Craig Johring

Pictures of Kamp Ed at Christmas

My Mother's 81st Birthday

I came home from Mexico City on Thursday night. On Friday my mother slipped on the ice and broke her arm/wrist in a number of places. Yesterday was her 81st birthday and we spent most day at the hospital getting everything ready surgery to help the break heal. Last night my sister and nephew who is home from UNK came to town. We at Blarney Stone in O'Neill where my mother had a big t-bone steak. Today the surgery went well. I'm impressed with the doctors, and staff at our hospital in O'Neill.

Chris "Chum" Returns to Mexico City

Chris was in Mexico City this past year, and was a member of the Cool Kids Club. Chris is now in graduate school in California. This week Chris came back to Mexico City to spend time with the street kids he poured his life into this past year, and connect with friends. I think the world of Chris, and the conversations we had together this past year, and amazing times we had on Cool Kids Adventures.

Transforming Mexico City

Mexico City has been divided into 32 regions---and currently we are raising up leaders in each region who will host teams in 2010. We hope that churches and organizations will work together like never before, and the seeds of transformation will be planted.

Mexico City Missionary Gives

In each of the 32 regions of Mexico City we hope to raise up leaders for the Megacities year-long outreach in 2010.  As we seek to meet with anyone interested in getting involved, one of the leaders we met with is in his upper 80's. He and his wife have given much of their lifetimes to Mexico. They've started and supported hundreds of churches. As we spent 3 hours in his living room listening, what impressed me was his incredible faith. This missionary has little, but he gives abundantly, and absolutely believes God will provide.

Every day he and his wife seek to give----above their tithe.  It can be a random person God places on their heart.  If they fall behind a few days they will fill envelopes with cash and send it to people. Every day they have a goal to give.  As they give God supplies and provides for them abundantly. They never run short of funds.

This is the model of the way I want to live. I want to be ready and expecting God to bring someone in my life every day I can give to; a crippled man standing beside the street with his hand out, a neighbor on my street in Mexico City who falls behind and cannot pay their utility bill this month. There are needs all around. The question for me is am I going to give abundantly or sparingly----trusting God in great ways or just in small ways.

  

Random Mexico City Traffic Sightings

A big part of living in Mexico City and building a network of leaders around the city is dealing with traffic.  A 15 minute commute might turn in an hour long wait in traffic for some unknowable reason. Typically I spend between 2-4 hours in traffic each day on the streets of Mexico City.

I've got countless stories. One time I unknowingly pulling alongside the cartel while in traffic and made eye contact with their security. That was not a good. I think that's the only time in my life where I've had multiple AK 47's leveled on me----I slowly applied my brakes, looked straight ahead, and let them pass by. I've seen drunk drivers on the freeway with the police running alongside their car trying to get them to hand over their keys.  Apparently there's a law that says the police cannot pull someone out of their car.  Another time I saw a woman rear end a police car. Everyone was fine----she was illegally talking on her cell phone. And I've seen a lot of sad things. A month ago I can upon the scene in my neighborhood of a young man who was killed by a hit and run driver

What I enjoy is when I see something in traffic from home. Several times I've seen Werner trucks in Mexico City (they company is from Omaha). On Monday I was going down the freeway here in the city and passed a car with Grand Island, Nebraska plates on it. That was amazing! Unfortunately they were on an exit and we separated before I could connect with them. Another time I saw a car with Mexican plates on it that was purchased from Midway Chevrolet in Kearney.

A highlight came the other day when I saw a bus with my initials----CLJ. How awesome it that! I took multiple pictures as I trailed behind it.

      

  
 

It's Official. Mexico City Has Largest Christmas Tree In The World

It's spectacular and awesome----and also is creating a traffic jam that backs up for miles due to the tree taking up most of the street.

The tree is 110.35 meters high, and has a diameter of 35 meters. A representative from Guinness World Records certified it as the new record on Saturday.

Christian's First Communion

The tradition here in Mexico City is to celebrate the major events of life---and I love being a part of those times. Christian, the youngest born of my close friends on my street celebrated his first communion this past Sunday. His god-parents purchased a new suit for him, shoes, shirt, tie, bible and chain to wear around his neck. He will most-likely only wear the suit once, but this is the tradition to wear completely new clothes for a first communion. The celebration was an all day event with great food and salsa music.

           

World's Largest Christmas Tree - Mexico City

On Thursday evening I took my neighbors to a Church service I was wanted to attend in the middle of the city. We left early in order to check out what is being billed in Mexico City as the world's largest Christmas Tree. It's huge, and it's also right in the middle of the Reforma Street----creating a monster traffic jam from blocking all but two lanes of traffic.

We arrived at our destination an hour early, so we went to the top of the Latin America tower. The wind has been blowing non-stop for the past 3 days. The result is the smog blanketing the city is gone. The view of the city was absolutely spectacular.

         

From New Zealand to Mexico City

It was my joy today to meet with Morag and Fiona. They are here for 6 weeks to organize and align pastors around the city who are involved in leadership with the Megacities plan for transformation for the year 2010. They both grew up in New Zealand, and are on staff with YW AM in Australia. 

