Jennifer Kettel
First Year Missionary
 
Jennifer Kettel

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Wrecked for the Ordinary
Seth Barnes' Blog
Adventures In Missions

God is has always been here
(5/2/2008)
Hi There
(4/23/2008)
What's new
(4/15/2008)
Time to Build
(4/12/2008)
Project Time
(4/6/2008)
Update
(3/26/2008)
Porject week
(3/22/2008)
Hospital Update
(3/14/2008)
Join the Awakening: Discipleship & Missions
(2/29/2008)
changes
(2/21/2008)



5/2007
6/2007
7/2007
8/2007
9/2007
10/2007
11/2007
12/2007
1/2008
2/2008
3/2008
4/2008
5/2008



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God is has always been here



Last Thursday we were almost done with WOW (our ministry where we visit a specific neighborhood), and we had just stopped at one last house we wanted to visit. Well, another family came up to us, they had been walking on the street, they asked us if we could help them find a place to live. The two teenage daughters spoke English, so I mainly spoke with them. They said that their Dad had gotten deported from America, and they have been walking around all day looking for a place to rent. The family was six persons total.
    My group and myself were wondering, "what should we do . . . ," we really had no idea. Chad suggested the idea to bring them to the church, because he knew there was a service going on that evening. After awhile, we thought that would be best.  

    So the last few days, after that incident, I have been praying for that family. I didn't really know the whole situation, but I just was really hoping that a room to stay in would be provided for the children. This Tuesday we went out to colonia Las Granjas because we help with a bible study in the evening. I was helping with the kids that night, but before the bible study, I really wanted to worship with everyone.
    For some reason, so many people came to the bible study that night, more than I had ever seen  We normally bring chairs, but there were hardle enough for people. After about the second song or so, I happened to see the dad of the family we dropped off at the church the Thursday before. I also see one of the daughters. The had come with one of the families that go to the church and to the bible study.
    It was one of my best nights in Mexico. It was so good, not because a family was helped out, but the people of the church were helping each other out. They were loving each and helping a neighbor in need, and they themselves hardly have anything. It was so cool. Plus, my prayer for the people we visit was that they would be reliant on God, and because I knew there probably is not going to be another group like us down here next year, I wanted them to really feel secure that they could do it on their own. God just really showed me, that as I leave, and only have 2 weeks left, that he truly has everything covered. They as a community are helping and loving their neighbors. It was really truly what the church of Christ should look like.

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Hi There



How is everyone doing?

We are doing wonderfully here. We have finished the house and it looks really good. Unfortunately I haven't been able to work on it much this week because I have been a little ill. I ended up going to the clinic here and I found out I have parasites and an infection. I have antibiodics now and I am feeling much better, but I did miss out on a few things this week.

My WOW group put together a baby shower Sunday for a family we visit. The whole FYM group went to the party, and it turned out well. I really wanted the mother and father to be to feel ready. Not ready in a sense that they were prepared to take care of a baby, because I think with any new parents there are so many unexpected in store when you have your first child, but ready to have a baby. The couple is pretty young and the did not have anything for the baby, so the whole group kinda chipped in and we were able to give her a lot of things that would help start them off in this new chapter of their life. I am really excited for them. Please be praying for her, Laura, because her baby is due this Sunday!! 
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What's new



Time has really flown by extremely fast. I cannot believe that we have only one more month here  I believe the month will go by before I know it, and lately God has been pressing on me the importance of the way I pass my time, especially the little time I have left here.
    I think everyone has those moments where they just feel like they want to check out. For example, when you are trying to work out and get into shape, and stay disciplined, but sometimes you just are plain tired and you decide to not be productive in the "fitness" area for a month. Or, you decide not to study for a class, because it is too difficult and it just seams easier to accept a lesser grade. So in the past few weeks God has been pressing on me the fact that I am almost done with my time here in Mexico. This chapter of my life is ending.
    I really began to realize it when my Mom visited a few weeks ago. She was really enjoying her time here and she felt so compelled to teach our for the week. My mother is a counselor so she taught on an array of things pertaining to the way people grow and learn. One big thing that stuck out to me was when she said that it takes six weeks to make a habit. Such as exercising a half hour each day or waking up earlier or not eating a certain food. After a few days it becomes easier and after six weeks it becomes a habit. The same time frame also applies for breaking certain habits too. This really got me thinking. The teaching came at the perfect time, because we actually had only six weeks left. I thought about it, and I was like, "I only have six weeks left, what can I do in those weeks, what can I do in this short amount of time?" I made a few goals, one pertaining to this area right here. Communicating with supporters, family and friends. Sometimes I think I am doing decently, but I really know I can do better.
     We were at the Gateway the last two weeks, and I have telephone service out there, so that was a start and I was able to call a few people. Hopefully the next month, God will help me in that area, now that I am realizing the importance of it.

