Tired
My energy got sapped yesterday. I didn't really know it until we got back for dinner. I started feeling really sleepy and hot. Yes, I forgot to put on sunscreen in the morning and that didnt help at all. I was a bit overheated too and had trouble getting cool. The plan that night was to have Melissa, Coburn's wife talk to us about the kids in the town, how they grow up, what challenges they face, etc. I made it through about 3/4 of the talk and then had to go find somewhere cool to rest. A nice hammock chair for about 30 minutes and I was feeling much better. And yes, I am feeling better this morning too.
All the gardens are in!
It's hard to belive, but all three of teh gardens are in and planted. I think I should probably just stay here for the next 45-100 days to make sure the plants grow. ;-) They really look good and should do well. I hope they provide 'something' for each of the families/groups involved. It's weird to think that our project for the week is done already. Fortunately, Coburn has no lack of need down here. We will be working on the school grounds to help with other projects for the next few days. It's actually really cool to be working for Coburn, doing the exact things he needs done. It feels like we are doing work that is coming alongside him directly and supporting a ministry that is meeting the daily needs of these kids and moving them toweard a better future.
The Park!!!
We finally made it back to the park where we did most of our work last year. I thought Kim might explode if we didn't get back there soon. :-) We were walking along the way, heading toward the site of the future Los Braisiles church first. On the way, Kim foud Wilma. Now for those who don't know, Kim likes to cry. :-) But, seeing this girl that she had invested in last year come out was beautiful. I think their hug lasted minutes and yes, there was crying. :-) I think there was a magnet that kept them attached together for the rest of the day. PRAISE GOD for continuing these relationships! Now the kids and memories started coming back like a flood.
As we roudned the corner I saw alarge, open-walled structure with a roof. This was the new church structure being built in the town! But - something was messing with my head about it. Something in my brain wasn't seeing it right. Then it clicked. We were standing on the field where me and a bunch of boys had played soccer last year. This was on the outskirts of the main town. To teh right was the huge tree where the kids climbed and I sat at the bottoma and talked with them. And now, right where our kids had played with theirs, was the beginning of a church. Too cool!! Coburn prayed in Spanish with us and a bunch of the kids. I think it was probably great for the kids to hear the passionate prayer for this church. It gives them a sense of the weight of what God is doing and hopefully sparks their own curiosity to see what is happening there.
Church
I learned something interesting yesterday that I wanted to share. Many of the churches down here have a very different view abotu church attendance. Many churches actually have services every day. Full services of some sort or another. And, while this may sound really cool at first, the problem is that many of these churches have made religion into an idol. People who don't attend "enough services" throughout the week may be looked down on. People who do not go to every service may be seen as not having enough "passion or faith" or even really love God at all. It's sad to think that the one thing that can bring peace and healing to so many can also become a place of pride, arrogance and idolotry. Please pray as Coburn works with a local pastor to try and change this mindset into something good and healthy. His heart is to see these people love God, love their families and love each other - with balance. If they desire to have church 7 days a week and it isn't just their own pride - then praise God! But, the hope is to help the pastor and community grow and mature into strong families and communities. This is real stuff!!
The soccer court
OK yes, I almost teared up too when I saw the soccer court. We put a lot of work into the 1/4 or 1/3 that we completed. I was beautiful! When we rounded teh corner the first thing I saw were kids playing soccer, riding bikes, sitting and playing on the large, flat cement platform. "We want to build something in the center of town that will be a draw to everyone and bring the community together." That was the vision Coburn had. And now, it was a reality. It had soccer goal posts and basketball hoops and everything. I know our lives are like the grass that withers and fades - but, thank you God for letting us be a part of something here that may make a lasting difefrence while the grass grows. May it bring family and community together. May it bless them. May it be a testament to You that so many came and laboured on it for them. Lord, use it!
Esaul, Tito, Dylan, Fernando, Victor, Fernanda...
Piggy back rides, bouncing them on my knee, playing tag, poking and tickling. I swear I was made to do this with these kids. :-) You never know their full story. For all I know this may be the only hug this kid gets in months. OR - I may be continuing the love that they are getting at home. Either way, it's all goodness. They smile and laugh and play. I think that moment when all the kids came to Christ must have been one of the most wonderful times of His ministry. I know He used it to teach those around Him, but I can't help but think that He just basked in the fun love of those kids. He knew them, their hearts, their lives. His heart must have been wanting to explode to hold them and play with them. I wonder if those were teh faces He thought about when the worst pain and agony was before Him. The fact that He was providing a way for those smiles to last, for peace to last, for hope to last - and for a way for them to be with HIm again one day. Yeah, yeah, pure speculation, but boy would it make sense to me after spending a day with these kids here. :-)
Dresses
I'll have to get you to talk to Kim and the others when they get back, but a bunch of dresses were passed out yesterday too, to the "littles" as Kim calls them. The littlest ones. I even saw one little girl later holding the dress up in front of her clothes to show us that she had it there with her. :-) So pretty, so wonderful. Thank you to everyone who helped with these dresses. It may not seem like much in a town of such poverty, ruin and hardship, but you cannot put a price on the smile of a little girl who, when presented with a new, beautiful dress, sees herself as pretty. God can use a dress, a plate of food, a garden - ANYTHING - to redeem what is broken and make it His, make it good, make it right again. I can't wait to see what happens with the rest of the dresses! :-) I also found out that someone I know and met, Chris Bagwell, who runs an orphanage for infants, will most likely be getting the baby blankets. The ministry that Chris is runnign has become very respected in the city and in the local goverment. God is blessing it and using it. It's great to think that these small gifts will be used in a big way!
Dinner, Melissa, crash...
Honestly, the rest of the night was mostly a blur for me. I was tired, hot and out of it. I know we had good spagetti and Melissa (and Katie) gave us some good info to think about concerning the kids, but I wasn't all there. :-( I feel better today and hope it goes much differently tonight.
Prayer requests:
- (selfishly) for me, for energy today as I get back into it
- that the dresses would go out to the right kids and be a blessing
- that we would see the blessing of coming alongside Coburn today in His work
- that we would each bring back some names, people we can pray for and connect and reconnect with in this ministry
- for Josue, who works with Coburn. He is a new Christian and needs a mentor and encouragement.
- for Luis. He continues to mature and grow, but I see a bit of frustration in his eyes. He has been to teh states and has seen some of the "bigger picture" now. Prayer that God will give him peace in his heart about where he is and what he is doing. He is such a great kid.
- for Coburn as they pray and plan their vision and ministry for the next 1-5 years. Big possibilities.
Que Dios les bendigan!
Nos vemos pronto!
Matt
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