Our team just returned from our mission trip to Cancun, Mexico. It was an incredible experience. We went to bless others, but I felt like I was blessed instead. We started each day in prayer and Bible study. We were reading chapters 14-21 in the book of Luke. I was amazed how each day, the chapter we read spoke so much to what we were doing. Being my first time in Mexico, I loved the experience of being immersed in the country, the people, and the language there. The people were so kind and inviting. I made some great friends there that I will never forget!
A big part of our mission was to go out into the local communities to meet physical needs with food and clothes. Even though I have seen poverty here in the USA, I have never seen the kind of poverty I experienced there. The first home we visited was probably no bigger than my bedroom, which housed a family of 5. No running water, no air conditioning (and it was HOT...I don't think I have ever sweated so much in my life!), no refrigerator full of food, not even a door to their home...only a curtain. I felt humbled as I listened to the family talk about how blessed they are. Then I think about all of the stuff I have at home and all of the times I have complained about wanting more. Yet here is a family that has so little, yet they are grateful. Maybe it is our culture, maybe because the more we have the more we want, maybe we are just unaware...I'm not sure. But I am asking you...if I complain about anything again...will you please hit me? Well...a little pinch will do.
I loved that during this time, I began to see the parallel in what we were doing to demonstrate to others the love of Jesus. Just as we offered a free gift of food to meet physical hunger, Jesus offers us food to fill our spiritual hunger. We are always hungry it seems...yet nothing will ever really satisfy us until we taste His love. ( Taste and see that the Lord is good...Psalm 34:8). Since I have tasted this love, I have felt so full...only faith in Jesus can do that!
Walking throughout the area, we prayed with people, invited them to church and testified to the love of Jesus. The greatest blessing is that we had people pray and put their faith in Jesus as their Saviour!
I will always cherish this experience. It has deepened my faith, made me grateful, humbled my heart, and made me want to tell the whole world what Jesus has done for me. I know I will never be able to reach everyone...but I have some new brothers and sisters in Christ in Cancun now. And that makes me want to CELEBRATE!!!!
