To be honest: I came into today very relaxed (read: mentally done). We had done our Outreach, we had done our Follow-up... now we would have a party and be done - nothing crazy, nothing intense.
Yea.
Everything started according to plan (yes, I said that in Spanish), I went running with Chris (ese vato is fast), got a chill breakfast, we snagged some supplies and headed to the Aguilar house. We played around, hung out on the playground, spun Sam in a swing until he felt sick... just standard shenanigans.
Then some stuff went down. I had to just watch as a friend walked through some heavy sadness. I learned a bit about death. I was placed in a world where words wane powerless. It was...humbling, to say the least.
A trip in a taxi, souvenir shopping (being approached by a random guy and connecting him with the church), paletas (popsicles, but magical) and payasos (clowns) in the plaza... and we all found ourselves back at the Aguilar house (the lengths this family goes to for hospitality are....intense). We watched a movie (that is a-whole-nother story) and prayed before getting back to the hotel late and packing.
On the drive to the hotel, I was asked me what I had experienced on this trip and, as is my wont (not to be confused with my won't), I made some less-than-serious comment; because, honestly, I am not sure yet how I would sum up my experience here in Querétaro (take a moment to appreciate how long that sentence lasted). One thing I did experience today: being humbled by how others follow God.
As I think about the Aguilar family, I am left feeling nothing but overwhelming respect. This family came from Honduras, where they were part of a huge and successful GCLA church. Now they are in Querétaro, where they are the GCLA church. The parents, Frankie and Ines, have had the vision to plant a church since they got married (23 years is a long time to wait on the Lord to fulfill something). The kids though - Juan, Sara and Abisai - didn't ask for this; they are being brought along with a vision God gave someone else. And yet, rather than feeling ill-used or bitter, they have jumped on board in dedicating their lives to what God is doing here. Be praying against the attacks they will experience as hey continue to pursue God...
Spending a week here was glorious, but I am about to (as far as we know) head back to my comfort zone where my family is two hours away when traffic is bad, where my church grows and flourishes - even if I have an "off" semester, where I have lived for a fourth of my life...that is a blessing, but do I rely on it?
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