The other day Andy and I were waiting in a parking lot to meet up with a group and take them across the border to our campground. We were sitting in a truck with the Amor Ministries logo on the side when a man came up to the truck and knocked on the window. He said to us, “You don’t know me, but 10 years ago you (Amor) changed my life when you built my church.”

It was incredible to be able to see an example of the long term effects of the ministry.  My hope is that all of Amor’s participants, volunteers, supporters and team members understand they are the “you” of whom this man was speaking.

Hey everyone,

So we are approaching the end of our time in Mexico with Amor Ministries.  I have been thinking about how we, the Nexus Team of 2009, are going to figure out what’s next in our lives. I’m pretty sure we can all say we’ve had times when we were just going with the flow of Christianity. Sure, we consider ourselves Christians, but are we really living that out or just saying it? I often hear people  say, “I want my life to reflect God’s will,” but what will they do to get to that point? Will they fight for it?

We were recently sitting in church service when the pastor read  Philippians 2: 5-8:

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing,  taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross.

I started to think about this a little more. It seems everyone wants to be known and have their name “out there.” We try to be known within our community, jobs, school, families, and pretty much anything else within our lives. We try to be the best and fit in with whoever is around us.

But Jesus never hung out with the best of the best. He was always around the sick, the poor, the dumb, the mute, “the least of these.” Instead of trying to become known, can we be Christ-like and humble ourselves? Can we have a servant’s heart in everything we do? I want us to be vulnerable with God to a point where we say, “God, I am living your life, take me where you want me to go. You gave me the gifts that I need to do your work so lead me where I am meant to do what you need me to do.”

It says in Isaiah 64:8, “Yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.” We should want God to mold us into what he wishes to accomplish His work. He puts us through all sorts of trials, but I think He is just preparing us for the bigger storm that is heading our way. He gives us a little at a time so we are ready for what he has waiting for us.

We have all had our storms this summer, whether big or small. God has used our time here to move us toward his purpose. We don’t need to focus on what others think we need to be doing or what we need to do to fit in with society. We need to focus on being a servant to God and be obedient.  Do what He tells you to do, go where He wants you to go, and live how He wants you to live. Thanks for all your love and support throughout our journey.

-Jessica Melvin

Project Nexus is a group of 18–25 year olds who are spending the summer in radical service, living at the Amor Ministries campgrounds and serving our groups in Mexico.

There are questions all, or at least most, of us ask after building an Amor home:  What’s going to happen to this family?Will it change their lives? Have we shown what servanthood and God’s love looks like? Sometimes groups are able to go back and see what years past homes look like. Some, unfortunately, have not been well kept – or have moved – or a natural disaster has taken place, which can be a real downer. But then you find people like Phillipe’s family who clearly demonstrate what an incredible impact our ministry can have. I would like share that story with you this week.

A man and his family drove past my 3 sites the other day. He stopped, got out, and introduced himself as Phillipe, his wife Silvia, and their two children. He explained, in Spanish, that he would love to cook for our entire group the next day (there was 80 people in the group). He then asked his wife and children to walk with Caleb (a fluent Spanish speaking group member) and me to his home, which has been converted into a soup kitchen. It turns out his family, while going through a very hard time financially, were blessed with a home by a ministry in the area. Once things picked up, they began devoting themselves to serving God in a way that would benefit their entire community. Out of their own pockets, each of them (Phillipe, Silvia and a woman from the community) take a huge percentage of their paychecks and put it into food and supplies to feed their community three days a week, 8am – 10am. They said they would love to do it more, but that is all the money would allow at that time. They serve 50-80 people per day the most delicious breakfast of beans, rice & seasoned eggs.

Over and over again, Phillipe thanks us, all the people who came in to eat, (there were only 15 seats, so I was going back and forth bringing in new groups). He told us how blessed his community was to have people come from the US (ahem… and Canada & Australia.. hehe) to show Gods love.

We were all humbled by this family’s intense passion and drive for God – a passion he says resulted initially from receiving a home when things were tough. And all 81/82 of us that sat down to eat that day were one of those lucky people that get to see the sensational impact building a house can have on a family and community. It’s not just about nails and roofing paper, but THROUGH these tools/resources… many are able to see Gods love and desire for them.

