Joy and Heartbreak

Last night after youth group, I got the wonderful opportunity to discuss Mexico with my youth pastor, Justin. I found out that we will be building a resource center, on the orphanage's property so that they can better serve their community.  We also may be helping a young couple build their house, so they can get it done quicker. :)  Of course we will be doing VBS (It's my favorite!!) at different churches.  

I am so glad that God has given us teens the wonderful chance to better the lives of others!  Most teens think about reaching out, and helping others but feel like they can't do it.  But when adults decide to lend a hand and show us ways that we can, it makes a huge difference!  I love these missions trips, because I love seeing all of us come together to benefit others.  It's truly an amazing sight, and it moves your heart.  Especially seeing the outcome once it's done.    

I was talking to a friend recently, who will be going down to Mexico for his first time in March.  I was explaining to him the joys, the happiness, and how wonderful it is to bless other people.  He is quite shy at first, so you could tell he wasn't too excited about going.  I explained to him, that I myself am shy unless we are super close friends.  I tend to be quite and observe more then I speak my mind.  But in Mexico, you are "forced" to step out of your comfort zone and communicate with others.  The Mexico missions trip, really tests each and everyone of us, it stretches us in ways you wouldn't think possible.  We then have the perfect chance to choose to be like Jesus, with the way we treat others.  With our responses, our attitudes, and our actions.  You build friendships through this, and it becomes easier to communicate.  

Although this missions trip is full of joy, happiness, and beautiful memories just waiting to be made, it also breaks your heart in many ways.  Paul (The outreach ministry director at my church.) took us through some neighborhoods in Heromsillo, last March.  He explained the back story of the neighbor hood before we went in.  It is absolutely heart breaking to see how these people live, and the 'houses' that they call home.   Houses built form literally anything they could find.  Fences made out of mattress springs, and walls built from card board boxes, and old pieces of fabric.  It really puts things into perspective, and makes you feel guilty, when you think of what you go home to every night.  I remember how I felt after coming back from Mexico.  I remember every night for months, laying in my bed, thinking of the people, their houses.  I remember feeling terrible that I could lay in my queen sized bed, with my pillows and comforter, with my closet full of clothes, as well as my dresser, without a care in the world.  I remember wanting to sit on the floor and cry, because I felt so greedy.  I wanted everything to be taken from me, and I wanted to live like those people do.  I wanted to know what it felt like to be genuinely thankful for what I had.  But after a few months of being back in the U.S  the thoughts drifted away, along with the guilt.  I slowly became consumed in the world, that I forgot all about it.  It's not until right now, while typing this that my heart feels heavy again.  

This is the place that a family calls home.

They are thankful for this, and I only want more.

It's easy to forget about things like this, because it doesn't affect us.  We have literally everything we could every need at our finger tips.  But in the Bible in multiple places,  Jesus instructs us to care for the poor, the widow, and the orphan.  As Katie Davis states "God doesn't ask that we care for the less fortunate, he demands it."  and it's true.  We aren't asked we are told.  We are called to love them like Jesus loves us.  

I am ready to pack up and go back down to Hermosillo, to make new memories, and to have my heart broken all over again.  I'm ready to see God's face in every child, and person that I come in contact with, I am ready to bless those that I do not know.