Beautiful Consequences
28 Comments Published by Boys Town on Thursday, November 13, 2008 at 7:08 AM.
Today was one of those days in Boys Town...one of those days you don't get very often, but you certainly hold onto for a long, long time. Truth be told, the last few weeks have been kind of difficult here. I sometimes have days or weeks of wondering what on earth I am doing here. I spend those times feeling tired, discouraged, wondering if I was really meant to come here in the first place. Sometimes the question for me is not whether I am called here, but whether I can really do it. And while I am so excited that people are coming here to work with me, I wonder if I won't just be too exhausted by the time they get here to keep moving forward.
Then a day like today happens...
I pulled up to my usual parking space in BT, just outside a line of rooms where I have worn a path over the last few years. I saw my friend "Sally" (not her real name) for the first time in a while. I met Sally about 2 1/2 years ago when she first arrived in BT. She is strikingly beautiful, and I stopped in my tracks the first time I passed her room. We talked briefly, and I told her what I tell all the girls, "Jesus knows your name, the story of your life, and he loves you." Huge tears began to fall from her eyes. I mean, her eyes weren't just watering, but massive tears fell down her cheeks. I'm not sure I have ever been so moved by such a simple statement, but Sally really heard those words that day. I have at different times since knowing Sally, heard her share this story with new girls, or others when she is introducing me. It was an impacting day for me, but I never realized she remembered it so well, too. Today I sat down with Sally to catch up, and the most unexpected things came out of her mouth. She reminded me of our first conversation: "Do you remember when you told me that Jesus loves me? Kelly, those words have impacted the rest of my life." She went on to tell me she has decided to leave BT, to go home to be a mom to her 9-year old daughter. "I am leaving this place, to live my life for God." As if that wasn't big enough, she began to share words that sounded like poetry to me: "Kelly, don't give up hope; don't give up faith. Keep telling the girls that Jesus loves them. I'm leaving now, and many others will leave, too. You have been so patient; you have been our friend, you throw birthday parties for us. You have made many sacrifices with your life. When we sacrifice for God, there are beautiful consequences. My life is a beautiful consequence." Needless to say, this left me in tears. I told Sally that her words today have impacted my life, just like my words impacted hers. I was amazed in that moment as I realized that no one else on this whole planet can encourage me the way my friends in BT can. Their words of "keep going" and "yes, it matters" carry more weight than anyone else's words. Jesus has given me such a strange and beautiful friendship with these men and women. And though I have hated being alone the last few years, Sally would only have shared those things with me one-on-one. Being alone has been part of God's plan here, whether I liked it or not.
I walked away from Sally's room, stunned. As I made my way to "Donna's" room, I found her sitting and talking with another friend, "Alice." After some small talk, they both told me they are leaving after Christmas! Donna has found work in the States, working for a family she worked for many years ago. Alice is going home to be a mom to her 11-year old son! Through teary eyes, they both told me that it is time for them to go. Donna said, "We know you are happy and sad at the same time, Kelly. But mostly happy." We are making plans for a big going-away party. That will be a beautiful day.
I made plans with "Patti" to go to breakfast and talk about her future plans of leaving BT to go to nursing school. I also had a special gift to give her - some friends of mine from Tulsa put together a going-to-nursing-school gift for her. You should have seen Patti's face when she opened her back pack to find brand new shoes, a stethoscope, and notebooks. She took out the stethoscope and listened to her own heart, and started crying! What a beautiful moment. Then she told me that she had bad news - that she is actually coming back after Christmas to work a little longer. She said she needs to buy a car, and she will start school in August. After much protesting on my part, I could see that she was determined to buy this car. Realizing that my new task is to focus on August, I had to pull myself together. I did tell her, however, that if July rolls around and she's still here, I am breaking up friends with her. I won't speak to her anymore, I told her. She kind of smiled because she knew that it wouldn't be possible for me to stop talking to her. I told her to keep her stethoscope where she can see it, to remind her of the dreams God has placed in her heart to be a nurse.
