When:July 13-28, 2004

With:Christ in Youth

What: VBS, Sports Ministry, Construction.

I'm BACK!
Here is an e-mail I sent after returning....
Hola everybody! Well, I got back from the Yucatan Peninsula last Wednesday. I miss the people and just the way of life there. The team stayed with the Gates, a missionary family that has been down there for 18 years. They're an amazing family! For the most part we stayed in the city of Merida and did three nights of VBS, 4 days of work, 3 nights of sports ministry and evangelism and prayer walking. For three days we stayed in a city about 5 hours away from Merida called Chetumal. There we also did work...concrete, VBS and a prayer walk. The culture in the Yucatan is a little bit different than the rest of Mexico. The Mayan culture plays a huge role in most of their lives. Some people speak Mayan and most speak Spanish...and sometimes a little of both. In the Yucatan the choice to accept Christ is a much slower process than what most of us may be used to. The missionaries explained how it may take years for people to really accept Christ and the fact that He forgives them. The whole trip was very streching for me and I learned a whole lot about obedience to God. I also feel God has opened my eyes and ears more to the things around me. In Chetumal I could feel a burden while I was there. Chetumal is a small town and there is a lot of drinking in the neighborhood we stayed in. There is much spiritual warfare there and it was the first time I actually felt those kinds of things. In Merida, myself and a few other team members were able to create bonds with some teens in a park. God totally opened the doors to these teens. The missionaries explained to us that they were like "hippies". The first night we saw them they had a drum and a fire baton. Each one would take turns twirling the baton and dancing with the beat of the drum. They explained it was a way of self expression and medidation. These teens and many people of the Yucatan still hold tight to Mayan beliefs and gods. In fact the park the teens hang out at is also the sight of Mayan ruins. One of the girls, Genisis, I talked to said they believe there is someone watching over them and that will help them if they need it. They feel there is someone bigger than they are, which opened a huge door to witness! The four we witnessed to we very touched and eager to hear. They thanked us and told us what we told them was a gift, so please pray that they continue to ask questions and seek the Truth. On one of the last days in the Yucatan we visited Mayan ruins and a cave the Mayan took refuge in during war. We saw the places they sacraficed humans to the rain god and places they worshipped different gods. It really opened my eyes to the people's background and culture, which really helps when ministering to them. The people at the church we worked at were so hospitable. You can see Jesus in everything they do and they totally understand the unity of the body which is something some churches fail to realize. They were such a blessing to get to know. There are so many stories of God's victory. He streched us all and taught us so many things. The trip was life changing. God's plan and will for this world and everyone in it is so huge we can't even comprehend it! Thank you a million times for your prayers and support! God answered them! Please continue to lift up those God touched through us. Pray that satan will lose all grip on the people. That they will find the Truth in One God, Jesus. Pray they will surrender all to Him and realize that there is no Hope or forgiveness in the Mayan religion. I have so many stories and if you wanna talk more about what Jesus did in the Yucatan feel free to e-mail me back anytime! Dios le bendiga!
Gladly His,
Hailee
Jer. 29:11