“We’ve got this gift of love, but love is like a precious plant. You can’t just accept it and leave it in the cupboard or just think it’s going to get on by itself. You’ve got to keep watering it. You’ve got to really look after it and nurture it.”
~ John Lennon
If I could have picked up one drop of love from the auditorium today, out it in a bottle, and carried it with me – I bet that it would have cured every disease in its path. The pure, selfless, unbridled love of a community whose hope is restored…love that fills the chest with warmth and spreads to the tips of the fingers until they tingle….that’s the love that was shared with us today. A day filled with love from beginning to end…in so many forms.
We started out the day with a good-bye ceremony in Rio Azul. Several of the leaders of the community gave speeches, thanking us for visiting them. it was clear that our presence had made an impact…warmth was radiating from the faces of these grown men and women.
Several of the children presented us with song and dance numbers…ones that had been prepared especially for today.
All of this was wonderful, and kind…but our hearts broke when they came up for the closing ceremony. Each of us was presented with a beautiful hand-woven scarf….imprinted with our names and “Rio Azul, Nebaj; Guatemala.”
The ladies of the community had spent weeks creating these beautiful pieces as a token of appreciation. I couldn’t help it…my eyes were filled with tears. Here was a community of women who worked so hard…planting gardens to grow nutritious vegetables, caring for four (or more!) children, cooking, cleaning, and trying to ensure the health of their families under devastating third world conditions….and yet, they took the time and resources to create a beautiful gift for us…by hand.
Wow.
We finished the ceremony by showing the community a video that we created for them…. piecing together footage for past trips, this trip, and some information about Canada and Friends Church. Watching the faced of the people in the community during the video was humbling. They laughed, they cried…and they were clearly touched. It was incredible.
We then had lunch with the field staff from FH. This is a group of people who work day in and day out in the field with families. They promote education, health, nutrition, and encourage communities toward a better quality of life. They work long hours in less that ideal condition for minimum wage. These are the people who walk with the communities, day in and day out. These people show us the meaning of Love.
“So let’s do it—full of belief, confident that we’re presentable inside and out. Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out [….]spurring each other on to love and good works.” (The Book Called Hebrews 10:24-25, The Bible)
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Water: anything that God uses in and through us to make the world better. How are you bringing water to your world today?
That is just SO awesome. I know that feeling. It is very intense in Rio Azul after days with the people. One suggestion for us all: look for it day-to-day. It’s there, at times, taking a more subtle form. But it’s there. PS. Love the Lennon quote. Safe travels!