Mexico, Memories, and Musings

Today is my second full day at home in Connecticut, and while I am really enjoying home, relaxation time, working out, internet, and while I cannot wait for the fall semester to start, my heart still longs to be back in El Tejaban with all the children with whom we've formed relationships.

I never got the chance to share with you what our last week in Mexico had in store for us, so let me take a moment to do so now...  Our very last week brought in a short-term team from Fort Worth, Texas, as well as a group of street kids from Acapulco through a program called Sobre El Puente.  An unfortunate bout of sickness due to the bite of a virus-carrying mosquito resulted in me not really meeting anyone until the fifth night of their stay, but once I got to know them all, the kids just blew me away!  They were hilarious and some incredibly intelligent, and it was a joy talking with them, sharing meals, and putting on a talent show together.  We interns shared our last day in Mexico together, getting our last taste of the amazing Tacos Roy and our last sight of the lively Jardín in the city of Guanajuato before packing and leaving the camp at 4:30 in the morning.

Mary Frances and me with Felipe and Juan Carlos,
two hilarious street kids from Acapulco

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention... we finished the wall!

So after a few days in Atlanta for debrief at the MTW office, I'm finally home.  My overall reflections?  If you were to ask me what I would list as highlights from my summer, I'd say this (and um, yes, I decided to try and be clever and begin each one with the letter P):

1. Power: God taught me to strip myself bare and come to him completely vulnerable and completely in need; he taught me to rely on his strength alone.  But he didn't just bring me to that point and leave me there; he showed me that when I have nothing and empty myself before him, it is then I am most filled with him and his strength, which is unfailing and always victorious.  This all gave way to what I deem to be my personal theme verse for this summer:

But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness'... For when I am weak, then I am strong.  

~2 Corinthians 12:9-10

2. People: Going into this summer, I knew that our time in GTO would be focused on relational ministries, but thinking back, I am still amazed at the wonderful friendships that we made.  The Tejaban kids, our friends in English Club in GTO, our friends in English Club in León, the short-term teams from the U.S., and the street kids from Acapulco...  I feel so blessed to have met so many amazing people this summer, and I am sure that God has sown seeds, however great or small the size, wherever we went, and I am excited to see how all our friendships will grow in the future.  Friends, I miss you all, and you're in my prayers now.

Cristina, from El Tejaban 

León church

Isidoro and Eme

3. Possibilities: One week ago, on our second to last day in Mexico, we ran into a Korean family that lives in León and attends the Korean church there.  If you want details of this really exciting encounter, I'd love to tell you in person, but here in this post I'll just say that I am just pumped about the future possibilities of bridge-building and relationship-building between these two churches that have been in León for years but until now never made any connections with each other.  With a bridge built between these churches, the idea and the possibilities of God's gospel going out from León into other cities in Mexico that so desperately need God is mind-blowing.

And now a message to my sisters, the other five interns: Tori, Elisa, PH, Kaitlin, and Laura -- thank you for sharing God's light with me this summer.  You have been an incredible encouragement to me in everything that's happened, through prayer and hugs and laughter.  Not only could I not have lasted these past two months without you, but this summer would have been as dull as heck without the Deadly Six.  I will always refer to myself as your little Asian (of course, a generic term, since... well, you know), just as long as you never call me "amorcita".  You've changed the way I think forever: when I hear "Africa", I think "dance".  When I hear "Laura", I think "snort".  When I hear howling, I think "cállate".  When I hear "Canada", I think "insignificant".  And when I hear "freaking", I think "freaking please come back because I miss you".  I love you all; you're my sisters forever!

To my readers: thank you for faithfully following my blog throughout the summer.  Your support and encouragement has meant the world to me, and there's nothing better than knowing that there's a group of friends back at home interested in what God has been doing in my life in Mexico and praying for me all the way through.

I miss the stars of El Tejaban.  I miss the children.  I miss the rickety bus rides to the city.  I miss the streets of Guanajuato that come alive at night.  I miss the colorful houses built into the mountainsides.

God blessed me with a beautiful summer.  All I can say is "thank you" and ask him to continue to have his hand over my life that is always working promises that leave me awestruck and in wonder and praise of his name.