Didi - Joy where you don't expect it

It is no surprise that when you go on a mission trip, that your eyes will be opened to all kinds of things that are out of your norm.  But sometimes it is not what you expect.
I have seen poverty. I have seen children that are malnourished. I have seen living conditions that I cannot imagine how humans could survive. It breaks my heart, works on my compassion, makes me feel so very blessed, and makes me question "why is my life like this, and their's like that". That answer only comes in pieces when God allows me to return as His hands and feet.
What you don't expect to see is a little girl with a twisted little body so happy to have visitors. When we went into the concrete one room home that neighbors had provided for Didi and her mother and sisters, Didi's eyes lit up. While part of the team explained to her mom how to use the clean water filter we had brought them, I sat on Didi's bed and held her hands. I am not sure what she suffers from, maybe Cerebral Palsy, but she is bound to her bed. She wanted to see herself on the camera.
I know this is not the life her momma would chose for her kiddos. But I was inspired by Didi's smile, buy her warmness, and by her momma's dedication to her daughter with so many needs.

The Birthday Greeter

 One thing I love about the Guatemalan culture is the openness and hugs. This sweet lady lives in a nursing home in Monjas, Guatemala. Fortunately, I have visited her a couple of times. I know she will be the first to hug me and announce that it is her birthday. Then she will take me by the arm and talk to me in Spanish - of which I will only be able to pick out a few words. Then she will go to all my other friends on my mission team and make them feel just a welcome. Blessings like this are truly a gift from God. I don't know if she knows how much impact she has on us. But just seeing the joy she has in greeting her "friends" not strangers, and enjoying every day being her birthday is something beautiful.

The Hat Model - Guatemala

 Every year, as part of a mission trip in Guatemala, I am honored to visit the residents at Asilo Refugio Dulce in Monjas Guatemala.
This year I had to opportunity to photograph all the residents and take them printed photos. They were excited to see themselves and have a print.
This gentleman was hanging out behind the building. When we told him we wanted a photo, he wanted to do several.  There is no telling what all he has seen. What he has lived through. I know he lived through a civil war in his country. He has seen poverty, and riches. He has lost family. And yet he still finds joy.

I Refuse-Josh Wilson - One of my favorites

This is for my Spanish Speaking friends. I LOVE this song, and it describes why I go on mission trips. BUT language is different, and not all songs can sound great when they are translated, so I think this is one of them.

Mis Amigos, perdoname para los errors en español. Me encanta esta canción mucho! La describe por que voy a viajes de misioneros.  Esta canción no sona bien traducido, pero pueden entender los subtitulos.
Gracias!

Home from Acuña!

Home from Mexico, where there are two new houses built for two families that needed them. I always have mixed feelings coming home from a mission trip. I love my country and enjoy the pleasures and abundance we have here. I also enjoy living in this area where we have a sense of security. 

 On the other hand, I am reminded of how much I waste, how much my solution is - "just go buy a new one". How much clean water I dump out, use to bath in, and flush, without a thought of how precious clean water is to most of the world. It is the aftermath of a mission trip for me. I feel humbled, sad, happy, and honored to have had this opportunity.

Many people wonder how we choose the people we build for. There is a board of Pastors in each community that Casas por Cristo builds in. Those pastors together look at applications and advise the staff of Casas Por Cristo. Sometimes people are on the list for a long time. There are certain requirements, like they must legally own the land. When we go to build, we do not know of what faith (if any) the family practices. Our mission is to show the love of Christ through our actions of love.  The houses are little, and basic structures, with a concrete floor, 2-3 rooms, wired for electric, but no plumbing. Walls are insulated and drywalled, but the drywall is not finished out by the volunteers. The houses have blackboard on the out side walls, covered by chicken wire (to hold on the stucco) and then stucco (cement mixture). The family must finish out painting the outside and drywall. The roof is insulated and covered with black paper and rolls of green roofing. This type of house is appreciated, it keeps their family warm, and dry, even though it was built by mostly unskilled volunteers. Many times, the families, neighbors, or pastors, will help on a worksite, and or feed the volunteers a meal - which is expensive when you are talking about feeding 25 people.

 This week I met some amazing people who are seeking, following, and sharing the love of Christ. A young man that is being called to ministry, and is fearful of that, but left his business, and is following His call. A missionary that has a great balance of instructing us, but empowering us to learn. A pastor that was called from alcoholism 14 years ago, and followed His call to a much less appealing part of his country from his home where the climate is beautiful, the economy is better, and was safer than the border. I visited college and high school students on our team that grow in their faith, are not afraid to stand up and share their faith. I met a teenage girl that gave me a present, when she doesn't have much at all - I was there to show her the love, and instead, I was being shown. I was invited to make a fool of myself by a group of teenage boys up the street, by dancing with their group. Of course I have no rhythm, but they sincerely had fun and I had more fun. I rode in a van of good men with excellent conversations - the kind of men that put their families first. I met 71 year old man that could out work us all, was so funny, loves Jesus, but still struggles with sin, just like the rest of us. I met an 18 year old girl with a 2 year old baby that shared with me her concerns about raising her baby in an impoverished border town. Arturo,  a young man with epilepsy recognized us as Christians and asked us to pray for him by name.  I could go on, but you get the picture.

So, who got more out of this trip - the families who have new, but humble homes, or those of us that went to serve and now have humbler hearts?