Mazatlan Update- what day is it?

I only know it is Sunday because we went to church today. Otherwise the days mix together here. Yesterday we had a full really long day at a colonia called Madero. On Saturday mornings they have what is called a 'feeding center' and local kids come for fun, games, songs, sunday school type lesson and a hot meal. Our team prepared the hot meal for about 200 kids, the ladies in our group did a Bible study for moms during the kid time and at about 1 pm we started our clinic. I have been too tired to count papers but I think we saw at least 100 people. It was such a great day. Our team has kinda of 'split' into two groups- we have three large families, Wassinks 7, Outersons 5 and Legets 6 which make our team kind like having a youth group around with all their kids and then there is Bill and I and three other singles who came with us. It has been hard to get time together all of us but nonetheless it has been really great to have so many people to help in the clinic and to keep the kids entertained. James Leget (dad from New Zealand) is a trooper always playing some game with the kids in the colonias and the kids on our trip. He is an amazing balloon animal maker and so far has taught our kids touch rubgy on the beach. He was a professional rugby player in his earlier days. He hopes to teach us all cricket by the time we leave. Their family has been a hugh asset to our team.

Church today was good. Fred taught about not getting weary and continuing to serve and fight for what we know God wants to do down here and in our lives. It was helpful for Bill and I as now on our 8th trip we are getting a bit weary. Fred talked about how we may not see the fruit of our labor for years or even in our lifetime but that doesn't mean there will not be fruit. It was a powerful reminder for Bill and I today.

One of my old YL friends, Sydney Boone Gaylord- mother of 3, just got diagnosed with a brain tumor. She is getting great care at Duke and had a biopsy last week. Right now they believe it is malignant and non operatable due to its location. I got this news from a mutual friend just the other day. Today in church one of the verse Fred used was 2 Cor 4:16-18. Sydney must have brought up this verse while at Lake Champion where we were on the laundry crew together one summer because I had it highlighted in my Bible with her name next to it. It is a powerful reminder of what to really hold on to and my prayer for Sydney and her family and for me in my weariness.

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary but what is unseen is eternal."

Thanks Sydney for sharing those words with me over 15 years ago. We are praying for you and knows God will continue His mighty work in your life.