Day 1 Saturday July 10

The "Heathenites" (guess who was the team artist?) beat "Lightening Awesome" in a draw-off (Win, lose, or draw) game Jeff and Natasha planned to review the rules of the Home.

With our talented writer, Nelson Eddy, missing (and missed) from our yearly trek to Ensenada, I will attempt to fill in with minimal dialogue daily about our trip. 54 North Blvd members left Nashville to arrive safely in San Diego today. After a nice 2 hour relaxation at Seaport Village, we "put our game faces on" and headed to the border towards Ensenada to Inhabit the City of Children.

As we usually discuss, the number "51" always comes up since we feel that we don't prepare 51 weeks for our 1 week here, but rather the 1 week we spend here prepares us for the other 51 weeks we spend at home.

"Inhabit" fits the theme of the week for our group. We have spent the past few weeks memorizing 10 key scriptures that will capture the essence of our time this week. The idea that we are inhabiting this world, yet we are not of this world is key. Key to our work, key to our skits, but most importantly, key to our own walk "in the world, but not of the world."

We're thankful today for our safe trip and for our first night of fellowship and fun. We're thankful for the bond that can quickly form after a couple of competitive games of "musical chairs of death" (don't worry--no actual children were killed or harmed during the playing of this game). And we're thankful for the opportunity this week will provide in ministering to the City of Children and to the outlying community.

Check out our pictures from today that Eldridge has loaded, and look for the nightly Fab Five Phrases of the Day ...

Oh, here are today's :

1. Kara Tuggle's Weigh In

2. Rojas Five Gang

3. Heathenites

4. "Be Good"

5. "What's Next?"

Five of our group: The Rojo Cinco (The Red Five) were randomly red-lighted at the border for a baggage check. Brooke M., Callie and Greer K., Nancy B., and Randy H. ultimately made it through!

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Stay tuned daily to see, indeed, what's next... Jeff McClain

(ps, Jeff made a goal for our fifty and over contingent Saturday night at the soccer game. It was a great mix of age, gender, and nationality. Pray for that mix all week. It is good to be together again. M. Eddy)