The trip is coming to an end, but as we reflect on these past life-changing days, the students are looking left and right for a reason to come back and continue the work that has begun. But for now, we are enjoying what precious few days we have left with the people we have connected with.
For the first time, all the teams were together for a large outreach as CCA Merida had its Friday chapels made over Fort-Lauderdale style. Trying on our Sunday best to blend in with the unusually familiar dress code, we upgraded from basketball shorts to khakis, but mixed it up with a combination of English and Spanish worship led by Rebecca Urrutia, Seth King, Carlos Rivera, Danielle Germaine, and David Greenberg.
Likewise, the kids exceeded expectations in a rehearsed song and dance in both the Kindergarten and Elementary chapels, and it was nothing short of adorable watching their little hands wave in the air and hearing some familiar songs in a different language.
Next were the VBS drama groups. For many of us, it was the first time seeing the skits since we had never been together in an outreach before. It was amazing to see fellow students perform “Two Masters”, “Sin Chair”, “My Hero”, and “Path”, and hearing Danielle Germaine’s testimony that reached out to the children was an experience no one will soon forget. It did not have the profundity of the “Everything” skit in Tizimin, but the laughs of the children, the childish dancing of the adults, and the impromptu performances of the story of “The Good King” and several songs matched the glorification of God that we experienced in the other cities.
As entertaining as a collaboration of groups was, the end of lunch marked the beginning of new journeys divided again into groups. Infamous in my particular group were Christabel’s awkward question initiations. Perhaps we didn’t have the continual presence of many of our friends, but as we, time and time again, sang, shared and prayed in our specific bus, we bonded. It was the daily visits to Tabi, Hocaba, and Casa de Abuelos that allowed a relationship to form between the community and the church—that is our purpose.
So the VBS group led by Topher Harrison went to the village of Hocaba, the other, led by Christabel, went to Casa de Abuelos, and the Sports group went to Tabi.
The team in Hocaba planted the seeds, especially in regards to the young teenage guys in the area, but the town still needs so much prayer to bring those seeds to the surface.
The team in Tabi attracted a large crowd on the fields of Tabi, witnessing to over forty kids over the course of the afternoon through sports.
The time in Casa de Abuelos seemed so insignificant, but the amazing impact of our visit was evident. It was heartbreaking to see men who could no longer see nor speak, women who could not walk, and the unmistakable joy that our short outing gave them. At the end, there were many pictures and few dry eyes.
Then, the second VBS team trekked over to the Calvary Youth ministry. It was not the length of time we had in Tabi or Hocaba, but the excitement of the kids was equally palpable.
Again, we were given unexpected circumstances. We could ask for more time, but God knows His plan. Whether it is a week, a day, or an hour, every time has a season, and as we move on, we pray for harvest. We pray that for the mere minutes we ministered to an abandoned old man, the hours of door-to-door outreach, and the week we have left continue to be blessed.
Joe Rogers & Class of 2010
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