We have had lessons and crafts with the kiddos every morning this week and in the evenings we spend time playing with them in las canchas. It is often very exhausting, but God always renews our energy! We have also had some enjoyable afternoon activities with the children at the home...such as a WATER WAR! Which was a perfect thing to do on such a HOT Mexico day! I think several of us agreed the phrase "hace mucho calor!" was SUPER appropriate for that particular day....however being pelted with water balloons and having buckets of water dumped over your head....definitely gave the afternoon a bit of a refreshing touch.
The next day (yesterday) SO MANY things happened! I must say, quite like last year, that a day here often feels like 2 or 3 days chocked into one! So many things happen and it just feels as though the days blend together...sometimes it is difficult for me to determine what happened on which day and if it weren't for my journal I would probably not have a clue! hahaha, it is so easy to lose track of time here...but, in a sense, that is part of what I enjoy about being in Juarez. A week can feel like a month... :)
After lessons yesterday morning and an afternoon spent with the kids in las canchas we, as a mission team, had a good bonding experience. Our friend Adam, who we met last year, and our new amiga Becky came over to the casita where we were relaxing for a little bit after dinner and before heading back to the canchas again. We had a really fun little worship session in the living room! Adam even used one of the empty water jugs to play "drums" on. It was pretty cool, so cool in fact that we decided to relocate to the canchas and sing with the children! This was ALSO a very good time...and very moving. At the end of the singing time some of the little girls wanted to pray for their families and different situations...and there were some tears. I don't know why it always surprises me when things like this happen, but one of the little girls who is the most rambunctious and needy when it comes to attention from the "Americanos" was one that broke down sobbing. God is truly at work here. There is no doubt in my mind, and he finds little ways to encourage me of this SO MANY times throughout the day.
After that, since we hadn't had much of a chance to hang out with Adam much yet and have been looking forward to doing so again since last year, Adam invited us and Becky over to his apartment (on the compound right there by the home) for a game night! IT WAS SO MUCH FUN! What a wonderful time to just take part of the night and relax and fellowship with our brothers and sisters! It was definitely a much needed change of pace, and a blessing to spend time with friends that we only get to see this one time a year...
We played games and pretty much danced the night away (quite literally) and at the end of the festivities we had the opportunity to visit with both Adam and Becky about what we could be praying for them about individually. It was a touching moment and one that I will never forget. What a tremendous BLESSING it is to know hermanos in Christ in a place far away from our everyday norm, who are still working for God's kingdom...still striving to make lives better for these kids....and to know we are all connected. The thought sincerely blows my mind and I PRAISE GOD for the opportunity to get to be here and witness light in this place, a place where I never thought I would ever find myself....and now I've been here twice! I am blessed beyond all reason to have this opportunity to connect with our familia here in Juarez, Mexico. I wouldn't trade these experiences for anything.
~Dawn Rickerson
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