Escoge Sabiamente

It’s our last day at the City of Children (this year). The week went so fast. The good news is the bad news isn’t the only news and, even if this was our only trip to the City, it’s not the last time we will see each other. Next time we’re all together, there will be no orphans, we’ll all be with the Father.

Thankfully, the last day here is as full as the preceding five and there’s no time to tear up over the goodbyes. We all load up in the vans and head off to Maneadero to dedicate and present the house we’ve raised for the mother and father and three young children of the Lopez-Garcia family. We will watch a house become a home before our very eyes. What an experience for a teenager, for that matter, for any of us.

When the summer ends and they’re back in school and someone asks, “What did you do over vacation?” they’ll be able to say, “I went to Mexico and helped build a home for a family of five.” What a wonderful chance to tell the story – our story and His story.

Our Elder Sam Bagwell presented a Bible and the keys to the home. Then we circled the house for a dedication prayer by our Elder Joe Mayes. Thanks to our construction leaders Danny Alexander and Steve Waldron. Thanks, too, to the men who work with Danny Alexander for contributing most, if not all, of the funds necessary to build the house. What amazing generosity. We hope you’ll come visit us at North Boulevard so we can thank you personally.

There’s no food or music at the home dedication but it feels like a festival. Many, especially families, have their pictures made in from of the home. The Lopez-Garcia family is greeted and there are gifts. The teens play with the family’s children and distribute toys to other children throughout the neighborhood. There are hugs all around. I wonder if moving in day in heaven will be a little bit like this…in spirit?

It’s hard to say good-bye, but eventually the last hug is exchanged and picture taken and we’re loaded up on the vans and off again for a couple of quick hours in Ensenada. The main street in Ensenada is a striking contrast to the five days at the City of Children and our food delivery trips to the humble homes of Christians in Maneadero. There’s so much stuff to tempt the cruise ship tourist with. We may purchase a few trinkets, a Mexican blanket, a small handmade thread bracelet or anklet with our name on it. But, far more valuable, will be the souvenirs we take home from the City of Children that can’t be bought…or rather were purchased for us by Someone else. Memories and friendships for eternity.

Then it’s back to the home for lunch with the children and then an afternoon of practicing, filming and watching the Lip Dub, the finale of a wonderful week of doing the work of pure religion. The Lip Dub included music from the recent Muppet Movie, Space Unicorn in Spanish and the song “What Makes You Beautiful.” Throughout it were little nods to memories from our week here and the words of the songs reflect the spirit and narrative of the week in many ways. Here is a link to last year's lip dub. [Also note: I've added the 2010 and 2011 lip dubs to the links section of this blog.] This year's lip dub will premier for our family, friends and many, many supporters at North Boulevard soon. After it does, we’ll also post it here for those of you who supported us from afar. We’ll also be posting a summary with pictures of the four-night, 50-page mini-series/Skit that was performed in the evenings at the City of Children by our crew.

Our last night at the City concluded with tucking the younger children here at the City into bed and saying our goodbyes. It’s a poignant moment were we try to fight back the tears so as not to upset the children. But, still, a few tears are shed. Some of the children will search for their few belongings to give us some trinket in hopes we remember them. How could we ever forget them and all they’ve done for us?

Then it’s time for our walk up the hill at the back of the City of Children complex to the amphitheater and our final devo of the week. We sat together under the stars and offered up short phrases capturing a memory and building a mosaic of word pictures from our week as an offering to God. It is a Mexico tradition. Rather than recount those phrases here, many of them personal, we asked you to have your teenager or the person you supported to share their memories with you. Hopefully, the blog has provided you with some clues or topics or scenes you might want to ask or talk about. Hopefully, a week of sharing with the kids who couldn’t even speak our language will translate into more communication between teens and their families. Even though we don’t always speak the same language, we can communicate. So have them break out their pictures or go through the blog pics with them and ask them to tell their story.

Well, that about does it. Thanks for everyone’s support, prayers and encouragement for this wonderful week. We pray, too, that you’re week at home or work or wherever you traveled or whatever you did was also filled with instances where you saw God working in and around you. Because His love and His care and His presence is not limited to one place. It’s everywhere. Those with eyes to see let them see.

And, hey, if you’re the visitor to this site who logged in from South Korea. We’d really like to know who you are. And, God bless you.

And now let’s be about the business of living for God the other 51 weeks of our year.

P.S. You can flush your toilet paper now....