugged me from the start and would do this sweet little kiss on the cheek when we would depart company. She is a total angel. LOVE THIS GIRL!!!!!

Then I learned who she was. She was the granddaughter of Chila. The lady that lived behind the mission house. My friend from years ago, Maribel had lived there. The last time I was there Maribel had gotten married and moved away. I went with someone else to see Chila who told me what had happened to Maribel before we arrived. Boy, was Chila sad when I went to see her. She immediately started to cry and tried to explain by demonstrating, what had happened to Maribel. The pain that was on her face and inside her was hard to witness. Apparently, Maribel's husband stabbed her fourteen times and then decapitated her. Sorry to be so blunt, but that is the reality. Her mother, her children, and those who love Maribel will not see her on this side of heaven and that breaks my heart that this person made that decision for all those people. It honestly makes me angry that he chose that for this children. Seriously, what kinda man is that? I will tell you that the as far as I know the police have not found him and he apparently has one of their other kids with him still. I do not even know the best way to pray for them. I know that the burden of caring for the young children have fallen on this sweet, but little old lady. I would also imagine a fear not knowing where this guy is and not know what has happened to the other little girl. The oldest boy, Juan, from what the area pastor's family told us, has been having a lot of behavior problems. (The pastor's family has been doing a great job of caring for and supporting this family and have kinda taken this oldest child during the day to help Chila.) When we left we asked how we could support and help her since we are so far away. She is worried about being able to cloth the kids. Her husband is unable to work because of a back injury. Imagine not being able to clothe your children. It is Biblical to care for the orphans and I want to take that seriously.

Carlos-Maribel's 2nd boy-11. The whole time I was there I thought there was just a sadness in his eyes (wonder why)

Manuel-Maribel's baby boy-2

Isn't this picture fun!! I just pointed

the camera at him, called his name,

pointed it and he looked up and screamed.

LOVE IT!!!

I was not able to get a picture with the older boy Juan-13.

Mission Trip to Mexico

OK so I know it is a month later, but honestly I have found little time to do this and totally want to give the trip justice to what it meant to me. I am never been accused of being a great or creative author. I hope that as you read you can see my heart.

December 26 we loaded the truck and headed south. I road with Steven and Sherry and road the whole way down there in the backseat with their 3 and 6 year old, Alana and Ethan, in the backseat. Riding with the kids was not nearly as bad as it sounded or that I thought it would be to be honest. They are good kids and their parents are not that bad either. About 7 seven hours into the trip we crossed the border with no problem and then after about 5 more hours were in Musquiz where we were greeted by a wonderful family who had dinner ready and waiting for us when we arrived about 9:00 and it was wonderful!! Then they allowed us to take over their hours to sleep for the night. I am not sure where they went, but when we awoke they had breakfast ready for us. Such hospitality, such humility towards us, such kindness, such grace, so much like Jesus.

After breakfast, we shopped at the local grocery store. We got beans, rice, tortilla mix, eggs, oil, water bottles, cakes for a ladies bible study. Some little kids helped us take out our purchases and then proceeded to help themselves to a thing of our chicken spaghetti when we were not looking. I am sure they needed it more than we did and hope they were able to enjoy it. We then loaded up for last four hours of trip with the Keithlys again. It was truly a beautiful ride into the mountains of Mexico. It was majestic and awe-taking. We then pulled into tiny humble San Miguel. Now remember I had been there several times 10 plus years ago plus. As we pulled in I honestly wanted to cry and did get a little teary eyed because I didn't remember it. I could not find the mission house, the little church, or even the school. This place is not big and I could not remember it. I only remember the mountain in the background with the cross on top of it. I was happy to remember that. I told Sherry I was kinda sad because I could not remember it, and she said not to worry that I would it come back quickly. Maybe the surrounding did not come back quickly, but the love for the people did return fast. We were quickly welcomed by the people who live there and even took over their homes. We stayed in the home of Fele and Pepe and their son Nester and his wife. 6 of the people on our trip stayed in their home. Their hospitality was amazing. Fele cooked for us, Pepe walked with us or drove us around if it was dark, they fellowshipped with us, laughed with us, prayed with, and cared for us like we were family. Funny thing about remembering the place is that when we walked in their house the son Nester, who was a young boy, maybe 10 or 11 the last time I was there said he remembered me from years ago. As the week went on, I heard that several times. Really, people remember me????? Later in the week there was another girl (young lady) who had some of the children that were running around with us. She said she remember chasing me around and following me when she was a little girl and now she see her kids doing the same thing. Then there was Chila. A grandmother who remembered me. She is probably 60, but seriously looks like she could easily be in her 80s. She lives behind the mission house with her grand children. I used to run around with her daughter Maribel when I was a youth. I was able to meet Maribel's children Juan, Carlos, Katie, and Manuel. Because of a sad, painful story I was unable to see Maribel and will not see again this side of heaven. (I will tell that story in another post to come with stories of some of the families.) The week consisted of us helping to produce a nativity scene program with the kids at the local church, giving toys to the kids, giving clothes to the people of the San Miguel, having a ladies Bible study/luncheon, and just hanging out loving on the people.

