Norris Gilbertson-Brooklyn Park, MN (Dad)
Crystal Gilbertson-Brooklyn Park, MN (UMM Grad 01')
Dan Specht-Apple Valley, MN (UMM Grad 00')
Salvador Monteagudo-St. Paul, MN (UMM Grad 99')
Catherine McDade-Champlin Park, MN (UMM Grad 01')
Mary-DeGraff, MN (UMM Grad 01')
Marnie Johnson-Plymouth, MN (UMM Soph)
Beth Odegaard (Homeschool: High School Grad)
Becky Odegaard (Homeschool: Freshmen)
Saturday, May 19th
@3:40pm Plane departs to Phoenix, AZ
@6:30pm Plane arrives Phoenix, AZ time; U-Save Rental Vehicle to Nogales, AZ
@8:00pm Highway Stop at Burger King
@11:00pm Arrive at Nogales, AZ
Sunday, May 20th
@8am Wake up from Triumph Lutheran Church (All Free Lutheran Church) compound
@10am Children's Church: Children Spanish Songs
@11am Playground
@12noon Sunday Church Luterania Church in Buenon Aires-Nogales, Sonora-MEXICO: Catherine, Dan, and Crystal shares their testimony (Philemon 1:6)
@2:30pm Leave for Mascarena, Nogales
@3:30pm Arrive at Mascarenas after bumpy dirt countryside road trip
@4:00pm Team Meeting: Singing practice
@5:00pm Nap
@6:00pm Wake up and preperation
@7:00pm Sunday Night Service with Pastor Daniel: Team perform Children Spanish Songs; Sal and Crystal shares their testimony (Philemon 1:6)
@9:00pm Late Night Dinner (Spanish Rice, tortilla with Chicken, Mexican Milk Dessert) at Mexican Family's Casa
@11am Bedtime in Van
Monday, May 21st
@7am Wake up/Quiet Time
@8:15am Visit Elementary School [no high school here!)
@9:15am Leave for a walk around Mascarenas village
@9:30am Breakfast: Tortilla w/eggs and green pepper
@10am Prayer with Village Church Members
@1:00pm Prepare Lunch: Deli Style
@1:30pm Lunch
@3:00pm Children Evangelism Activity outreach
@5:00pm Leave for the border
@6:00pm Crossing the border in Nogales
@7:00pm Dinner at Dennys ("American Consumption")
Tuesday, May 22nd
@7:00am Wake Up/Quiet Time/Breakfast
@9am Nogales Crossroads "Rescue" Mission: Tilling, Sort clothes to be given away, sort mail,
@12:30pm Lunch Break
@1:30pm Break/Nap
@5:00pm Help Lawrence/Gola (started Triumph Lutheran Church back in 1960's) with feeding birds/water plants on top of Triumph Lutheran Church hilltop
@6:00pm Barbecue: Hamburgers, hotdogs, bratwurst, corn/potatoes/(ham) wrap
@10:00pm Walk up on hill to view Nogales, AZ at night
Wednesday, May 23rd
@5:30am Wake Up/4-6mile run with Norris and Pastor Daniel on the rough and rugged hills of Nogaes, AZ
@6:45 am Rest from Run
@7:00am Chat with Pastor Daniel and Lenny
@9am Lawn Mow Triumph Lutheran Church compound
@3:00pm Bible Distribution (#21 +/- total bibles in groups of 3; including one given to a drunk man sitting on the street!) in Nogales, Sonora with Iglesia de Luthernaia with Pastor Anthony, Wife, Isabel (daughter)
@6:00pm Children Evangelism Activity Outreach: Children Spanish Songs, Mountain Chalk Painting w/ Beth's testimony/salvation prayer (50+ children came up for the salvation prayer-Romans 10:9)-Dios Gloria! (Praise God) Mountain Chalk Drawing w/testimony by Beth, water balloon fight, basketball, face painting, hacky sack, bubbles, etc…)
@7:15pm Leave for the border
@8:15pm Sal cooks Spanish Rice and Macaroni Cheese
Thursday, May 24th
@7:00am Wake Up
@10am Team Prayer/Meeting
@ 12noon Lunch at Mascarenas Park
@ 2:30pm Bible Distribution (#21 +/- total bibles given in groups of 3) in Mascarenas, Sonora with Maria, Francisco, and Luiz (residents)
@ 4:00pm No one shows up for Youth Evangelism Activity Outreach
@4:15pm Team Prayer with Mexican Church Members about outreach
@4:30pm God answers our prayer: Youth Evangelism Activity Outreach: Children Spanish Songs, Water balloon fight, ball playing (hacky sack, throw inflatable ball, soft baseball throwing), hooly hoop, bubbles,etc…
@6:00pm Run for the border
Friday, May 25th
@7:00am Wake up
@8:00am Chat with Pastor Daniel and Lenny
@10:30am Farewell to Daniel
@11:30am Shopping/Bargaining at Nogales, Sonora-MEXICO
@2:30pm Eat at Jack in the Box: eggrolls, tacos (first time)
@3:00pm Hike the dry arid desert type hills of Nogales, Arizona
@4:00pm Nap/Break/ Quiet Time
@5:30pm Supper at International House of Pancakes
@7pm Team Prayer: Reflection (thankful to God on what he did this past week) time on our week and answer to following questions:
1-What would you have done differently about planning this trip?
2-What have you learned?
3-What were some challenges in this trip?
4-Do you plan to go on another missions trip?)
Saturday, May 26th
@6:00am Wake up to get to the shower early?
@6:30am Quiet time with God (Reading Manuel)
@7:00am Clean-up time in the Triumph Lutheran House
@9:30am Departure time from Nogales to Phoenix, AZ
4 hour drive through Tuscon, State Park (got more souveniers), Casa de Mesa (clay sand monument)
@2:15pm Arrive in Phoenix, AZ to drop rental van at U-Save
@3:50pm Plan Departs from Sky International Airport-Phoenix, AZ
-bus for the people of Mascarenas to continue on to secondary school (no high school) for a better and brighter future to students to further on their education
-Pastor Daniel & Lenny of Mascarenas and Pastor Antonio of Nogales
-kids (including the 50+ children that did the salvation prayer) of Mascarenas and Nogales to not get to the wrong direction: drugs, submit/obey loving caring parents
-financial providance to continue on sharing the "gospel"
-42+/- Bibles that were distributed in Mascarenas & Nogales to be read and to personally open the eyes of these people
-seeds that were planted through God's word (Bible, sharing of testimony, etc..) to grow in a solid foundation (Matthew 13)
-Mexico Trip 2001 Team to share their testimony on what God did to be an encouragment to friends, family, others, and themselves to grow in their personal relationship with Jesus Christ (Philemon 1:6)
-future missionaries of this region
I am overall thankful to God for opening my eyes to many things through this trip: From being contented (Philippians 4:11) of what God has given me whever I am or will be at as I live in "consuming, capatilistic, materialistic U.S.A"; how fortunate I am to have what I have as an "American" (high standard of living (so much food to choose, clothing, and shelter; having a "good" education (no high school in Mascarenas!), and to really enjoy life by keeping that "childlike" heart everyday in everything I do...
