Reflections By Eric

Posted on August 6, 2014 by gialucy2013

It’s my birthday today. It is fun to look back on my last year and reflect on how much has occurred. At this time, two years ago, I was in the hospital recovering from the 5 plates placed in my neck,. And then six weeks later, I was recovering from two more surgeries performed on my lower back. Fun. Fun.

Last year we were still finding our way here in Mexico. We were just about to start the Las Fincas project and I believe I was about to preach my first sermon in over 8 years. I blew it mightily by the way. I had Chin Chem (something like poison ivy but only 100 times stronger) and within seconds at the pulpit my eyes swelled up, so much so, that I couldn’t read my notes. So I just prayed and sat back down in the pew. That was one for the record books.

Fast forward to today, we finished the first project, became the head gringo volunteers at the orphanage, I preach weekly at our new church plant, Gia heads up the 8-12 year old youth group. Every Wednesday, I train two Mexican pastors for our new Spanish service set for September. We have a new building that can host mission teams and long term volunteers. God is growing our church daily. I am amazed. Honestly, for the first 7 months I was happy to work in the jungle chopping stuff. I still do that but God has pulled me out of my inner and outer hermit.

It has not been easy: The poison tree experiences, the moto accident, the feeling of being alone here without a home church loving on us -praying for us, the question of, “Is this what we are called to do?” The financial struggles, so many other little things..though to be honest..they are all little things in God’s eyes. I just forget that a lot. And through all these things, God is doing a great work in us, so that we may do a great work for Him.

The easy part..we are called to be here. I did not have a passion for Him in the States. I sat in the pew, bored to death. I did not have a role to play in His service. No one wanted me. All my fault it is true. We had a team here last week. I told them, “This is not your mission field, it is our’s. This is our home, our responsibility. This mission week here in Cozumel is just training ground. Your mission field is when you get home.” For me, I had to come and make Mexico my home, not for a week, or a month..but for as long as God will allow. If we have to leave here, my prayer is that I do not sink into a passionless existence again. I cannot sit on the sidelines anymore, playing church not living church. I do not want to lose my friendship with Christ once again. So, here we are, serving in our little way.

If you would like to come for a training mission, we are here. As you make plans for future service projects, please think of us. There are a myriad of needs here and it’s a pretty special place to help.

Thank you for your continued prayers and financial support. If you would like to make a non taxable donation towards 7 Day Hero Mexico’s mission please click on the link below.

paypal.me/7dayheromexico

Aloha ke Akua Via con Dios

In His Service

Eric Lucy

Culture Shock!?!

Posted on June 16, 2014 by gialucy2013

“When you first moved to Mexico, did you suffer from culture shock?” This was the question that, Mike from Colorado, asked me last week during his visit to Cozumel. My immediate response was, “No. I grew up in Southern California where there is a strong Mexican influence.” Of course I was thinking of the authentic Mexican restaurants, the darling Mexican kids who I had taught in school, and my many childhood friends.

Culture shock? Whatever…… I am a person who loves discovering new places, craves adventure and is intrigued with new people. The mere idea was an insult. But, his question continued to hang in the air and haunt me throughout the day. Later that evening, I asked Eric, “What is culture shock?”

When we first moved to Cozumel nearly one year ago, I was a different person. I had reverted back to that shy little girl of 6 who would hide behind my mom when I was scared, only this time, there was no one to hide behind. I was afraid to drive. I was frightened to speak Spanish. I didn’t want to walk the dog (The one time I did, the dog and I became encircled by 5 growling, stray street dogs, until finally I kicked into the air and they ran off) I didn’t necessarily fit in with the expat community. I was baffled by the smells, the trash,the noise, and how one house can be big, clean and beautiful while the one beside it is made from sticks, tarpaper, and sheets that act as windowpanes.

At the time, I believed these fears stemmed from the fact that I was 41 years old and had never moved out of my hometown of San Clemente, save for the two years when I lived in the dorms at UC Riverside. But looking back now, if I swallow my pride, I guess I can say, “Yes. I suffered from culture shock.”