Sorry about all the lack of updates lately. This year has been quite full with visitors, teams, construction, and, of course, Boys Town. The end of the summer marked my 4-year anniversary here on the border. As I reflected on the journey, I found myself grateful for ever-deepening relationships with my friends inside the walls of Boys Town, as well as with my neighbors-to-be in Aquiles Serdan (my new neighborhood). As I remembered times where I have cried with them and celebrated with them, I began to re-think the way I share stories from life here. I began to question whether or not I have the right to tell the stories of some of my friends on this blog, for anyone to read. While my heart is to share the story of Jesus in this place, I wonder if there isn't a better way to do that while protecting the friendships with which I am entrusted here. I haven't quite figured all of that out, but I have come to a place where I feel like I can begin writing again. Jesus certainly has been at work here, and some things are just too beautiful not to share. So, I'll probably not share names as much anymore (not real names, anyways), but I'll do my best to to protect and honor my friends, all while spreading the good news as much as possible. To all of you who pray for Boys Town, thank you for your continued prayers in this journey, and for the grace to sort it out as I go. There are a couple of stories that I can share with you today...
Some of you have heard me talk about Lucia over the last few years. (She is my self-proclaimed Mexican mom, and she reminds me of this on a regular basis.) In her nearly 35 years in Boys Town, Lucia has given birth to 4 children, one of whom still lives in the walls. Her arms, legs, back, and face bear the scars of her literal fight for survival. She is thin; if Olive Oil were a Mexican woman, her name would be Lucia. Lucia has left BT twice during my friendship with her. At the end of August, she left again. It was dark, and though quite inebriated, she walked herself to a rehab clinic many miles away. After eating dinner, she went to sleep in one of the beds in the women's dormitory. The next morning, she awoke to find she had no feeling in her legs and was unable to walk. For six mornings, this was the same. One of the workers told her a doctor could give her some pills that might help her. Lucia's response was simply, "I don't want pills; I want prayer." On the sixth day, some people carried her to the daily prayer meeting, then carried her back to her bed. On the seventh morning, Lucia woke up to find she had full use of her legs - Jesus had healed her! One of the reasons that I can share this story here is because Lucia has already shared it on the local radio station! She quite calmly, and without unnecessary drama, shares the story of what Jesus has done and is doing for her. So sweet and beautiful. This is the longest that Lucia has been out of BT, and I recently learned she is moving in with her daughter and her family in the city. She visits her other daughter and best friend in BT on a daily basis, always with her Bible in tow.
I also recently saw two friends of mine that I have known for the last 2 years in BT. They found me because they have started their own rehab facility just two streets over from my new house! They also took themselves to the same rehab clinic that Lucia had gone to. For various reasons, they felt it was time for them to move on, and that Jesus was wanting them to start their own house. So, they simply walked up to a house in Aquiles, offered to clean the house (it was literally filled with trash, inside and out) if they could live there with their friends who were coming off of drugs and alcohol. The owner of the house agreed, as long as they also pay $100 a month in rent. There are now 11 men, 1 woman, and a chicken living in this house! (They told me the chicken used to be skinny and lazy, but since rehab it has been eating and waking up before 10 am!) We have opened up the 24-7 prayer room to pray together with them once a week. We are hoping to begin a program called Celebrate Recovery in the new year, provided we can get all of the materials in Spanish. (We already have some - we just need participant materials in Spanish.) I cannot fully communicate to you the beauty of what is happening in the lives of these men and women. One of the men, when asked to share the testimony of Jesus in his life, with tears in his eyes could only say these profound words: "Cristo vive." "Jesus lives." It is truly the power of the resurrection in their lives, my life, our lives that frees us from chains we could never break on our own. These men shared stories of seeing demons, hearing voices, having demonic dreams, and also knowing the protection and liberation of Christ in those moments. Truly the Kingdom of Heaven come to earth.
Construction continues, slowly but surely. The amazing people at Isaiah 55 continue to bless me and amaze me - sending teams of volunteer, skilled workers to complete my home. My friend Emily Sengel will be moving here in November to commit her life for 2 years to Boys Town and Aquiles. Wes and Jessica continue to "man the fort" as they live and pray on my land, loving our neighbors and sharing Jesus' story with everyone. God is constructing a community there, and I am so grateful to have a front-row seat!
