man on the moon

work.
Work had definitely been crazy. ask my roommates how many times they see me.. not too often.. sad day :(

I have been working really hard. I have some stuff to show for it.. if one is ever curious.

Here are the following things I have been working on..

Mexico.
We headed to Mexico on November 8-9. It was a disaster, according to my agenda. When we first arrived to Mexico everything was going well.

It was until we reached the campgrounds that everything did not go as planned.

Both pastors’ forgot that we were going to visit their church. I just felt horrible because I invested a lot of time and effort planning out these trips and they did not show up. But the show kept on going.

The Kyrgyzstan team headed to Pastor Juan’s church site. He did not show up. Luckily, Andre Richey (Mr. Mission) is the team leader for that team and he rolled with the punches. According, to him they had an amazing time over there.

The rest of the team was at the Pastor Silvia’s church site. It went really well. I was paired up with Josh and Joe. We knocked on homes in search for children. We ended having about twenty children joining us for the afternoon. Because I was the only one fluent in Spanish, I was given the assignment to teach them the story of the Good Samaritan. We had some sweet arts and crafts and fun activities. I think we played about 2 hours of soccer with the boys. That was definitely tons of fun.

I personally had an amazing time at Pastor Silvia's site. These children were very well-mannered, easy-going, and attentive. I had such a blast!!

After a fun afternoon, we headed toward “El Charo” a sweet restaurant. Again I ate way too much chicken.

Soon after, we headed towards the campgrounds. In the campgrounds we had some worship time and Josh delivered an encouraging message.

It gets better…

We had Sunday service inside the campgrounds. As we were doing our things. The campground director locked us inside the campground. We weren’t able to get to the border line until 3pm… we arrived at Vanguard at 11pm. The longest drive home.

God has definitely been teaching me to rely on Him and not be stuck in my own agenda.

Other thing that I have been working on lately is the finals week fundraiser. I believe we have received a little over 3000 dollars from caring parents. Next week, we will definitely be very busy making goody bags for the majority of the student body.

A plug in. We have been meeting with our Hands across the Border student Committee for the past month. We are planning the annual spring break trip. We have most of the teams covered, we are working on the worship teams, and now we are mostly focusing on the publicity. We will be meeting again next week in the morning for breakfast.

Another, assignment that I have been working on is the Children’s Christmas Party. This event has definitely been taking up most of my time. I have been calling organizations to help donate food and toys to underprivileged children, working on booths, giving announcements in chapel, and been running around doing errands for this event. Next week, we will be having our wrapping party we will be wrapping over 300 hundreds gifts…

Although, this part of the semester has definitely been very stressful, I know at the end God will be glorified.

INDIA

Yesterday.
I worked for about 4 hours.

We just receive about 25 checks from parents for the finals week fundraiser.. It is looking really good :)

The Children's Christmas Party is really good. We are ahead of our timeline. We are just finishing up the Christmas ornaments. Now we are working on the video we will be launching on November 18.

Mexico. I just sent out emails to the people who submitted applications for the last weekend trip . We have about 10 people coming alongside with us. I am so excited. For the most part it is new students that are interested in getting involve..


Today.
I am filling in my boss with detail information about our spring break trip. Little nerve wrecking, i hope she likes how i am organizing the trip.

Also, today I will be working on inputting data for the finals week fundraiser.. basically a payment tracking.. fun .. fun.. lol

Chocolate

So. These past few weeks have been flying by F A S T... .
I have been working on the Finals Week Fundraiser and the Children's Christmas Party.

The finals fundraiser is one of our biggest fundraiser that our office has for the entire year. It consist of the Event Coordinator making goodie bags for the families that wish to give their daughter/son a survival bag for finals. As of right now, the Fundraiser is going very well. We have receive about 14 checks from student's parents so far.. and we just sent out the letter about 5 days ago. We are off in a good start.

The Children's Christmas Party has also taking up most of my office time because I have been making Christmas ornaments, sent our support letters, contact the fire department, ordered a Santa Claus suit, and trying to come up with creative ideas to capture the student body's attention, so that they can get involve with the Christmas Party.

Now, my specialty MEXICO.