If you saw me today, you wouldn’t believe that I had ever been afraid of anything in Mexico. I have taken to Mexican driving like a duck takes to water. I pass cars on the two lane highway. I swerve around vans, scooters and people when they are in my way, and I turn on my hazards when I go the wrong way down a one-way street. (After all the street signs are more of a suggestion than a rule, right?) I speak Spanish to anyone who will listen, even when they speak English to me. I not only walk the dog, but I run him while riding my bike. I have found friends – expats and locals alike- and the smells, trash, noise and variety of houses have faded into the background and I see now, that is what makes Cozumel what it is, a place where everyone – rich, poor, young, old, studied, laborer – has a home.

So what happened? How come the 180? What took me from being frightened to embracing life? Two weeks in to living on Cozumel, it dawned on me that God couldn’t use me if I continued to play it safe. It is easy to live in Cozumel and still live as an American. I can go to beach clubs that cater to American tourists. I can go to American chain restaurants like Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville or Pizza Hut. If I stay along the oceanfront, I can speak English to almost anyone. I can make friends with other Americans. I can stay inside in my air-conditioned house just 4 blocks from the sea and watch Netflixs. But this is not why I came to Cozumel. I came to serve God, to be a missionary, and to share with people – Mexican, American, Canadian, rich, old, young, poor, hopeful, hopeless- the joy and love God has for us all. If I didn’t allow people to get to know me, how could I be a light to this world? So, I stepped out in faith. I trusted in God’s word, which promises me that He has a plan for me,

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

So with this knowledge, I swallowed my fears and stepped out into the real Cozumel. The one that is made up of Spanish speakers, crazy drivers, and genuinely caring and wonderful people.

Nearly a year has passed since that courageous day. God has done some amazing things. He has made me into a stronger person. He has opened doors for me and my family to work with the children in the orphanage, to have fellowship with people in the gym, to be part of a women’s dance group during Carnival, to teach Zumba in Dominican Republic, and now to plant a church in Cozumel. God is good and His mercies are unfailing.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support. If you would like to make a financial donation towards 7 Day Hero Mexico’s mission please click on the link below. paypal.me/7dayheromexico

The Cheese Man

Posted on June 8, 2014 by gialucy2013

The Cheese Man.

First Day of School in Cozumel – From Mayhem to Bliss

Posted on May 30, 2014 by gialucy2013

First Day of School in Cozumel – From Mayhem to Bliss.

The Back Story

Posted on March 29, 2014 by gialucy2013

What would motivate someone to sell their home and business, leave their friends and family, as well as, the comforts of the United States and trade it all in for living in a Third World Country, albeit a beautiful tropical island smack dab in the middle of the Caribbean?

For years my husband and I have had a dream to dash off to some remote island and live out our days planting our own botanical garden and spearfishing for our dinner in a tropical lagoon. Our quest took us to some amazing places like Rarotonga, the Hawaiian Islands, Puerto Rico, St Croix, but the Lord brought us to Cozumel. In the short 8 months we have lived here, we are asked almost daily, “So, why did you move to Cozumel?” Our quick, compulsory answer is ever the same, “We love it here. We love the people. We love the culture.” But the real reason is deeply personal and requires a longer explanation. And so, without further ado, here is our “back story.”

Gia’s Back Story

For those of you who know me, you know that I’ve always been a person who deeply believes that if you set your mind to something, you can do anything in this world. I suppose it is my tenacious nature that leads me to believe that the world is indeed my oyster. A little over a year ago though this belief of mine was challenged. I was standing in the hospital room where my mom lay half-sleeping in her bed, and a quiet truth crept into my thoughts – even if my mom decided to change her life right now, she would not be able to. She simply couldn’t get out of bed. She had but one path she could take. In my mind’s eye, I saw a long, straight road, there were no curves, no intersections, no forks in the road, no places to make a u-turn, just one path. It was then that I realized that life is too short to keep putting off my dreams. I must live the life that God called me to live, not tomorrow but right now.

I met Donna Douglas (you may remember her as Ellie May from the Beverly Hillbillies) when I was 13. In the short conversation that we had, she imparted to me a piece of wisdom that I have held on to throughout the years. She said, “God wouldn’t put a dream in your heart if he didn’t want it to come true.”

