El Paso

As mentioned in my Twitter Updates, I'm in El Paso with Kory Lantz doing a "prep trip" for our upcoming IMPACT team. A few thoughts running through my head while here.

• I walked in 1 of around 60,000 homes just outside of Juarez that are maybe 400 square feet (1 living room, 1 bedroom, bathroom). They house, on average 6 people. Yet Janelle and I are convinced that our 3 bedroom home is getting too crowded for 3 of us?
• We visited 5 different sites where "churches" have been started. There is a 6th we didn't get to. Among these 6 sites, there are 2 church buildings. The other four meet in houses or outside. The congregations are small, but the idea is to take the church to where the people are, as many don't have transportation. I think there's a valuable thought as we consider the recent gas prices. Multi-Site churches are a big win for larger churches.
• Francisco and Rosa Ramirez (the pastor we will work with down here) are just fun people. Kory and I laughed a lot yesterday.
  
• I'm reminded how much experience teaches better than any classroom, lesson or book can. The 19 students and 5 adults who will be serving down here in June will learn so much and be forever changed as a result of their experiences down here.