Hello, my name is Grace, as in saved by grace only, or amazing Grace.

Brothers and sisters had been asking me to join Mexico Outreach Team for quite some years  already. Somehow the idea of having to use Banos and no showers for a week was quite hard  for me to swallow.

Last year, MOT finally hit home. My son Enoch went and returned with overflowing excitement and joy. His sharing about his MOT experience ignited a little sparkle of wanting to go inside my heart.

This year, after the MOT Informational Meeting, Enoch said he wanted to go again; my younger son, Ben said he wanted to go for the first time, my husband, Peter said he wanted to go since last year.  Grace said nothing.

So, how do I end up here? It was all very foggy and cloudy, then all of a sudden, all cleared.  To explain this, I must tell you the journey that leads my whole family here tonight.  I remember Peter and I were not very sure whether we should give permission for Benjamin and Enoch to join MOT this year.  We were back and forth debating with our own self.  Then on the night before the deadline for registration, during our family devotion, we listened again to Ben and Enoch shared why they think they should go this year.  We prayed and pleaded for God’s guidance.  After that the boys went to sleep, not sure if their mom and dad would let them go.  As Peter and I were alone in our room, we were sharing with each other the answer God gave us.  Both of us heard a similar message, “Even though we are imperfect and broken, God is still willing to walk with us in our lives to complete His blessings and fulfill His will. ”  So………, God was pleading for my boys! Will you not let them go if it was you? That explains why my sons are on the team.

As for Peter and Grace, God has to use some elbow grease.  On the due date for registration, Peter’s vacation request at work which was made six months ago, was still not approved yet.  Actually he knew at least one of his co-workers also requested the same week off.  Their boss allows only one of them off at a time.  Peter was planning to ask Cliff for an extension for registration and was hoping his vacation request would be approved within next two to three days.  Knowing so far I am the only one that had not indicate any desire to join MOT, I started to ask myself, “Should I support my family in this mission trip by going with them?” Actually I do want to open my eyes and see how mission work is done in Mexico.  But……. the aroma of the banos and sweats are so vivid and intense! To me between the decisions of go and not go, I asked Peter, “Should I go?  I almost want to go to experience God’s great love and work in the mission field with my family. ”  Now when I said that, part of me was hoping Peter will say something like “You don’t have to go just because we go. ”  But Peter’s answer was so direct.  He said, “I think you should go too. ”  Well, around that time, I was meditating quite a bit on submission, mostly on submitting to God’s sovereignty so I can receive the full magnitude of His grace and blessings.  Now Peter’s answer challenged me to face another type of submission.  This time, submitting to the head of the household.  Not wanting to be disobedient, and at the same time, not wanting to say yes, I threw the ball back to God and Peter.  I said to Peter,” OK, if you have your vacation request approved within the next three days, I’ll see if my boss would grant me time off before Friday so we can hand in our overdue registration paper to Cliff.  “ Do you know how hard it is to fight for a week off at our workplace during spring break? Well, it is not that hard for God! God arranged both of our vacation within three days.  Praised the Lord!

This is why I am here tonight.  Since January, MOT became our family’s favorite conversation.  Having my sons taught me singing Spanish songs was a humbling experience.  They even took turns to correct my Spanish!  During the training weeks, God reminded me that the gospel is a living testimony of His love to mankind, and Jesus’ sacrificial love is an example of how we should live and serve.  I will be serving as one of the team nurses, and resource person for Team Two Lips.  I will also join several sisters in the team to have Tea and Craft Social with the ladies in possibly two church sites in Mexico.

Since this is a trip arranged for me by God, I don’t have any pre-set expectation for this trip.  Honestly, I just want to open up myself to experience what the Lord my God brought me to this trip for, be able to plant the gospel seed in the hearts of the children in Mexico, bring changes in my own life, and most importantly, may whatever we do or say bring glory to God.  Oh, Oh, Oh, I am sorry!  I take it back, I do have one small expectation.  I do expect all of our team-mates act safely, don’t give your team-nurses too much adrenaline rushes.  Thank you for your mercy!

To close, I would like to share a Bible verse with you, Psalm 67:1-4,

May God be gracious to us and bless us

and make his face shine upon us,  “Selah”，

That your ways may be known on earth ,

your salvation among all nations.

May the peoples praise you, O God;

may all the peoples praise you.  

May the nations be glad and sing for joy,

for you rule the peoples justly

and guide the nations of the earth. “Selah”

May the Lord our God be exalted!