Thank you to all of you for your prayers and friendship!
Love,
Kelly
Some of you have heard me talk about Lucia over the last few years. (She is my self-proclaimed Mexican mom, and she reminds me of this on a regular basis.) In her nearly 35 years in Boys Town, Lucia has given birth to 4 children, one of whom still lives in the walls. Her arms, legs, back, and face bear the scars of her literal fight for survival. She is thin; if Olive Oil were a Mexican woman, her name would be Lucia. Lucia has left BT twice during my friendship with her. At the end of August, she left again. It was dark, and though quite inebriated, she walked herself to a rehab clinic many miles away. After eating dinner, she went to sleep in one of the beds in the women's dormitory. The next morning, she awoke to find she had no feeling in her legs and was unable to walk. For six mornings, this was the same. One of the workers told her a doctor could give her some pills that might help her. Lucia's response was simply, "I don't want pills; I want prayer." On the sixth day, some people carried her to the daily prayer meeting, then carried her back to her bed. On the seventh morning, Lucia woke up to find she had full use of her legs - Jesus had healed her! One of the reasons that I can share this story here is because Lucia has already shared it on the local radio station! She quite calmly, and without unnecessary drama, shares the story of what Jesus has done and is doing for her. So sweet and beautiful. This is the longest that Lucia has been out of BT, and I recently learned she is moving in with her daughter and her family in the city. She visits her other daughter and best friend in BT on a daily basis, always with her Bible in tow.
I also recently saw two friends of mine that I have known for the last 2 years in BT. They found me because they have started their own rehab facility just two streets over from my new house! They also took themselves to the same rehab clinic that Lucia had gone to. For various reasons, they felt it was time for them to move on, and that Jesus was wanting them to start their own house. So, they simply walked up to a house in Aquiles, offered to clean the house (it was literally filled with trash, inside and out) if they could live there with their friends who were coming off of drugs and alcohol. The owner of the house agreed, as long as they also pay $100 a month in rent. There are now 11 men, 1 woman, and a chicken living in this house! (They told me the chicken used to be skinny and lazy, but since rehab it has been eating and waking up before 10 am!) We have opened up the 24-7 prayer room to pray together with them once a week. We are hoping to begin a program called Celebrate Recovery in the new year, provided we can get all of the materials in Spanish. (We already have some - we just need participant materials in Spanish.) I cannot fully communicate to you the beauty of what is happening in the lives of these men and women. One of the men, when asked to share the testimony of Jesus in his life, with tears in his eyes could only say these profound words: "Cristo vive." "Jesus lives." It is truly the power of the resurrection in their lives, my life, our lives that frees us from chains we could never break on our own. These men shared stories of seeing demons, hearing voices, having demonic dreams, and also knowing the protection and liberation of Christ in those moments. Truly the Kingdom of Heaven come to earth.
Construction continues, slowly but surely. The amazing people at Isaiah 55 continue to bless me and amaze me - sending teams of volunteer, skilled workers to complete my home. My friend Emily Sengel will be moving here in November to commit her life for 2 years to Boys Town and Aquiles. Wes and Jessica continue to "man the fort" as they live and pray on my land, loving our neighbors and sharing Jesus' story with everyone. God is constructing a community there, and I am so grateful to have a front-row seat!
Thank you to all of you for your prayers and friendship!
Love,
Kelly
Hey everyone! Check out these recent photos of construction. We are nearly halfway through our summer teams, and we are very excited about the progress on the land! Keep us in your prayers as teams from all over the United States come to help build, one week at a time.
Hi Everyone!
Sorry about the lack of updates lately. It has been one busy season here since November. Construction seems to be preoccupying my life these days! And it's a great thing. From Southern Baptists to Presbyterians to 14-year olds from the Midwest to my Mexican neighbors, everyone (who is anyone!) is involved in building this house and community center. To me, it is a beautiful picture of the Body of Jesus Christ. Here are a few photos of the building in process....
