Posted 9:52:49 PM by Eric Anderson
Hi everybody. Saturday evening at the computer. This morning I moved out of my apartement into Myrtille's house because my month of rent was over....so I'll live here for a couple days before I leave. The recital for the music camp was this evening, and it went really well. My trumpet student played Amazing Grace ...and my guitar group played "Abre mis ojos" ...or "Open the eyes of my heart Lord" as you know it in english. I received a gift afterwords as one of the teachers...that was really neat. Tomorrow is my last sunday here, so I'll probably get to say something at Maranatha...lots of goodbye's and all. Monday I'm going shopping with Marina in the morning ( haha...shopping) and to the beach in the afternoon with all the music camp people from Maranatha. As well, I'm going to go by Casa Hogar to say goodbye to everybody there...and then I leave bright and early tuesday morning; arriving home at 12:15. I'm trying to spend the next few days (since they won't be very busy) reflecting on my trip and applying things. It has really been a wonderful time for me...and I am going to miss everything here; however, I'll be glad to be home:)

Thanks again so much for your prayers, I look for forward to seeing you!
-Eric

Prayer:
-Nicole, an intern who arrived yesterday...she'll be here working at Casa Hogar for 4 months
-Casa Hogar, as it is experiencing some especially dificult internal turmiol right now
-Me, as I wrap up my trip and head home
-Maggie, whose cousin (same age as Maggie) unexpectedly died of an anyriesm (I have know idea how to spell that) on thursday
-Ailsa and Alicia (two fellow interns) who are sick and not doing well right now

Posted 6:17:51 PM by Eric Anderson
Ok then...been awhile since the last post. The past few days have been really really busy.
Saturday I had more music school preparation in the morning, followed by rehearsal in the afternoon. Around 5 I went and bought my guitar I'll be using (which was really fun because in the guitar store I could watch all the guys making guitars while I waited) and then in the evening I went back to Maranatha to rehearse with Ed Limon for my prelude/postlude that I played in service on Sunday. Sunday I spent most the afternoon hanging with my interns ..it was a good day to rest and have some fellowship. Monday music school started; I have three one-hour long classes with two beginner guitar students, and two trumpet students with hour classes each. Since I've been here for a few weeks, my spanish is much better, and teaching effectively with limited language skills has surprisingly not been an issue. The hardest part so far is the length of the days (9 to 6) and the continual mental intensity required to play a musical instrument and teach in spanish.
Last night, we had our "debrief" (we all leave at different times) at Los Flamingos, and a really nice dinner at Maggie's house afterwords...it was alot of fun, but I didn't get home till almost 1; hence exhaustion today.
I'll probably only write once more before I come home, I look forward to seeing everybody again!

Eric

Prayer-

-Interns going home thursday, friday and saturday (Leila, Sara and Laurabeth in that order).
-Music school, for the teachers and students
-Me as I prepare to say goodbye to everybody and pack up

Thank you mucho!

Posted 6:58:14 PM by Eric Anderson
Hey everybody...never made it to Casa Hogar today (friday) because I spent most the day at Maranatha in a meeting for the music school next week. I'm going to be playing my trumpet in the church service at Maranatha this sunday, so I've got to get that ready too. Next week I'll be at Maranatha church from 9 to 6 everyday for the music school, which ends on sunday. Monday is a day of goodbye's and rest, and then tuesday I come home.

Please pray for:
-Music school next week
-Teachers
-Students
-Me
-Trumpet preparation for this sunday and next week
-Guitar class preparation for next week
-Focus and intensity during my last week here, and that I would make the most of my time
-Other interns
-Traveling home at various points this week

Still haven't gotten sick :)

Alrighty, see you soon!
-Eric

Posted 3:44:46 PM by Eric Anderson
Today is monday; the first day of another exciting week. Our group of 8 has gone home, and the group of 20 will be here until thursday. Today I did construction in the morning, and I'll be helping out with various activities at the Casa Hogar in the afternoon. Tomorrow I get to accompany the group on their day off, so I get to go snorkeling:) Wednesday is more work at the Casa, and thursday is my day off. Friday more Casa Hogar activities (maybe taking some of the kids to a movie or something). A week from today I start the music school at Maranatha, so I've got to get everything ready for that this week.
Over the weekend I: got sick briefly, had lunch at Marina's house, went the a church service at Renacimiento church and played two exciting games of SkipBo with Ellen Barnett.

