Going to Spain next fall probably! And a Spring Break Mission Trip

I'm on my wayyy

Dear Family and Friends,

I turned in my ^course equivalency sheet^ for studying abroad in Spain next fall. I will still get to take 2 business classes class that will count toward my major too. I'm also taking a Spanish civilization and a literature course. Lastly, I'm taking a required history course. I think the civilization and history course will be really cool while I'm there. I would have taken them here at Baylor, but now I'll get to be around the landmarks and such. I still have lots to do before I'm officially going, but I'm very early in applying. I would be staying with a "host mother" who is required to simply cook a dinner for us each night...I would also have 3 roommates. Anywho, I'm excited about it yet still knowing I'm gonna miss all of you and Becca and friends and Young Life here for a little while. Maybe a visit could happen. That would be cool. The dates are August 29 to December 22 of this year. 

New and current guys YL leaders hang out...PS3 and N64 at the same time...oh yeah

JON COSS- a mentor and good friend to me

And this spring break, I'm going on a mission trip to Edinburg, TX. It's through my church, Antioch Community Church, and it's the whole college ministry going. So about 600 of us will be going. We're going to spread the gospel of Jesus through  dancing, dramas, and individual evangelism. All of it is going to be in a large public area like a park and the dancing will sort of draw in a crowd. Then the dramas are like the main show. They'll be silent though so everyone can understand the message. They will help everyone, English and Spanish speakers, understand God's love for us and really tell the whole story of humanity and Jesus and redemption. I'm not sure what that will look like. Then there's also a group that will be attending to and playing with kids that show up. And (this is what I'm doing), the evangelism team will be pursuing people, believing that God moves in people's hearts. I hope to see some saved.
So yesterday, Saturday, we had a Training Day for the trip at the church. Great leadership on every level...small groups to big groups to each of the 4 teams of what we'll be doing, to the organizers of the trip. I'll be going with about 10 people I know including Jon^ and my roommate Kevin. We're praying for big things to happen in the lives there and in our own. We're excited. Any questions or concerns, I'd love to talk about it with you.

I've still been cooking too! Yummy croissants with breakfast sausage...soooo good. Oh and I found a guy that I'm basically going to sponsor to go to YL camp with the money I've been saving by cooking. In return for his time at Campaigners (YL bible study) and appreciation, he'll come to that and experience the things that really changed my life and go to camp.

Love you all,
Andrew


P.S.-Any ideas of what you would like me to talk about?...make one up and tell me.

Cooking, painting up, and Young Life

Dear Friends and Family,

Last weekend was interesting. I went to one of my Young Life guy's 18th birthday party. We hung out at a hotel and swam in the pool and ate pizza and cookie cake. His family was there and it was his little sister's birthday party too. Good time with the guys building up the relationships in hopes of bridging another relationship with them towards Jesus. Anyway, I brought some sticky notes and we made a pretty cool "1-Up" or "free life" symbol from all the Mario games. 

On Monday night, Baylor played #2 Kansas at our house. Kevin and I painted up and got into it and stood courtside with the "Bear Pit." We painted up in the design of our Bear Pit jerseys...yellow and black striped. We lost the game (they have two twin towers, the Morris twins) but we had a lot of fun and got into it. 

And I am cooking things that I have never tried to cook, still trying to do the whole "save money in order to bless someone else with it" thing. It's been working, and I'm not starving myself at all. The sandwich is Becca's Amazing Sandwich, which should be trademarked because it's so good. She made it up and gave me the recipe and I've had it 4 times in the last 2 weeks. 

My spaghetti turned out pretty well. There's so many things I haven't done...like brown meat in a skillet. It was all new to me. Even just putting the noodles in the pot was an adventure and a sight worth taking a picture of for me. I would love some easy-ish recipes if yall have any.

Tomorrow is our first YL event of the semester. We're having a "Flapjack Film Festival." Pancakes and a movie, The Sandlot. So pray for that and a great semester for Axtell High.

Love you all,

Andrew

P.S.-

So here's my schedule for this semester! And more information...

Dear Family & Friends,

Happy New Year 2 weeks late!

Here's what's up with me.
MWF: Spanish Linguistics and Statistics 2. Also, I have time in MWF to go to lunches at Axtell High for Young Life so that's going to be great.

Then Tues/Thurs: Macroeconomics, Managerial Accounting, and Christian Heritage which is the history of the church...200 AD til today

I'm excited about it all. I'm through the first week now and I think I have a great group of teachers. That makes all the difference.

Young Life club is starting up not this MLK Jr Monday but the one after that, the 24th. Until then, I'll be going up to the lunches to make friends that way. Yeah it's as simple as walking into a high school cafeteria and saying "hey what's up, what's your name?" I exaggerate. That is what it is, but it is intimidating. It's always a toss up on how you'll be received that day. But we called to a spirit of boldness and timidity. So yeah, His purposes are the only things that motivate me and keep me going like I do.

What else? Hmm I am hoping to learn to cook a little more than I do. For two reasons, 1) it's a good and necessary skill and 2) I'm trying to save some money. Not just for the sake of saving money, more than that. What I'm doing is, based off how much an average meal cost me last year (I kept track and averaged them), I'm giving the money I save in order to intentionally bless someone else with it. Clear as mud right? Well here it is straight: I averaged, let's say, $11.40 per meal last year. If I find a meal or make a meal that costs $6, I will be giving the saved $5.40 away. The plan is to basically "sponsor" some of my own Axtell Young Life kids to go to camp. $190 is the cost. I think I can get some kids to camp with this. I hope it works out like I plan.

Love you all,
Andrew

P.S.-Have you ever noticed that MLKJ (as in Martin Luther King Jr.) are those four letters reversed order in the alphabet??