Ephesians 5:8

Yesterday, Mikey and I returned to the US from a 7 day mission trip in Oaxaca, Mexico.  The past seven days have wrecked my heart, opened my eyes, shifted my focus, and renewed my faith.  In short, the trip was life-changing!

We arrived in Mexico last Saturday, and after a two hour drive, we made it to a beautiful missions base in the town of Roca Blanca.  I almost felt guilty because going into the trip I expected to work really hard and rough it, not to get to stay in such a stunning place.  But there we were, on the verge of the week, and I found myself looking forward to what was to come but not expecting much.  Over the past year, my faith has been rocked by some drastic changes in my family, and I’d been trudging through, either ignoring or not realizing how my own faith, my own perspective was shifting.  I knew God was big, but I wasn’t really expecting big things.  God didn’t take long to change that.

In the first two days, we attended two church services, each at least three hours long, and one praise and worship service that lasted over two hours.  Our hearts were full of praise, and the joy and lack of self-consciousness of the Mexican people in these services changed my view of worship.  They were truly free, some standing, some sitting, some kneeling, some jumping or dancing in the aisles.  But all were praising God, transfixed by His beauty and love, adoring His hugeness and power.  Those services set up my heart for some major changes.

During the week, we did VBS’s for the children in the towns we visited, and we visited some local schools to share our dramas and testimonies.  We also did house visits, bringing food and offering our help with any chores the people may need done.  I learned how to wash dishes Mexican-style, with powder soap and cement basins.  We swept; we picked up trash; we played with children.  Almost every home we went to welcomed us warmly, offering us their only chairs, their food and water.  They smiled and listened patiently.  And many of them gave their hearts to Christ for the first time.  One of the most amazing visits was when our team went to the home of a man who was extremely sick.  He and his wife were elderly, and his wife told us he used to be a laborer but suddenly became very weak.  By the time of our visit, he could only lay in bed.  He was emaciated, basically skin hanging on bones, and he could barely speak. Our team spoke to him about God’s love and provision, about how He is bigger than sickness and death, and about how He will always be with him.  Danbi, our translator and the coordinator of our trip, told him that accepting Christ was the only way he could have life after death, and he prayed to receive Christ into his heart.  During the prayer, he and Danbi (and many of the rest of us) were crying or near tears.  The moment was so touching, to know that his sickness couldn’t fully take away his life or his hope!

Another family we visited consisted of a single mother and her three children.  The family was extremely poor, even by Mexican standards, having lost their home and most of their possessions to a fire.  They normally bought coconuts and resold them for some income, but lately they did not have enough money for even that.  They had little food and no shoes.  Mikey and I felt a special connection to this amazing family, and it broke our hearts to hear the mom speak of her desperation to care for her family and herself.  We were so blessed to be able to return the following day with some of the Toms shoes Genesis bought for us to distribute.  We only had shoes that would fit the mom and the oldest son, but she was so grateful for anything we could offer.  Mikey and I are hoping to return to Roca Blanca eventually and see how she and her children are doing.

Mikey and I each also got a chance to contribute towards what we feel God is calling and preparing us to do.  Mikey played guitar and sang a song in Spanish at one of the services, and he shared with the group that the opportunity reminded him of why he has such a love for spanish.  God was preparing him for that moment and more to come.  I also got to help in a medical clinic during our last day of ministry.  Maria and I were the “dream team of vitals,” taking weight, temperature, and blood pressure of everyone who visited the clinic.  It was an amazing opportunity to minister to the people in a way that really provided what they needed and showed them God’s love.

By the end of the week, I couldn’t deny the greatness of God.  He had so far surpassed my expectations for the trip that I was overwhelmed by His power and His truly personal love for each of His children.  This revelation has started a journey with Him that I hope will never slow down or end.  I’ve realized again how loving and good He is, that He will never leave or forsake me.  He has brought light into my life again and called me to shine with His brilliance.

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.  Live as children of the light.” -Ephesians 5:8