Prayer:
-Kari, Elena and Juanito (three of the interns) who go home on thursday
-Chapelgate group who is here right now, they are doing a "hygiene program" for the kids at the Casa Hogar
-Music school next week, and for all the preparations for that going on this week

Thanks!
-Eric

Posted 5:49:37 PM by Peter Dishman
No Move

Eric ended up staying at the apartment today, since the team has already paid the rent until the end of the month. Sounds like he's doing well, and should be helping out with a group of 8 and a group of 20 right now as they tag team at the Casa Hogar.

Posted 6:58:35 PM by Eric Anderson
Back on the computer again. Today was pretty relaxing, we took the kids from the Casa Hogar to the beach this afternoon. I'm all on my own now b/c Juanito left yesterday morning. I'm going to be moving out of my apartament and into Casa Hogar on wednesday for two weeks. Our last group left on saturday afternoon, and a new one arrive saturday evening (8 people), and then 20 more are arriving on tuesday; we'll have a full house. Everything went well with VBS finishing last week...and this week I'll be at Casa Hogar all day every day.

Prayer-
-My move into Casa Hogar on wednesday
-Juanito as he travels and return home to the US after his trip
-New group working with Casa Hogar

Thanks,
Eric

Posted 2:26:13 PM by Eric Anderson
This afternoon is my "afternoon off", so I have time to write a bit more and give everybody a more detailed update on how things have been progressing.
Like I said a couple days ago, this week I have VBS in the morning and Casa Hogar in the afternoon (various activities with the mission team and kids). We have a joint team of about 30 people from Georgia here this week at the Casa...and they are doing a really great job. Lots of college/post-college age folks, so not any problems with maturity:) They brought down Pogs for all the kids (for those of you who remember what those are), and the kids are just loving them. They've become the new form of currency for all interactions among males:) The group also brought down shirts for all the kids, which they've been having us and each other sign, along with putting designs and phrases such as "God created everything" on them. The team from Georgia has been construction in the morning; right now the Casa Hogar is taking down much of its old facility to make room for a new/not breaking constantly facility which will be going up as funds are raised.
Tuesday night I went to a competative soccer game with some of the youth from Maranatha church, which was alot of fun. The older guys at the Casa Hogar have been playing a load of soccer with me and the guys from the mission team; and so far I've managed to only rip the side of my foot up once:)
Saturday our group leaves, along with my house-mate, Juanito...so I'll be all alone for a week. I'm not sure what my schedule will be next week...but I'll probably find out pretty soon. Anyway, that is how my week has been progressing.
Yesterday and tuesday were very frustrating days for me, as I've reached a point where my spanish speaking skills are maxed out, and I can no longer communicate what I want to. As well, things have not always been very organized...so that lends itself to frustration for overly organized people like myself.

Let me clear up a couple of things:

There are 10 interns here in Acapulco this summer, and I was the last to arrive. I was told there would only be 5 besides myself, so it was quite a surprise to me to have so many other people here. Juanito is the only other guy here (hence my life-line), and this is 3rd summer to be an intern (hence he knows everything...haha). There are then 8 girls(rather, were 8...one left, so there is only 7 now)...from Washington state, Connecticut, Mississippi and Florida. I haven't gotten to know most of them very well yet as we are generally working in different places.
The Casa Hogar (where we are all primarily stationed and where all the short-term teams coming in are working) is a place where about 70 kids live from ages 6 to 26. The kids are in all schools from kindergarten (or the spanish equivalent actually) up into Universities, and school attendance is a mandatory part of their stay at the Casa. Just about all of them were street kids, left by their parents, or some variation on those circumstances. The Casa Hogar is a very old facility, and is falling apart like I said earlier. There are about 7 full time workers who live at the Casa Hogar and interact with the kids on a daily basis; these workers are either missionaries or directors. The kids at the Casa Hogar are all well-fed, dressed and clean. However, the leadership and spiritual discipleship aspect is almost non-existent. A lack of continuity between one year and the next (this missionary comes, then leaves, then another comes, etc.) leaves the kids without a father/mother figure or role model to emulate. A small percentage of the kids there have excepted Jesus as their savior and are christians...however the ones who are not greatly outweigh them.
There are more short term mission teams coming to Acapulco this summer then ever before (around 10), hence it is very very busy with many interns and many teams to direct. Maggie Gonzalez is the MTW worker here in Acapulco whose primary job is to work in the street kid ministry. Myrtille is PR at the Casa Hogar and helps direct our work there.

Hmmm, well I think that's about it.