As a teenager, I dreamt of having a church camp for youth. God gave me an orphanage with 40 children to work at. In my 20s I envisioned having botanical gardens and a butterfly sanctuary, God gave me a community garden in Las Fincas to teach people how to grow their own food. It amazes me daily, that the dreams that I have God always improves upon. I am blessed.

Eric’s Back Story

For me, I had always enjoyed the camping and Missions aspect of ministry. When Gia and I married, I wanted to provide stability with my new stepson and needed to find a job in the area. The gym has been such a blessing, but to do the same thing daily, well I was getting a bit worn and not growing into a better person. Two years ago, my right arm went numb, years of sports and stupidity had caught up with me. My lower back had been horrible for decades but this was different. My arm started to atrophy. After four months of tests, and 6 epidurals, I underwent neck surgery and a month later, lower back surgery. Typical hyper fool that I am, two days out of the hospital, I was clearing plants with my machete and mopping the floor on my hands and knees. The next day, I was back in the hospital for a week with blood clots on my spine and close to death. It was a wake-up call.

Even before the surgeries we knew we were called to come to Mexico. My heart and passion has always been here. The result of the surgery though was a realization that life is too short to live passionless lives, to read about adventure and men of God but not experience it. I want to serve completely, in love with my Saviour. Was it scary to sell everything? No. Were there detractors, either scoffing at our decision or throwing fear our way? Yes, and from sources unexpected. Yet this is what we have been called to do for this season of our lives. For me there was no other choice. Thoreau once wrote, “if a plant cannot live according to its nature it dies and so a man.” When your nature is a Christ-follower you have to heed the call or you whither, you do not stay the same. You atrophy.

Ciudad de Angeles

As I ride on the back of Eric’s scooter on the dirt road from the orphanage, my heart is so full. I am indeed “living the dream.” We have a little routine now. I teach Zumba a few mornings a week at the local gym, and Eric trains some friends from the church, then we head out to Ciudad to work in the garden with the children. Eric carriers his paint bucket full of tools and I pull the hose over to water the tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, basil and other veggies we have planted. The kids are the true blessing. They help by using the machetes to weed or take turns watering. Well actually, watering turns out to be more of a playful water fight than feeding the plants and weeding has taken on many forms, including but not limited to, a new game we call frisbee weeding. We stand together in the garden, throw the frisbee into the air, then whoever catches it uses it to dig out the weeds by their feet. It worked well until they ran out of weeds and dug up the jalapeño seedlings. In any event, it worked to our advantage, as we have found that raised garden beds are more productive than planting directly in the ground. The garden is beginning to take shape. We have four raised garden beds, thanks to donations from David Rapp and a Zumbathon with Instructor, Wren Tidwell as well as some of my wonderful Cozumel friends and Zumba students on the island. The garden boxes are filled with a variety of herbs and vegetables, some donated and some grown from seed. We have even begun harvesting the tomatoes and basil!

Las Fincas Community Gardens

Las Fincas continues to be a special oasis for us. The work here is different from the Orphanage, as we literally broke ground on this project and it is our “baby”. We have over thirty different plant species growing, still determining what will survive in this harsh climate. The difference here is this is truly a lost area. Many people want to help and serve orphans, there is a plethora of help from the States coming down and rightly so, there is need at Ciudad. The problem is you drive through the outlying areas of stick houses, squalor, etc. to get to Ciudad. These are people that work 6 days a week, 12 hours a day making on average only 70 pesos each day, less than six American dollars. Then on Sunday, after Mass, they try to build a house. One cinder block costs only fifty cents, but do the math, after food, clothing, etc. they might be able to build a few bricks a week. For us to grow crops, give haircuts, help clear their land, it shaves off a few pesos to provide for bricks It is small but it is something. Every Saturday volunteers come out for a few hours and basically, weed, clear stumps, break rock. This allows Gia and me to get to other tasks. It is not comfortable work. I have been doing this for a bit so I am a bit immune, or leathery as Gia says. For many people, this is hot, hard, stuff yet those two hours of volunteers not only enlivens us but helps so much. Every small rock removed is one that I do not have to do. People from the community come by and ponder that a bunch of gringos are sweating in the sun, they are used to seeing them drinking in the sun at the beach, but not working hard in a garden. It also teaches our kids to serve, even when it is a bit uncomfortable. To get their eyes off of themselves and onto others, to help because we are commanded by Christ. We are not in charge, He is. In just a few months, the garden will become a place of teaching. We will be hosting compost classes and gardening classes. The insects and soils are a menace but every day we are a bit closer and remember, no one has done this ever, breaking ground literally and hopefully spiritually after we prove ourselves. The hard thing with Island life is it is so transitional. In Hawaii, we hired people hopping for two years. Here, so many come for such a short season. For us, we hope to be here for as long as we can be used.

