As I write this I am very thankful for the opportunity that I have had to be a part of this team. I'm also very thankful to be home with my family! I can only imagine how Patrick feels after being away from all his family for this whole time. Terrace and I arrived in Regina with Garry, Bev, Lydine and Rick from Minneapolis at about 3:30pm today. Crystelle and Jaelyn arrived about an hour later from Denver. Our family has already settled back into our home and the kids are in bed for school tomorrow! Back to the routine!
As I was shovelling my driveway this evening it struck me how easy it seemed tonight to lift all the snow that accumulated while we were gone. Then I realized that 'Mexico Shovel Camp' is still paying off here at home. This snow is light compared to the piles of Mexican dirt we moved over the past two weeks. While I was on the driveway shovelling I continued to pray for the rest of our team that is still on their way home. Patrick, Dave and Barb are still making there way here and should arrive at 1130pm tonight. Apparently their flight was delayed another hour. Praying they will have energy for the tasks that will come their way tomorrow with work and family, despite getting in so late.
It is interesting for me how quickly I can start to forget about everything that I've seen and done in Mexico. As soon as you get back to the States and now Canada it seems that the temptation is to just move on. I think everyone on the team will have to make hard decisions about if they will let that happen or not. Will I let this experience change me or leave me the same? I'm sure a bit of both will happen. I hope to use this as somewhat of a fresh start with those who I have not been much of an example to in the past. Sometimes it is hard to change to who God wants us to be when we are around all the time. We are 'chicken'! It was easier to be set apart in Mexico because that is what I signed up to do!
Greg had challenged us to really think through how we will respond to people when they ask us about our trip. We need to have the kind of response that will have an impact. I'm still working on that! But I think that one of the most impactful things that I saw while in Mexico was 'the Joy of the Lord' in the people that I met! This includes the missionaries who are serving there all the way to the kids at the children's home.
There are many times in my life that I have a lot of fun and am happy, but I would say I have still lacked 'the Joy of the Lord'. What I have learned is that when I am in God's will or when I see others who are in His will, that this joy should be obvious. I felt this while I was in Mexico because I knew it was where God wanted me to be at that point. I saw it in the missionaries there as they served too! I believe I even saw it in the kids at the home as they seem to have a contentment despite their circumstances from which they came. I believe it is God's will that each of them are there and spending time with Pedro and Zoila who model this contentment and joy, despite all they have given up for these kids!
While in Mexico I learned that this joy doesn't come from our possessions or what we do for ourselves, but rather I see it as going hand in hand with being in God's will. Here in Canada I spend so much time seeking after what I want and what I can accomplish on my own and therefore likely spend a lot of time outside of God's will because of it. God has proven to me on this trip that I can be content while in His will no matter what I'm doing, it is just a question of if I can continue to apply this while at home. I pray that my heart will not grow cold (like this land we have returned to) over time!
There are still a few more stories about the people that I will share on the blog. I plan to add those tomorrow but for now it is time to get some rest! While writing this entry I got word that the rest of the team arrived home safely. Thank you Lord for safety while travelling and teaching us patience!
Back to my regular name,
Dwight
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