-Eric

Prayer:

-Casa Hogar
-Missionaries Joy and Jason who work there full time, for strength and perseverance in a schedule with no time to rest
-Kids, that they would come to know our Lord and Savior
-Alejandro, the director; for leadership and wisdom
-Maggie
-Wisdom and strength in leading 10 interns
-Short term teams
-Endurance for a very rigorous schedule and health (many of them are sick)
-Interns
-Unity and strength

Thanks!

Posted 2:30:03 PM by Eric Anderson
Hey everybody...back on the computer again. Not awhole of time, so I'm going to make this brief.
Today (monday) I started working with the VBS at Maranatha church in the morning, and the Casa Hogar in the afternoons. Well...yeah, that's about it. I'll be all on my own (Juanito is leaving town for a bit) starting saturday, so pray that goes well.

Thanks,
-Eric

Posted 7:21:59 PM by Eric Anderson
Hello again. I'm at Maranatha church in Acapulco in Ellen's office (this is where I will be doing the music school later in the month). Today I woke up at 4:30 to see off one of my fellow interns whom I only knew for 4 days. Later on, around 10, I headed to Maranatha for a meeting with the other music camp teachers to go over curriculum and logistics. That meeting ended, and I've since been in the office all day preparing for a Bible club I'm helping with next week and some financial stuff. Tomorrow one of the short-term teams is coming down to work, pray that everything involved there goes well.
Hmmm, well I suppose that's it for now. Hope nobody was freaking out because it took me so long to write (Peter) :)

Hasta,
Eric

Prayer for:

-Safe arrival of team tomorrow and unity between the staff/interns and the short-term team (there were some problems in this area before I arrived).
-For Ellen, as she has to get a ton of stuff done before she leaves on Wednesday to go out of town briefly
-Safety for everybody here involved in mission work while traveling around town and such (Juanito was almost mugged by some drunk guys)

Gracias

Posted 8:56:23 PM by Eric Anderson
Happy 4th of July to everybody; I've finally gotten a chance to get online and write. Things haven't been quite as I expected them (of course I suppose that's to be expected). I arrived in Acapulco on monday without any problems where I was picked up by one of my fellow interns; Juanito, and some nationals that are working with us. I was then informed that yesterday (sunday) the other intern females (of whom there are 8 not 4) along with Maggie had gotten in an accident on their way to a vacation in one of the outlying towns. So, we drove four hours to Tlyacapan and I then met my companions. There, I had four days of vacation (monday thru thursday) as my first experience in Mexico this year. Anyway, I just got back in Acapulco today (thursday) and tomorrow I have my briefing and first day of work. Next week I will be working with Marina at a VBS type program one of the churches is doing, and for all my time here I will be working with the Casa Hogar.

Everything has been going really well, and I haven't met any adversity yet (but I know it's coming). Anyway, that's all for now. Cheers to everybody. Hello to the returning Russian mission team!

Until then,
Eric

Prayer Requests-

-For Maggie and Myrtille as they lead us interns
-For the Casa Hogar; for the kids and leaders and financial aspect
-Personal strength (spiritual/physical) and intensity and that God would continue to work in my heart and teach my what he would have me learn on this trip.

Thanks for your prayers!

Posted 12:19:23 AM by Eric Anderson
Hey everybody, it's 12:11 AM Sunday night, and I'm at the famous home of Peter Dishman. I probably won't get a chance to post an update for awhile once I get in Acapulco, so I'm putting this up before I leave... I leave tomorrow (or, I guess it's today now) at 7:30 AM, and I should arrive in Acapulco around 12 in the afternoon. Please pray specifically for:
-Logistical details regarding my flights and layover in Mexico city
-Easy passage through customs as I am carrying four trumpets on my person and they might think that's weird
-Upon arrival in Acapulco, getting to know my teammates and getting situated in my new "home"

Special thanks go out to:
Rachel Davis for driving across town to bring me music supplies
Peter Dishman for staying up late and getting lots of things done for me
Curtis Frodge for going to a movie with me

Ok everybody, that's it for now. Thanks for your prayers, hope to "talk" with you all soon!
-Eric

Posted 7:34:24 PM by Peter Dishman
De nada. Ojala que ocupes este sitio mientras estas fuera del pais!

Posted 8:19:04 AM by Eric Anderson
Eric says: thanks to Peter for doing this for me!

Posted 4:37:13 PM by Peter Dishman
Test.

Posted 3:30:36 PM by Peter Dishman
Test.

Posted 3:07:06 PM by Peter Dishman
This is a weblog for Eric Anderson while he is in Acapulco during July 2002.