This will have to be a quickie…it’s 10pm…I have yet to pack for a 5 day trip (and I leave tomorrow at 6am), respond to about 20 emails, and prepare music for 5 days worth of devotional worship for said trip. All that being said, I probably should NOT be blogging, but figured I’d let you in on the exhilarating madness and joy that makes life, well, life =)
So what’s this 5-day trip all about?
Tomorrow I’m headed down to the warmly familiar yet very non-American city of Bucerias, Mexico. My family has had the privilege of joining with a Orange County based non-profit group called Circle of Concern for the past ten years. [I think the first time I went with them I had braces...] Hey, you should become a fan of their Facebook page because they’re awesome and I’m their awesome administrator =)
Old school! Here's the 2001 New Song crew in Sayulita, Mexico =)
On each trip we’ll venture down into mainland Mexico with doctors, dentists, optometrists, and even chiropractors to set up free clinics for locals. My Mom has become the queen of running the Vacation Bible School, which sometimes looks like a peaceful craft or two with a classroom of children and sometimes looks like a full-blown circus with 500 MORE kids than we were prepared to face-paint, fake-tattoo, and smother with snow cones.
The Mamacita
A few years ago my vocal cord injury threatened to not only stop me from trying to learn Spanish, but almost turned me into a full-time intercessor, unable to offer much else in the way of ministry. Instead of staying home, I jumped in as a photographer and did family portraits, using a portable printer and plastic frames, giving most families their first-ever portrait [shoot, I'd have given Walmart's 1-hour photo center a run for their money!]
On this trip I’ll again be doing photo ministry, as well as learning some videography skills alongside friend, and editor for Surfer’s Journal, Jeff Girard. What really makes these trips is not just the fact that we get to share the love of Christ through demonstrations of love and generosity, but that we have become what I call a “missions family.” I have been able to grow up and serve alongside the same group of Christians through so many phases of my own personal walk with the Lord [15-24 is a pretty crazy span...] Some of them saw me publicly re-dedicate my life to Christ at 19. Some saw me drinking in a shady Mexican bar the night before. Sometimes what we need most is people who are faithful to us in the midst of our shortcomings, full of mercy and demonstrating the faithfulness of Christ…and believing for the best. They were the first group to lay hands on me and pray for the miraculous healing of my voice when I was first injured in 2007.
Three years later, I am honored to be able to lead worship for Circle of Concern’s Spring ’10 Outreach =)
If you’d like to be covering the trip in prayer, we will surely need it! Ask the Lord to give us unity of mind, strength – both spiritually and physically [we're looking at 90 degree & up weather], and favor with the local government. We have heard rumor from our Bucerias church plant, La Fuente Riviera, that some local government officials will be coming to see what we’re up to [in a good way] and this may be an open door to other cities and hopefully future church plants!
Also on the horizon….I’ve been writing a lot of music and may have the opportunity to do some recording at the end of the month while in California. I’m hoping to post some lyrics and possibly samples soon!
Also, I’ll be joining a few friends to lead worship for a South Dakota biker’s conference in September…yeah that’s what I said, a *biker’s conference*. We went last year and had a blast! In case you’re not getting what I’m saying, dude’s rode up on Harley’s…chaps and all…and worshiped Jesus. What an experience. Maybe I’ll come home with a few tattoos this time ;)
Coveting your support & prayers,
Alyssa
Sounds AWESOME!!! will be praying =)
love you xoxo