During Spring break Grace and I traveled by van for approximately 45 hours to San Luis, Mexico. We spent the next 6 days living in a tent, in the hot sun, on dusty sand. Fortunately, we are a camping family, so the tents weren't too painful. That is until people started spotting REALLY big spiders in the tents!
We were two of a team of 98 Christians traveling to San Luis. Our mission was to build homes for three families, build a Costura (a place for sewing) for a church and help the hosting church provide a VBS (Vacation Bible School) for the neighborhood children.
Grace and I were on the VBS/compound team. We cleaned, we prepared meals, we learned songs in Spanish to sing with the children and we made crafts with the children.
How was I stretched?
My nerves increased as we approached the boarder of Mexico. I began to pray “Lord I am trusting you. I am taking my daughter to an unknown place. I am trusting you. Please pull through for me”. This was a first time to Mexico and my first time on a mission trip. There are often scary stories of missionaries entering other countries. I had my daughter with me. I was stretched to not allow these fears to overcome me.
How was I challenged?
I was out of my comfort zone. For someone who is pretty social and enjoys meeting new people, I found myself very quiet the first couple of days. Although I know a little Spanish, I was too afraid to try. I smiled a lot and took it all in, but felt very unsure. Uneasy. But the children helped me. By watching the children and teenagers from our group interact with the others, it gave me courage to do the same.
How was I blessed?
I was blessed by witnessing the universal language of play. The small children played. They colored together. They built houses for Caterpillars. They dug in the dirt. All without knowing what they were saying to each other! I was blessed by watching the teenagers play volleyball for hours with the youth from the church. They moved beyond the language barriers to make new friends.
I was moved to tears as I witnessed members of their church praise and worship the same God I love and adore. I was deeply blessed to see the passion in which the Pastor spoke. How the church welcomed us and truly saw us as their hermonos and hermonas (brothers and sisters) in Christ.
What have I learned?
As we rolled into our town early Saturday evening I was so very grateful to be home! To see the familiar sites. The beautiful flowers and trees.
When I walked into my home it seemed new again. I was struck by how large it felt and how clean it felt.
There was laundry to fold. I folded it. As I did I noticed a smile on my face. I was delighted to be home, to be folding my clothes because I have clothes to fold. To prepare meals and provide for my family. Even grocery shopping yesterday brought me great joy!
The key is to remember. I take so much for granted. The big things like my children, my husband, my home, my country. But also little things, like being able to flash your toilet paper in the toilet or fresh cold water that comes from my refrigerator.
I don’t want to be a person that has experienced something and returns to the old habits. I want to be grateful each and every day.
I honestly do not know how to remember. I know I need the Lord to help me.
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