I got the be the MC of the event, which was a little nervewracking with all those people and me speaking spanish, but really we had tons of fun, dancing, singing, watching dramas and listening to Bible stories. I made sure to ask the kids questsions about the stories, to make sure they paid attention...
After our whole group session in the sanctuary, we split the kids into smaller classes by age and did crafts and other activities and teachings with them.
We had so many people on the team, they didn't need me to help out in the classes, so I looked for something else to keep me busy...They had a sunday school class for the moms that were there as well, so I asked one of the moms if I could watch her toddler during her class, she was happy to have some help, I felt blessed to be able to take care of this little princess.
Also, one afternoon I went with the team to visit a nursing home in the colonia. This elderly community was started by someone in YWAM and is funded just by donations, so resources were scarce. Honestly, it was a very dirty place, and flies were swarming everywhere, some even resting on the residents there who were still covered in food from their lunch. All of the elderly folks were sitting out side in chairs or wheelchairs, some talking to one another, others crying, others yelling obscenities, it was quite a scene. Many of the Canadian youth were a little freaked out and didn't know how to act there, but I encouraged them just to love them and to interact with them however they could, even if it made them a little uncomfortable. Some had brought razors and soap and starting shaving the men there. Others took advantage of some nail clippers they brought and started clipping toes and fingernails. Others simple just got a bucket and began washing people's hands and feet. What started as an unpleasant and even a repulsive scene, turned into something beautiful when all stereotypes and judgments were set aside and the love of Jesus reigned above all things.
"Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." ~Mark 10:43-45
As the team was occupied doing those things, I tried to decide how I could minister to them in another special way. As my eyes scanned the courtyard, I just felt a spirit of loneliness over that place. Many of the people there had been abandoned by their families and left there, or brought there from off of the street where they lived homeless. (Elderly in Mexico usually live with their families and retirement homes are much less common than in the States). Click here to read more about nursing homes in Mexico.
I decided to approach them, one by one, shake their hand, look into their eyes, smile and tell them "Buenas tardes, Dios te bendiga" (Good afternoon, God bless you). I got many different reactions - some held on to my hand not wanting to let go and pulling me in closer, others began a conversation with me (some even spoke english!) and shared with me a small part of their life story, others just continued yelling or crying as they were before, and a few asked if I could pray for them. It was something really beautiful - their frowns turned to smiles, there loneliness dissipated and joy entered into their lives again - even if just for a brief moment.
After a while, the youth performed a drama and song for them, which the elderly folks watched with enthusiasm, happy to have something to entertain them for a little bit that afternoon. As we prepared to leave, I walked around the courtyard once again, in the same manner - holding their hands, smiling and looking into their eyes - and told them "Adios, Dios te bendiga"(Goodbye, God bless you). When they squeezed my hand and smiled back, it touched my heart in such a different way than doing a VBS does. No dancing or shouting or jumping for the joy of the Lord, like with the kids - just a precious act of love, flowing from a heart surrendered to loving the way Jesus did."The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners...to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. "
~Isaiah 61:1-3
No comments:
Post a Comment