The Beginning of Something Wonderful

"Kandy, va a venir al entrenamiento Lunes?"

which means,

"Kandy, are you coming to our practice on Monday?"

These were the words I heard from Oscar, an eleven year old on one of the ‘futbol’ teams I help coach. I've only been to a handful of practices, but I know most of their names now and am getting used to the swing of things. Being an assistant coach is the main thing I do here in Monterrey, Mexico. Each night I go to a practice held in a different area of Monterrey, and on Saturdays we have a tournament with all the teams in the league. The goal of Youth for Christ is to minister to at-risk adolescents, which means that most of these neighborhoods are not in good areas. Being on a team gives these kids a sense of community, which prevents them from feeling the need to join one of the many gangs around.

I've been here exactly two weeks, and I'm already falling in love with the city. Praise God! Everyone I've meet as been so welcoming, friendly, and eager to offer me food! The city is surrounded by awesome mountains (I've already done some climbing!), and at any point during the day the sky looks incredible with huge rolling clouds. I've had more than my fair share of awkward moments, but I guess that’s to be expected during the beginning of any ministry. I've been getting along really well with Taly, who's only a couple years older than I am and speaks perfect English. I live with Taly and her mother, Celia, who's never satisfied with how much I eat.

Now that I'm here and now what to expect for the upcoming months, I'm even more excited for this next big chapter of my life. My Spanish efficiency is actually better than I thought, and I'm improving every day. I've run a practice on my own, and had a great time encouraging and challenging the boys, who I already feel are "my kids".

To answer Oscar’s question, “Si, por su puesto!”

which means, “Yes, of course!"

I’ll be here for awhile.

Love in Christ,

Kandy (my new nickname)

Prayer Requests:

-That I would continue to get along great with the students and members of the ministry team

-Continued health

-More language efficiency

-Patience through this adjustment period

Taly and I after church, eating 'doritos'