Set to Grow

Giezi and I have began a journey with some incredible individuals to train and grow in the Lord over the next few months.  We have so much anticipation in our hearts for these individuals and what God wants to do in their lives.  Not only are we excited for them, but we are excited to grow in this time as well.  It is so refreshing to sit and learn as well and be reminded why we do what we do.

We will try and do regular updates as there are victories or enriched understandings during this time.  I will be posting portions of the the Children at Risk Student’s blog on the Children at Risk Website, so stay tuned for that.  They will be doing risk assessments, and personal learnings.  I look forward for the opportunity for all of you to learn from them.

 

Amanda

Prayers Needed

It has been a few crazy weeks here in Tijuana.  Not only are we preparing for two separate schools, but as a community we are getting worked for GOOD!  Just this week we hosted 300 local pastors for their Christmas conference at our location, and the same day welcomed 60+ Global Leaders for YWAM.  They are here for the next week and we have had the joy of serving them and thanking them for their commitment to the world.  Yesterday, we built 3 houses for local families in 7 hours.  Did you catch that?  This group of incredible leaders left their meetings to go and let us lead them as we built 3 houses in 7 hours.  We watched as YWAMs founder handed these families bibles and encouraged these families.  Pretty sure all of us will never forget that.

But straight after the 7 hour build we went to Zona Norte to do our weekly program with the kids in the red light district- Zone Kids.  Amazing time as always, but there are things heavy on my heart to ask for your help to pray into.  BIG ONE- last week on the prayer walk, we saw 2 girls (ages around eight) only asking men for something in front of the prostitution bar.  How do I know?  Well we watched for a bit, and I asked Giezi to go and walk alone, but his incredible heart couldn’t pretend to be bad and he just started crying for those girls.  We followed them as they walked away and went into the money change place.  From there we just stood heavy hearted.  There is also a boy who has been regularly coming and hasn’t been for a few weeks.  I have a high suspicion that he is being sexually abused.  Please, pray for him.  Pray that God would move in his life.

Sorry that this is a bit of a vomit, but I don’t have much time to write, but feel I need to ask for prayer.  God is moving in incredible ways, but we still see so much need.  Thanks for praying with us!

Taste and See

Check out our latest video if you haven’t seen it yet!

 

Halloween with Zone Kids

We had a blast yesterday at Zone Kids!  We had around 30 kids show up for a fun, safe place to get candy.  It was a huge hit!  We had a jump castle, 10 volunteers, crafts to make masks, and a ton of games!

There was a new mom who stuck around for the whole time with her two kids, and I am sure they will be back next week.

Something we have been doing for the last few weeks is prophesying over one kid per week.  We ask God what he would like to encourage that student with, and we have had some incredible talks with those kids.  God has shown up and we can even see a change in them when they come back… they know how for them we are!  This week, we prayed for one of the boys and got some pretty amazing words to encourage him with.  Here are a few:

-Josh 3:7- God will raise you up.

-David was choosen by God, and God chooses you.  It’s okay to cry.

-God wants to give you a new identity.

-Picture of the Wizard of Oz.  He is like the lion who was ashamed but through encouragement he will become strong and proud.

After Giezi got to share these words with him, he began to cry and just say how much he loved coming.  God is on the move!

We love getting to do what we do.  Giezi is just incredible with these boys.  He knows how to challenge them.  And he plays such a huge role, as many of them don’t have fathers that are around.  If you are a supporter, you have a surprise heading your way.  But for now, here are some pictures to show you the party you were at in spirit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please be praying for these kids!  There are a lot of issues that they face in their families, as well as their community.  We believe that these kids can be influencers, but we need your help to stay in prayer for them.

 

Some of the kids names to lift up to the Lord: Italo, David, Alex, Billy, Yaritzi, Perla, Carmen, Francisco, and Armando… keep lifting them up with us.

