Girls Bible Study

Girls Bible Study-
Kenzi Couch and i have started doing a Bible Study with the girls of the Esperanza(hope) house which is apart of our hope program. for the past couple months we have been meeting once a week or more just to hang out and build our relationships with these sweet girls. each one of them is very unique and very different from eachother. over the past few months, kenzi and i have felt closer to them and are very excited about the opportunity that has come to start teaching them about who Jesus Christ is. Their lives right now are full of many things. many thoughts and many questions, i am sure, are going through their heads. that is where Kenzi and i come in. we want to encourage them, love them, and most of all be able to express that God loves them and has an incredible plan for their lives. We already love them so much i can't even
imagine how much more we will as we get to know them deeper.
the cool thing about God is i already know His hand is in this. The other day we asked the girls what they wanted to study out of the Bible. they said they wanted to study a book of the Bible. we said "okay, what book" and they all said "Esther". Kenzi and i for the past 7 weeks have been doing an in depth study on Esther by Beth Moore. and not only is that the Lords hand. I have found out that before Esther was Queen, she was an orphan. there is no mistake that these girls want to study Esther. i am so excited for this opportunity. I would love if you all would be praying for our time together, it is much needed.
Please be praying for :
*the girls: yessica, alejandra, alejandra (2), katya, perla, sandy
*language barriers (kenzi and i to be able to translate everything)
*trust among all of us
*just to enjoy eachother as sisters of Christ

Meeting needs!!!!!!!

Imperio De Amor-
i have posted blogs in the past of how much this home has stolen my heart in so many ways. God is moving in the Casa Hogar like i have never seen. He is showing these children that through the Body of Christ HE will provide and take care of everything they need. There have been some very generous people that have also been touched by these children and the facility they live in. helping provide needs for these kids and showing them love at the same time. This home recently got a donation for new comforters. so some of us went downtown bought 25 comforters for the boys dorms. THEY ABSOLUTELY LOVED THEM. as soon as we got there they tore off their old sheets and put their new comforters on along with their new pillow case and new pillow. as you can see in these pictures they were so happy. they kept saying " muchos gracias" or some of them like to speak spanglish and they said " muchos thank you." it was such a fun day. part of me feels a bit guilty that i get to deliver these things and see how much the kids love them and that other people have donated the money to them and they thank me. but we are very clear to tell them that it is ULTIMATELY THE LORD WHO IS PROVIDING FOR THEM SO THANK HIM. God is so good and faithful. Praise God for all you supporters out there making a difference in each of the children's lives. i am so thankful for you and i know the children are as well.

Meet Yasmine

This sweet lady is 19 years old and now holds a special place in my heart. i met her about 3 weeks ago but just now had time to sit and update my blog on her. i met her in a squatter village that we serve alongside here called RIO 3. This particular day i was not in charge of a work project but me and my good friend Emilee Banks were in charge of getting every name, shoe size, t-shirt size, and age of every child that we serve in this particular area. We talked to over 10o kids and mothers on this day. It was alot of spanish. All of the sudden we realize that Yasmine was hanging around our table all day long. with her baby. so we invited her to sit and started asking questions about her life. it took a while to get a little deeper but oh my goodness how the Lord is using her. she is a 19 year old mother of 2 1/2 kids. she is pregnant with her 3rd. 19 years old. i can't even imagine that. Then she started sharing her testimony and her life with the Lord now. her testimony is incredible and God has delivered her from all sorts of things and addictions. Emilee and I both left this conversation just in awe of how God is working in that place in the Rio. There is no mistake that we talked to her that day. We had the privilege of praying with her before we left. There is no doubt in my mind that she is a warrior princess fighting even to survive with her husband (who is not a believer) and her 2 almost 3 kids. She is a testimony not only to what God is doing in her life but to all of us. It seriously was an incredible day of just knowing that God's presence is near and it was so sweet. I ask that you would come along side me in praying for her and specifically her family. Pray that her husband will see joy, truth, and a light through her and that he would taste the Lord's goodness. Pray for her pregnancy that she gets enough nourishment for her baby to grow and be healthy. Pray for her relationship with the Lord to continue to be strong. Thank you for standing firm with me in fighting for the lives of the people living here in Monterrey, Mexico.

