Vintage Girls Retreat

Vintage Girls Retreat: Monterrey, Mexico April 19- 24, 2011

Leaving Mexico:

I slumped down into my chair aboard the plane headed for the US and reached for the Southern Living magazine the previous passenger had left behind. I was tired from the weekend of ministry and so the thought of indulging myself in the latest summer recipes and all those southern decorating ideas sounded good. I had a two-hour flight to Houston so I might as well read the whole thing, so I started with the editor’s page. Now you’re asking ...who reads the editors page? Well for some strange reason, I did, and these are the words that grabbed my attention....and my heart...

" Moving, like any major upheaval, puts your whole identity in perspective. As a bunch of college aged kids carried out the last boxes from the old house, I walked around the empty rooms and realized once and for all that my possessions no longer define me as they once had. As much as I loved that old house and it's garden, I needed a fresh start, a chance to move into my own true self, rather than contriving some image I thought I should project, or trying to live up to a standard I could never afford to meet. " - M. Lindsay Bierman -

Wow! Have I allowed my possessions to define me? I began to wipe the tears away from my eyes. After spending these last few days in Mexico the wealth and prosperity of my American life was starting to stink. Have I allowed things to control me? Really...who am I? Do I even know? Once you strip away all the things that have identified me, what is really left? God had spoken to me through the editor’s letter in a non- Christian magazine! He is an incredible God!

A New Vision:

Earlier in the week while praying with friends God had given me a vision of a small plant being taken out of its potting container. As it was being gently pulled from the container I saw that the roots were bound. The plant had simply outgrown the container. The gentle hands of the gardener slowly stripped the roots and freed them from their strangulation. Then the kind gardener began to place the plant into a new container that was three times the size of the last one. I realized that God was speaking to me. "Jenny, it's time to be moved into a bigger container."

My emotions were raw as the thoughts of that vision flooded my mind. I was on a plane leaving Mexico. I had spent these last days looking into the eyes of hurting young girls and praying for words to ease their pain. The words had come, God had spoken and freedom was the result. I was humbled by their willingness to come to the light and open their hearts. The stories were overwhelming. Abuse, poverty, immorality it was all there. One 14-year-old girl shared about being the "secret child ", the result of her mother’s adulterous relationship with a wealthy married man. The man meets her and her mother every year at a local store to give them money for Christmas. She is forced to help cover the secret so that the man’s family never finds out. This story is very common in this culture. Keeping the secret is honorable. Sex is never talked about even if it is a father with his daughter or brothers abusing sisters. Jane Alvaranga and I blew that lie out of the water! We both shared openly our own hidden secrets and how freedom came when we broke the silence. We talked about bringing EVERY evil deed to the light! Not just what we had done but what had been done to us. These girls were ready to stop the cycle. They kept telling Jane and I the same thing..."you look so free...I want the freedom you have!"

Some of the girls were from a Monterrey orphanage. They would never tell you but you just knew. One girl named Anna sobbed on my shoulder Friday night after communion. She could not speak English so all I could do was weep with her. When Jane Alvaranga (my interpreter, and friend) asked her about her family she said that her mom was on a trip and she did not know when she would be back. Her father had died when she was young. This was the typical answer of all the orphans. Their moms had dropped them off at the orphanage and promised them they would be back soon to get them but they almost never do. The feelings of abandonment plague their hearts and block them from being able to trust in this God we so easily speak of.

Jane Alvaranga was awesome! I saw her blossom as she stepped on the platform and taught the girls about true forgiveness from her own life. My Mexican interpreter Amaliah was a huge blessing and soon she, Jane and I became "The Three Amigos". We laughed and cried together! We shared our hearts openly and without reserve and Jesus met with us in a powerful way as He always does when we humble ourselves and ask Him.

The Rodriguez family, missionaries to Mexico (who invited Jane and I) are doing an incredible work there in Monterrey in spite of all the fear and danger going on all around them daily. Yes...their was a car chase, blocked roads, armed masked soldiers and shoot outs taking place in front of us on the way to the airport early in the morning! Christina Rodriguez was so funny...she quickly turned around in the van and began to try to direct our attention elsewhere so we would not be afraid. When I asked her about stories on the front page of the local newspaper she would just say..." well ...I don't think I need to translate that for you right now" and she would change the subject and move on talking 90 miles an hour. I kept thinking, Christina is a little spacey...after all she is a natural blond. :) Little did I know shootings were going on all around us and she and her family were trying to make sure we were not alarmed and kept safe. She finely told me all the stories when I saw her back in the US in Texas! That little sneak! She was good! I love you Christina! Thank you for allowing me to serve the people of Mexico!

E-mail from Cristina...

Jenny, Do you remember the girl who told me at the beginning of the conference that she was literally planning on committing suicide after the retreat was over, if she didn't find answers to her life's struggles? It was a last resort for her! I remember thinking, "OKAY! WOW. No pressure! SUICIDE? Oh Jesus, please show Your power!" He did, and she went home a changed girl!!" Such a powerful story. Thank you Jesus!

So what were the answers to those questions? Bringing the hidden details to the light. Grabbing hold of Gods grace and choosing to forgive. This girl had been date raped and had huge emotional scars she was carrying from it. Bringing the details to the light and allowing Jesus to heal them was the turning point. She found out that weekend that she was not "all alone". Others have trodden the same path before her and yet have found complete healing from the same horrible things. Life is not fair but God is just! If we will allow Him, He will take the unfair and unjust things and turn them for our good and for His glory. I cannot help but think how the enemy must have shuttered to see this young girl get set free! She arrived on Thursday with no smile and her body language said it all. She left on Saturday with her face covered by one huge smile and joy overflowing in her heart. She had met the one who spoke these words many years ago and still speaks them today to you...Luke 4:18 " The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."

Are you poor? Do you have a broken heart? Are you being held captive? Can you see? Is oppression surrounding you? Good news!! Then Jesus has come for you! Cry out to Him, He will answer you!

Whatever It Takes! -Jenny

P.S. Thanks to everyone who helped Jane go with me! I could not have done it without her! We are praying about the formation of a "Spanish speaking WIT Team" who will go back to Mexico next year and present a full WIT conference. If you are interested in being apart of that ministry please e-mail Rey and Jane Alvaranga at reyalvaranga@gmail.com