Be a Part of The Story

When was the last time you pulled out some old photos and sit down with your kids or parents, or grandparents and listened to the stories those images brought to mind? I love stories, and recently I had the opportunity to be a part of an awesome story.

I went with our church youth group to Acuna, Mexico on a home building mission.  I have been before, but this time was the most powerful.  When we arrived at our work site, Ricardo stepped out of his house  made from discarded pallets and cardboard. Right behind him was his ten year old Gustavo who was excite to be out of school for a special few days to hang out and help us build his new home. Then, Fatima comes out holding her 22 day old baby, also named Fatima.  Of course, it was love at first sight for me, and the camera was out of the bag right away. Now, my Spanish is absolutely horrible (something I am going to correct), but somehow I soon got it through to them that I was a professional photographer and I would be sending them photos in the mail to hang in their new house.  There were no photos up in the home they lived  in, not sure if that was because they had none, or because the cardboard walls could not hold out the rain from the photos.

The first night we were there, it stormed and the family had to get into the cab of their truck to stay dry. The next day was filled with more photos of not only of Ricardo and Fatima's children, but as many of the neighborhood children and some of  the neighborhood families, and a church group too. A big box of photos are in the mail to them to hand out. And our group of teens and adults working together with two families finished two homes in two and a half days.

So on the way home I got to thinking about baby Fatima. How will the story go when they pull out those photos? Will she tell her children and grandchildren about the house she was born in, and about the house she grew up in? Will the little boy that reminded me of my own nephew someday show his picture to his kids and tell them about how God answered Fatima's prayers to have a warm place for her children to live.

No matter how their stories are retold over and over, I know that these people are part of my story now. I want to be able to show these photos to my grandchildren and tell them about how God worked in my life and my heart by bringing these beautiful people into my life, if only for a few days.