How do you summarize a life changing mission in a few words? What can I share that would let you take a quick peek at what we have seen? I will share a few of countless moments that have changed me and made me realize just how truly blessed I am. The kids here are beautiful both inside and outside. I cannot in words explain how much I have fallen in love with them. But here in point form are a couple of instances where I was speechless and my heart broke:
- A home visit where I was asked to translate, this little boy carried a Ziploc bag of fruit which I back home would have thrown into the trash. He carried it carefully and when we got to the house he promptly opened up the door to an empty fridge and proudly put the fruit in there. That is correct, he had an empty fridge and put fruit in there that I would have thrown out. My kids will look into an overflowing fridge and say there is nothing to eat, this boy proudly put in there what I would have thrown out. Humbling? No question! Made me realize we are wasteful? Absolutely!!!
- God and the Holy Spirit have been working through me and around me the whole time. I have done things that are way beyond my comfort level. If you had asked me before this trip if I would do these things, I would have said no. And I am right, I can`t do this by myself, but I can with Him! Philippians 4:13
- Met these 3 little girls that I absolutely adore and whom we worked with the days we were in the school. They would run out at hug me as soon as I saw them, and remain glued to my side for the rest of the time I was there. During the day of the home build visits, after we got off the bus and while walking to the first house, I was once again almost knocked off my feet by the girls. I did not realize they lived close to there and when they saw me they quickly ran over to hug me. I asked them to come with me but they quickly looked over their shoulder to check with their big sister who quickly told them no. Might I add the oldest sister is around 10 or 11, the other 2 are younger. Then the oldest looks at me and asks me if I want to buy a little bag of popcorn for 5 pesos. That amounts to probably around $0.14 per bag. These little girls were standing by the road selling popcorn bags. My heart broke. I bought 4 bags of popcorn and gave them back to the girls as a gift for a snack. They promptly and happily ate it. I made their day with less than $0.60.
- Random conversation, completely a God instance (I need to point out that being able to speak Spanish during this trip has moved mountains!) where this lady tells me how much she loves God, how blessed she is to have a home and how God always provides. And how sometimes they get 3 meals a day but sometimes God only provides 1 meal that day, but they are still so thankful that he did provide something for them that day. This of course while we are at an all inclusive hotel and where I am sure we are eating a minimum of 5 times per day. She is thankful for one meal a day!
- A home visit once again, and while talking to this lady she tells me a piece of her house fell off last Thursday. I repeat this to her because I am sure I have not heard right……she quickly gets up and shows me where there is a 2 foot per 1 foot piece of floor completely gone. This piece of floor fell off while she was probably about 1 foot away from it. Yet here she is, giant smile on her face, laughing and welcoming us into her home. Let me say it once again…….a piece of floor in her house fell off!!! And I think of the amount of times that we have talked about doing something to do the house just because we would like to cosmetically change the house, not because it’s needed.
I could go on and on but there just would not be enough space in this blog. However I do hope that some of the examples I give, will give you food for thought.
Thoroughly humbled,
Blanca
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