Our Last Day

The dump looked different today than it did on Wednesday. Maybe it was the hot fire at the gate, maybe it was the added activity or maybe it was that we were bringing our kids back to La Chureca after a beautiful day at the beach. We will never be the same.

We didn't shut down La Chureca today. We didn't stop people from living there. We didn't take away their poverty and poor choices. The children went back to the dump and back to the tin houses and smoke filled air. But we loved them. We took our children on pony rides and flew across the sand on quads. We built sandcastles, played ball and swam in the ocean. But the end of the day was bittersweet. We returned them to La Chureca and to a place that is beyond description. A place that today looked a little like descriptions of hell.

We have learned a lot about ourselves here in Nicaragua. Some of us understand what we have seen better than others. Some of us have seen it differently. Some have a vision of hope and some see what there is still left to do.

What did God teach us?
What did we learn?
How are we going to continue the vision when we return to our regular lives?

We are still processing and may be processing for years. We hope to return to this place sometime and see the continued work that God is doing. God is here. God does care. God is merciful. And God weeps for these people, this life which is so far from His original plan. Yet Earth is still just a shadow. Heaven is the real thing where all this will become right again and everything will be new. We do know this -- we must continue to be intentional. We must continue to make small steps to help others understand God's mercy and God's love for them so that they can experience God's greatest gifts. Today we may not have changed the world but we showed God's love to beautiful children and gave them a brief glimpse of God's Heaven.

Isaiah 61: 1-3
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,

to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,

and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor.

So Happy Birthday Paris Victoria!!!
What an awesome and emotional day to have a 16th birthday. But one that you will remember for the rest of your life.