The wonderful people at Isaiah 55 here in Reynosa are overseeing my construction project. Check out their blog for more photos and regular updates on the building project throughout the summer.
The one and only Freddi Gralle from Germany was here during the month of March. Check out her short film she made about her time here.
Interested in coming to be a part of a construction team here in Reynosa? Check out Isaiah 55's website or Believers World Outreach for more information on how to join a team or bring a group!
WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN??????
8 Comments Published by Boys Town on Wednesday, January 30, 2008 at 12:59 PM.
This seems to be the most commonly asked question these days, as well as the most common subject line in my email inbox, as well as the most common post on my facebook wall. So sorry!! It has been an unusually busy time here in Reynosa and in my life. But that is no excuse for neglecting this little blog of mine. So, I'm back. And I will attempt to catch you up on all things Boys Town...
November was great with the ground-breaking, and all the surrealness (is that even a word?) that goes along with a building project. I'm still not totally convinced that I will live there one day...it is like a dream come true. The end of November brought Thanksgiving and an amazing visit from my parents, as well as my aunt and uncle all the way from Washington state! It was my first Thanksgiving dinner to cook ever, and I have to say it went very well. My friend Sonia was able to come, and it was so great to have her in my home with my family. She told my mom that she reminded her of her own mother, who has no idea what she does for a living. Sonia talked about how great it was to be with such a "beautiful family" for days. I felt so incredibly grateful for my own family, and that God has created a space for my family to love my friends in Boys Town. So cool.
December was B-U-S-Y! I had friends coming to visit and birthday parties to throw for the girls, and then the coolest thing ever: my parents, my sister, my brother-in-law, the niece and the nephews all came to Mexico!! We were all crammed into my tiny house for what felt like the best Christmas ever. I was so incredibly honored that my family would come all the way to Reynosa (of all places) to spend the holiday not just with me, but with the beautiful people of Boys Town. My mom and sister made a ridiculous amount of cookies, and the whole family joined in decorating them, bagging them up, and tying ribbon to deliver to Boys Town on Christmas day. We waltzed ourselves on in to Boys Town on Christmas morning armed with such small tokens of love...I have never felt so proud of my family in my entire life. They all acted like they were there every day and like it was normal for them. To be able to share the most precious things in the world to me with each other...such a gift from Jesus. One of my friends in BT, Frank, walked out to meet my family. (He is actually from the US and used to be a pastor.) My dad gave him some cookies and told him merry Christmas. All Frank could say was, "I can't believe she brought her whole family to boys town...the whole family!" He was a bit overcome with emotion and had to walk away. Another girl named Margarita who always asks me for things (vitamins, shampoo, money, food, you name it) was so overcome that my sister and her daughter were there, that she ran to her room to get a gift for them! She gave my sister a shirt and my niece some pesos. I couldn't help but wonder if Margarita was thinking of her own children who live far away, and how she just wants to be a normal mom.
Things were kind of beginning to break down for the kids at this point...we narrowly avoided a major melt-down. :) They were real champs, though!
January has been full, as well. Getting back into the post-holiday swing of things has been a challenge, especially with lots of friends coming for visits. I love having people in my home, and January has been a great time for that. Lots of interesting things happen here on a regular basis - I think I'm starting to get used to a weird life (sometimes). Here in Reynosa, I have a friend named Wes. I have no idea how Wes ended up on our doorstep one day last spring, but he did. He is an American who had been living at a homeless shelter in Reynosa so he could share the Gospel with folks. Wes is getting married in May to a wonderful girl from Georgia, and they were planning to live at the shelter until God provided something else. I'm simply not as hard core as Wes, and couldn't bare the thought of him and his new wife living in separate rooms at the shelter, so I offered to let them live on my land in what will basically be the 24-7 prayer room, with a kitchen and a bedroom. He was so ecstatic, that he decided he would go ahead and live on the land now! Mind you, there is a roofless brick structure there, and that's all. No water, no power, no nothing! So, Wes is in the middle of a 40 day fast, living in a tent in the not-quite-finished prayer room. He prays all day for the land and the things that God desires to do there. Incredible. I cannot even wait for it to be a "real" prayer room one day soon. God has done amazing things in bringing people (though a bit strange, to say the least) to my life here to help walk out the path He has laid before me.
