From one Extreme to Another

I am on outreach! Last Thursday night around 8 we departed from Mazatlan for a 14-hour bus ride to Mexico City. Our Contact from a church in a city called Tlahuelilpan in the state of Hidalgo picked us up and drove us to his church where we are staying now.

Tlahuelilpan is actually a famous city but sadly because of the tragedy that has taken place there. A gas pipe exploded in Tlahuelilpan two years ago that killed 137 people. The Mexican government holds gasoline thieves who were tapping the pipeline responsible for the explosion. If you want to learn more search Tlahuelilpan explosion and you will find videos, articles, and more. Now, Tlahuelilpan is facing flooding as a result of the combination of heavy rain and bad maintenance of local city water pipes. Mostly residential areas were flooded but the damage was catastrophic. A local pastor was generous enough to invite us to stay at his house where he had a couple of rooms and a kitchen available on the bottom floor free of charge.

Locals and church members had donated clothes, food, diapers, soap and other necessities to the church for it to be given out to those most in need. When we arrived at the pastor’s house we organized all the donations so that they could be given out. The first day we headed out to a rural area where the flood had hit hardest.

We were met at the first house by a family of three generations. Don Isabel was the patriarch of the family and warmly greeted all of us. They gratefully accepted the food we had prepared in bags for them that mostly consisted of rice, beans and other canned foods. They were so grateful that they invited us back to their house for lunch on the following Tuesday. We continued our day of giving out food and clothes on Saturday and by the time we finished we were completely exhausted. Tlahuelilpan is at 6,500 feet and is much less humid than Mazatlan. I didn’t notice how much I was getting sunburned because of the dry air but by the end of the day my face was red as a lobster and exhausted. 

Sunday morning, we woke up and helped the church staff get ready for the service. The Sunday service starts around 12:30 and goes to 3. Their musicians and vocalists were very impressive and I enjoyed the music a lot. They played a lot of upbeat songs and many of the people were dancing and clapping. The pastor had also we requested that each of our team members share where they were from and a little bit about their testimony.

When we went on stage to do this, I was not prepared at all. Once the mic got to me, what I said surprised me. The girl before me shared that she had grown up in the church and always considered herself a Christian. I started off by saying the same thing but then shared that although Jesus has changed my life and made me a new creation that I have made many mistakes and went down the wrong path many times. I shared that each time God has been so merciful to me. He has been so merciful to allow me to learn from my mistakes throughout life. I shared that God has always reminded me that I am His and that He chose me. I told them how thankful I was to be in their country enjoying their culture. 

After the service, many of the families wanted us to pray for them. As I prayed for a family with children I found myself praying that this child, no older than four or five, would know that he has so much to look forward to in life and that God will be with him every step of the way. I hope that this meant a lot to the parents and that the kid can have some sort of understanding of what I was saying.

This was an awesome experience and after the service, we were fed delicious enchiladas with salsa and a corn soup called pozole. Corn is a very popular ingredient in many Mexican dishes and actually most of the time tortillas in Mexico are made with corn instead of flour. We have just made it to the Dominican Republic so please be praying for smooth transitions! 

Thank you for your prayers and encouragement. 

Because he first loved us,

Isaac

Outreach Here We Come

We leave for outreach in 4 days.

I have to say that I am very excited for the challenges and experiences that outreach will bring. What I want most is to be present in every moment of outreach. I believe that not having expectations for outreach is going to make it more of an adventure. If I expected anything, I believe that it is going to be indescribably awesome.

 

I have enjoyed so many aspects of the Lecture Phase, that I can’t imagine how great outreach will be. I do prefer being on my feet more than being in class.

 

My team is made up of mostly females with only two males on the team including myself. The other guy is named John and after going on an intense hiking adventure with him last Sunday, I have decided I like him haha.

Here is a picture from our hike

We got lost but thankfully we survived haha. The experience as a whole, definitely bonded us. These last weeks in Mazatlan have been sweet. The past few days, I have really been enjoying being with a lot of the guys who I have made friends with who will be going on separate outreaches. I am trying to soak up every moment since I will not be with them for the next two and half months.

 

I have made friends from all over the world. They all have great personalities and I have no doubt God has great things in store for their lives. I do not foresee a bitter goodbye and I am so glad I have so many memories with new friends to look back on. From going to the beach, eating late night Mexican food, playing basketball, and going on crazy adventures with my friend John,. Mazatlan has been a true Mexican experience.

Mexican culture and the Spanish language have captured my attention and imagination for a long time and I’m so glad I came to see what it was all about. Mexico is a massive country and the culture varies from state to state. Maybe one day I will get to know and explore more of this beautiful and diverse country. 

