This week marks the beginning of our busy season and we couldn’t be more excited! Some of our staff and teams are already in Mexico working hard and setting the tone for an amazing summer.  Be sure to check our other blogs and our Facebook for updates and pictures all summer long!

Jon and I will be spending the summer here in the office.  Our only Mexican experiences will take place at El Nopal.

For now, I just want to tell the story of something that really touched my heart when I was in Piedras Negras in December.

I was working in a group with several friends of mine from North Point Church. We did children’s ministry in the mornings, and went to several different sites to spend time with some very special kids.  In the evening, we hosted VBS at Templo Bet’el in Piedras.

The first day we went to the church, I was honestly a little nervous because the neighborhood looked a little scary, and I was going to perform as Bobby the puppet-dog.  When we walked in to the church, there were already two little girls sitting on the front row, waiting patiently for VBS to start.

A few of us went to try to talk to them, and they were both very sweet.  One of the girls, Jaquelin, told me that her grandmother didn’t want her to come because it was really cold outside, but she begged the grandmother to let her go, because she loved going to church.  She was such a sweet girl.  We all loved her right away.

The next night, I came in to VBS a lot less wary of the neighborhood, but a lot more nervous to be Bobby!  Jaquelin, of course, was already seated in the front row waiting, and had brought a cousin with her.  She ran and hugged me and gave me two pieces of candy, which nearly brought me to tears, because it was obvious the girl didn’t have much, and she was so eager to give to me.

I looked down at my new $200 boots that I was so excited to wear, and felt like the worst person in the world.  The money for my boots could have given Jaquelin or someone like her so much!

After Jaquelin and I talked for a minute, she told me she wanted to go down the street and bring some more of her cousins.  When she came back, she had 4 boys with her.  I’m telling you, this girl was really special!

On the final night of VBS, I was asked to choose someone to give the puppet-dog, Bobby, to.  He was homeless and needed someone to take care of him.  After a minute or two of deliberation, I decided that above everyone else, Jaquelin deserved Bobby.  I wasn’t able to give her much, but I hope that I, or someone else in my group, was able to touch her the way she touched all of us.

I still have the 2 pieces of candy that Jaquelin gave me, and I plan on keeping them forever.  Every time I l see them, it reminds me of her and of the other children I met in Mexico who had nothing compared to me, and were consistently generous and kept smiles on their faces.

If you ever have the chance to take a trip to Mexico with us, I know that you won’t regret it!!

We are so very excited to be hosting our first fundraiser of 2010 on Friday, March 26.  Together with The Rock Fitness Center, we will be giving away free food and workouts to try and raise some donation money for Nava School in Mexico.

If you are able to, please come.  We will be outside of The Rock from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m.  We hope to see you ALL there!