    Today we just started to build the house for a family in Granjas. It is going smoothly. Actually, I think we are getting way more done than we thought we would in a day. We have two walls done and most of the panels painted. It has been fun and I am enjoying it so far. Luckily since we are a team now of mostly females, we were able to get some help from are friends who live down the street from us. For most of this week we will be constructing this house.

    Also this week our class time is being taught by the director of the gateway, Tommy. He is teaching on character. We have had this subject before taught to us this year, but in a different way. Today we had to spend some time praying and asking God in what areas my character is lacking and could use his help. So as I am praying I was reminded of things I need to work on, sticking to my commitments. I need to do as I say more often.     



























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Time to Build



    Well the project is over. I really believe it went smoothly. At first I heard that the project would be pretty stressful because there are so many people in one area, but it wasn't so bad. In fact I really enjoyed it. Yes, it was a busy week, but I loved what I was doing. The group built 19 houses. They also, had VBS time, and other ministeries.
    Mostly, I enjoyed working with the high school students. God is showing me more and more the heart that I have for teenagers. I would of never of known if we had not done these two high school trips. It is so encouraging to see the love these kids have for people, and the willingness to serve God at this time in their lives. I am excited for all of the future trips these teens will take.

    This next week us as a group get to build a house together. The family we are building for is in Granjas. It is great how God worked this out, because we have been trying to find a family to build a house for, but everything fell through. Now, we found one and we are ready to build. I think it should go pretty well.
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Project Time



    Well today we were doing final preparation here at the Gateway to get ready for another short term trip with high school students. This trip is bigger than the last though. In total there will be about 300 people here from Georgia this week. So, we have been preparing since Tuesday.
    For the past few days we spent time cleaning up the dorms, mowing the lawn, things like that. On Thursday we made food runs back and forth across the border. When bringing food across the border into Mexico they have certain rules. So, we had to make a few trips.
    This week has really given me a good idea on how much work it takes for a trip to take place. I think back to training camp way back in September, and how much work it must of took to get everything ready. I have enjoyed what I am doing here.
     I love to serve here, whether it be mowing the lawn for three hours or taking on more of a leadership role. I believe only God could of given me joy in these tasks.
    I am excited for the week ahead, I have been praying for the knowledge of what my role is this week, what God wants me to do. I think he just wants me to set my sight on His Son, Jesus. Even though I may have all these good ideas, and good intentions, I need to focus on what he wants me to do this week.
    The group should be arriving in a few hours  Please pray for their time here this week. Pray for there youth leaders and the project leader too. Also keep my group and I in prayer, as we are all under different roles and doing things we have never done before, working with people we only met a few days ago, and working with students that we will meet in a few hours. Pray that we will be reminded that we all are a unit, we are all the body of Christ. We are brothers and sisters in Christ, working to bring glory to God's name.  

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Update



We came home from the Gateway on Saturday, and we now have a week to do our normal ministries. Then off we go again to the Gateway for another project.

Last night we had our cell group in Las Granjas, and that went really well. As usual I helped with the kids class. The class for the kids went well. Chad had them write out words of affirmation for each other. It was a real positive thing, and I don't think they had ever done anything like that before. Instead of the kids usual jokes with each other, they were saying good things and loving things.

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Porject week



This past week was pretty busy and it really flew by. We were out at the gateway the last 6 days to help staff a short term mission trip of high school students from Alabama. The group came here to build two houses and vacation bible school for the children of the Colonias they were building the houses for. They also got a chance to visit the hospital, prison, an orphanage and a youth detention center.

Our role in the trip was just to help where needed and give the students encouragement and ideas on how to strike up conversations with the people here. It was really a new experience, because I have never helped lead a short term trip, nor have I ever been on one myself. So it was kinda interesting to see the difference between a long term trip and a short term one. My favorite day was when I was able to take the students to the hospital, where my internship is. The group wanted to pass out hot dogs and lemonade and just talk to the visitors who were waiting outside. It went really well, and the students did a really good job. It was fun to watch them being so bold and just relating to people so well. What took me three weeks to get the courage to do only took them a matter of minutes. It was really truly God's work.

In all I enjoyed helping out and having more responsibility, but I know that with more responsibility comes greater discernment on my part. I am excited for the other project we get t to help lead in two weeks.

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Hospital Update



We are settled into our new house, and back on our regular schedule. I am glad to be spending time in my old ministries again.

This last week at the hospital has been an answer to a lot of prayers for myself and for the others in my group who visit with me. I had always been praying for the Spirit to be moving through the hospital, and also in us. I cannot quite pinpoint it, but I feel like we are walking in the spirit more and more while we are there. It is really an answer to prayer. God has equipped us with the one thing we really only need . . . his spirit. Also, my prayers for the hospital have been for me to follow God's will in the hospital ( in every area of my life actually) and not my own agenda.