 

Our last week of lecture was about missions and evangelism and I am looking to see what God may have for me in the next season of life and in the future. I have been praying about it am so far the only response I have received from God is not to be anxious but to wait for His reply.

Every time I catch myself thinking about different situations and worrying about what’s next, I realize that God is not worried or anxious about what is next and He already has the perfect plan. It’s almost funny to me how God is so different from us and that He already knows what’s next. I wonder if God thinks about it like blueprints or if he likes to decide more spontaneously. Maybe my mind is just too finite to understand it all anyway. Whatever the answer is, trusting God is a lot of easier than trying to figure it out myself. When thinking about this is, God’s character stands out to me a lot. He is a rock and he doesn’t change. He is with us wherever we go and whatever circumstance we are in his word remains the same. He tells us not to fear and to be courageous.

 

I also know that I have so much more to learn about myself that I just need to trust God along the way to guide me where I need to be. Please be praying that I will be attentive in listening to God as to what is next for me. 

I would also love to share more about specifics of the outreach. I don’t know much but I know that we will be in the Dominican for a month. During our outreach, we will be in the cities of Santiago, San Cristobal, and Santo Domingo.

 

In case you were curious, the Dominican Republic the first place that Christopher Columbus landed on his voyage to the new world. The Dominican is located on the island of Hispaniola. The island of Hispaniola is divided into Haiti and The a Dominican with a mountain range separating the two. Before their independence, Haiti was ruled by the French and the Dominican by the Spanish. The Spanish stewarded their side of the island much better than the French. The way these two nations treated the people and land has had lasting impacts. A lot of the roots of Haitian poverty come from the way French treated the people and the land. 

We will be in the Dominican for a month and in Haiti for two weeks. We have a 17-hour bus ride to Mexico City on Thursday night. Please be praying for safe and smooth travels. I look forward to sharing more soon. Thank you for your prayers and support. 

Because he first loved us,

Isaac

 

God is so Good

 The last two weeks have been so good. We have been preparing for outreach through much prayer and worship. Our speakers have been absolutely fantastic. 

Last week we had Dan Baumann who has authored and published several books. He shares many stories and experiences that inspire others to passionately seek God. Dan used these experiences to guide his lectures and he brought up God’s love for us far more than anything else. Everyone enjoyed hearing him share about how Holy Spirit worked in his life. Dan’s personality was intriguing and it kept my attention easily. We all listened intently as he told his story about being in Iranian prison for nine weeks. Although it would have been great to hear that Dan rejoiced in prison and trusted God through it all, this was not the case. Dan shared that it was a struggle but it taught him so much. I can’t imagine how difficult this must have been. Prison changed Dan and he is thankful to God for his experience. Dan faith was inspirational and I will continue to apply a lot of what I learned.

What stood out to me about Dan is that he concentrated his whole message about how much God loves us. I expected a lecture about perseverance and enduring hardship from someone who had spent nine weeks in Iranian prison but Dan didn’t want to focus on himself. He also encouraged us to stop worrying so much about legalistic rules and obligations and to put our faith in Christ. His point was that God loves us more than we could ever imagine and is more committed to us than we are to ourselves. This was awesome to me because I worry about being right and understanding things so much. I am finally starting to learn that God does want to answer my questions but he wants me to trust Him first. To me, this is choosing not to overthink and over analyze. It also means being aware of that which is in my mind. I’m starting to like giving things over to God that I don’t understand. Maybe choosing to trust God rather than analyze and debate things that have happened to us, that we have no control of changing now is an act of faith? This acceptance is something that I am learning and putting into practice.

To me, it seems when we let go of things it allows me to feel God’s mercy and grace in my life. Mercy and grace in that there are things we cannot change and that God is not asking us to change. God is such a good God. I am thankful that God has brought me to Mazatlan and is giving me new experiences here. I am thankful that God is not an angry God; but merciful and good. Knowing God’s character has been a focus of DTS all along and I find that the more I learn about God character, the more I want to know him. I am also thankful that God had given me all kinds of experiences in Mazatlan. He has allowed me to seek him and to enjoy the city I am in.

Our outreach team is leaving in less than three weeks. I am so excited to see what God will do in this time. I have no idea what to expect. I know God is good and that he will move in our team and among the people we minister to. This two and half month application through outreach is a new experience to me and I am sure it will have many challenges. I ask that you will continue to pray for me and please feel free to post comments.

Because he first loved us,

Isaac

Humility and What I Have Been Receiving

Last week’s lecture had everyone asking questions as we explored the topic of spiritual warfare. I knew come basic concepts of spiritual warfare but did not know many details. Our speakers had colorful personalities that made them easy to pay attention to. They were part of the group from Newcastle, Australia that helped to found YWAM Mazatlan in 2004. Since then, they have moved on to other adventures and now live in Colorado with their children. 