There are SO many memories and experiences occuring and  surrounding us Nexus. As the summer clicks over the halfway point, I know that never will I forgot Phillipe and his family.

Until next time,
G.B.&<3 (Gods Blessings & Love),
Linz & the Nexus team

Hi everyone,

So another week of the Nexus program has passed and there are so many different things  I could be telling you! We had some amazing groups in camp this week. From Go Inc. to Family Camp, there was a very lively and exciting atmosphere throughout.  I had only ever come to Mexico in the winter as a participant, so it was often the case that we were the only group in camp. So, for me to see 700+ people all in camp helping to grow the kingdom of God was an amazing thing.

I was working with a group from the Lutheran Church of Davis, California this week. They were an awesome group with whom I had a fantastic time working and sharing. Through conversations with this group and because of the very hands-on role I played I realized how easy it could be to get a big head doing what we do in Mexico. We often have people telling us how amazing they think we are, but I don’t think any of us feel that way. We are here because this is where God has called us. The other day I heard Gayla Congdon describe what we do as being obedient, which I think sums it up perfectly. However,  it can be easy to lose focus with everything that is going on around us. The other day one of the team members I was working with came up to me and said, “If you had not been here this house would never have been finished by the end of the week.” It would be so easy to let that go to my head. There were certainly aspects of the building I was able to help them with, but as I said to that team member, had they not been there that house still wouldn’t be built.

There are so many different pieces of the puzzle that make this ministry what it is – and as Nexus we are just a very small piece of that puzzle. If it weren’t for the groups that come down, this ministry wouldn’t exist. Above all,  if it weren’t for the love of God, this ministry would not exist. As Nexus we are just being obedient to a call. As far as I am concerned, I am not doing anything amazing – just lucky enough to be apart of the amazing thing that God is doing down here in Mexico.

I think people underestimate the effect of what they are doing when they come down here! Over 15,000 homes have been built in Mexico by the participants who come and build with Amor, spending my summer here is not what’s amazing, 200,000+ people being obedient to the call of God and coming to Mexico to help expand the kingdom is what’s amazing.

Peace out!

By Jono Ried

Project Nexus is a group of 18 – 25 year olds who are spending the summer in radical service, living at the Amor Ministries campgrounds and serving our groups in Mexico.

Greetings once again from the whole Nexus team. This past week was full of amazing challenges and triumphs as we received our first groups. All six of us were blessed with outstanding groups, who probably affected us more than we affected them. I was blessed to work with a group from Naples, Florida composed of high school and college age students. It was awesome just to stand back at numerous points and watch as these kids were cranking out slab, frames, chicken wire, and stucco. These people stood up for their faith by coming at a time when it was difficult to take a short term missions trip to Mexico. They are invested in continuing to build for Christ’s Kingdom by helping those in need.

As I was working with my group, God showed me how much of a selfish person I am. One of the main roles of a Nexus participant is to be a servant to the groups. I am supposed to be available to help my group in any way possible. But I spent this past week really struggling with this idea. I had just been trained on all of the proper ways to build an Amor house and there were many occasions when my group deviated from what I had been shown. There were so many times when I wanted to jump in and say, “No, no, no, do it this way.” There were a couple of times where I actually did. I also struggled sometimes feeling like I wasn’t doing anything to help the group. My response to this was to jump in and take a job away from one of the kids who had paid to come on this trip. I didn’t want to just stand around bored, so I overstepped my role and took jobs away from some people. Finally, midweek, God struck me with a thought, “Why did I come on this trip?”

In Linz’s awesome blog post from last week she wrote about why all of us came to serve  with Amor Ministries this summer. Paraphrasing myself, I said I wanted to follow God wherever He led me, and step out of my comfort zone. If God led me to Amor, then He would not want me be selfish throughout this summer. Likewise, if God led me to Amor, He would want me to change my thought processes to see that it is in true humility that I can be successful each and every week.

Paul writes in Phillipians 2:3-4: “When you do things, do not let selfishness or pride be your guide. Instead, be humble and give more honor to others than you do yourselves. Do not be interested only in your own life, but be interested in the lives of others.” (NCV) We were all told before we came on this trip that our job this summer was not going to be building houses, but rather serving the groups. Even knowing this, I approached this summer in a selfish way. I wanted to come to Mexico to get as much out of it as possible. I was not as concerned about how I could help the groups that came down, or even the families for whom we would be building. I wanted to follow God to Mexico for my own reasons. Yet Paul instructs us in the opposite manner. He says we need to “be humble” and “give more honor to others than ourselves.” So instead of worrying how I can be happy and fulfilled on the worksites, I need to realize that God has called me to concern myself with others.