This Saturday and Sunday we will be headed off to our last weekend trip to Mexico for the semester. We are headed to a church site, Pastor Silvia's church. We plan to have a bible lesson, arts and crafts, fun activities, and ofcourse some soccer games!!!

Tomorrow, we will make an announcement during chapel and send a mass email to the entire student body.

Actually, today, Christine made an announcement at a Spanish class for our trip. Jaime Brownlee agreed that she will give extra credit for the students that attend this trip. So that's an incentive. We will see who will come out of that class.

Last Thursday, we had our first Hands Across The Border (HATB) student leader committe meeting. It was Awesome. We just began planning our SPRING BREAK trip to Mexico. Josh an I carefully hand-picked people for our trip. OH. I made some sweet binders for them. I love them. They have the agendas for the meetings,

Here are the f0llowing people:

Pubilicity: Fula and Joe
Team Leader Coordinator: Christine and Elise
Campgrounds: Krystle
Worship: Cecilee and Mabel
Director: ME
BOSS: Josh

The group is TIGHT!! We all get along oh so well.

We will be having our next meeting next Thursday at the Cafe. I give people assigments for the two weeks.

We will see how it goes from there. The people are great. I'm stocked!!

Picnics

I love my job.
I help people get involve with community development and global initiatives.. its pretty amazing. I think this might be my future proffessions.

It has been a long time I have posted a blog. Seriously I have been so busy :( It is getting a lot better.

These are things I have been working for the past few weeks.

As a event coordinator I have been working on Finals Week Fundraiser and the Children's Christmas Party. I'm in charge of so many things.. AGH!
But I'm excited it is going to be GREAT!! Jesus will glorified!!

On top of that I am leading a team down to Mexico on November 8-9. Awesomeness :)
Hopefully this time we will get more boys to come.. we need boys because the children like them ALOT..


And..the office I work for we have been having picnics every friday..and we also play frisbee.. . my bosses and the co-workers are pretty amazing.. i have so much fun with them :)

Thankyou Jesus..

I'm going home this weekend! But I work 2/3 days. .. .sad day :(

Copy machine..

.. work.
.. work from 3-5pm
.. It is actually real exciting. because we our planning our second trip to Mexico Oct. 25-26.. Our second trip will consist of visiting a church site and a women's shelther.. im pumped just because I feel that a lot of people are getting excited to go down there and build relationships.. This week we posted applications and deadlines.. next week we will be announcing our trip during chapel.. so that real exciting..
anyhow..
today I will be calling up the women's shelther and the church site to touch bases .. double checking that they are aware that a college group will be stopping by during the weekend of Oct. 25-26.. .

.. on top of that.. im just doing errands for the outreach office.. .
. i had my one-one time with Josh. It was pretty good. i really don't want to go into to it.. just because it's a bit personal.. . but let me say I had a splendid time.. i'm growing..

::.. tooddles.::

Africa?

.. work..
I practically worked everyday for about 4 hours.
. work .. . good stuff.. .
.. this week was pretty crazy. .. it was Mission Week here at VU.. we had so many stuff to do this week..
.. on Tuesday we Andrew richey speak.. man. he is such a passionate individual for Christ.. for missions.. for people.. He is a man of God.
... . we also set up a prayer walk.. all over campus.. it gave students an opportunity to pray for missions, missionaries, orphans, widows, oppressed people, our nation, our world, and our very own community..
.. on Wednesday we had a parade of nations.. we had students walk through the chapel aisles and hold an international flag..a pretty amazing visual.. and last minute my boss asked me if i would speak in front of the entire student body about my family's origin.. and how the Lord has been faithful in my life.. it was nerve wrecking.. i was emotional.. i always get very emotional every time i speak about my family ..
.. on Thursday we had a bunch of workshops so that students can be able to have practical things at hand in terms of involvement with missions.. towards the evening we had a huge reception .. international food. .. my friends and i cooked most of the food.. it wasn't too bad. ..
.. lastly.. on Friday we had an informational meeting about the mission trips we will be taking this summer..
personally. I'm interested in going on a 2month mission trips to Africa.. knowing that this trip can ultimately flipped my plans upside down.. .

this weekend is going to great.
rest.