 

 

 

 

We Shall Call Him… Freddy

Freddy, he is a 13 year old boy growing up fast in Zona Norte, Tijuana’s Redlight District.  He has been coming to Zone Kids for 3 weeks now, and opened up to Giezi last week that his dad died of a hole in his head that got infected, and that his mom has severe diabetes which has her stuck in bed.  Freddy at 13 doesn’t know how to read and can’t go to school because he is too far behind for his age and they don’t do any special reading programs.  His mom is in charge of managing an apartment complex in the area, but because she is bed ridden, he is doing the work and collecting the money.

Two weeks ago when we were reading our Bible book, Freddy came up to Giezi asking him if he could join in on our book club because he wants to learn how to read.  Freddy is the oldest boy, and is a lot bigger than the other kids, but I love that this doesn’t matter to him.  He wants to learn how to read.  He wants some encouragement because he feels alone.  And he will find it every week when he comes to Zone Kids.

Family

This past weekend Giezi and I had the chance to fly back to Michigan with my Dad for my cousin Todd’s wedding.  I got to see family that I haven’t seen in over 8 years, and Giezi got to meet everyone for the first time.  Family.  There is something so special about people who you don’t see for long periods of time, but know that there is a deep love that is more about who we are rather than all the time we get to spend together.

 

I loved getting to see how the new kids of the family, (Hannah, John, Christopher, Emilia, and Elena) all resemble different people within our greater family.  I loved sharing memories, and laughing about past and present memories.  I love my family.

 

Giezi asked my dad at the airport as we left, if he was the first Mexican to come into the Noyes family.  He feels honored to be the first.  He brings some new flavor to the Noyes family.  I love that.  I also love that my family loves Giezi and that they took time to find out who he is.

 

So thank you family.  Thank you for loving us from afar, and for being a part of who we are even if we don’t get to gather and celebrate as much as we would all love.

 

These pictures only capture some of my incredible family, but at least you can see how good looking we all are.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zone Kids- Homework

Last week we began english classes with Zone Kids.  It was a huge success.  A lot of the kids were interested in learning and even took the homework to practice.  We were already impressed, but this week we were even more surprised when one of the little boys Omar brought back his homework and showed it to Giezi right when he arrived.  It was perfect!  Colored and done full out.  We loved seeing him take so much ownership over what he did.

 

Omar came for the first time the week prior, and we look forward to being able to encourage him, disciple him, and show him all that he can be.

 

Also rad.  One of the dads of the kids plays guitar and showed up to the park with his guitar in hand.  Giezi ended up sitting with the man and they played guitar and talked about what he believed.  He said I believe in “life.” Giezi and him talked about what that meant, but really just that he said that he didn’t want to waste his time thinking about that other stuff.  After a bit of discussion they went back to playing the guitar because there wasn’t much openness in his heart.  But Giezi really pursued him to come back next week and hopefully he will come.

 

God is good.  Love being able to see him move.  Love learning to daily trust in him.  And love seeing steps being made in the lives of these people that Jesus loves so very much.

Niño News

If you didn’t get our letter in the mail, here it is for you to see!  Thanks so much for being a part of our lives.  We love you all!

 

Nino News August

Raising Money to Get Supplies for Zone Kids

Zone Kids

Expectation

I just spent a few minutes praying for the CRS this coming January with my hubby.  I have so much expectation for what this school is going to mean for many people.  Not only the people who attend, but the people that these students will affect along their journey.  I pray that these students will not long for things of the world, but long for things that have eternal value.  I pray that their hope will rest in the one who is HOPE alone.  I pray that they will be people who go OUT!  That as they hear and see the pain that so many suffer from that their hearts would be able to bear more than what they feel themselves capable of bearing.  I pray that their life experiences, joys, and trials would add something to this school that makes it like no other.  I pray that life would never be the same for them, as it will never be for me.

May you God do what only you can do.  Bring these students, and move in their hearts as only you can.  Move in me first.  Let me be the first to be reminded of your goodness in the face of injustice.

I love you Jesus!  Amanda