I love to go to Starbucks to work, but I don’t like to pay for WiFi. All I ever buy is the brewed coffee of the day, and I like to spend a long time in the Starbucks when I go because I can get into a groove and get things done.
But I’ve been going to Panera Bread instead because they have free refills and free WiFi. But that is going to change soon.
How come I haven’t been using a Starbucks Card Rewards all summer long? I just found out that you can get a Starbucks card, register it online, and then you get all sorts of rewards.
Here are the rewards: Free refills on brewed coffee; Free WiFi; Free Beverage Customization; and Free Beverages when you buy beans.
I got a card and signed up today, and now I’m looking forward to turning Starbucks into my new office (sorry, I’m ditching Panera Bread.)
(Image by: MightyKenny on Flickr)
The other day, Nathan and I were playing and he said, “I miss Mexico.” He loves being in Florida with his family, but there are times when he misses Mexico, too.
We’ve been in the US since early June, and we’re all missing some things.
Here are the things I’m missing about Mexico.
- Our home – there’s just something about having your own space. Nathan definitely misses his toys and his room in Mexico. I miss having my own space, too.
- Seminary students – I miss hanging out with my students and seeing them everyday. I also miss just working at the seminary. I’m sad that I’m missing orientation week next week. I want to meet the new students.
- The park in our neighborhood – we’ve got a great little park that is two streets away from our house. It’s like having our own park with a gigantic slide (picture), swings (video), and some green space to play in.
- The weather – Contrary to popular belief, it’s not always hot in Mexico City. In fact, the weather in Mexico City is much better than the weather in Florida. I miss the cooler air, and I’m looking forward to getting back to it.
- Our church – We go to PIB Satelite (First Baptist of Satelite), a large church that meets at the Seminary campus. I miss attending and also participating in the youth ministry there. I’m hoping we can be more involved there when we go back.
The good news is that we finally have a date to go back. We’ll be flying out of Miami on September 18.
I was reading Tim’s blog the other day, and he said that he had never done a missions trip with a missions organization.
I think Tim gives some valid points about not using a missions organization, and I also think there are some good points for using a missions organization to organize your mission trip.
I’ve had the chance to lead countless short term teams during our time in Mexico (and before), so here are my thoughts on the subject.
Advantages of Taking a Missions Trip with a Missions Organization
- Lasting ministry by partnering with someone who’s “on the ground.” I know you can do this on your own, if you have the right contacts, but missions organizations spend a lot of time developing relationships with the national ministries with whom you’ll be working, allowing your two week ministry to have a lasting impact with less work for you.
- Short term trip fits into a long term strategy. Two weeks in a foreign country will do more for your students than it will for the local ministry. But, we should expect our time on a mission trip to play a part in a longer-term strategy. That’s where a missions organization comes into play.
Our strategy with YMI is to allow short term teams (called Quest Teams) to model youth ministry so that the local churches will invite us to train youth workers for their churches.
- Safety from working with an organization that knows the territory. The missions organization can help take care of insurance and help alleviate other safety issues that you might not be aware of in the region where you are going.
- Administration hassles are handled by someone else, giving you more time to minister to your students. I’m usually the guy at the missions organization doing most of the ground work such as keeping track of finances, deciding where to get food, details about lodging, and many, many other details. The youth pastor definitely gets to give his opinion and input, but he doesn’t have to worry about that stuff because the missions organization takes care of it for him.
- Quality experiences for all involved. This can happen if you plan your own mission experience or if you go with an organization. The point is to be involved in missions and give students an experience with missions that will impact them for eternity.
We are open to having groups come work with us in Mexico. If you are interested in bringing a group to Mexico to work with us, contact us or YMI’s home office.
(image by: JPhilipson on Flickr)
I read a great blog post on Pura Vida that compares Mexico City with Gotham City. It has some startling statistics in it about the city we call home, and it references another article from the New York Times about crime in Mexico City (free registration required).
Some startling facts about Mexico
- Since the end of 2006, the Calderón government has sent more than 25,000 soldiers and federal police on high-powered anti-drug “operations” to combat drug cartels.
- This year is on pace to be the bloodiest on record for Mexico’s drug war, surpassing by almost 50 percent last year’s toll of more than 2,500 deaths.
- The U.S. Congress has authorized $400 million worth of aid to Mexico for next year, including equipment and technical support for García Luna’s police.
- In a national poll taken earlier this year in Mexico, 56% of Mexicans think the cartels are more powerful than the government.
- A powerful drug cartel left a “hit list” of police chiefs and mayors on a monument to fallen police officers in February of this year. Of the 22 names on the list, 18 were assassinated within three months.
- Last year the largest confiscation of cocaine in history – 23 tons – happened in Mexico and the amount of $207 million dollars was seized all in one house (there were entire rooms filled with hundred dollar bills stacked from floor to ceiling).
Please continue to pray for Mexico. It is definitely a spiritual battle that is being waged. We know that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, and we know who ultimately wins.
Each of the statistics above represent many lives and families that are being destroyed. Mexico needs your prayers.
(Photo by: bdebaca on flickr)
I absolutely LOVE twitter. It’s been a great way for me to meet new people. I’ve never personally met anyone who follows me on twitter, but I have come to know many people through using it.
A lot of people (including my wife) think that twitter is a waste of time, but I was thinking about the benefits of using twitter for missionaries. Some of these are things that I’ve done, and some of them are things I hope to do with twitter.
5 Ways for Missionaries to Use Twitter
- Set up a special profile for prayer. (Ours is twitter.com/PoulettePrayer). With this profile, you can allow people to sign up and receive your most timely prayer requests.
- Get to know new people to expand ministry opportunities. You can connect with new people on twitter, which may or may not lead to ministry alliances and new partnerships.
- Show people that missionaries are normal people, too. The great thing about twitter is its social aspect. You can tweet about what you ate for lunch or about serious things. You answer the simple question of what you are doing right now.
- Keep up with old friends from home who are not near you. Sometimes, we feel isolated and far away from everyone we know. With twitter, you can keep up with friends and family (or even complete strangers).
- Stay informed about your niche. If you’re a pastor, you can find out what other pastors are thinking. If you’re a youth worker, you can meet other youth workers and talk about ministry. It’s a great way to keep informed about what’s happening in the world of ministry.
So, if you’re not on twitter, what are you waiting for? If you sign up, make sure to follow me @drpoulette and get our prayer updates @PoulettePrayer.
