What Does CHRIST-mas Look Like?

This is a picture of everyone when we went down to Tijuana, Mexico to the boy's home. A Christmas picture before we head back home. Truly saw and felt the true meaning of CHRISTmas and not the secular version of christmas...oh we should all learn from that. It's not how much you spend on a gift that will buy a person or a family member's love; rather it is what you do for that person or family member that counts. It's our time, our sacrifice, our hugs, smiles, kindness, kind words, love, and having a self-less heart and actions. It is giving rather than receiving. That is what CHRISTmas is all about...I hope to pass these acts onto Emily.

Thank you to our monthly trip to Nueva Generacion that is teaching me what serving and what it means to be CHRIST-like in our daily walks of life...

A Group Picture of our Nueva family & some 50 Newsong family

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Nueva Generacion - Our Monthly Trip to Tijuana

This year has been wonderful. David, Emily, and I have been blessed by being part of a missions where we travel to Tijuana, Mexico to a boy's home called Nueva Generacion. There are about 20+ boys from 4 years of age to 16 years of age. Most of the kids do have parents; however the parents cannot take care for the kid, or are in jail, streets, or just does not want the child.
A family, Luis and Aieda & their family, are angels who take and love these boys as their own.  And a group from Newsong has been going monthly basis to just hang and have lunch together. In our eyes we are all brothers and sisters...a family...And this is what heaven is all about.  What has been a huge blessing and joy is seeing how much Emily enjoys going and hanging with the boys. She has been an encouragement to David and myself!

This past Saturday about 50 of us from Newsong Community Church drove down with gifts for the boys. We go, play, hang, have lunch together, sing songs, play, laugh and then depart. Then we are sitting and sitting and sitting at the border for many many MANY hours!!! But we always LOVE going back every month! Hasta luego, Nueva Generacion!!!

Here are some pictures and video. ENJOY!

Everyone met up at a Donut Shop in San Clemente.  There are about 50 of us here!

We gather, eat some delicious breakfast burritos and donuts

We laugh, pray, and get our hearts ready for the drive down

Such a great time for everyone!

Time to gather inside for Christmas gift celebration

Such great group of kids

Maria has each child sit in the center and open the gifts

Roberto happy with the Star Wars Legos

Roberto loves art. So he was happy with the art supplies

Had delicious lunch and now chilling out

Flying Emily

Look at the youth pastor showing off! haha

Emily so happy to be here!

It's cold; so I'm going to be jumping and bouncing around!

Some of the boys! The boy on the right is new. His name is Jose and he is 10 years old. Sweet boy.

Emily and some of the girls hanging with the boys.

Emily and Calla

Nueva Generacion Boys Home, Tijuana, Mexico

On Saturday, June 11th, David, Emily, and I went with a group from Newsong to Tijuana to serve at the Boys Home called Nueva Generacion.  There is a group from Newsong who go monthly to Nueva Generacion and make a korean bbq lunch, play with the kids there, and just hang out. This trip there were about 24 people who went including CHOC Pediatric residents, parents with their kids. And the guys who go monthly are truly amazing Godly men. I'm so glad we got to meet and get to know Sam, Hanju, and Rocky from Newsong! Not only are they truly great guys who truly have a Godly heart, but they are just down to earth and wonderful guys that we are so happy to have as new friends! And of course Byung too! We love ya, Byung Chung! The experience was wonderful especially for Emily. We hope to return and see the kids again real soon.
Nueva Generacion has about 20 boys who stay there until they are 18 years old. Most of the kids have parents who are in prison or are unable to take care of their kids. This is a safe haven for this boys. And these boys have such kindness and wonderful manners. I was blown away.

The drive in Tijuana was "an experience" where traffic lights, stop signs were used as an "option". I don't think anyone was obeying any of the rules. It was push and drive to get in line, make turns, etc..it was a mess. But David did great driving in this chaotic crazy streets.

Crossing the border to return to US soil is another subject. We were waiting for over 2 hrs and 45 minutes to get to the border and have our passports checked. Everyone in the car including the 2 boys (Rocky and his 2 boys went) we had in the car were amazing and so patient. They watched, "UP" the movie, ate tons of pretzels, played DS, and watched the sun go away. It was getting dark! David said we could have all watched Gandhi the Movie and we still would have been sitting at the border!!!!

Please enjoy these pics and videos.

Boys playing soccer. Can you find David???

Entering Mexico

Playing Bop-It 

Ranger, the dog

Playing soccer

Just playing with the kids

Emily & Calla playing with the girl Daniela

Cooking kalbi in the background

Emily draws with the girl Daniela

Trying to learn Rummikub to play with the kids

Emily really reached out to this girl Daniela and even gave her the journal, pencil case

Hanging out inside

Everyone just hanging with the kids

This kid really bonded with David. It was sad that we couldn't communicate with him. 

He loved hanging with David

This little boy was adorable too. Such great boys!

They finally understood how to play Bop-It

That is Luis, the "pa pa" who runs this center. .

Luis and Hanju play praise songs

Saying good-bye

MORE VIDEOS HERE. CLICK & PLAY