My GOD is good to me..

work.
I worked for about 8 hours on Friday, September 26 one day before our first Ensenada weekend trip. That day was so freaking crazy.. we did all the shopping for supplies and food, confirmed vans, people's attendance, numbers, insurance plans, weather.. blah.. blah... And on that day we also found out that 8 people dropped from our trip.. and that threw us a huge curve ball, just because we had already made all the calculations for 25 people. . that really sucked. . One of the biggest lesson I learned from that trip was that people are flakes.. little harsh i know.. but as leaders we must be prepared for anything.. oh flexibility.. thats a gift.. .. (my biggest pet peeve)

Anyhow.. enough. .. about that ..
It's now Saturday morning.. I wake up at 6AM and head out to the Outreach office at 6:30 am . We load the vans.. double check individual's forms, get some breakfast .. we head out..
.. the drive to Ensenada was sooo bad.. we were stuck in traffic for about 8 hrs. .during that wait we sang soo many songs.. shout out to Shaun.. an amazing DJ.. but.. I still was going nuts.. the reason for all the traffic was because there was an annual BIKE race from TJ to Ensenada.. giving cars one to two lanes to drive on.. it was horrible.. I never want to see another bike in my life..
.. we arrive at our site.. real late.. we get there at 3PM.. we were suppose to be there at 1PM.. now our schedules are all messed up.. but it's ok.. we were a flexible bunch... half of us head to an orphanage and the others to a church site..
... I went to the church site.. it was pretty amazing.. there we meet up withe pastor.. headed up to his little mission.. We gather some street kids.. sang some church songs.. performed a skit.. did a fun arts and crafts.. and we played an intense game of soccer.. i mean intense.. so intense that we all sweating through our shirts.. got some cuts and bruises.. fun times..
... it was around 6:30ish that we arrive to our camp grounds.. we cleaned up and headed to down town ensenada for some dinner. . .man we scarfed down a bunch of chicken.. It was soo good..
. .. after a night of fun.. we headed back to our camp ground..we played an intense game of mafia.. Oh my goodness... loads of fun.. after many games.. a group pf us stayed up really late talking and everything.. I was getting really sleepy.. but i was a trooper and stuck with it..

sunday morning came really quickly .. we had a devotion given by Josh Harrison.. i like saying people's last names.. anyway.. man.. was it one the life-changing devotions.. so.. it was a very basic concepts about our Christian belief.. but the way this man used his words.. were so penetrating... the devotion was about God's beauty.. God's worthiness to be praised and worshiped.. and how we only see a glimpse of it.. a mere whisper of his awesomeness... it just really hit me and my walk with God. i don't really want to write about it.. i apologize for that ..
.. so after our morning devotionals we had to church.. we attend Pastor Juan's church.. it was soo good.. it reminded me of Guatemala.. and the sweet time I had over there.. anyhow.. a few of our team members played worship.. Josh harisson preached.. and i gave my testimony.. i told my freinds my life story.. and where the Lord has taken me from.. this is really hard for me because i find it to be real personal thing i hold.. but i just felt that i should share it.. and i did. and it was amazing.. and i felt God moving. and i want to feel that feeling again... and again.. i never want to fade away like the rest of the feelings and emotions that i have.. i want God to be infinite in my life...

wow.

so.. we are now in the border line.. waiting for about 5 hrs.. going crazy once again..
we arrive at VU around 8pm.. we clean up the vans.. and head to our rooms..

I went to bed at 10.. amazing rest.. God given rest..

Buffalo Soldier

So .. all the titles for my blogs. have a meaning it's not just a random phrase i place there.
.. FYI..anyhow.
work.
work was crazy again.. . i worked for 3 hrs..
.. i called up so peopel who haven't paid.. made sure they knew that money was due .. yesterday.. fun stuff.
.. after that.. i just worked on busy work..

i had an examine today .. it went pretty well. . i think. i hope.

So.. tomorrow i have a metting at 10 am.. i will be explainnig the details of the trip and some other logistics.. that people need to know ..

we leave saturday morning bright and early..!!

yeah..