Birthday FUN

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROOMIE AND TERE-
Tere's birthday was on February 1st and Hope (my roomates) birthday was on Feb. 2nd. we had such a fun time. i made lasagna, salad, and bread for about 12 people. all of us got together and played fun question games and ate a whole bunch. and we had some funfetti cupcakes. I LOVE MY FRIENDS HERE. they are so special to me.
SWEET CORINNA COOPER-
The cooper family is very dear to my heart. they are the family that i have nannied for, for the past 5 summers. Corinna turned 9. i started babysitting for her when she was 4. I can't believe she is already 9. that means i am getting older too. CRAZY. there was a princess party at her house with lots of food, coke, snacks, dance parties, and fun games. Everyone dressed up like a princess. So much fun. Happy Birthday Corinna. You are a blessing to my life.

Best Friends!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My sweet, incredible, wonderful friends. I had one of the best surprised of my life when my friend Sara came to Mexico. I knew Elizabeth and her husband were coming but i had no idea Sara was coming. Talk about emotions i didn't know how to control. i just screamed and started crying at the same time. and it was midnight when they got here so i am sure i woke everyone up. haha. Anyways, this past week was full of emotion, love, and great friendship. I can not express how much i loved working alongside some of my best friends. it is a feeling i can not even compare to anything else. we did alot of things while they were here. we got to install some clean water systems at the rios, we got to play with tons of kids, we got to go to a place called Kidzania with the kids of imperio de amor, and we did what we do best together which was my favorite.... holding babies and loving on people. they got to experience pollo loco and tacos fede within the same night. and we drank a lot of coca lights while they were here. Both of these girls have a passion for missions. Elizabeth and i actually met here in Mexico over 5 years ago. So this place has a very special place in her heart just as it does mine. i had forgotten what it felt like to serve with her because it had been over 2 years since she had been here. But it was just like i remembered like a fresh breathe of air in the midst of doing what pleases God. For Sara i simply loved that she got to experience my life here and what i do. she has heard me talk about it for so long and now she gets it. she is getting ready to move to Sleyvania. Moving to do missions. i am so excited for her and her big move. i am even more excited that i get to pray with her through the process of getting there. she is moving in may and will be there for 7 months. God is doing a work in both of these girls hearts and it was just amazing to sit and talk with them. the last night they were here we shared a whole bunch just about where God has us and where He is leading us. With that came an overflow of tears. it was seriously so fun to have them here i simply did not want them to leave. Serving with them was extremely moving to me and i wasn't ready for it to be over. Such a great week. Serving with the friends that have the same passion i do and are ready to take leaps to get where they need to be. it is an honor to be sharing this part my life with them. i love you girls so much! Thanks for a great week.


my friends: Stefen, Elizabeth, Cole, and Sara

such a fun week with them here. thank you all for serving the way you did. most of all, thanks for being great friends.








we were making pica dillo for an outreach that
day at the Caderyeta.

JOHN AND CORRIE GUCKENBERGER

John and Corrie Guckenberger have been apart of back2back staff (in Mexico) for almost 4 years now. John has been apart of creating our New Property for the Hope Program and the Clinic. Corrie has been involved with helping bring the market to our American groups that come visit. Corrie has been a huge part of my experience here in Mexico. Since i moved here we have been meeting regularly for accountability, prayer, and fellowship. I truly admire the woman of God that Corrie is. She has so much wisdom in so many things and she was able to shed a little bit of it in to my life. I have been so thankful for the friendship i have with this family. They have 3 kids sarah, gus, and sammy. After much prayer and guidance they have packed up and have started the process of moving to Africa for the property that has just been purchased in Nigera for Back2Back. With the talent the Lord has given to John, from taking nothing and making it something truly amazing, i can only imagine how many lives they are going to be touching there. Although the whole staff here is super sad they have left, we are all so excited for their new journey. We wish you much luck in Africa. We all already miss your whole family so much. Thanks for all the ways you have added to my life. Love you guys. We are all praying for you.

NEW YEARS EVE IN OHIO

Katie and Jed

married December 31st 2008













My sweet friend/ sister got married on new years eve. It was a beautiful wedding. Everything was perfect and i have never seen katie so happy as long as i have known her. She was stunning and radiant. knowing that Jed is the perfect man for her, it was a perfect way to bring in the new year. Tons of reuniting with people and supporters. Got to stay with one of my good friends abby. thanks again abby for all the fun and everything you did for me while i was there. YOU ALL ARE A BLESSING. hope you enjoyed the pics that are above.