This trip was different than past ones for me though. I think I had always gone thinking that our group was able to do really nice things for people, it was good to give them things, it was good to bring smiles to their faces, it was good to run around and play with the kids. Never before, though, did I really think lasting relationships were possible for a number of reasons. We live 18 hours apart, we do not speak the same language, our lives are completely different.... How do I relate? I left though knowing and believing that relationships are possible, if not just a simply necessity of mission work. Gosh, just the fact that people remember me after ten years, there must have been some type of relationship there. Our mission cannot be strictly humanitarian, the main reason to go is to bring people to acknowledge His glory and if showing humanitarian work is a by-product that's great, but the main purpose must be Christ glorified. The main complete reason to go to San Miguel and return in the future is to build up the saints for Mexico, to team with Pepe to disciple people in San Miguel and other little villages he ministers to.

I told people there that I would be returning in March. I want to build those relationships. God has called me to do that. He has called us to minister to Maribel's children, the orphans of San Miguel, He has called us to walk along side the ministers of San Miguel and live life with them even if we are 18 hours apart.

I will return in March. The hope is that we will build a new, SAFE, playground/plaza for the children and families of San Miguel. I know most who read this have never been, but we need people to partner with us. First, of course, partner with us in prayer. Pray for the people in San Miguel, pray for people to go with us, pray for safety and strong tires, pray that we remember God's glory and His name being know is the reason that we go. Second, we need monetarily help. If you go to the website on the side (keithlyfamilymissions.com) you can donate if you would feel led to do so.

I am also planning on returning this summer for 3 weeks. I am praying for wisdom on how to conduct some VBS with the kids while I am there even with the language barrier. Some ideas of been popping into my head, but please help me pray for wisdom and that adventure.

Thanks so much for praying and reading. I will be adding picture SOON!! PROMISE

Death Row Doggy

Since I have not gotten pictures from the trip downloaded yet, I am going to tell a quick story about my trip. First of all to let you know I had a wonderful time. I can not wait to go back. If I could have, I would have stayed there longer. But, anyways back to death row doggy. Sherry and her family stayed at a families house while the rest of us stayed at another house. Now to preface this story our friend Brent, who will tell you how much he enjoys eating, said that if he did not get enough to eat, there would be a chicken missing. Sherry reminded him how the chickens are such a vital part of the people existence and eating one would be taking away one of their food supplies. Well, one morning when I walked over to where Sherry was staying one of her kids let me know that the black dog was tied up. Sherry then told me that dog was probably not going to be here our next trip, in fact it would probably be gone as soon as we left. That night the dog had killed two of the families chickens. It is said that as soon as a dog gets a taste of chicken it needs that taste again. The sweet family wanted to wait until we had left so the kids with us did not get upset. So the black doggy may not be alive any longer, it should not have eaten the chicken. In Mexico you can get the death penalty for killing chickens!!