One last fun thing..A company called Southern Grind is sponsoring me (Eric) with their new
machete line. I am the only model with all the fingers in place.

As always, we are so thankful for your prayers and donations. If you would like to be part of this
wonderful ministry there are many needs. Here are just a few: Raised Garden Beds, New Fence
For Ciudad, Picnic/Work Tables for Las Fincas. To donate please click on the link below. paypal.me/7dayheromexico

Las Fincas – The Farms

Posted on March 19, 2014 by gialucy2013

7 Day Hero, Mexico

Cozumel is a very beautiful island with warm, friendly people. When you visit it is very easy to see only the beauty here. But when you venture a short 3 blocks away from the sea, and cruise-ship-filled horizon, your eyes behold a very different scene.

Today we drove through a community called Las Fincas , which translated to English means The Farms. I didn’t see any farms, but rather the area brought to mind the story of The Three Little Pigs. Many of the homes were built out of sticks, aluminum siding, pallets that washed

up on shore or tar paper. They are smack dab in the middle of the jungle – the lush greens of the plants make even the shantiest of homes seem pleasant, but in the rainy season (which it is now) the mosquitos abound carrying dengue fever and encephalitis.

So for me the question is how…

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La Vida Es Un Carnival ~ Life Is A Carnival

Posted on February 5, 2014 by gialucy2013

When we were living in the United States, we found most days to be homeostatic. The alarm went off, the coffee pot turned on and our daily routines ensued – Eric off to work at the gym and I selling books or teaching Zumba. It was a reliable life, one where we could go to the store knowing that there would always be milk in the refrigerators and avocados on the shelves. When we were told something in business, we could be 90% certain it was going to happen. When we asked someone for directions, we could be assured that if they responded they would actually know the place we wanted to go and how to get there. (In the Mexican culture, people don’t want to hurt your feelings, so they won’t ever tell you something you don’t want to hear, including that they don’t know the place you are asking directions for.)

Living in Cozumel , life is like a carnival. There are moments that our days and our hearts are so full we glow like the sequins on an acrobat’s costume. And then there are those times when the spot lights turn off, everything goes dark and all that we have planned and worked for comes to an abrupt halt and we wonder what to do next. Our days are either very high or very low, there is really no “in-between”.

So much has happened over this past month and a half, that there is simply too much to tell in just one blog, so I am going to divide the blog into two parts: Holiday Happenings and January 15th to present.

Christmas in Cozumel

Celebrating Christmas, New Years and, a new holiday for us, Dia de los Reyes Magos (3-Kings Day) in Cozumel was an incredible blessing. The holidays revolve around family and fiestas. On any given day or night in December, one could go to the square and take in the spirit of Christmas with children dancing and singing on stage, families playing round the Christmas tree, and fire dancers and puppet shows entertaining the crowds. This season brought abundant blessings. And, as I write this now, I see that God’s gift to us this Christmas was the opening of more doors for His ministry.

We had the opportunity to serve in Las Fincas with some incredible people including Ken Homann, founder of His Life Ministries, Mexico and Kathy McGinn one of the members of It’s All About The Kids Cozumel. We also found ourselves back with the children at the orphanage, Ciudad de Los Angeles, planting corn, tomatoes, peppers and more with our new friend David Rapp.

