Date: Tue, 19 Jun 2001 17:23:07 -0700 (PDT)
From: Joy McMasters <maestrajoy@yahoo.com>
Subject: Saludos de Mexico (1)

I have finally made it to an internet cafe that has service. Since time and resources are limited, I plan to send one mass email a week rather than saying the same thing to everyone multiple times. If you respond or send an individual email, I will reply individually.

Despite all the craziness of my last day living on Glenrock in Westwood, I have arrived safely. I didn´t think I was going to be able to get everything out of my apartment, take it to my house, and get to the airport in time on Wednesday, but Jon and I made it with time to spare. Unfortunately I had to leave a mess behind for my roommates because we were short on time. Sorry, ladies.

I am having a wonderful time so far, though I haven´t seen much of the city yet. I live on the third floor above our church (where Spearhead also holds its meetings) with April and our Mexican family. April is from Bakersfield where she teaches Freshman English at South High. Our family consists of Yolanda and Abraham who have been married eight years and their two boys. Isaí will be seven this Saturday and Elí is fourteen months old. We´re having a lot of fun with all of them. Their "house" is smaller than my apartment on Glenrock was and only has one bathroom, but it feels like home already. We read an article about bonding with the culture that said when people try to bond quickly with the culture they´re less likely to experience culture shock and homesickness, and I think this is the case for me.

We will be teaching free ESL classes three or four nights a week at our church but we haven{t yet worked out all the details with our pastor. Also we will probably be helping with many miscellaneous things because we live so close to all the action and don´t have to travel. The Spearhead office is two blocks west, and the post office, park, grocery store, and all-important paleteria (ice cream shop) are two blocks in the other direction.

Our church is a spawn of Grace Community Church which many of you from LA should be familiar with (it is pastored by John MacArthur of the well-known study Bible). They sing nothing but hymns on Sundays, but they clap sometimes--must be the Latin influence.

Theresa, one of my team leaders, was one of my teammates when I was here two years ago, so that´s a blessing. Since the leaders made sure to put Jon on another team, all of my teammates are new to me. I think we´re going to get along well and it´s great to have four guys and six girls rather than the 20-80 split we had last time. I feel surprisingly close to many people already even though it´s only been a few days since I arrived. The group seems so much more energetic and on-fire than last time, hopefully not just because it´s the first week.

We haven´t done much yet, so rather than boring you with too many more details, I´ll get to the prayer requests.
Please pray:

• that April and I will continue to become close and have a mutually encouraging relationship.
• for guidance as to the details of the ESL classes (when to offer them, what to teach, how to advertise them, etc)
• for a continued attitude of servanthood, especially toward April and our family.
• that Jon and I would continue to maintain a healthy relationship with the limited time we see each other. He lives on the other side of the city (over an hour away) and Spearhead keeps our calendars full with activities. Fortunately, twice a week the entire Spearhead group meets at my church for devotionals, worship, and training.
• health and rest. I have a sinus infection or something right now, but I´m already getting better.
• that I will have open eyes and heart to see the work God would have me do and the lessons He would have me learn.

¡Dios le bendiga!
Joy<><