The Wall that Separates Us

There is this really distinct smell to Zona Norte. It's weird how garbage, smoke from taco stands, cigarettes, marijuana, and diesel can create such nostalgia in me. By now, the lights and sounds are somewhat calming. It is such a supernatural feeling to be compelled and driven by the Holy Spirit while down there. It is such a freeing feeling to walk these streets every Saturday night with absolutely nothing on the agenda but open ears and soft hearts. Zona Norte could be considered one of the darkest places in the world. It definitely is to me. But something God tells me each time I go, each time I see the men filing into the strip clubs, each time I see a woman walk off with a customer, each time I see a homeless deportee, God tells me "this place is MINE." It might appear to to look like the good guys lost, one wouldn't say Zona Norte is a happy place full of happy people. But the earth is the Lord's and everything in it, Zona Norte is HIS. He has claimed victory over sin and death and the power of the Devil, so we must walk out in this victory. 
Last Saturday we met a man who had just been deported. He was so sad, he kept saying over and over again how sad he was. His wife and kids were still in California. He said he had just talked to his wife, and that she now had a boyfriend. His voice was desperate, "And we are still married." My heart breaks for him. He told us how his kids are growing up without him, how he found a job and house here in Tijuana but it doesn't matter. "I have food, money, a house, but I am still hungry, empty." We were standing on a street that faced the border. From Zona Norte you can see the border, it is the part of Tijuana that touches the States. He looked up and pointed at the border, "And they are just over there!" He kept saying how sad he was. It was really difficult, he was so desperate. 
I think because of his desperation he was in a good place to believe that God could work a miracle in his family. We prayed for him and encouraged him. My prayer now is that he can have peace and hope in Christ Jesus. That his hunger can be satisfied by the Bread of Life. 

One of my little friend's gave me a early Valentine's Day sucker at Zone Kids last Tuesday.
She had a matching sucker so we took a picture. 

This month at Zone Kids we are doing a series called Heroes of the Bible.
We talked about trusting in God the way Abraham trusted in God.
We made super hero masks afterwards.
 It was a very popular craft.  

True and Faultless Religion/Fighting for the Cause

The Bible students here at YWAM San Diego/Baja are working chronologically through the Bible. Right now they are in Isaiah. I thought I would read Isaiah too, of course they read it in a week, I think it will take me a little bit longer than that. However there is something that stuck out to me right away, orphans and widows. 

God really drives this topic home. He chastises the Israelites over and over again about their rebellion and wicked ways. And nearly every time when he says what they must do to repent, he says something along the lines of, "learn to do good, seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widows cause." (Is. 1:17) This is something incredibly close to God's heart. 

Something that grieves the heart of God is not caring about the widow's cause, not bringing justice to the orphans. God lists among the thieves, robbers, adulterers, and idolaters, people who do not care about the widows and orphans. Yikes this is deep stuff! This is important!

I am not saying sell your belongs and move to Ethiopia to start and orphanage (although if you do, I will visit you in a heartbeat.) But I am saying, are you being sensitive to the Holy Spirit and what you CAN do? 

Here in Mexico, we are all daily slapped in the face with the reality of the human condition, its very prevalent here. The reality is there are lonely, neglected children, abused wives, hungry widows, sick men, dying babies. No one understands this more than our God. So let's trust in him to lead us to these people! 

God has placed me in the lives of many of these kids, mothers, fathers, women, and men. My heart breaks for them, and their justice, their cause has become my cause. My desire is for them to experience the intense love and saving grace of their Heavenly Father and through that they can have everlasting hope. What will your cause be?