Being a servant is not a “sometimes” thing. It is being whatever, wherever, whenever.  Being selfless on the worksite could mean taking time to talk with the family, or  reaching out to one of the kids on the trip who is going through some  difficulty. If I am a servant when I want to be a servant, then I am still being selfish because I am choosing. It is not about doing things on my time, but when others need the help.

Talking with some of my Nexus teammates helped me work through these thoughts:

Kate  realized this week that, “The thing [she] came to do, building houses, was the thing [she] wasn’t needed in.” The great thing is, that Kate realized this and then accepted her role in different areas.

Jon experienced many of the same difficulties that I did. His group knew how to build the house, so he was left searching to find different areas to help. He came to the realization that, “Maybe [his] role is to just be there and allow this group to know they can build the house without help.” It is such an awesome thing when people realize what being a servant is all about. Jessica remembers the story of when Jesus washed His disciples feet as an example of true humility and selflessness.

Sometimes it is difficult to see what it actually means to be a servant. The most amazing thing is, God gave us the greatest example of a servant we could ever have: Jesus. Continuing on in Philppians 2:6-7, Paul writes, “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” When I am not sure how to be a servant, all I need to do is look at how Jesus lived His life. What an awesome fact, that our Savior was willing to take on the role of a human. In His human life He did not live in wealth, but He lived in servitude. In a world that demands one must watch out for one’s self, Jesus humbly shows how we must live for others. It is my prayer that I will be able to draw upon the example of my Savior and live my life in a selfless manner – putting the needs of others above my own.

-Mark Lacasse

Project Nexus is a group of 18 – 25 year olds who are spending the summer in radical service, living at the Amor Ministries campgrounds and serving our groups in Mexico.

“Why are you here??”

This question has been asked of us Nexus so many times that it’s nearly lost all meaning… In a good way!! We have explained why we are heading to Mexico with Amor in our applications to come, to our families & friends, our churches, random strangers, people we met in the airport, to the amazing staff at Amor (I’m not sucking up, they’re fantastic),and I assume in just a few short hours to the groups we will be working with.

Why ARE we here???  Many of us have had to try to explain this in defense to some of the rumors and issues surrounding Mexico at the moment – “Danger”, swine flu, funny water, living in a tent for 2 1/2 months, no electricity or running water, leaving our good paying jobs, etc. etc. etc.  While others just want to know (if we even know) why God is calling us to a summer of service in Tijuana with Amor Ministries. All six of us have completely different histories, boundaries, experiences with God and the church, but all were called and blessed by God to come together in the group that made up the Nexus Team of 2009.

I  have really had to evaluate this myself. Why am I here?, for me personally, this meant leaving two very good and stable jobs, of which the income that was supposed to go towards a trip to Europe & for school next year. But I’ve left them all because I “felt in my heart” that I needed to follow that “feeling,” aka that gut instinct that just kicks you till you answer it.

So now I know why, and I wish I could explain (as do the others), but there are no words. I just needed to be here – and I know this is exactly where God intended me to be this summer. It’s “just right”.

Or in the words of Jon Reid- “It just makes sense. I just felt this calling, I applied and now I am here. I don’t know what God has in store for me after this, but I have faith that the next 3 months will be a HUGE eye opener for me and an incredible journey.”

Or Mark- “This trip to Mexico is a result of God calling me to give up staying in my comfort zone and begin a new path of following Him wherever He calls me.”

Or as Kate says- “I have been coming for as long as I can remember (approximately 10 years), so, logically it was the next step in my life to take… I’m in love with Amor’s work in Mexico because it builds relationships and brings hope. Hope to the families, hope to the people who build, and hope to those who encounter the ministry & its desire to show God’s love in a tangible way”. (Well said Kate).

I find Rachel funny, because she NEVER expected to be in Mexico serving God and building houses- “If you had asked me two years ago if I would ever consider spending a summer working in Mexico, I would have said no. After one four-day mission trip though, I knew that I would be back, and here I am.”