The Mexico City year-long Megacities campaign will kick will start on March 1, 2010 and end on February 28, 2011----bring the body of Christ together in Mexico City to believe God for transformation.

Where is Ed?

I was home from Mexico City for around a month in October-November to meet with people on my team, churches, etc. to help them move to the Global organization I'm with.

One of my great joys when I was back was spending time with Ed. Ed lives in a nice trailer house with Tammy, his wife of 8 years, and 5 cats who each have unique personalities. That's really cool. Ed is still writing amazing poetry.

Ed game me a drawing of himself when he was 13 to hang at Kamp Ed. I gave Ed some beef sticks, and a hat from Alaska.

 

Joe and Jessi's Wedding

Shortly over a year ago I spoke at a conference in Minneapolis. When I returned to Mexico City I picked up Joe Cross the next day. As we drove to a meeting I shared with Joe about the conference, and how the staff there from LaCrosse, Wisconsin where a big encouragement to me. I shared how one person on the team named Jessi gave life.

I don't know all the details, but I know that Joe sent Jessi a Facebook message later that day to say hi. This summer they got engaged, and on November 20th they were married. The wedding was amazing, and took place at the spectacular Landmark Center in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota.

I think the world of Joe Cross, and intensely value the 3 years we worked together in Mexico City. Jessi is awesome, and I'm so happy for these guys.

 




 

The Best Hamburger in Mexico City

Eating street food in Mexico City will get you in trouble----unless you know where to go.  My neighbors took me to a new hamburger stand in the Palo Solo district, the neighborhood just west of where I live for what could very well be the greatest street hamburger in Mexico City.

For 3 bucks you'll have a burger piled with bacon and cheese. Nothing is wasted. Even the bacon grease is soaked into the bun on the grill.

 

A Historical Meeting on the 42 Floor Above Mexico City

It was four years God gave me a vision for transforming this city while praying on top of the Latin America Tower. At the time I was in Mexico City with a group of staff, and had no intention of ever working in this city. But in that instant my heart changed, and I returned to Kamp Ed and started making plans to work in Mexico City. The past three years here in Mexico City have been some of the greatest years  of my life as we've moved forward in the vision. 

 

Tonight---four years to almost the date, I was back on the 42nd Floor of the Latin America Tower with a group of intercessors representing the spiritual backgrounds of the followers of Christ in Mexico City. For over 2 hours these intercessors prayed together over Mexico City----for transformation, unity, for the poor, the young women held in sex-trafficking slavery, the pastors and leaders of the city, etc.. And it was awesome.

 

From the outside this prayer meeting might seem like just a group of Christ-followers praying together in a public place.  But it was historic. In the almost 500 year history of Mexico the Body of Christ has been divided-----followers of Christ have not been in fellowship with each other. The meeting for prayer on the 42nd floor above Mexico City tonight I believe will be the beginning of reconciliation, that will result in the walls coming down between dominations, and the followers of Christ moving forward as one to transform this city.

Campus Crusade Leaders In Mexico City       

This has been a week like none other in my life. On the eve of my 23 years on the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ before I change my affiliation to Global Service Associates, 70 Campus Crusade leaders came to Mexico.

The goals for this week included:
    - Hearing from God together
    - Gaining insights for the organization on what God is doing in Mexico City
    - Considering how what is happening in Mexico City can benefit those attending.

Campus Crusade leaders came from South American, India, Central America, Italy, Singapore, the USA, and other parts of the globe. A highlight for me was having many of the leaders I'm connected with in Mexico City speak at the conference and share their vision for transforming this city. 

In addition to the conference of Campus Crusade leaders, this was a historical week of seeing religious leaders here in Mexico connect leaders from different traditions than their own. A significant meeting took place with the President of Campus Crusade, and 17 other Campus Crusade leaders from around the world meeting with religious leaders from Mexico City. Bridges were built, and dialog was established that I believe will lead toreconciliation here in Mexico City.

A highlight too was having Kenny, Andy, and Rich here for the week----my great friends and co-laborers associated with Global Associates.

Eric Swanson: Mexico City Consultation Meetings

Since 1991 Eric Swanson has stepped into my life as my Regional Director, coach, mentor, and friend. Today he's an author, big L leader, and speaks around the world, but his greatest claim to fame could very well be that of coining the name "Kamp Ed." That was pure genius.

Eric was in Mexico City this past week for the Consultation meetings that took place, and was a part of history being made here in Mexico. Check out Eric's blog for a breakdown of what took place:  http://ericjswanson.com/

Between 50,000  to 100,000 Gather to pray in Mexico City

Tonight people from Mexico City filled the Zocolo to pray for the transformation of Mexico City. The gathering was historic, it was amazing, and blew my mind. The atmosphere was one of dropping organizational differences and agendas to believe God for moving in this city.

As we move toward the year 2010 in Mexico City, churches and organizations are coming together in ways never seen before in this city. This is a dream we had when we started Enfoque Mexico three years ago. This is more fun than I could ever imagine to watch God move in powerful ways to unite believers in this city.