Day 5

Joanne, (a wonderful lady on the Pennsylvania team) came to get me in the dining hall to take a picture of this little guy... There are 3 shower stalls in the bathroom. I had taken a shower earlier that morning. He was in the first, while I was in the third. It was fun taking his picture, but I don't think it would have been nearly as fun had I known he was there with me while I took my shower.

Enjoying Pamper Your Feet Day!

Eating Lunch...

A successful day...

Journal entry for Wednesday, Day 5... - 'Boy, am I tired! A good tired - the tired I feel at the end of a week of VBS. Today was a good, heart satisfying day.'

That is a good way to explain it. We were all busy from sun up until the embers of our campfire burned out. Today was our second day of women's outreach and vacation bible school for the kids. Garry, one of the Harvest Hands coordinators, forewarned us that on Wednesday, we would have more women and children than Monday...

Women's Outreach - The 5 women on our team had decided after Monday that we needed to make a more comfortable and more inviting environment for the women. We created a circle with the chairs and we sat down with them. It had felt like we were just talking at them on Monday. The circle made the room feel closer and the women warmed up to us quickly - we provided tubs with warm water for each of the women to wash their feet. We also gave them lotion and nail polish (what woman doesn't like to be pampered, even just a little?). Anne (our nurse), also gave a talk on proper foot care and more basic first aid. Sue, one of our fearless leaders, was led to share with the women that God loves them and wants them to take care of themselves... and she gave each women a jewel and told them that they are a jewel in the Lord's crown. Sue is not fluent in spanish, but she did learn that line and repeated it to each woman.

We also invited the women to come forward for prayer and healing. The smiles on the faces of the women were beautiful. To see them have a little fun... to enjoy the moment was definitely God's business. These women are used to barely existing in the world. Many of them are single moms with little or no income. And the dads that are around and maybe have a job, still don't make enough to care for the family sufficiently. And there is no such thing as health care or government assistance. Those mommies have to look at the little faces of their children and share in the pain of empty bellies and a lot of empty dreams. The magnitude of that hit me hard.

It made me very thankful for all I have. And it makes me appreciate things more - I hope I remember those moments when I'm nagging KC about things we *need* to fix around the house or when I complain about making dinner and ask to go out when I just don't feel like cooking. It put into perspective for me some anxieties I've been dealing with living on a farm. We are living with one income - an income that just barely pays the bills each month. And a lot of times, after the bills, it leaves nothing left over, not even for the list of groceries that I make. And I know that some people would say that we need to cut things out or prioritize what is important. We have done that... it is just the way of a farmer (well, a lot of farmers, anyway). And don't think we don't have food because we do - a lot; we raise our own pork, we grow a huge garden, etc. The grocery list usually consists of *snacks* for the kids and extras to add to what we do have. Have you ever looked in your refrigerator and there is food in there (probably a lot of food) and you see NOTHING you want to eat? That doesn't happen all the time.... nor does it happen a lot, but my point is - after being with these women, I hope the next time I open the refrigerator- I'll remember to thank God because I have food for tomorrow and the next. I don't have to worry whether I'll have food for my kids.

I pray for the moms and grandmas in the colonia. That you would provide for their needs... that you would give them hope and a future, just as You promised. I pray that each one of them knows you and that they know You are their Father, their protector and You will provide for all their needs! Thank you for opening my eyes Lord!

It seems so simple and probably for some, it seems trivial...

'For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 1Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.' Jeremiah 29:11-12

Vacation Bible School - Theme: Jesus Enters Jerusalem

I was inside the dining facility when the children began to arrive. Pastor Nacho was there directing the show - we prayed and we began to serve food. The first thing I noticed was that the whole room was filled. It was a good start! After we finished serving all the kids in the room... we took a deep breath and began to prepare for the lesson. But...

As these children went outside, more began filtering in... and then more... and then 2 more vans full of kids came... WHOA!!!! We had over 150 kids! It was amazing - I don't know if I have ever served that much food, that fast. But it was organized chaos. Just like the women's outreach, we had a new gameplan for the kids too. KC and Pastor Myson were outside entertaining the kids with juggling acts and balloon animals. When all of the children were done eating, we separated into 2 age groups. We were unaware on Monday that there was a preteen/teenager group. They were mainly interested in eachother and definitely not interested in a Sunday School Lesson. Myson wanted to try and connect with the older group this day. So, I took all the little ones and he and KC got all the older ones. What could be better for older kids than water balloons and a sling shot? Remember, the compound walls are made from cinder blocks! I'll have pictures of this posted on a shutterfly website soon.

I wasn't quite as nervous to teach today. And Vicki prayed for me and that gave me a peace for the whole afternoon. The story went well - and the craft went amazingly! The kids really seemed to enjoy themselves.

I rode in a van when we took the kids back and fell in love with a family of 3 little boys. There mother was murdered and they were living with their grandmother. Garry told me that these are the kinds of kids that will be living at Resplandor De Vida when it is complete. I would have brought them home with me. But I know that they are where God wants them right now. You are probably saying - God wants them to live in poverty with no future? God is working in this colonia, in many ways... and those boys are a part of it. God has BIG plans... It will be interesting to watch those boys over the next 5 years or so and watch their progress.

Campfire - every night, we get together and talk about our day, share a devotion and get ready for the next day. On this night, we all sat around a fire with the team from Pennsylvania and shared fellowship as a family with one purpose (we even roasted marshmallows). We only knew the Pennsylvania team for a couple days, but it felt like we had known them for a life time. We made contacts with them that will put us together again at the mission in Mexico and even possibly, our own churches. (Hey Pastor Rick... if you read this - Go Army!)