We are back from a week at the Matamoras Childrens Home in Mexico. 
It was like family camp with a mission minded purpose. Our team had 3 focus projects: to provide medical clinics in poor areas to heal both physical and spiritual needs, a VBS team to minister to the children at Casa Hogar (approximately 180 children currently live there), and a construction crew to roof a pig pen for the childrens home and more. Trying to put this week into words is difficult as I am processing all of the different things that happened and that I experienced.
Here is a sketchy day-by-day:
Saturday : arrival at the home, my boys played in the chicken coop and the pig pen and caught crabs, and the men played basketball until the wee hours, seeing the children again was like a breath of fresh air
Sunday: morning worship outside together as a team (we had a guitar and electric piano and speakers and everything), later morning worship with the children at Casa Hogar (they had learned to play guitars and sing as a group - awesome), each family had a "booth" for a fun carnival - face painting, water slides, bounce houses, games, popcorn, snowcones, cotton candy, field goal kick, baseball throw, cake walk,and many games
Monday - first day for VBS, the medical team and construction crew; movie night at Casa Hogar (popcorn and everything ... a huge treat for them) We showed the Chronicles of Narnia in their dining hall on a huge wall -really cool
Tuesday - continuance of 3 teams, morning and afternoon VBS, ate dinner with the kids and had a castle build (50 big boxes, duct tape, fabric and paint) after dinner
Wednesday - continuance of 3 teams, VBS theme for the week was Warriors for Christ - ended up being perfect for the week; medical team saw almost 200 patients this day, dinner and shopping in town
Thursday - continuance of 3 teams, every morning the men did a 6 a.m. bible study together and then the entire family did a devotional together after breakfast - today the idea was to finish strong and God so amazingly had the morning devotional based on the same VBS lesson and verse for that day and neither person who had prepared each one knew until that morning (God so sweetly stamped an exclamation mark on the trip with that); fun time in the evening with the kids jumping rope and laughing;closing time of prayer, share and worship as a team
Friday - headed for home
The details are many and will take more than one post! Many friends prayed for smooth border crossings ... thank you! We did not know about a travel advisory that had been issued (other churches cancelled their mission trips for that week) and were a little surprised to see the Mexican Marine Corp at the border - we all got green lights, though, and only a couple were checked by the marines after entry. We also received the blessing and answered prayer for good health - even after playing in a chicken coop! We had 89 people on the trip (at least half were children ranging from 1 - 18 years old); we prayed for purpose and it was almost miraculous to see each person find their niche. The kids (ages 10+) even had their mission projects for the week - every morning they signed up for an area to help (medical, VBS or construction) and in the afternoons they learned how to share God's truth and love with others ( I got to see them role play this). They put their new training to use by going as a group to minister and pray in the neighborhoods surrounding the clinic (a tent we set up to work in) ... all of the kids were touched by this experience. At the medical clinic I met a family of 5 that lived in a home smaller than my bedroom with no electricity or running water. Their neighborhood used a common outhouse and the mom "washed" her dished in a tupperware bowl outside. As I looked at the mom's dusty, dirty feet I saw Jesus's feet for the first time and had a deeper understanding of what it meant when he washed his disciples' feet. I absolutely loved spending time with the kids - making bracelets, doing art in VBS with them, playing kickball, and more. Their hugs will remain with me and my love for them grows stronger as I feel the challenge and call to care and help and love God's family. My family had FUN this week - I fell more in love with my husband as I watched him jump rope for an hour with the kids, play football and kickball with them, hug them, pat one's back during the movie until he fell asleep right in his lap (a 4 year old asleep on his lap with no air conditioning in the building- hew), love them passionately and openly. I could hardly retain my swelling heart as my boys made friends with both Mexican and American kids that are so different from them - language, money, etc. meant nothing as play developed naturally ... Ok, I said details later so I must stop for now ...
Caleb finished his second triathlon yesterday. He swam 70 meters, biked 2 miles, and ran a half mile. He was awesome and had fun! He smiles through the entire event ... it is amazing for me to watch him do this. He pushes himself yet has fun the entire time. I get teary eyed as he completes each event and quickly transitions to the next and still stops to find us, make eye contact and even wave along the route. I think my heart almost pounds out of my chest as I feel anxious for him ... and he never even gets nervous!!
the bike...
the run!!
Caleb, you are amazing! God has gifted you with an athletic body and an amazing ability to persevere. Your theme verse sums up this triathlon.
the bike...
the run!!
Caleb, you are amazing! God has gifted you with an athletic body and an amazing ability to persevere. Your theme verse sums up this triathlon.
it's getting heavy so...
