Celestún

Today, being Friday, our group went on an excursion to the west of Merida. We went to a town called Celestun that is right on the Gulf. On our way to the Gulf, we stopped in a small town basically connected to Merida called Uman. It was motivating and also appealing to see Mayan people for who they are. I got to witness a true mercado (market) that women go to every single morning to buy food for today's meals. Every vendor there looked very rough but they were also very very happy. I did not see a vendor without a smile on their face. The experience was uplifting to see what is truly important to the people--their faith and family. While in this small town, we walked through an old Franciscan-style Catholic church that had a small tomb with Jesus' body in it as well as many figurines and a huge crucifix that reminded me that Jesus came here for everyone. I think in America we get caught up in Jesus being white and Jesus saving us but what he really did was come for each and everyone of us; white, black, brown, yellow, olive, red, and so on. Sometimes I forget that there are other people in the world and truly become selfish with my faith. I am not one to share my faith to anyone when really it is the best gift I could ever receive. Everything written in the Bible is for everyone, but what I tend to do is read God's Word in a way that is beneficial to me--not beneficial for everyone, but for me. This is completely incorrect and I just needed to share that that is the conviction I have been dealing with today. Jesus is not only my savior, but He is your savior too. (Sorry if this sounds like preaching, but like I said, I need to share my faith with anyone and everyone whenever I can and is most fitting).

So, once those convictions flooded my mind while looking up at the cross, I got excited to witness another part of God's creation--a big body of water, the Gulf. After eating lunch at a restaurant on the beach, we all got into the water which felt like bath water it was so warm! And just to let you know, but especially my Grandma....I did put 70+ SPF on before going outside and still got burned after being out there for an hour. The good 'ol Mexican and tropical sun got the best of me, but it isn't that bad, thank goodness. There are other girls that only put on 30 because they wanted to get a tan, but they fried today, so I was glad that I told myself I have 3 months to get a really good tan. I know that I will at least sleep tonight!

I know that some of you are just reading this to keep up with what is going on in my life and I know that many of you are lifting of prayers for protection, safety, and enjoyment for me and I am so very grateful for that. So what I am trying to say is, I am not asking for prayers, because I know there are many of you praying for me. But those of you that feel lead or called, I was wondering if you could continually or start praying for the relationship I am building and have built already with the other girls that are down here with me.

I am starting to feel Satan's accusations and guilt that I am not going out and doing things that they are doing. I have gone out once with them to a bar just to experience the culture but I do not want to do that very often as they like and are doing. I would ask that you would pray for a calm heart that is not worried about what they might be saying or thinking of me. I am solely praying for myself that God would use these times to demonstrate that I do not need a bar or drinks to have a good time. I am one to be very self-conscious, but God IS bigger than my self-conciousness. I pray that my loneliness would be His joy and bring teaching, that my suffering would be His gain, that my home is where He is, and where I am He will always be.