Mexico 2015

April 17-25
150 high school students, leaders, and families headed down for spring break in Ensenada Mexico. This was year #3 for us.
As usual Josie was a great traveler. We listened to books on cd, she looked through books on her own, she listened to music on headphones and we listened to This American Life. She also played on her Leapfrog iPad. Charlie, her dog was good company. It's a long drive to So Cal for the first night at the church. We drive on our own and meet everyone at the church. Saturday we all caravan in groups of 3-4 vehicles across the border together. We stop at our favorite taco stand.

 
The seniors leave a day ahead and set up tent village. We were fortunate to stay in the Hacienda this year since it was just our church there and not all the other churches. That also meant we brought our own speakers and food team. It was awesome.

Long road to the ranch from the main road. Beautiful countryside with vineyards and even a winery. View of the chapel area with tent city in the background.

Watching the sunset from tent city.

There's a nice big deck on the backside of the hacienda with these great views. 

Our team's site was the Women's Rehab. A 2nd story was built over the multipurpose room; we had a big feeding at lunch for the community kids; we played games and had activities for the kids. The Sunday we arrived at the rehab center was the first day having a worship service at the rehab center. The pastor and his wife and 3 little boys live there in one room with a kitchen and the multipurpose room. There was one room over a storage area that had two sets of bunk beds for the 4 ladies in rehab. One had a toddler. One bathroom behind the house. Amazing how tight the quarters were and the sacrifice the pastor and his family make to minister to their community.
One afternoon we invited all the community kids for lunch. For some reason they each got big donuts with their lunch.

Some of the teens painted nails and did hair. The kids loved it.

Jessica and Skylar sang some songs during lunch.

Video singing

Being silly with the kids.

Videos dancing

Josie faces

This girls loves to play around in the dirt.

Eric spent his time leading the construction project building a 2nd floor, and the kids took turns doing construction and playing with the kids. The 2nd floor will provide space for more ladies to stay at the rehab center.

 

Mark, our official photographer and videographer, brought a drone. The village kids were intrigued.

Break time

Village around the rehab center/church.

There was a school around the corner with a dirt field where we played game with the kids. In the opposite direction there was a cement slab for a basketball court.

More village pics and our fearless leaders, Carlos and Emily. He's pastor of family ministries at PCC. Emily was at our site and Carlos traveled around visiting all the sites.

This big sister below took her baby sis everywhere with her and gave her a bottle and changed her diaper. Lady below changing her baby on a piece of cardboard. Family business of shaved ice type of drink with some exotic fruit. Smart to come where a bunch of teens are working and playing.

Community kids joined in a prayer circle. We had students and adults who spoke Spanish and translated.

3 prayer videos

Josie sure had fun with Lucy who is a year older.

Fun getting dirty and being silly together

Playing on the basketball court: hopscotch; chalk drawing; pato, pato, ganso (duck, duck, goose)

It was fun to have nephew Matt on our team.

Playground at the Ranch

8am every morning and 8pm every evening we had chapel.

Josie loved climbing around the rocks at the ranch and the freedom to run around with Lucy. She would go down to her cabin by herself to ask to play.

Last stop after Mexico is Coronado for Baptisms then home sweet home.