This morning we planned on going out to the building site to help work on some of houses that are being built for some of the families in the garbage dump. Although the families currently live in the dump, the houses are about a couple miles from the actual dump site. Frontline learned that the jealousy becomes too great if they begin to help one family and not all of them. Although their goal is to help them all, it is quite the process and so the way to begin taking steps is by moving families to a safer place and then building their new home in that area. CCC's generosity weekend supplied the money needed to make the homes possible. As we drove out to the site, we ran into some transportation issues. The truck that we had been driving overheated and we were stranded by the side of the road. By the time things got repaired the things that they were going to have us do wasn't possible. Instead, we just went by so that we could see the site, pray over it, take some pictures and then take off. I was looking forward to being able to build but at the same time, with the strong heat today and the number of students having some stomach issues I imagine it would have been a rough day. Maybe it was for the better that we couldn't do it.
Tonight starts an evening of blubber fest. Although I am ready to go home and feel like getting on the plane is something I am looking forward to, the students are the opposite. It isn't that I don't like it here, it is just that I am ready to get back home.
The students on the other hand are a mess. Tears have already started to roll. Some would like to burn their passports and others would do anything to spend the rest of their life here. They already looked on-line at the cost of plane tickets for winter break. It reminds me so much of the first time I went to Piedras Negras, Mexico. I was 14 years old and it was my first mission trip. Similar to the students on our team, I spent countless hours with the kids from the community. I thought they were the best friends in the world. They LOVED having us around and they were so sad to see us go. I sobbed like a baby when I had to say goodbye the first time. I remember getting home and starting to make plans immediately for my return trip to Proyecto Amistad.
I am sitting in the girls room writing this blog and listening to the girls talking about leaving. Tears are rolling, and they are talking about how hard tonight is going to be. They are comparing letters that they have written to each of the kids, and they are trying to figure out what the students might write back. In a way I feel bad for them but on the other hand, I really am just thankful that they had such a great experience here.
Over the next couple of days, Tim and I are going to meet with each student one-on-one for a recap of the trip. It is our goal to encourage them in some of the things we have witnessed about each of them personally and then also challenge them about what is next. Based on what the students learned we are going to challenge them to figure out what it looks like once they get home. Hopefully that is our way of holding our students accountable to really making this trip be something that drives them to live out their faith. I am hoping we will hear students who want to go home and serve in their schools, in the community and be a little braver when it comes to sharing their faith. If our students walk away with that desire, I believe we are really going accomplish something big. Tim believes and made a personal mission statement that says "students are the most powerful force in the planet." If we bring back students that are filled with a passion to serve, they are going to be dangerous! I am pretty excited to see that!
Thunder is beginning to roll in (that means it might cool off!). I imagine if I don't publish this entry soon I will loose the touchy Internet connection. Tomorrow we catch a 5 hour flight to Tokyo and then have a 21 hour lay-over. I am hoping we get out for at least a couple hour bus tour but rumor has it Tokyo isn't the friendliest place to visit and everything is really expensive. I am really hoping for some time to at least say I saw the city but we won't really know until we get there. After the long layover it is 13 more hours on the plane and then we touch down in Chicago. (Ironically, we touch down in Chicago the exact same time we left Tokyo... we will be traveling through a time capsule) It's been a good trip but I am ready to touch down in Chicago... sweet home Chicago.
1 comment:
Debbie, you are teaching in ways that cannot be measured by the National Boards. I have loved reading all your entries, and my heart has been flipping with each of your moods. I cannot imagine what you're truly feeling as you sort through this.
It's weird to be sitting here looking in the direction of your house, knowing how much you long to be there. Even though we rarely see each other in the neighborhood, there's been an empty space over there.
Thanks for sharing all this, I have been amazed by how God is using you.
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