Ethos water

work.
I was in the outreach office for approximately 3 hours.But it was an intense day...
Today..
we rented vans for our first MEXICO TRIP, which is this weekend.. bought mexican car insurance.. just in casefinalize budget.and numbers.. 3 people dropped, so now we are at 23.. i figured people will drop last minute..and we are over budget.. again.. Found a second location.. we are headed to Pastor Juan's mission.. man.. im excited.. Finally wrote up an agenda for our meeting this Friday.. "We write an agenda so that people wont feel we are wasting their time.." according to my small group leadership class.

On top of all that.. i need to study for a test.. write a short story .. deposit money to my account.. ..
it will be another interesting night..

the secret garden

Yesterday. I worked like a mad woman, from 9 am-4:30pm

Things that I did. ..

-I typed up a payment tracking excel spread sheet. This will keeps us organized for weeks to come on finances, supplies, number of people that will be attending the trip. We have a total of about 25 people coming along. I'm so excited and anxious.. this is the largest group we have taken to Mexico for one weekend. I truly hope God will meet each person at where they're at...

-After the payment tracking Josh and I were on a quest to find out who will be coming to our trip .. We went to Kilm Ulm's office, Liz's office, and called some friends that were interested in coming along.. We finally got all the numbers settled.

-After the exhausting walks through Vanguard.. we had a team meeting, unrelated to Mexico. We are starting to plan out Missions Week.. man oh man.. is that going to be some work..
After the meeting.. I ate lunch with two of my favorite people.. christinie winnie and josh harrison..
.. . an hour later..
i got back to work..

I sent out a mass email to the students that will be going to Mexico..about some logistic we need to handle before we head out. One of them is a meeting on friday, sept. 26, during activity hour. At this meeting we will be talking about our trip, what we expect to happen, things we will be doing.. stuff like that.. and people will get to mingle. that's always fun..

After finishing up the email.. i called the orphanage we were going to be at .. and found out terrible news .. we had too many people coming along.. they were just expecting 10-12 students.. and now we have to find another location to send the rest of the students.. i am kind of nervous about this situation, but I know we will come up with somethink sick.. ..

After this headache faded away.. Josh and I began writing up a to do list before the trip.. it is not that intense .. I think it all can be done.

.. the day got a lot better too!! one of my good friends.. mabelinne came over from the IE and we had a splendid evenign..

hurray for gardens...

on the other side of the wall

work.

I was in the office for about 5 hours today because one of my religion course was cancelled. .. so I got a lot of work down today.. .

today was just prep work for our first weekend trip to Ensenada.
-I called the orphanage that we will be helping out to confirm that they know that they are aware that college students are headed down there in about two weeks.
- I sent out emails to all the participants stating when the money is due, Sept.24.
- I ran some errands for Josh and Jaime.. home depot .. check request.. .. filling. .. busy work that needed to be done.

F. Y. I
I am so excited for this trip because we have a total of 18 students coming along!! it's a record.. we have never had so many students interested in the weekend trips. I am so excited ")

I'm just a little anxious and nervous about the trip.. i just hope everyone will enjoy themselves.. ill leave it in the Lord's hands. .. :)

John piper

Sept. 16, 2008
work.
i've just realized that i spend too much time at my workplace. Work has taken over my life in a very good way.. i can be found on the first floor of Laguna Hall.
The Outreach Department... aka. The Diversity Program Management .. pretty cool.. I'm there when I want to hangout with friends. .. when I feel like starring at the clouds. .. and when i just need to talk to someone.
now..
the question is.. what does Vilma do??i am the mexico intern for DPM. I plan out all weekend trips to ensenada, Mexico & Hands Across the Border.one of the main reasons why we go to mexico so frequently is the mere fact that we want to establish real relationships with the people and the pastors. i dont want to go down to mexico once a year.. so that i can feel good about myself. .or because it's the right thing to do.. nor because its the "christian thing to do".. i do it because i love GOD. i want my life. my young years.. my energy.. to give Him glory. i love His people

.almond milk. is so good. try it out. there's some in the cafe.

i forgot to mention john piper. . josh harrison.. my boss ..read some passage that he wrote it pretty amazing.. i will explain later.