Independence or Dependence?

Hello everyone!
This is my first update from Mexico. First off,  I would like to give a great big hug and a huge thank you to each and every one of you for praying for me, my team, and the people we have created relationships with and to whom we are ministering. I am doing wonderful! So far so good on health, culture shock and adjusting to this new life. We have been so busy building relationships with people and getting everything ready for more summer missionaries coming soon beginning this weekend. I love it here. I finally am familiar with my surrounding. It took a couple days to adjust to everything. Our schedule consists of lots of intercambio (half English- half Spanish) conversations with individuals and teaching English classes, also investing time in the Children's home here in the city. The kids are absolutely precious! Every Saturday we go out to a village and teach English to little children with Jenny, one of the missionaries we have become good friends with. We have also had plenty of time to go to the markets and try new foods. It is so different from Mexican food in the states, but yet so much better! No I have not tried the famous mole sauce yet, which is a chocolate spicy salsa, or the chapulines, which are fried crickets. YUMM, Right? At our last team meeting we were challenged to fast from sunrise to sunset, so I fasted yesterday. It was an amazing and humbling experience. God showed me that with Him by my side, anything is possible, but without Him, nothing is possible. Yes, I was hungry, but God gave me self-control to not fall into the temptation of yummy foods. He showed me just how much I need Him, and that was just for food! Sometimes I get so wrapped up in everyday life and I think I'm in control but in reality, I am so not. God is always there to hold my hand through everything. 2 Timothy 2:1-13 really spoke to me during my fast, where Paul is writing to Timothy to be strong through the grace given to us by God. This helped me to persevere through my hunger, and to lean on Him for strength. As a loyal soldier of Christ, We are to put on our armor and be a soldier for Christ against The enemy. We have to go through suffering to know God, and to know that He is always there for us, if we will just turn to Him. Although I was tempted to break my fast many times yesterday, I stood strong in self-control given to me by Him, otherwise I would have fallen. After this fast, I learned the lesson of how dependent I am on Him and His might. Remember, Jesus was tempted in the wilderness for 40 days without falling, so through belief in Christ all is possible. We are human, we sin, and on earth we endure suffering, but in Him we are free. We have to endure our sufferings and tell others about Christ so that they too can know of their opportunity to have eternal life. He is always rooting for us to make the right decisions, and when we don't, He is always there by our side. He never gives up on us. God will never give up on us, but if we continue to deny Him, then on judgment day, then He will deny us also. He will stay faithful to us, unless, we blatantly deny Him and what He has done for us to the point on judgment day when there is no turning back. I have learned so much from God during my fast, and am so glad I was challenged to do it. I do have self-control as long as I depend on Him. Philippians 4:13, "I can do all this through grace that gives me strength." This also reminded me of a quote by Audrey Hepburn, "Nothing is impossible, the word itself says I'm Possible." With God on our side, anything is possible. How inspiring is that! Thank you so much for all the love and support you've sent me! Love you all!