Two Weeks in Mexico

It is well past time for an update here, a month is way too long, but I find as I begin to type, that there are not enough words to communicate my experience here. I guess I must start at the beginning, and follow from there. I arrived with no fanfare, no bribes, and bit of spanish in the fairly western airport of Mexico City on the tenth of October. It is safe to say that after the long summer of doubt and impatience, I breathed my first sigh in many months, I felt at home. We hit the ground running, diving into the food, the people, and the language, with brief respites. Our mentors here were bent on making our first week a true bonding experience with this culture and I am now starting to see the fruit of this. Instead of a hesitantly wading in, we had just enough time to grab a breath of home before we dove headlong, committing ourselves, both hearts and minds to the current of Mexico. We met the english reading groups already in place, experienced a fiesta, toured a small portion of downtown, moved in with our host family, and started language classes all before we knew what had happened. Our schedules have began to get a rythm with language in the mornings at the University of Mexico, meetings and activities with our mentors three or four days a week in the afternoons, and "hang out time" any evening we are free. Today was a day of rest for me and my companero Ben, we went to see the famed painting of Diego Riveras, a national hero of art here in Mexico. My time here has been full but I have been so struck by how straight my path has been made. No hitches, no falls, not one of us has gotten sick yet. It is incredible to see the hand of God moving ahead of us, and clearing the path of all obstacles that would truly impede. I know that so much of this is due to all of you who offer up a prayer from time to time for us, without that support we couldn´t be here. If you could keep my dental health in prayer, I have a wisdom tooth growing in at a bad angle and it has already made contact with the tooth next to it. I am getting surgery to take it out as soon as possible, but please pray that nothin happens until then and that the surgery goes well. Support is still needed, please contact me if you are interested. I will try and post pics at some point, God bless you all.

The Countdown Begins

It has been some time since I have updated this blog but not much has happened since my last post. The move to Shreveport was unexciting and I started my job on the golf course without much fanfare. I have been working as a groundskeeper spending most of my time mowing. God was gracious and instead of searching for a second job to maximize my time here, I was offered an evening position at the golf course running carts. God is good but I am growing tired of my schedule. I am looking eagerly forward to my time in Mexico. As the takeoff day grows closer, (October tenth) I seek to prepare myself spiritually and mentally for the coming challenge. This summer was a practice in desert spirituality and I feel God has been trying to teach me some lesson for the days ahead. I cannot see the bigger picture here yet, but I must trust that He can. It is in these times that I feel like the blind man of scripture, reduced to begging beside the road hoping for a few coins. When Christ came by, the beggar asked Christ to heal him, believing and trusting in His power and goodness. And out of the mercy of Christ the beggar was able to see. The beggar had to trust Christ before he was healed. Like the beggar I am searching blindly for a few coins, learning to trust in the Christ who comes to give sight to the blind. May He have mercy on us.
Please pray for me these next weeks that I would trust Christ's goodness as I seek His spiritual healing. Please also pray for my funds, I serve the God who commands the Universe, my need is not great in His eyes, but I feel frustrated at my failed fundraising attempts and am having difficulty in giving the problem to God.
Many thanks for all your prayers and support, may our Lord bless and enrich you, may you grow in Him.

Time Has Run It's Course, I'm Just Lagging Behind

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Well the pre-appointed amount of time has passed and I have had to make a decision. No word from the government on their progress other than that they are even less sure of when things will get sorted out. It is clear that I must leave, but where too? The Seattle area is close to my heart, having lived there twelvish years I have grown many great relationships that I would like to revive, but I have no set place to stay, no job yet, and no transportation. The difficulties mount. On the other side of the spectrum is Louisiana where my grandparents have offered to let me live and eat with them au gratis, and have offered me a job at a nearby golf course that my grandfather frequents. It is a hard decision because while friendship and familiarity await me in Seattle, I have no knowns there, only unknowns. Louisiana is safe, it is easy, and most importantly, it is sure.
I have made the decision to spend the summer with my grandparents, until I leave for Mexico. I love my family very much but I will miss the could-have-beens in Seattle. My friendships there will have to be put on hold for another year. I will miss Calgary as well, as I prepare to leave I am doing my best to spend time with the people I care for, but I cannot spend time with you all. Something I must remember as I travel through this life is that we are eternal, one day you and me will be able to spend all the time we could ever want growing closer. I may not see that now, and there are so many whom I will miss on this earth, but believe me, the end is better than the beginning. I want to end off with a poem I wrote the summer I left Seattle for the first time.

And shall we meet again my friends

And shall we meet again

For now we take our separate ways

Our paths no more to meet

And shall we meet again my friends

And shall we meet again

For it may be ten thousand mile

Ten thousand miles or more

Yet we shall meet again my friends

Yet we shall meet again

For though it be ten thousand mile

Our paths will cross again

And till that joyous time my friends

And till that joyous time

May God you glorify

May all your ways profess

May God you glorify my friends

May God you glorify

And if in Heaven or on earth

Yes, we shall meet again

Sitting around in Cow-Town

Hello one and all to the new Blog of Eric Luther. May these writings bring glory to Yahweh and understanding to the readers.
School is done and I have temporarily elected to stay. I am prayerfully waiting on a piece of legislation that has already passed, that allows international students at approved private universities to work in Canada. This is a distressing time in some ways as I watch my funds fade, unable to work. I am excited though by the oppurtunity this time gives me, and I am trying to use it well. My practicum for the recently ended school year was at a small Covenant Church in Kensington. Also known as Kensington Road Church. My relationship with the pastor and the congregation has continued and I will be serving there as long as I am in Calgary. The ministry need is not great, I am not doing anything special here, but I feel like I can make a difference, no matter how small. As a truthfull admission, I am also excited about the possibility of raising support there for the coming adventure. The current prayer request for me is that I would be able to work soon. Calgary has many jobs available that pay well, but I need the government to work things out with itself. I am giving myself a month to wait this out, a decision will need to be made around May 20, if I have no job by then, I will return to the states, something I would rather not do because of all the details and unknowns involved, such as transportation and housing.
In mid October I will be arriving in Mexico City and starting my Onsite program. There are a lot of details between now and then but I am strangely at peace, trusting that God will make a way. I am excited but the many months between now and then bring me to a quiet anticipation. I have heard two sermons recently on C.S. Lewis' tale, The Chronicles on Narnia. In both sermons the main point was a conversation between the beavers and the children. The children hear of Aslan and I think it was Lucy who asks, "is He quite safe?" Mr. Beaver looks at her and answers, "Oh no! He is not safe, but He is good." I will be trusting in His goodness, not His safeness these next few weeks, and months.
May God bless you, and may you see and understand more than before.

Eric