Christmas Celebration With His Life Ministries Mexico

On December 26, 19 Texans and 20 or so gringos (Mexican term for white people) drove by caravan on a dirt and deeply rutted road to the swampy park in Las Fincas – chairs, speakers, coolers, games, food, and presents for 500 children in tow. After setting up roughly 300 chairs, a few Spanish speaking volunteers clamored inside a VW Bug, replete with speakers the size of Manhattan tied to its roof, and drove down each dirt inlet to invite everyone to a pasada in the park. Abuelos, padres and ninos (grandparents, parents and children) all stopped whatever they were doing and walked from their houses to the park. They came in droves walking through puddles, not mystified in the least, to partake in the festivities; gunny sac races, hoops contests, break dancing, making salvation bracelets, and a lunch of tamales, soda, and cake for dessert. It was really quite an amazing feat, and only one of several events that His Life Ministries put on during the week. What struck me most was when I was leaving a grandmother stopped me and hugged me in the middle of the festivities. She wanted to thank me for the bibles that she and her husband received that day. I asked her if I could take her picture, and with pride she held her Bible to her heart and told her husband to display his too.

Dia de los Reyes Magos – 3 Kings Day

Dia de los Reyes Magos is a grand holiday in Cozumel. This holiday commemorates the 3 Magi when they brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the newborn baby Jesus. In celebration, children traditionally leave their shoes outside, sometimes stuffed with hay, then go to sleep hoping for a visit from the 3 Kings. In the morning, evidence of their visit may be left on the lawn in the form of a mound of blue dung from the one king who rides the elephant. The hay that the children left in their shoes has been “eaten” and in its place, toys and gifts abound.

The families in Las Fincas are in no way financially able to purchase gifts for their children, so this amazing group of volunteers, It’s All About The Kids Cozumel, founded by Susan Bonnett, rallies together each year by asking for donations for toys and money to provide the children with presents and their parents with food on Three Kings Day. After hearing about a crazy bald gringo who is building a community garden in Las Fincas, aka Eric, member, Katy McGinn, decided she needed to have us on her team. So, on January 4 we once again caravanned out onto the dirt roads of Las Fincas. It was quite a sight. The first two vehicles were overflowing with soccer balls. The next six cars were loaded with over 400 gifts and the last two were filled with 200 bags of rice, tomato puree, tuna, and 400 oranges, plus gifts for moms and babies. We parked side by side, opened our trunks full of presents and were blessed by the beautiful smiles from the children and parents.

Eric and I want to thank you all for your financial support and prayers. If you donate would like to donate towards 7 Day Hero Mexico please click on the link below.

paypal.me/7dayheromexico

John 13:35 says, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” We certainly feel your love and are thankful we can pass on this love in the name of Jesus.

Check in next week for Part II of La Vida Es Un Carnival to hear what we are doing at the orphanage, Las Fincas Community Gardens, our second church and our move.

Cozumel – Boom or Bust

Posted on December 14, 2013 by gialucy2013

Kids of Las Fincas

Cozumel is a boom or bust town. A few blogs back we were smack dab in the middle of Septi-hambre (Cozumel’s nick-name for September) referring to hungry month. People were slower to smile and desperate for a peso or two.

November 15^th marked the turn-around for Cozumel from bust to boom. The island is now officially out of hurricane season, cruise ships have begun to return to the island – sometimes as many as 6 per day disembark, and thousands of elite athletes from around the world came to participate in the Ironman on December 1. The island is once again hopping, hopeful and prosperous – at least for a while.
With each passing day we are becoming more and more involved with, and in love with the people. Every Sunday we meet new couples, snowbirds who have come back to the island for 6 months to ride out the cold, snowy winters of Canada and the Eastern U.S. Gia has been singing in the church worship band, and taught a Zumba class for a fundraiser, put on by Kailea’s school, for a little girl who needs brain surgery.