For whatever reason, God has called us from our lives in our respective cities/countries, and we are here. We’ve been trained in cultural awareness, communication, conflict management, spiritual wellness, etc. We have struggled (and laughed… HARD) through such “games” & challenges as Bomb Shelter or Cosmic Slop. We have learned a ton about one another and, very importantly, of ourselves – our conflict styles, our character traits, our talents and skills. We have created personal summer mission statements & a group covenant. We have created relationships & friendships with one another. In fact, I think others looking in at our group would think that we had known each other our whole lives… Fighting like siblings, laughing and sharing in one another’s experiences & thoughts and embracing, sharing and supporting each other through the beginning of the summer.

Our eyes, ears, arms & hearts are open. We are all prepared and so ready to see and experience what God has to show us this summer. The possibility of swine flu, the cartels, drug wars, etc. could not hold us back from following Gods call to Tijuana or Amor Ministries, and we promise and hope to give everything we have as individuals, as a Nexus group unit, and most importantly children of God to be the best servants we can, in serving the recipient families, groups coming to build, Amor staff and in representing ourselves, our families & our Churches as we embark on this summer as women & men of God.

Thanks for reading, keep us in your prayers we love your support!!

G.B.&L. (Gods Blessings & Love),
Linz

ps. A different Nexus team member will be writing a blog entry weekly, so enjoy

Project Nexus is a group of 18 – 25 year olds who are spending the summer in radical service, living at the Amor Ministries campgrounds and serving our groups in Mexico.

Introducing the team:

Hi!!!, Bonjour, Ciao, Aloha, HOLA!! We are your Nexus team of 2009… Well, technically I am one member (Linz to be specific), but I like to think that the group has entrusted me to speak on behalf of all of us for this week . It’s an absolute pleasure to make your acquaintance.  I hope to become a part of your weekly reading pleasure… well, until August 9th-ish… by then we will have crawled back to our respective countries & states. Let me get into enhanced detail of our Nexus team before going any further:

There are six of us, 4 Americans, 1 Australian & me – a Canadian (Eh!! *teehehe*). I apologize if you find the following a bit like a Miss Universe Pageant, but…

Miss Kate is from New Providence, New Jersey. She is a psychology major, minoring in religion, and is an absolutely fantastic girl. Her favorite ice cream flavor is vanilla and she has two siblings.

The lovely state of Washington has sent us Jessica! From Seattle, she is heading to the University of Washington in September but hasn’t quite declared a major. Her favorite toothpaste brand is Crest Fresh Mint. She has two dogs and a cat at home missing her.

Next is Jono, well Jon but… ya… He’s our token Aussie – flying in from Sydney, Australia, entertaining us with his accent and new words to add to our vocab. He works in disabled care back home, but is looking to find himself full time in the mission field (woot, there’s at least two of us).  His favorite childhood hero was Banana Man (I’ve never heard of it either ) and he loves himself more than anything (his words, not mine).

Our other token male is from Londonderry, New Hampshire. He’s recently finished his masters in education and will be teaching a grade 7 social studies class come fall (awesome, eh?).  If he could go anywhere in the world, it would be Jerusalem. He  thinks Dumb & Dumber is the best comedic film of all time!!

R-r-r-r-RACHEL…snuck away from Canyon City, Oregon to join us this summer. She recently completed a degree in Student & Family Ministries at Corban College though isn’t completely sure what she’s going to do with it yet. Her biggest pet peeve is people sharing chap stick or water bottles and her  favorite article of clothing is a certain pair of jeans.

And finally, I… *drum roll please* am Linz- I hail from up north. Way up north. Calgary, Alberta Canada to be specific. Yes it gets SUPER cold, but no I do not live in an igloo or take a polar bear to work/school *wink*.  I’m 21, just starting my education in paramedics, but am on the fence about potentially getting into full time ministry overseas instead. One of my claims to fame/obsessions is that I’ve eaten McDonald’s (Big Macs actually) in 7 different countries and hope to hit up one in every country before I die.

Stay tuned for some updates from our summer working with Amor Ministries!

Project Nexus is a group of 18 – 25 year olds who are spending the summer in radical service, living at the Amor Ministries campgrounds and serving our groups in Mexico.