hope running through these veins

Well I graduated from the Spanish School on the 17^th along with two others. The three of us started together and finished together. The last day of school there happened to be a men’s conference where I was selling t-shirts, this was a great way to put all that I had been learning into practice. My parents came and were here during the event and stayed until the 25^th. The morning they left for California I also left with eight other youth from town to go to a youth conference in a town called “Ixtapan”. Traveling there and back was an experience by itself, on the way to the event our group plus 3 other young men from a Rio Grande church had the privilege to stand/ sit in the back of a truck bed for the 6 hour windy mountain drive in the heat of the day, some of us covered from head to toe in dust and others getting sun fried. The trip on the way home was through the night but much more pleasant, we left the event around at 1130 pm anxious to get home and this time we prepared ourselves for the winds of the road with medicine. Once again we squeezed in the back of a truck this time with a few blankets, drowsiness, and huddled together watching the tall mountain trees and shooting stars go by while zooming around each turn. We arrived back into our town close to 4am, each to our own way and crawled into our own beds.

Despite the driving conditions I actually enjoyed the weekend. It was difficult at times and I feel like my patience was stretched but it was worth it to go. In the moments talking about life, hurts and love with others that are seeking something more, it was worth it. Sitting in the conference was fun listening to each speaker and understand what was being said. Minus a few words here and there, these ears and mind of mine understood! In the second day Spanish was being translated into Chatino for the locals that did not know Spanish. Hearing Chatino made Spanish a piece of cake, the Spanish was clear compared to the other.

Also being out there seeing the giant mountains I got to think and pray over the harvest. It is overwhelming for me to think that way out through the mountains and trees of Mexico there are other town like the one we were in… even smaller too. To me it is overwhelming to think that also around the world there are people in hidden places. So much work to be done. I am one person and I can live here and now and walk one step at a time, looking to what is in front of me and what I can do this day. So there I was thanking God, thanking him for the harvest and for ready hearts. And of course I was praying for the workers. I was praying for help, because yes there is A LOT to do and it does feel overwhelming if I think about it. So I was sitting there looking out to the mountains overwhelmed too with a longing, longing for more…waiting for more. Overwhelmed with the reality of this world but also overwhelmed with hope. 

Here are a few examples of what our transportation looked like... picture these but with travel luggage and backpacks.