Celebrations

Today we went to visit the site that the new special needs school is going to be built on.  The area that it is in is a beautiful area surrounded by palms and mountains and is peaceful.  When we arrived the school had set up tents for shade and provided water for us.  The media showed up as well as people from the mayors office and parents and children of the school as well as teachers.  It was a heart warming experience to see the appreciation for all the effort put to pulling this project together.  Many people talked and the children presented people with mugs that had the school logo on them.  The children are so sweet and fun to be around.  After the talking and presentations, we then all gathered in a circle as the first stones were laid for the building.  Several members of our team that were active in getting this off the ground helped lay the first stones.  There were photos, hugs and thank you’s.

At devotion this morning, we were reminded that working in missions is not always about the tasks at hand.  This was likely not to be a “work” day which is often hard for missioners to be okay with but we are reminded that celebrating is also part of the mission.  Spending time in fellowship with the people that have become family and taking the time to soak in all of the progress is part of the mission too.  It was fitting that our sermon at church in Elm Grove this past week was about “rest” and the different ways that we can find rest.  I have learned since doing missions that my cup is filled, my faith is restored and I gain rest and peace from trips such as this one.

After the ceremony we headed back to La Ceibita and had lunch.  We then got to work cleaning up the church from all the painting and preparing it for the wedding that we are invited to this evening.  More to come this evening after the wedding.

Until then, here are a few pictures from today.

“Create in my a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from tour presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a a willing spirit, to sustain me”.  Psalm 51:10-12








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