A big highlight this spring was getting to run our first overnight camping & rock climbing trip with youth in the Sierra Juarez high desert (about 3 hours drive from La Misión). Unfortunately, a few of the youth dropped out last minute, but we still had an epic time with the boys that went, along with a couple of new friends from YWAM Rosarito, who not only gave of their time but also hooked it up with some rad photography and videography. We also got to meet up with local legend, John Smallwood, and our friend Sergio–a seasoned San Diego climber and representative for Acopa, a climbing shoe company based out of Mexico City. In addition to sharing his knowledge of the climbing area, Sergio blessed us with some brand new Acopa shoes for our programs!

It’s impossible to capture in just a few sentences all the parts that make a trip like this so impactful. There are of course the “Firsts”: the boys’ first time visiting the Sierra Juarez or climbing on granite, Nahum’s first time slacklining, Valdo’s first time sleeping in a tent … but as noteworthy as they are, these are just landmarks outlining the surface of the experience. The best moments lie in the hours logged together road tripping and getting lost on obscure dirt roads, appreciating the beauty of wildflowers lighting up a rugged landscape, laughing, sweating, and pushing through discomfort, chowing pasta around the fire after a long day climbing, and hanging out at camp with Cuervo (the nosy ranch burro.)

Beyond the many fun memories, we’ve seen how trips like this can be a powerful catalyst for youth to discover new possibilities in their lives. Stepping away from the noise of the city and spending a few days surrounded by nature has a way of awakening our hearts to the loving voice of the Creator.

Summertime is here! The days are long and the water is warm … (or at least not quite as cold). It’s a busy season, and one of our favorites. This is our third year working alongside the Christian Surfers Rosarito crew to offer surf programs for the youth of Casa Hogar Ciudad de Refugio in addition to our regular outings for local youth. It’s been so fun to see the older, more seasoned participants now surfing with confidence and coming alongside to help out newer kids in the water.

Most of the youth (and adults for that matter) in the community have never had a chance to learn how to swim. Sadly every year there are drownings at the local beach. In response to this, we’ve made swimming and water safety classes a primary activity focus this summer. A nearby pool has given us a discounted rate, allowing us to offer classes two days a week throughout the summer break. The feedback from youth and parents has been overwhelmingly positive! The August class is full, and we have a waiting list of kids hoping to join the next one.

Somehow we were also able to squeeze in a few youth climbing trips and Dustin logged in some personal time doing trail maintenance at our local crag. The past two months have been the most program heavy we’ve experienced so far but also some of the most rewarding. In the midst of all the activities, we’ve continued to seek out healthy rhythms, discovering new sides of ourselves we didn’t know existed. Jess’s Spanish has come a long way, and our ability to navigate the complex personal and professional dynamics in our marriage has grown as well. God is gracious and patient as He teaches us to trust His process–one of the richest and hardest lessons we’ve learned so far.

P.S. We have some big goals ahead! If it’s on your heart to join us on this adventure, check out the support page to see the options.

We appreciate you all!
Sending lots of hugs from Mexico,
Dustin & Jess

ALEPH BAJA

Of all the places that deserve to have the title “the warm heart of Africa”.  Zambia is definitely a worthy contender.

God wants us to know Him and be known by Him. One of the greatest ways to discover who we are, why we are here and where all this is going – is by understanding the narrative of the bible. 

The story is a never ending life discovery of God and His love for the world.

He longs to dwell with us.

What a privilege to be a part of sharing the riches of His Word in Livingston. We spent 10 days in this beautiful country with a community of people that long to learn.   Pastor Elis we met 8 years ago when we drove through Livingston on one of our African excursions.   We had been planning to return for years but the time never presented itself until now.  

Future Hope International has an amazing youth program that raises up African leaders to serve and love on their local neighbors.  Aleph was invited to host a five day seminar in which we shared an overview of the bible – Genesis to Revelations.   When we speck about our Discovery Camps, this is what we cover.  It is a biblical perspective of the world from beginning to end.    

Many people have read parts of the bible but most have never read it in its fullness.   Our goal is to make it less intimidating, applicable, and understandable.   In these sessions we help attendees understand the full narrative of God’s word by reading each book in the context it was written in.   The authors in the bible share a consistent story that covers 4,000 years of history of how God has interacted with man.  

We hope that at the end of the camps that every student would come to a greater understanding of why God created the world, why he created us, where it all went wrong, what covenant is, why the tabernacle, why the whole sacrificial system, why Jesus, and what is our hope now, what do with all this information and what do we have to look forward to!?  

It is very exciting stuff that we froth over sharing.   The truth is contagious.  Knowing our purpose and future hope is a message worth sharing! 

We live in very exciting days where knowledge is accessible to everybody.  But we must be wary of where we get our information.  The God of the Bible and His instruction is our plumbline.  It has proven itself to be true through all the ages.  The words is clear, it is not murky, we just need to take the time to read it.