For example, God has given us opportunities to talk to patients we wouldn't of visited, but they were seeking us and coming out of their room to find us in the hallway. His presence in all around us there, and it is wonderful.

Praise God for this, because he has really changed my heart. He is revealing more of his ways to me and it is really exciting. I don't want to just do his will because I know it is better for my life, but I want to follow him because the more he shows me who he is the more I see that I am no good without him. Human goodness is no comparison to God's greatness.

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Join the Awakening: Discipleship & Missions



Awaken to the Adventure

Disciples aren't born; they're made. It's a process that takes time, discipline, and God. In reality, it looks more like waking up than attending a class.

As part of The Awakening, you can undergo a discipleship program like no other, experiencing four months of intense training in another country to prepare you for the ministry that awaits you for the rest of the year.

Join The Awakening

Your mornings will be spent in training and your afternoons ministering in local communities, activating what you've learned. In the context of experiential learning, you will be discipled by mentors who want to see you grow deeply in your faith.

You will be part of a community of other individuals who share your passion and desire to come alive in Christ. This time will challenge and stretch you in new ways, and you will never be the same.

Become a part of The Awakening in either Latin America or Africa and discover your role in the kingdom of God.

You were made for greatness, to experience the abundant life and freedom that Jesus promised. As they awaken, current participants are saying:

I don't think that I will ever have such an opportunity to give up all of myself and all of my expectations as I do here. (Emily Tissot, Latin America)

The Bible study has... turned into a church. So, we have church at noon Tuesday-Friday under the tree in front of the market. I love watching as people just bring their stool/chair/water container... and join in the singing. We are going through the book of Galatians, and it is cool to see how freedom is effecting their hearts. (Denise Eckert, Africa)



For more on The Awakening, visit the First-Year Missionary website.

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changes



First of all, I apologize for not writing in a few weeks, but I needed a while to process my thoughts before I can write about all that is happening here in Mexico. Let me tell you, a lot indeed has been happening.

About a two weeks ago, my group along with my three leaders informed that our base director was having a personal crisis. We spent four days in Texas discussing this and figuring out what to do next. Since we live in the director's church, we were then moved temporarily to the other base in Matamoros, The Gateway, because we had a group from Canada coming down to do a short term trip. They were originally going to stay with us at the church, but with all that happened the week before, it was best that we held the trip at The Gateway.

This last week my leaders have been trying to find a house to rent. They found one, and actually we should be moved in by the end of this week.

Ok so now that I have gotten the basics out in two short paragraphs, what does this all mean for the ministry? Well, we as FYM's were connected to the church, and obviously to our base director but the church was not affiliated with AIM. There are so many aspects of the whole situation, it is kinda hard to grasp. Adventures in Missions had us spend the last two weeks dissecting all that had happened and what that all meant for us.

In one night it was like everything shifted: everything I knew that was, was not, and everything that was not, was. So I spent a lot of time deciding if I should stay in Mexico or go back to Michigan. I don't know why, but for whatever reason, I kept thinking, "what is the use, almost all of our ministries worked with the church, so what is the point trying to pick up this mess?" The first week after finding out I was extremely selfish. I was not thinking about what God wanted me to do, but only what I wanted to do; home sounded really good at that point. Over this period, I was asked the question, "why did I come to Mexico?" I know that God has called me here, and I know that He wants me here for the program, the program is still going, even though it will be very different. So last week I knew I was supposed to stay, even though I did not want to admit it. I am nervous not knowing the unknown. I like to know what things will look like before hand (for those of you who don't know, I wanted to see Mexico myself before I commited to anything, so I visited last year to see if I would like it), I am not used it. God is so great though, because through all of this he is really teaching every one of us here. He is telling me "trust me, even though you don't know what will happen next".

Although this may have not been on my schedule for the month of February, and I never intended to move to a new house, God knew this all was going to happen since the beginning. I too believe that he would never put us into situations that He thought we were not capable to handle. He never said any of it would be easy.

So, it has been a very interesting two weeks. Five of my teammate went home, and we are moving into a completely new community, probably doing different ministries. I never thought or imagined this would happen, but it just goes to show that God is the One that is stable, He is my rock, never changing. In all the unknown to come, I can rely on Him, not in man.

I am excited for what is to come, I do have joy through trials, because God can still move. At first I was thinking, "what about all of my people that I have ministered to, and go to the church?" but I realized that, no they are not my people, they are God's people. If we end up doing something completely different these next three months, I have faith that God has them covered, and that God has something better in store for me.

Please be praying for our former base director and his family. Also for the new leadership stepping up and pressing onward, the new dynamics of the team, and my other teammates that went home. Of course always be praying for the people of Mexico and the people of the church and what our new change of ministry might look like.

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