Okay, I realize this post is getting to be quite long, but I want to ask that you would pray for a few things: I am in desperate need of a long-term team here. The wonderful Emily Sengel will be here in October, and she has committed for two years. But when I think of all the work that is to be done here, I know we will need more than just lovely Emily, Wes and his wife, and myself. At the moment, I could begin a nightcare facility for children if I only had more people to help. I know of at least two mothers who would be incredibly grateful. A couple of weeks ago, I found a woman in BT who was at least 90 years old, had been living in there for more than 50 years, and was completely unable to care for herself. She was wearing diapers that were not changed very often, could not feed herself or walk. I was overcome with emotion upon finding her. We were able to find a place at a nearby nursing home for her, but she died the morning she was scheduled to leave. Her name was Josefina, and it breaks my heart that her life went unnoticed by so many. If i had more people here, we could possibly have taken her into our home temporarily, and simply read the Bible to her, brushed her hair, and listen to her talk about better days. We could have simply shared the love of Jesus with her. Being one person here who is trying to go for longevity, I know that I can't do everything. But I could certainly share the load with a few others who are willing to give at least two years of their lives to love the forgotten, to love Jesus in Boys Town and in Reynosa. I'm looking for people who can speak conversational Spanish (or who are willing to learn), and can commit to at least two years here. If you are interested, or know someone who is, feel free to contact me at kellykgreene@yahoo.com.
I seem to be having trouble uploading photos...I will try again in a few days.
Love and hugs to you all from Mexico,
Kelly
November was great with the ground-breaking, and all the surrealness (is that even a word?) that goes along with a building project. I'm still not totally convinced that I will live there one day...it is like a dream come true. The end of November brought Thanksgiving and an amazing visit from my parents, as well as my aunt and uncle all the way from Washington state! It was my first Thanksgiving dinner to cook ever, and I have to say it went very well. My friend Sonia was able to come, and it was so great to have her in my home with my family. She told my mom that she reminded her of her own mother, who has no idea what she does for a living. Sonia talked about how great it was to be with such a "beautiful family" for days. I felt so incredibly grateful for my own family, and that God has created a space for my family to love my friends in Boys Town. So cool.
December was B-U-S-Y! I had friends coming to visit and birthday parties to throw for the girls, and then the coolest thing ever: my parents, my sister, my brother-in-law, the niece and the nephews all came to Mexico!! We were all crammed into my tiny house for what felt like the best Christmas ever. I was so incredibly honored that my family would come all the way to Reynosa (of all places) to spend the holiday not just with me, but with the beautiful people of Boys Town. My mom and sister made a ridiculous amount of cookies, and the whole family joined in decorating them, bagging them up, and tying ribbon to deliver to Boys Town on Christmas day. We waltzed ourselves on in to Boys Town on Christmas morning armed with such small tokens of love...I have never felt so proud of my family in my entire life. They all acted like they were there every day and like it was normal for them. To be able to share the most precious things in the world to me with each other...such a gift from Jesus. One of my friends in BT, Frank, walked out to meet my family. (He is actually from the US and used to be a pastor.) My dad gave him some cookies and told him merry Christmas. All Frank could say was, "I can't believe she brought her whole family to boys town...the whole family!" He was a bit overcome with emotion and had to walk away. Another girl named Margarita who always asks me for things (vitamins, shampoo, money, food, you name it) was so overcome that my sister and her daughter were there, that she ran to her room to get a gift for them! She gave my sister a shirt and my niece some pesos. I couldn't help but wonder if Margarita was thinking of her own children who live far away, and how she just wants to be a normal mom.