What do you think when you hear spiritual warfare? Some of us may think of the Tom Hanks movie Angels and Demons or maybe another thriller. For me, the idea of spiritual warfare triggers my imagination because the battle between good and evil is not always visible. Satan himself was called the father of lies. Jesus is in opposition to him and said that if we know the truth, truth will set us free. Sometimes, we are persuaded to believe things that aren’t necessarily true about ourselves, society, and God. Not knowing the truth can keep us from experiencing freedom and joy in life. Believing truth and destroying these lies is to know Jesus more and experience life more abundantly. 

One way I have been experiencing spiritual warfare this week is by becoming more aware of my own actions and thoughts. I believe one of the ways lies can hold us down is through not knowing who we truly are. One thing I became aware of in particular is that I often don’t think of others. Naturally, I tend to focus on myself instead of others. Jesus made quite the statement when He said in Matthew 20:28 that  He “came to serve and not to be served.”  In Philippians 2, the Bible even says to value others more than ourselves, look to others interests, and take on the same attitude Jesus had. The Bible also says in this same passage that Jesus took on the very nature of a servant even though He was God. Jesus didn’t take people for granted as we sometimes do. For me it starts with being self-aware of my ways and thoughts. This feels impossible, but I know that with God’s help all things are possible and I can grow in this area of my life. Please pray that I will be guided and become more self-aware so I can better love those around me.

 Our  team is leaving September 17th for outreach. We are going to Mexico City for a week before continuing on to the Dominican Republic. I am very excited to go to Mexico City as it is one of the biggest cities in the world and is full of culture. Mexico City also has very low air quality so please be praying that our lungs and respiratory systems will be protected during this time. We will fly out to the Dominican on the 24th and will be there for roughly a month before leaving for Haiti in late October. Our leaders are reaching out to their contacts in the Dominican and Haiti to see how we can make an impact. I am ecstatic for outreach and the opportunities that God will present there. I will keep open ears and an open heart to what is He saying to me while I am there. I am also so thankful to say that my outreach is fully funded. Thank you so much for supporting me financially and in prayer. It has been a true blessing to see how God provides through His people to fulfill His purposes. I trust that God will continue to teach me as I prepare of outreach and as I go into outreach. Please be praying for our team as some of our members are not yet financially provided for. If you would like to help one of my team members please email me at mcdowellisaac2021@gmail.com and I will make sure the money gets to them. Thank you for your prayers and support. 

Love and faith,

Isaac

Birds of the Sky and Lilies of the Field

 Our topic this past week was fear of the Lord. Our speakers were very straightforward and insisted that we take a look at our own shortcomings. Jesus came to earth and set the perfect example of how to live our lives. His humility, character, words, and actions were inspiring and full of love. I enjoy reading about Jesus’ life in the Bible because many times he spoke in a way that left his audience reflecting on his words.  In John 4, while Jesus was speaking to the Samaritan woman, his disciples went to town for food. When they rejoined Him they urged him to eat because they knew he had been without food. Jesus responds to them by saying “I have food you know nothing about”. They asked each other “could someone else have brought him food”? He overhears them and responds by saying “My food is to do the will of the one who sent me, and to finish His work”. 

This makes me smile a bit because I’m sure the disciples were dumbfounded as to why Jesus was making such a big deal about lunch. Jesus didn’t mean that He literally ingested the will of His father  but that obeying God satisfied him. Jesus listened and obeyed God in every aspect of his life.

Throughout the week I find myself falling short of Jesus’ example quite often as I tend to react in frustration, anger and impatience to those around me and with myself. Life here can be stressful because we have so much to do with what feels like not a lot of time. We are in class almost all day followed by work duties and nightly activities. In the past few weeks we have also been assigned two books read, not including the Bible. This can be overwhelming when trying to maintain relationships with family and friends at home, cultivate relationships with people here and fundraise money. Not to mention eating and getting rest. I am not asking you to feel bad for me but this just context for the rest of the story. Jesus wasn’t anxious for any of these things. He was perfectly calm and present in all situations and was always outsmarting those who questioned his authority. Jesus’ words pertaining to this area of our life were to be like the birds of the sky and lilies of the field. It seems that Jesus wants us to live a carefree life. By carefree I mean free from worldly worries. This does not mean to neglect cultivating and maintaining relationships with the people you love.  Jesus wants us to be free from anxiety and worry so that we can enjoy our lives and be in harmony with those around us. We don’t want to hurt those closest to us but we often do because we don’t know where the negative feelings are coming from. I like that Jesus didn’t respond in emotion but always out of truth and love. I am also so thankful that Jesus came to set an example. 

