BLESSED WEEK
Last week was amazing. Truly God-made.

I got a new roomie. A wonderful gal I know from church who has a great heart and loves God. I came home to find she'd bought me a thank you card and a beautiful flower. These tokens are precious to me. My last roommate was equally wonderful and is one of the persons I will be going to Rwanda with. I have been so fortunate to have had such wonderful souls come my way to live with me and my son. God has truly blessed me.

And I praise God for how He's worked in my son's life this week. He was chosen to be one of the ministry leaders on our youth groups' Spring break missions trip to Mexico. My son is excited and joyful.

I, myself was in Mexico yesterday serving. We drove south of Tecate to a little town built into the hillside by El Nino refugees. Many of their homes were made from old garage doors or scraps of wood. We met with the people and began assessing the needs of the little community. We soon learned that many did not believe in God or Christ. They wondered where God was in their great perils. Few had Bibles in their homes. Many women were pregnant and receiving no care. There were dirty stray dogs running everywhere. The children would merely "squat" in the dirt when they had to go. It is amazing this all occurs less than 2 hours south of the U.S. border.

We set up "base" in a little "church" on the hillside. The pastor there works in San Diego as a handyman during the week and then returns to pastor this small church on the weekends. His vision is to one day have a real building for the church. He desires a place where people can come together to learn about personal hygiene and caring for children. This man has been serving this small community for four years, spreading the gospel and isn't paid a dime. How humbling this experience was for me.

When we first arrived a woman ran up to us with a child who I would say was less than 2 years old. She kept asking if we had brought a doctor in our group and then showed us her son's swollen legs and arms. She lifted his shirt and he had red bumps all over his tummy. Another small boy we met was born with his intestines outside his body and he had merely a ziplock back around them, completely filthy and, I'm sure, bacteria ridden. My heart broke for these people.

I have been back and forth to Mexico for most of my life. I felt comfortable among the people but my heart wondered, what could I do? I realize that I am powerless alone. I pray that our group continues to grow mighty with the Lord and that He blesses our work down there. We want to give the community a "hand up" - not a "hand out" and sharing the gospel is part of that, certainly, but we must equip the leaders so they can equip other leaders in kind. These people need education, healthcare. With God, we can give them hope. With our connections and financial resources and time, perhaps we can make something happen for these people.

I am thankful I've turned a corner in my life at God's beckoning. And it isn't just this trip to Mexico. It is, like, all of it. Serving a group. Serving as a small group coach for other women. Volunteering in the singles ministry. Being permitted by God to do all these things. That He called me and equipped me with the love and devotion of others amazes me. That he brought people into my life who loved me like Christ...REAL FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST, NOT PHONIES, amazes me. What a crazy concept that He called me once so self-absorbed and broken.

The time for complacency and fear is behind me and I am ever-grateful. God has kept me strong in Him. My heart tonight calls out to God, "Use me, Lord. Send me, Lord." My heart calls out in gratitude and humility.

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Father thank you for this week
Thank you for the little joys and great surprises
Thank you for what you allowed me to see
Thank you for the work you allowed me to do on your behalf
To hold hands
To extend dignity
To pray upon
To snuggle children
To sit knee to knee with those who are broken
And just listen

Thank you for all that you've done in my life
Thank you for all that I have
Thank you for all that I am in you
A mother
A daughter
A sister
A friend
A woman
In your name

Father-God, I love you with all my heart
And I am yours forever
And I am grateful that you've called me
I know you are here
In my surrender
I know in the deepest regions of myself
That you are with me now

Amen.

In Christ,
Danielle