Spending this past weekend in Matamoros, Mexico met and exceeded all my expectations. What began as a last-minute decision to re-visit my friends and the place I once considered home, ended as a very rewarding and refreshing experience with many new memories to bring back to the States.

Seeing an opportunity to make good use of my long Easter weekend, I considered making the 10-11 hour drive down to Matamoros from New Orleans. Although you’re all aware I’m not afraid to travel solo, I thought it would be nice to find a travel buddy since all the trip would require is a few days and a sense of adventure. A couple girlfriends I had in mind that I hang out with here in New Orleans couldn’t get the time away from work/school. I remembered I’d met a girl named Elizabeth at the Spanish church. She was teaching ESL there on Sundays. I’d only met her once, but we had briefly discussed a common interest in Mexico and she lit up when I spoke of taking roadtrips to visit my friends there. Luckily, I’d kept her business card and I sent her an email asking first if she remembered me, and second, if she’d like to accompany me to Matamoros. To my surprise, she accepted! So last Thursday was not just the beginning of our trip together to Mexico, but it was the beginning of a lifelong friendship. God is so good! :)

The drive to Matamoros wasn’t too bad… aside from arriving in Houston at 6pm and getting stuck in rush hour traffic for nearly 2 hours! We arrived at Pastor Bob’s house at 1:30am (obviously much later than I’d hoped). I got out of the car to open the gate and immediately a rush of excitement came over me as I inhaled the smells of Mexico! Yes, I’m weird. Most people are not excited about the unique smells of Mexico, but to me… it was as if all the wonderful memories I had of my time in Matamoros joined together in one instant and poured out all around my body and throughout my spirit. It was a good feeling, to say the least!

We spent most of Friday visiting with Hilda’s family in the colonia Cabras Pintas. Hilda can best be described as my mother in Mexico. And her family is my Mexican family. We brought them some puzzles, coloring books and crayons, a soccerball, and I brought Hilda a praline from New Orleans. Elizabeth enjoyed getting to know the family and became instantly attached to Rebecca, the 88 year old great-grandmother. Rebecca is one to be admired. She is more active than most 30 year olds I know, dividing her time between caring for her garden, visiting with her family, and reading her Bible.

Saturday came with cooler weather and dark clouds. We set out for Las Granjas with my friend Pedro, also a pastor in that colonia that exists solely with the bare essentials of life. The majority of the houses are made of various scrap materials of wood and tin metal. I wanted to show Elizabeth another side of Matamoros, and also be reminded myself of how my middle-class status in the U.S. is one of abundant wealth compared to the majority of the world.

We visited two families there. One family had just received volunteer assistance from Johnson Ferry Baptist Church who had built a new addition onto their small house. The family was so proud to show us the new room. How quick are we to complain of every little thing that is wrong with our own homes?... and yet, this family is absolutely elated to have a new addition with another bed, a donated area rug, actual windows with curtains, and a doorway that connects it to the kitchen of their original house—a doorway created by cutting out a jagged opening in the kitchen wall.

Our next visit was with Clara and her four children. It amazes me to realize that so many people can live in such a small place. Like many children here at home, they were shy at first, but by the end of the visit were laughing and rough-housing with each other as if putting on a show for us. But unlike many children I’ve seen here in the States, you can tell how much love the siblings in Matamoros have for one another. If our families were forced to live together in a house not even 100 sq. feet in size, how much love would be portrayed within those walls? How long would it take before we’d go crazy? All I know is this young mother, caring for her four young children under a broken roof, is passing the test. Before we left we prayed with her. I prayed that God would continue to shower down His blessings upon her life, because truth be told (although we are slow to notice it compared to our standards of living) I think He already has.

And Clara’s dog had just had puppies barely a week before our visit. They were precious, eyes still closed, and of course, the thought crossed my mind to bring one home. (But I’m not allowed to have pets in my apartment…)

Later that day, we went to the orphanage, “Pan de Vida”, with Hilda and Kelsey (an American I was in the program with in 2005. She’s since spent another year and a half in Matamoros and has been my main connection with the work that has continued since I came back to the States). By the time we arrived, so did the rain. It was a slippery drive (and equally muddy walk) to the doorstep of the orphanage. We arrived during their lunch and movie time. Since they were already engaged in an activity and since the weather was bad, we didn’t have a typical playtime visit with the children. But it was still nice to be reunited with several of the ones I remember from my time in 2005, to sit with them, and fulfill their request to take (and instantly view) photos with my digital camera. They love that. :) I brought a box of games and supplies to leave with them, and Elizabeth and I had packed over 60 Easter eggs for an Easter egg hunt. Since we couldn’t organize the hunt ourselves, we left them with Esther to do at a later time. I was excited to learn that Pan de Vida has an enormous renovation/construction project underway! God is blessing Esther’s ministry in a mighty way and I’m certain that the next time I visit Matamoros I will not even recognize the new site. Meanwhile, I’ll be monitoring the progress online at www.pdvmex.org. Esther mentioned that soon she’ll be taking applications on-line for substitute parents-- volunteers who come in for a week, or a month or more, and help care for the children, thus greatly relieving the currently small and exhausted staff. That is exciting for me to hear, but I wrote it also because I know some of you who’ve spent time there and may be interested in that possibility. Or maybe it even tugs at the heart of some of you who haven’t yet been. You know where to find me if you want further details!

Easter Sunday was cold and muddy. Because of that, we ended up having the service at Pastor Bob’s house. It was the first time I’d worn jeans to a Easter church service, but it was freezing because naturally the house does not have heat and I wasn’t about to wear my summer dress! Pedro preached on the Passover and the significance of what Jesus did for us on the cross. He also led us in worship, and now Elizabeth joins me as huge fan of Spanish Christian music.

We had a quick drive home Monday compared to Thursday. It was good to be greeted with slightly warmer weather. There is so much more to tell of my brief time in Matamoros and the many things that God revealed to me while I was there. But I will close for now by saying that each time I take myself away from the normal day-to-day routine we get stuck in and open myself up to truly experience God at work (wherever that may be), I am reminded of how much more efficient I could (and should) be with my time here on Earth in regards to doing more for Him and less for me. Yet another reminder that it’s not about me.

I pray that you’re already in a place of God blessings and that He continues to bless you. If you’re not in that place, I pray that you will open yourself up to be.