Eric has been enjoying guest preaching and, of course, machetting out in Las Fincas. He has taken on a

new identity,” Jungle Man”, and spends nearly every waking moment, when he’s not at the gym or walking the dog, in Las Fincas. People are beginning to recognize him, and see that he is different than the other gringos. He has dug alongside them, helping to restore a flooded road. He has been invited to baby dedications, and has been called hermano (brother) by friends who have appreciated the small gift of rice and a cooked chicken. He evidently has amazing machete skills and has been asked to teach his methods (video to come soon). Strangers have come up to him and said that they know that he is working for the church, they have seen the sign for the community gardens and they want to help. The Lord is indeed at work here.

The Las Fincas Community Gardens – The Oasis, is beginning to take shape. The land is completely cleared, the compost is nearly ready to start planting the raised garden beds, (thanks to Nacho the crazy juice man and his fruit rinds)

, and the native plants that we began from seed are growing and flourishing. We have over 30 corn plants, 60 jamaica plants, and a whole watermelon crop growing, as well as squash, passion fruit, plantains. Chaya, and an orange tree we found on the property. Hopefully, in the next few months, we will see tomatoes, artichokes, eggplant, lettuce, cabbage, spinach and more! Once the display gardens are complete, we will hold compost and gardening clinics for the community.

There are lots of ways that you can help and be part of this mission project. First and foremost, we need your prayers. Please pray that the people of this island will come to know Jesus as their savior, that God will continue to be glorified, and pray for the protection of our family. Secondly, we have several immediate material needs for the mission center. We need a long handled shovel, a wheelbarrow, cement, and fruit trees. If you would like to donate, please click on the link below.

paypal.me/7dayheromexico

Vaya con Dios.

El Vaquero – The Cowboy

Posted on October 17, 2013 by gialucy2013

Yesterday we had the pleasure of meeting Senor Onofre, better known as El Vaquero. At 70 years old, El Vaquero stands 5’4″, walks as if he has ridden his horse since birth, and flashes his brilliant smile as quickly as a rich bachelor pulls out his wallet, trying to impress a pretty girl.

El Vaquero

We we first introduced to El Vaquero on Sunday by a local policeman while we were visiting El Cedral, the very first town built on the island in 1874. Actually, it is quite a funny story. We had originally planned on meeting Martin, a 4th generation Mayan gardener, in El Cedral to learn about the local Mayan plants, how they grow and their various uses. (Our goal was to take back this knowledge and local plants and plant them in the community gardens that we are building in Las Fincas.) Martin, ended up having to go to Belize a few days prior because he had, “heard that his mother-in-law had died and wanted to make sure it was true.” While we were waiting to get the full story, Eric started talking to one of the policeman on duty and before we knew it, without telling anyone what he was doing, hopped on the back of the policeman’s motorcycle and took off down the dirt road. Now, you do understand that this is still Mexico, so several scenarios were playing out in my mind, the worse being that they kidnapped him and wanted money. I was thinking, I would tell them, go ahead and keep him. He eats too much anyway. Well as God would have it, Eric came back – still canoodling the cop from behind on the motorcycle- all in one piece proudly telling me about a man I needed to meet.

Karin and Chris – working the garden in Las Fincas

So, yesterday, we found ourselves back on the road to El Cedral , this time with our new friends and awesome interpreter Karin and Chris Harmening. El Vaquero met us in the square and, with his 4 dogs in tow, led us to his home garden. There we learned about Nopal, Chaya, Jamiaca, Malanga, Choch, Frijol Pelon and Pitea to name just a few. He not only taught us what they looked like, how to grow them, and how to prepare them, but he also gave us clippings and seeds of everything he had. This is what I love about this island. The beauty isn’t found in the turquoise sea and glorious weather, but in the hearts of the people. He, without hesitation, gave generously of whatever he had, with no expectation for anything in return.

This last week in Las Fincas we continued burning debris, removing stumps and built a rock wall. The most exciting news however is that we planted our first plants – Maracuya (passion fruit, Lilikoi) and a kind of Mayan spinach. Our goal with the maracuya is to provide a new commodity for the people to sell to tourists, much like Hawaii. Lilikoi is an exotic species yet Hawaii thrives on this vine as well as other exotics such as guava, coconut and pineapple. We hope to teach folks here how to make jam, jelly, marinades etc. and then market them to the cruise shippers, shipperites? shippeans? whatever, rich gringos.

