This post is the second in a series of six written by our Project Nexus team members. Project Nexus is a 10-week summer internship experience for anyone ages 18-25. These Project Nexus team members are splitting their time between three of Amor’s locations working with groups in Tijuana, Rosarito and San Carlos.  To read this first post in this series click here.

By Allegra Vieux

The typical day in the life Project Nexus team member looks like this:

6:00 am- Wake up.

6:30 am- Breakfast.

7:30 am- Leave for worksite.

8:00 am- Arrive at worksite. Start working on the house.

12 Noon- Eat a brown bag lunch.

1:00 pm- Continue working.

2:00 pm- Greet Mexican vendors, stop to shop.

2:30 pm- Resume work.

5:00 pm- Clean up worksite.

5:30 pm- Arrive at camp, open Amor Store.

7:30 pm- Eat dinner while working Amor Store.

8:00 pm- Close Amor Store.

8:30 pm- Connect with group at campfire time.

10:00 pm- Sleep.

One may think that doing the same thing day after day, week after week would become tedious and redundant, but its weeks like this past one that attests just the opposite.

This past week another Project Nexus team member and I worked together with a group from Iowa.  It was a youth group of approximately 45 students who had traveled for three days before arriving in Rosarito, Mexico.  They were incredibly eager to build a house.  Being from Kansas City myself, it was nice to experience some Midwestern hospitality in Mexico.  We built two houses in the same area of Rosarito, separated only by one large hill and lots of dirt.

When we first arrived at the site, we met an older woman named Jimena who was living in a very run-down trailer.  She introduced us to two teenagers and three young children who were all living with her.  As I got out my paper and pen and drew the plans for the house, I experienced the most humbling moment in my life.  Jimena explained to me that she did not want the interior wall we usually include, because the house was not just for her family.  She wanted to use it for church services and to help the homeless in her community by giving them a place to stay if needed.

She had confidence that God would take care of her so long as she took care of the orphans and widows.  How cool is that? It’s not every day you meet someone with that kind of faith.  Stories like these are the reason I can love what may seem like a tedious daily schedule.  I am learning it is so much more than redundant.

This post is the first in a series of seven written by our Project Nexus team members. Project Nexus is a 10-week summer internship experience for anyone ages 18-25. These Project Nexus team members are splitting their time between three of Amor’s locations working with groups in Tijuana, Rosarito and San Carlos.

By Kevin Dobbs

This summer in Mexico has been an incredible and life-changing experience. There is too much to say about how God has been working here so I’ll just share a short story….

The last week of June, I had the chance to work with my first group in Rosarito, building a house for one of Amor’s own Mexican Team Members.

Miguel Dominguez works for Amor as a part of the logistics team in Mexico. He is in charge of getting the necessary tools and materials to the worksites so that groups can begin building as soon as they arrive. Miguel lives in Rosarito with his wife and kids.  Also living with Miguel is his mother-in-law, who has needed a house of her own for quite some time. When I heard that Amor was building a house for Miguel’s mother-in-law and that I would be working with the group building it, I was overjoyed.

There was just something extra special about this build. I saw Amor being who they are in the community they serve in and even more so this week among their own people.

Miguel’s family was at the worksite everyday while he was out doing work in the field. I had just a few interactions with Miguel as he returned home everyday at the same time our group would head back to camp, but I was still impacted by him and his heart for others.

It blows me away every time I see the generosity of families as groups build houses for them.  Although people are coming to Mexico to build homes, the families we build for also truly understand what it means to give. As we prepared for the last day of work on the house, Miguel informed me that he would be cooking a special meal for us on the last day. By the words that he said, and how he said them, I could easily see that Miguel and his family simply had a desire to give. They bought the food, they cooked it, they set out the plates, and they even served the food to us. We simply sat down as they brought us an amazing meal!

By doing this, Miguel and his family were living out the words Christ spoke on this earth. They were truly being the hands and feet of Jesus, serving his Kingdom.  I am continually humbled by this as I interact with the families we build for – and as they serve us each week. I pray that God will teach all of us more about Himself by these generous people who constantly give for the glory of God.

Amor is so excited that our 2011 Project Nexus Team has arrived.  The team is made of  eight 18-25 year olds. They come to us from all over the U.S. and one is from England!  Last week they went through their pre-field orientation and now they are in the middle of their house building training.  Next week they will begin serving groups in the field and supporting the Amor Ministries Team Members.  They will be busy working in Rosarito, Tijuana and the San Carlos Apache Reservation.

We love our Nexus team and we are so excited they have finally arrived!  We will be posting more updates from their time with us as their summer continues!

I know that we haven’t even made it to Thanksgiving, let alone Christmas.  But it is never too soon to start thinking about the summer, right?!

All of us at Amor want to ask for your help in spreading the word about our Project Nexus program.  Here are the details…

Project Nexus

Description: Project Nexus is a short-term internship (over the summer months) that is designed to provide individuals with a hands-on, get dirty, get involved, ministry experience in a team setting.  Project Nexus participants will experience a summer in full-time ministry with all its joys, heartaches, and challenges while learning from the experiences, training, and teaching of our seasoned ministry team.  Each week, Project Nexus participants will assist the Amor Team with building projects and programs, and serve the groups as well as the churches and families Amor serves in Mexico.  Time off will be spent on team development, cultural experiences, and much needed rest and relaxation.

Dates: May 29, 2011 – August 7, 2011

Participation Fee: $3,000 (All inclusive, except for travel to and from San Diego, CA to beginning and end of the program.  Fee can be fundraised.)

Application: Click to Download

Application Deadline: May 6, 2011 (Doesn’t hurt to get it in earlier…we are accepting applications now!)

More Details: Click to learn more!

Throughout the summer, Project Nexus participants will experience different cultures and values, individual growth, team development, sacrifice, and service while deepening your own philosophy and commitment to world missions.  The Project Nexus team is assembled to create the most productive summer experience.  Diversity, differences in strengths and ability to contribute to the success of the team are valued.

Doesn’t that sound incredible?  We have started creating our 2011 Project Nexus team and would love to have someone from your church!!

For question, you can email Erin, our Integration Specialist, at elyde@amor.org.

Ready, set, spread the word!  (Thank you for your help.)

What: Project Nexus is designed to provide you with a hands-on, get dirty, get involved, ministry experience in a team setting.  You will experience a summer in full-time ministry with all its joys, heartaches, and challenges while learning from the experiences, training, and teaching of our seasoned ministry team.  Each week, you will assist the Amor Team with building projects and programs, and serve the groups as well as the churches and families Amor serves in Mexico.  Time off will be spent on team development, cultural experiences, and much needed rest and relaxation.

Who: YOU…if you are 18-25 years old and looking to serve the Lord for 11 weeks in the Mexican desert.

When: May 23, 2010 – Aug 8, 2010

Where: Tijuana, Mexico

Why: We all know summer jobs can be really lame. What better way to avoid the lull of summer break (and evade carrying golf clubs or making slushies for 12 hours a day) than by serving alongside your brothers and sisters in Christ in Tijuana?

Want more? Visit us at http://www.amor.org/join/internships/nexus

Direct contacts: Erin Lyde – erin@amor.org