Wow, what a trip. Spent a whole day reflecting, praising the big man upstairs, and discussing the trip with my sister. Amidst all the patients we saw and service events we did, my absolute favorite part was spending time with the kids (e.g., playing tag, blowing bubbles, wrestling, having them teach me Spanish, playing in the pool, etc). Many of these kids grew up in Children Homes (i.e., orphanages) from the moment they could remember. Many of these homes have only one caregiver to every 8-10 children, so a lot of the little ones are just starved for attention. It was absolutely awesome seeing how appreciative they were and how big their smiles were when we would play with them or spend the time seeing them in clinic.

Believe it or not, after a day of being in the US…I really miss the 93-degree whether and humidity. I miss how simple life can be. I miss waking up to the amazing mountains that surround Monterrey, Mexico. I miss going out and just serving children during the day. I miss getting my hands dirty, cleaning bathrooms and painting walls. I miss receiving hugs by little kids that are just so pure and so loved by their Father above. I long for more!

Thank you EVERYONE who has supported me – financially and spiritually! I thank you for partnering with me and joining me on this trip. I thank you for giving me an experience that changed my life…and an experience that has shown me what serving with a reckless faith means!

Looking up,
Daniel Lui

Again, please visit here for pictures: http://public.fotki.com/dll15151/monterrey-mexico-2009/

Note: Sorry, the picture-loading process has been a little delayed. The rest of the pictures (i.e., day #4 and 5) will be up by Sunday morning!
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Hi everyone! This is Libby Kim,
Today was our last day, but it was also a very fun one. We went to Casa Hogar Douglas, a children home that is a place to call home to over 80 children. Today we cleaned many different gross things, including eating tables ( who know that eating tables could get so dirty!) and bathrooms. The bathrooms were DISGUSTING!!! After cleaning the BOYS bathroom, ( which, by the way had poop on the walls) We ate lunch. With our bellies stuffed with food, (mostly Oreos) we went back to campus. We then held a pool party for some of the kids from Casa Hogar Douglas. They really enjoyed it. After the kids left, we just hung out. Goodnight!
Libby

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Season of Change

This mustard seed of passion in my head is about to explode. I feel so heavy, overwhelmed, and even lonely. I don’t want to say this trip has changed my vision…but it has definitely given me SO MUCH [of something?]. I was honored to have the chance to end my last night here with the director of Back2Back Mexico, Todd Guckenberger. He took time out of his EXTREMELY busy schedule to sit down with this child (me) to talk about my passion. He shared with me so many pearls of how he started and continues to grow Back2Back in Mexico. I feel like I [and GBL?] is about to go through a season of radical change and a period of understanding what it truly means to serve with a reckless faith.

This trip has been absolutely difficult, but absolutely awesome. I have:

1. Met and learned from the amazing/dedicated staff here at this mission village.
2. Interacted with some of the most adorable and precious children I’ve ever met. The orphans taught ME so much!
3. Learned so much from Dr. Tony Kim about life – his zeal for “the big man upstairs” has been contagious.
4. Served alongside 3 of the most amazing girls (Libby, Grace, Emily) ever. I have never met any children as dedicated to “the big man upstairs” as these three.
5. Got closer with Dr. Catherine Kim. Not many people know this (including her), but I rarely feel truly loved by people. I don’t know why, maybe it’s just my personality. However, I feel genuinely loved as a brother in christ by her. It’s been great serving with her.
6. Learned a lot about myself and a lot about my vision for the future.

Me standing alongside Todd Guckenberger

Looking up,
Daniel Lui

Stay tuned…

Hola, My name is Grace and I am 11 years old. Today we went to “Meme’s Rio”. It is basically a poor shanty community along a river. Meme is a great lady who works with B2B as a housekeeper and a nanny. She doesn’t need to keep living in the Rio but she chooses to because of her passion and love for the people who live there. She is going through a difficult time and needs prayer.

The kids helped the grown-ups check the kids and the adults and we did vital signs. What surprised me was how similar the kids were to me, Emily, and Libby. Even though we live very different lives we all love to play and have fun. I really had a good time today helping the adults and spending time with the kids and the adults.

This trip has been really fun and GOD has helped me, the other kids, and the adults be able to help heal some people physically and spiritually.

Peace Out,
Grace

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My heart is so heavy.

As Grace said above, we went to Meme’s Rio today, which is a shanty neighborhood where 1/2 the homes don’t have running water, and no homes have bathroom plumming (i.e., you pee and poop in a hole). Meme has worked hard and done enough to move out the neighborhood, yet she has chosen to stay behind because she loves the people of her community and wants to be there for them. As I walked down the dirt path, all the shacks and trash were to my left, but the most beautiful mountains were on my right…just such a stark contrast…and it felt so wrong? We saw patients from the community, and the girls (Grace, Libby, Emily) were such a great help doing all the vital signs! We ended our time at the Rio with prayer, especially for Meme – it was extremely emotional. Her yoke has not been light…

I’m reading “Reckless Faith” by Beth Guckenberger, who is the co-founder of Back2Back Ministries here in Monterrey, Mexico. She writes: That day…I had a defining moment – an experience that impacted our thinking, touched our hearts, and compelled us into a new course of action. It changed our lives. I used to be afraid of that word, change, as if it implied somehow, that I need to be corrected. But now I have a different view of change. It is a shift in perspective and not the Extreme Home Makeover kind of change we see on television. It is a shift in what we think we are capable of. It is a shift in where we want to see our life heading. It is a shift in how we are willing to spend our time, talents, and resources. I want to be courageous enough to change. I want to be courageous enough to be like Beth, to be fully obedient [spiritually], and to live my life with a reckless faith/abandon that allows me to participate in the furthering of His Kingdom and His glory. Where should I serve? China? How should I serve? How do I serve? Who will support me? Is it wrong of me to desire [a lot] more than just paint some building or help put up a door or see a few patients in a poor neighborhood? I want more.

I feel so ill-equipped…and even unworthy.

Looking up,
Daniel Lui

Part of Meme’s home and probably the best one [aesthetically] in the entire community.

Pictures from today: http://public.fotki.com/dll15151/monterrey-mexico-2009/day-4/