Just Walk Across the Room

The personal connection makes all the difference.   It can be intimidating trying to find common ground with another a person, especially with a language barrier.   Many people are surprised to learn that both of us are introverts.   This can make all the more of a challenge.   But God opens up doors and avenues, if we are just willing to be attentive and to listen.   If we are just willing to start by acknowledging that each person that we come across is a beloved child of God.  If we are just willing to walk across the room.

Last week when Maria was back in Ohio with her family to celebrate the life of her grandfather, a woman and her 8-year old daughter came to the door seeking help.   Their names were Lucin and Bella.   Two or three months ago Lucin’s father-in-law passed away.   The local government was able to help with the costs of the funeral and burial, but they needed help purchasing the blocks needed for the tombstone, about 400 pesos (under $25 with the current exchange rate).  After talking it over with them, deciding that we could help and praying with them I felt prompted to turn to the daughter Bella.   I explained to her how sorry I felt that she had lost her grandfather and that we would continue to pray for him, but I had a favor to ask of her as well.   I explained to her how my wife was currently back in the United States with her family for her grandfather that passed away.   It would be a huge blessing for us, if Bella would pray for Maria and her grandfather as well.   Bella beautiful green eyes became very serious with her new mission as she nodded her head yes.   God has connected together two families from two nations, separated by over 2,000 miles.

Mexico City Airport

Rebekah and I (Maria) had a wonderful time flying together from Mexico to Ohio.  I never imagined it would be fun (albeit exhausting) to travel with a 2-month-old baby!  I had so many wonderful encounters with people, got to hear all about others’ children and grandchildren, and really just got a chance to talk with people as we waited for our flights. 

Our last layover was in the Mexico City airport.  By that point I was tired and not thrilled about sitting for a couple of hours waiting for our flight.  I was feeling a little overwhelmed with the set up of the airport, and navigating through immigration and customs.  I honestly didn’t really feel like talking to anyone at that point.  All I wanted was to get to the Monterrey airport and see Josh.  As I was juggling Rebekah, carryon luggage and a cell phone, a woman from Sweden came to give me a hand.  We got in to a small talk conversation and I learned she was headed to Monterrey for her son’s graduation.  She shared a lot about her life as a single mother, how her son came to live in Mexico and his hopes for his future.  

Then she asked what we were doing in Mexico.   After sharing that we are Catholic missionaries, she asked the question why.  Why would we want to do something like this.  I explained to her that we have a God that loves us, and we want others to know that love.  We want them to know His love by being told, we want them to know a small piece of His love by our service.  I told her that so often people hear about the rules of faith, but don’t hear about the love God has for us.  As I explained these reasons for our crazy life, her face changed.  She softened.  She needed to hear about how much she is loved.  We had a long conversation after that, and I heard a lot about who God is to her.  It was amazing to be able to share that time with her after a full and exhausting day of travel.  I keep praying for her, for her son, for what the Lord wants to do in her heart.  That conversation made that extra layover worth it.  It was another reminder that when I am exhausted and have nothing left is when the Lord can step in and fill a moment with his grace.  I just have to be open for those divine appointments He sets up.

Josh's Macayu All-Star Team!

Monday evenings, different members of our team take turns going to the ejido Macayu, about a 20-minute drive outside of town.   For the past several months there have been some tensions between some of the individuals in the ejido.   At the conclusion of our last short-term trip, there were a number of items that needed to be wrapped up, and so I, Josh, offered to go with our three oldest boys and the four oldest boys from the Kiehl family on Monday, June 12. Between the eight of us there would be enough musical talent and translators that we would be able to run the prayer service.   I jokingly referred to us as “the children’s crusade,” praying that we would have better results then the original children’s crusade, but also hoping that these young men would be able to touch hearts and melt some of the tension.  First of all, I was so blessed to work with these seven mission partners ranging from seven years old to fourteen.   They were so eager and excited to help and to have various responsibilities, and they rocked it!   They were on fire as we drove back that evening, and without any hesitation they wanted to go again on the 19^th.  

One of the things that they noticed during that first night was that a good number of the children present felt bad that they didn’t know how to pray and were eager to learn.   The decision was made that for our second trip we would focus on the children that showed up and teaching them how to pray.   We figured that any adult that showed up, we would explain that we are all children of God.   It didn’t matter if we were a 5 year old child or a 70 year child, God is all of ours loving Father.   I was once again thankful for my years in Jesuit education and St. Ignatius’ directions of praying through a scripture passage with our imaginations and senses, placing ourselves in the story, letting it unfold, and conversing with Christ in the scene.  Prayer is after all simply a conversion with God where we both speak and listen.  The team decided that something similar would be effective and that we would use the passage of Jesus accepting the little children (Matthew 19:13-15).   

We are all God's children.

After explaining what we were doing and reading the passage slowly three times, we handed out paper and crayons so that they could draw what they had imagined.   We were surprised when even the adults asked if they could draw too!   We are all God’s children.   Once the drawing was over we asked was there a particular image or word that struck them?   How did Jesus look?   What was his demeanor?   Was there certain aspects of the scene in the imaginations that stood out?   One woman in particular drew rain in her picture.   What an amazing insight into the symbol of rain and Christ bringing refreshment to the desert of Mexico!   The biggest surprise for me was at the end I asked all the kids to come up for a photo with their pictures.   As soon as we were done, a number of the adults (including an elderly gentlemen with crutches) asked to have their photos taken with their drawings too!   We are all God’s children!   God is working and slowly softening hearts.   I am so thankful to work with this team of young men!

Sometimes all we need to do is just walk across the room.  God's grace is in the moment and let Him make the connections and inspire our words.   We just need to be open to His promptings and respond to His grace.

Please pray for the next short-term trip that arrives today!   May the Lord bless each of their hearts, our hearts as we host them, and the hearts of the people God will place in our paths to serve.   May we recognize Christ in the face of all we meet, and may God give us the grace so we can be the face of Christ for them.