It’s officially been about a month and a half here in Mexico, and my time in Chiapas Mexico is coming to an end. That feels unreal to say. So this is a little recap of what the Lord has done in this place.

CASA HOGAR ALEGRE

Casa Hogar Alegre is a children care facility in Chiapas Mexico, this is where I've been living for the past month and a half. And oh my gosh it has been a roller coaster of emotions. I've been sick at least 5 different times, we have STACKED ministry all week and travel days every saturday, It’s been stretching in every way possible. My relationship with the lord has grown TREMENDOUSLY here. During Ministry times, from 2 to 5 on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, I got to help lead a sports class that helped teach the kids english and It is always SO FUN! The kids always come with so much energy, which makes it a little hard to teach them English, but that's okay lol. During this time I got to develop relationships with almost all of the kids, and spend so much time with them. Also for about the first month none of the kids knew my name, so they either called me Messi (as in the soccer player) ,or Guapo(which means handsome), LMAO! Then on Wednesdays and Fridays I had Garden ministry! Where the boys live here, there is a garden area that was super run down and they didn't use it for anything except foot chickens and they cook food back there on a home made grill. SO during those 2 days of the week me and half of our group renovated so much of it! We built rooster bars and laying boxes for the chickens, painted a giant mural on one of the walls, and planted a bunch of different kinds of plants in the garden beds they had there like squash, watermelon etc. We cleaned SO MUCH and it took a lot of work, but now it looks so much better then when we got there. 

Now, this is our last day in Casa Hagar Alegre, which is insane. The time here flew by faster than I think anything has for me, ever. But there is a short testimony that I'd like to share that I've experienced while being here. I remember before this trip, I didn’t have many expectations, but one that I did have is that I knew my heart would break, and it has, many times. Being on this trip has really given me a lot of perspective on Love. It has shown me God's Love, and how he loves, like bro. God is ALWAYS DOING! I’ve learned that true love DOES. And seeing how God is providing for these kids, is a testament of Love. Being here has given me a lot of perspective on who I am as a person as-well. These kids story’s, and the way they carry themselves, reminds me of me when I was a kid. But seeing them, and knowing they are so scared, and they’ve been through literal hell, they show up. They all show up, and they do it with love, kindness, and respect. Which to me is so incredibly important, and I wish everyone could experience a trip or experience like this at some point in their lives. Because these kids don’t have to show up the way they do, And no one would ever expect them too if they knew everything they had been through. But they do, every single day. And yet when the smallest things happen to me, and others around me, we let it completely affect how we show up, or not show up at all. That alone gave me a huge change in perspective, especially about how I live my life, now as a Christian, who is becoming a Man, who wants to follow the will of God, to be fruitful, to be and have Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and self control in my heart, not through my own strength, but through Jesus. This place has taught me so much, and it breaks my heart to leave, but I’ve come to learn over these past months since August what I said earlier, and that is that God Loves us so abundantly. And that word “Abundant” isn’t a half baked, unbalanced noun . It means FULL, complete, overflowing, more than enough. So when God has Abundance for us, it is full. His love isn’t just said, or felt, it is Activity moving ALWAYS. In that I trust the Lord, because I have been blessed to really come to realize it and see it on this trip. Now I see it in everything.

Being here for the last month and a half has been one of the biggest blessings of my life, and I'm going to miss it here more than anything. I never thought God would grow me the way he has, it's been such a beautiful thing. Tomorrow we head to San Cristóbal to stay at a YWAM base for a week. After that, I’ll be heading to Guatemala, my final country on this journey. I am really nervous and scared for what's next, but I know God will provide for me and my group. Please pray for peace, love, and just health over my group as we head into new spaces, and that the holy spirit would just wash over us. Thank you all so much for your support. And for everyone at home, I am praying for you always, I am so excited to see you all when I get back home at the end of April!! With that, just as Jesus relied on the support of others during his time in Ministry, I too will need to rely on the generous giving of those around me. I still have a little over $1600 to raise for my missions. Please prayerfully consider support in finance and or prayer if you feel called. Any amount would be a great contribution and would mean the world to me! And again from the bottom of my heart, thank you! Adios Amigos!

-Ethan Sausen