The third day of our trip began in the wee hours of the morning,
as we woke in our sleeping bags on the floor of the house where we had a
sleepover with the children. I awoke
with one leg leaning against the wall, and a four year old’s leg across my
stomach and arm across my face. My back
was achy and I couldn’t feel one arm reminding me that my body is getting
older, and yet, I didn’t dare move, in fear of losing this precious moment.
Soon enough, the
house was filled with the sounds of movement and busyness, as the children were
awakened, and we all started cleaning up, eating a breakfast of hotdogs, and
getting ready for church. The kids
reviewed their lesson on who God is and how special they are with Angie, and I
couldn’t peal my eyes away. She is
obviously gifted to work with them. They
love her and she loves them. It was
beautiful to watch God shine through an amazing woman, living out her passion
with these kids.
We walked to
church, where we met in a room on the second floor of a plaza complex. It was tiny, with chairs circling the outer
walls, and the children sitting in the middle.
No ornate alter or stained glass windows. No pews.
Just a table with a TV to project the words to the songs we sang, and
plastic jars were used as offering plates.
But, the joy of the Lord was in that place. It was simple, and a wonderful reminder that
God’s church is not the steeple, but the people!
We presented a
skit for the children and helped them with a craft book of “Who I Am”, to reinforce
the theme of being special to God. Then
Luke shared the message with the adults, that the value of an object comes from
what someone is willing to pay for it.
And God paid Jesus’ life for us!
We ended the service by sharing our “cardboard testimonies,” a before
and after picture of life with God. I
silently cried as the people of Mexico shared their hearts and life journeys
with us. How God gives Hope!
After a shared
meal, we walked to a park where we spent the afternoon playing with the kids, spinning
around getting dizzy, walking (or in my case falling off of) the balance beam,
and pushing swings. A way to connect and
show love without needing words.
From the park,
we piled into cars and went to the movies.
As we were waiting in the plaza, there was a band playing, and one of
the little boys asked me to dance. So,
we danced, and others joined, until it was a bit of a dance party in the middle
of the square. For me, it was a moment
of freedom. In that moment, I didn’t
care who was watching, because the smile on this child’s face was the only
thing I could see.
It was one
day. Only one day, but it was a day
filled with the love of God. A day to
delight in and be delighted in. A day of
hope and joy, singing and dancing, laughter and tears. A day when God asked me to be present
now. Don’t miss this moment in worry
about the next. A day when my heart was
transformed by receiving innocent love.
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