This week we will make a path down the center so we are not tromping in mud during the rain. To assist in this rock bashing Eric bought an 8 kilo sledgehammer. He is only good for a few whacks, but what it whacks stays wacked. (I’m sure there is Sermon in there somewhere) We will also start digging the well..this is where is gets fun. The water is there, we just need to dig 8 meters down. yea. Luckily it is not all rock, there are pockets of dirt between the roots. right? So God bless. It is hard work here but we love this place and these people. Thank you for keeping us in your prayers. Please pray that God will continue to open doors, that the people in the church and in Las Fincas will be touched by The Holy Spirit and seek Him first and that God will continue to direct our path.

If you would like to make donations towards the building of the raised garden beds in Las Fincas, please visit 7dayhero.org and type in Mexico Mission in the memo.

Aside

Septi-hambre (Hungry Month)

It has been a difficult, but wonderful month here in Cozumel.

These past three weeks have been interesting. It rained, rained and then rained some more. Gia lucked out and went back to California for a week to finish up some business (she thought I lucked out by staying here on the island). Maybe. Even with the rain for twenty days straight, no idea how many inches, this place is now home.

With all the rain, I could not do any work on the farm project in Las Fincas. The roads were simply impassable . In fact, even now, because of the rain, there are potholes that you could lose a scooter in. We had our little junk car aligned, tires rotated, inflated with nitrogen (because of the heat). For about twenty eight dollars. Problem is one of those potholes will jack us, so we live on the scooter. It’s quite interesting getting out to Las Fincas on the scooter with all the tools. I am quite the sight as you can imagine.

While waiting out the storm, I worked on my sermons and preached at the local church that we go to. Last Sunday I preached on Luke 6:6-10, the story about the man with the withered hand. During church, I saw a newcomer crying the entire time. After the sermon she and her husband came to greet me and her husband shook my hand with his left. His right arm was withered. They were visiting from Louisiana -it is amazing how God guides people in both the big and the small things.

I also went back to my roots and started training kids in the gym for fun. There are so many opportunities for ministry on the island. God is good and continues to open up doors and bless us abundantly with being able to share His love with new friends. The minute one of those punks calls me “Abuelo” though, I quit.

This is September – in Spanish Septiembre on the island it is called Septihombre (hombre means hungry in Spanish) It is their “joke” everyone goes hungry in September. The island is completely dependent on tourism for survival. These fall months are hurricane season, so the cruise lines don’t visit. There are lots of kids around, dozens stand in line at the store to take turns to bag you groceries. You give them a few persos, and then the kid goes to the back of the line to wait his turn to bag again. You drive you scooter or car anywhere and they want to wash it, you give them five pesos. Typical Gringo I always pay way more. I don’t feel sorry for them, it is out of respect. Many kids in the United States would be glued to the computer if school was out. These kids do anything they can to make some money for their family.

Oh by the way, the schools were shut down for a while. The teachers were not getting paid. In fact the police and most of the maintanace workforce have not been paid for over a month.

The island is hurting, people are going hungry, and they will continue to be bad off financially for another month and a half. Hard to see good people suffer. This is why getting the farm up and running, and training the community on how to grow their own food is a priority, by next year we hope to have enough people growing their own gardens to subsidize the community for down season. So far,we have cut down the jungle and put it in about forty big piles. We have had to wait to burn it, but alas the sun finally came out

last Sunday. So last week I was able to burn some of the piles and hoe out the undergrowth. Next week we hope to burn more and begin on digging a well.

Before

After

Thank you for your prayers and financial support. You are making such a big difference in these people’s lives. We continue to send kids to school with your support and the Las Fincas community farm and mission center

is coming along nicely. If you would like to donate towards 7 Day Hero Mexico please click on the link below.

paypal.me/7dayheromexico

If you, your family or church is interested in a work/mission trip we are now ready to host you and would welcome your help. Your team would have a safe, wonderful cultural

experience, a natural experience diving and exploring and more importantly a spiritual experience by serving and meeting felt needs for our Lord. Vaya con Dios.
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