Jesus’ didn’t respond out of emotion to those who criticized him or attempted to undermine his authority either. He was always calm and able answer them clearly. He didn’t respond in extreme ways but always firmly with grace. When asked about paying taxes He asked whose inscription was on the coin and then said “give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and give to God what is God’s”. Jesus outwitted His opponents with His words and always spoke in truth. The Pharisees couldn’t find evidence to accuse him but hated him nonetheless. They hated him because his message broke their traditions and called for intimate relationship with God. We don’t have to try to interpret the Bible for his words to speak to our heart. We only have to listen. I love reading the gospels and picturing the small details like Jesus and His disciples walking everywhere they went. I like to imagine the different towns they traveled to and how each one was different. I don’t know what Jesus looked like but He had a kind and gentle soul that cared for the lowly and needy. He tells us that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. What I think Jesus was trying to say is that life in Him is the best life anyone can wish for. I hope you all enjoyed reading this blog and will update you with more details later. Thank you for reading and may the God of peace be with you. 

Isaac  

Here are some pictures of the view from the Mazatlan lighthouse 

The Father Heart

I am so excited to share with all of you where I will be going on outreach at the end of September. Our team of 15 will be going to the Caribbean,  while the other two teams will be heading to Central America and Mexico. I am so thrilled that I got selected to be on the Caribbean team because it was my first choice. We will be going to the Dominican Republic and possibly Haiti. Haiti is up in the air because of the recent assassination of the Haitian president. Although the Caribbean is known for its resort destinations and piña coladas, I assure you that we will not be experiencing either of these luxuries. I hoped the Caribbean because when we first heard our options, the Caribbean made the strongest impression on me and it seemed as though the Holy Spirit may have been guiding me there. To be able to participate in outreach, I need your support, both financially and in prayer. I am so thankful and in awe of the way God has provided through many of you throughout the first part of this journey, and I trust that he will continue to provide for the outreach portion. 

 

Aside from learning more about our outreach locations, it was another amazing week of lecture. Our speaker nicknamed “Uncle Ben” was a big Somoan guy who fit perfectly for this week’s topic which was the Father Heart of God. He insisted over and over again how great God’s love for us is and there is no price to pay to receive this love.The way Uncle Ben taught stirred my heart and brought to my attention how much the Father loves and cares for his children. 

 One thing that I learned through Hebrews 1:3 is that Jesus was the exact representation of God’s being. This may seem a bit elementary to some of you,  but I had formerly believed that the character of God and Jesus were different. I knew that there was the trinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but I saw the Son and the father as different, with Jesus being more nice and approachable. It’s so good to know that the same love that we see  coming from Jesus is the same love that God has for all of us. The really cool part is that God uses the Holy Spirit to speak to us here on earth through scripture, prayer, nature, music and many other means because he wants us to know him more intimately. 

 

In my last blog I shared how much I enjoyed seeing God move in Cerro Del Ocho and I decided to go back this week. It was another rewarding Thursday ministering to residents of Cerro Del Ocho. Someone had the fantastic idea to have a bbq for the community. It created a great opportunity to share God’s exquisite love and minister to his people. A bbq here in Mexico doesn’t involve pulled pork like many of us think when we hear the word bbq. Here, they take thinly cut steak and throw it on the grill. Once the meat is cooked, there are multiple dishes that can be made with the meat as long as there are tortillas, cheese, pico, and beans present. Many times, locals here may choose to make tacos, quesadillas, chorreadas, and vampiros with these ingredients. I enjoyed being a part of the cookout and playing with the children in a hope that I may be a vessel of God’s love.

On Saturday, our free day, a couple of friends and I headed out to the market in Mazatlan around 10:30 am. The market is one of my favorite places because there is so much unique culture that it’s impossible to take it all in. There is fresh fruit, every cut of meat you can think of, spices, sweets, drinks, clothes, and all kinds of trinkets for sale. It was a blast and I hope to go next Saturday as well. 

Here is a photo of all the fresh fruit at the market

Unfortunately, Saturday evening my computer stopped working. I tried fixing it myself but was unsuccessful. Luckily, I have found someone here on base who may have the technical knowledge to fix it. Please be praying. Saturday night I went and played soccer with some other guys from on and off base. I realized while playing that I’m not as good as I thought I was. I’ll have to keep practicing so that I can hone my skills to keep up with many of the amazing locals. 

 

Thank you for reading and if God so leads you then please consider further supporting me as I prepare for my outreach portion of DTS. It is going to cost $4000 for me to participate. If you unable to give at this time, I would still be very thankful for any of your prayers for me in the upcoming outreach ministry. There is a link to the give page at the bottom. Please pray that I would stay safe and open to however God is leading me during this time. May God’s love lead and inspire you through this season. 

 

If you feel led to give click this link: Give Here Please make sure you follow the instructions on the give page.

 

 

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