Harvest Moon

The moon was already full again.
I remember laying in bed, just a few days after we came here, looking out the window at the full moon. It was HUGE, and shone so bright over the crosses, that I could see forever all around the valley. And I felt very alone.
I remember feeling like I was in a boat, with a raging sea outside. I had this uneasy anxiety about being in the country, alone, where there are coyotes, and strange bugs, and banditos, and dirty police. We are 30 minutes from a hospital, and don't even speak the language- if we were to have to go there. We are 3 hours from my home country, and a two day journey from my family- and everything I have ever known.
I lay there thinking about my children. How there are so many ways that they could be harmed.

I can honestly say that that is the only time I have had fear and doubt like that here. I asked God to comfort me. I plead for Him to give me peace. I asked Him to protect my family. And this is what He said:
"but the LORD, who brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and an outstretched arm, Him you shall fear, Him you shall worship, and to Him you shall offer sacrifice." 2 Kings 17:36
God made me slep that night, and I woke up feeling at home here. It has now been two months since that day.
I can't really say that I feel "homesick" very often. I love it here! And it feels normal to me.
I can, however, say that I feel like I am missing out. Big Time.
I missed my baby brother becoming an adult.
I missed my baby sister's twentieth birthday.
I missed the county fair with my mom.
I missed camping with my family.
I miss RCF EVERY week.
I miss my coffee shop.
I feel like life is going on without us.
That is how I feel right now.

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On to the happenings at the Base:
It has been over 100 degrees for 3 days now.
We have mild weather for a few weeks, then we make up for it :)
Rumor has it, that it will be very hot for a while. I love Mexico :)


Andy Taylor- pastor of a small church in Bridge, OR- came to teach the MBS for a week.
He arrived here on Monday night. And so did my Dad and Step-Mom. And so did Samson- our new Belgian Malinois Puppy.
All of that made for a fun week. From showing my parents our home here, and what we do from day to day- to trying to train our puppy to stay out of the house, and not to whine at night- to sitting on the beach and listening to our students practice defending their faith to eachother.
I think that when people come down to visit (especially people who have been on mission trips before), they get a different perspective of the mission field. It isn't all hustle and bustle like it is when you are part of a team, visiting for a couple weeks, with a full schedule of events and work projects. We live here. It is normal day to day life most of the time. We have weeks where we are crazy busy (mostly just when we have Mission Teams here :).... but most of the time, we are just plugging along. Praying for the work that God is doing in the hearts and minds of our students. Keeping the place running.
In fact- Mem and I were just talking about how it is weird to think that we are dubbed Missionaries. We just live here. We all have jobs similar to the ones we had back home. But if I stop to look at the long run-- we are Missionaries. We are furthering the Gospel! Our little ranch here will nurture and equip men and women who will in turn bring the Gospel to Nations. To people who have never heard the name of Jesus Christ! The information being learned here is vital in the furthering of the Gospel. We keep this base running, in order to keep the vision moving. Our students will go out (some to Southern Mexico, some to Bangledesh, and eventually Africa, Asia, Russia, Romania, India......) bringing the information that they have learned here- and equip Pastors all over the world to nurture their flocks.
So-- we are a part of the process. Just as YOU are a part of the process!! WE would not be here, if it weren't for you!

I Cor. 12:4-27
"There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.
And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.
But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:
for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,
to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,
to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.
For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body— whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
For in fact the body is not one member but many.
If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body?
And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body?
If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling?
But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.
And if they were all one member, where would the body be?
But now indeed there are many members, yet one body.
And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."
No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.
And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty,
but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it,
that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually."

See!! We are all a part of it!

Well I am sorry that you had to wait an extra week for my update :-)
Hopefully you all missed me ;)

It will be OCTOBER when you hear from me again! Wow! Where did time go?!

until then--
Bendiciones!

><> Shae
PS. I will have new photos up in a few!