A black bug with his *hiney* in the air
View from above...
LaLa... She had a litter of puppies a week before we arrived... She didn't like most people, but she and I were good friends. I made a promise to myself that I would hold one of her puppies by the end of the week. They were SO cute!
Our last day... we all had tasks that we wanted to complete before packing up - collecting scrap wood from the work sites and dropping them into random piles outside the Colonia (for the people to use as firewood); clean and organize the few medical supplies Resplandor De Vida has available; nail down part of the roof and add edges to keep the wind from blowing the new roof off the new building (the wind can be vicious); get the children's bed frames ready to be installed in the completed building; say goodbye to Hortencia and the kitchen crew; clean up the kitchen, the dining hall, the bathrooms and our sleeping quarters; go to New Mexico and build shelves (KC's job for the day); take one last walk around the compound -
All week, I had been thinking that God was working on something in my heart when it came to the surroundings I was in. Not just the people or the mission we had come to complete. But the desert itself. I have already mentioned that it gave my soul such peace to be able to see the mountains again. Every morning I would look at them and smile and thank God for His awesome power. It was also bittersweet because I knew I would miss the mountains all over again when we left. All week, I took pictures of lizards, bugs, flowers, plants, etc... I took them mostly to show Cory all the fun and interesting creatures in Mexico. But this last day, on my last walk, I really began to take notice of every plant, every smell. I picked some of the sage brush and held it to my nose (I brought some home...tea, anyone?). I saw the beauty that God created, even in the dry, dusty desert. God misses nothing from the blue sky to the black bug with his hiney in the air! It's amazing what happens when you take a few minutes to really enjoy your surroundings... I kept asking the question... do I really appreciate my surroundings at home?
Diana, our Pastor's wife never says good-bye. She says that term is final and we aren't really saying good bye when we leave...
I don't feel as if I have said good-bye to Mexico. On the contrary, it feels like a beginning. Neither KC nor I know where our trip will lead, but we are open to the millions of possibilities. One of the main things we observed while in Mexico is that lack of resources and training for agricultural prospects. What I mean by that is there is a lot of potential to plant seeds (literally) among Resplandor De Vida and the Colonia. They live in a desert, but they experience a monsoon season with great potential for collecting rain water... Some of the people also have access to manure from farm animals. We live in one of the strongest agricultural areas in the country... Coincidence? I think not! And I could go on and on about the possibilities!
I don't know if this will be the last entry about this Mexico trip (I doubt it, actually). I'm trying to collect all my thoughts on things I've learned, things I'd like to do after the trip and because of the trip, etc... I hope you have enjoyed all the stories. It was the most amazing trip I have ever taken. I am so thankful to each and every one of you that supported us, prayed for us and were there with us! If you are interested in seeing the many, many, MANY pictures from our trip, I created a site with all the pictures taken by everyone on the team. Enjoy!
No comments:
Post a Comment