Things were kind of beginning to break down for the kids at this point...we narrowly avoided a major melt-down. :) They were real champs, though!January has been full, as well. Getting back into the post-holiday swing of things has been a challenge, especially with lots of friends coming for visits. I love having people in my home, and January has been a great time for that. Lots of interesting things happen here on a regular basis - I think I'm starting to get used to a weird life (sometimes). Here in Reynosa, I have a friend named Wes. I have no idea how Wes ended up on our doorstep one day last spring, but he did. He is an American who had been living at a homeless shelter in Reynosa so he could share the Gospel with folks. Wes is getting married in May to a wonderful girl from Georgia, and they were planning to live at the shelter until God provided something else. I'm simply not as hard core as Wes, and couldn't bare the thought of him and his new wife living in separate rooms at the shelter, so I offered to let them live on my land in what will basically be the 24-7 prayer room, with a kitchen and a bedroom. He was so ecstatic, that he decided he would go ahead and live on the land now! Mind you, there is a roofless brick structure there, and that's all. No water, no power, no nothing! So, Wes is in the middle of a 40 day fast, living in a tent in the not-quite-finished prayer room. He prays all day for the land and the things that God desires to do there. Incredible. I cannot even wait for it to be a "real" prayer room one day soon. God has done amazing things in bringing people (though a bit strange, to say the least) to my life here to help walk out the path He has laid before me.
Okay, I realize this post is getting to be quite long, but I want to ask that you would pray for a few things: I am in desperate need of a long-term team here. The wonderful Emily Sengel will be here in October, and she has committed for two years. But when I think of all the work that is to be done here, I know we will need more than just lovely Emily, Wes and his wife, and myself. At the moment, I could begin a nightcare facility for children if I only had more people to help. I know of at least two mothers who would be incredibly grateful. A couple of weeks ago, I found a woman in BT who was at least 90 years old, had been living in there for more than 50 years, and was completely unable to care for herself. She was wearing diapers that were not changed very often, could not feed herself or walk. I was overcome with emotion upon finding her. We were able to find a place at a nearby nursing home for her, but she died the morning she was scheduled to leave. Her name was Josefina, and it breaks my heart that her life went unnoticed by so many. If i had more people here, we could possibly have taken her into our home temporarily, and simply read the Bible to her, brushed her hair, and listen to her talk about better days. We could have simply shared the love of Jesus with her. Being one person here who is trying to go for longevity, I know that I can't do everything. But I could certainly share the load with a few others who are willing to give at least two years of their lives to love the forgotten, to love Jesus in Boys Town and in Reynosa. I'm looking for people who can speak conversational Spanish (or who are willing to learn), and can commit to at least two years here. If you are interested, or know someone who is, feel free to contact me at kellykgreene@yahoo.com.
I seem to be having trouble uploading photos...I will try again in a few days.
Love and hugs to you all from Mexico,
Kelly
This is a REAL ground-breaking photo. This photo includes no less than: 1 doctor, 2 senior pastors (1 American, 1 Mexican), 1 cheerleader-turned-missionary, 1 drug dealer, and LOTS of amazing friends who have given of their time, money, and sweat to begin building this house and community center. The neighborhood is a buzz with what is happening on our corner, and I literally can't believe it's happening. There has been some serious hard labor that has gone into this project in the last few days, and I am honored to have such a great church and friends who have so willingly been a part of this. Here are a few photos...
Pouring cement...
Even the kids got involved! They're working hard in my "kitchen."
We finished up the day with face painting...could you resist these faces?
Okay, this isn't a photo of me and the girls from Boys Town at the ground-breaking ceremony, but that's because we don't start until tomorrow. Did you catch that? We break ground TOMORROW!!!
Oops! Did I forget to mention here that we FINALLY got the land? It was a long process, but it is all official now!
Tomorrow morning, a wonderful group from my home church, Believers Church, will begin pouring cement for the foundation.
But let me back up about 4 weeks...while I was in Spain with 24-7 Prayer, some amazing friends here began clearing the land and doing the hard work of digging footings so the team could pour foundation this week. Some of the people who helped were boys from the neighborhood! Some were people who had recently been deported from the United States who are trying to earn money to go back to their homes. They gave freely of their time and services, believing that God would take care of them if they chose to trust Him. (Miraculously, chicken and ice cream showed up at their shelter that night, for "the people who helped clear Kelly's land," and we still don't know who it was from!)
I'll post updates this week on the process...thanks for your prayers!
