la sombra

  The FYM group that
was here last year had a vision to transform an old run down building in the
corner of El Puente, with no roof, floor, or sense of direction, into a 24 hour
house of prayer.  While standing in there
alone the other night on the new tile floor and under a gorgeous all natural
roof, my shadow from the flashlight sitting on the window nicely demonstrated
how such a vision could come to pass and our ministries would continue to grow
exponentially.  When standing against the
wall, as far away from the light as possible, my shadow shrunk down to size but
the closer one moves to the light, the greater the sphere of influence becomes
until only a hand can be seen stretching across half the building, until the
works that flow out of your hands are magnified and stretched far beyond your
own physical ability.  Places and
opportunities physically out of reach, such as the roof (for even the best
athlete would be unable to jump high enough to touch it), are swallowed by the
effects of an obedient hand that reaches towards the Light instead.

            This week
we spent quite a bit of time discussing different ministry opportunities,
visiting a few of them & talking with some of the people who have been
heading those.  I sat with Sarah, who
with her husband Charles is one of the host missionaries here, as she managed a
group of young adults sanding down jicaro (I believe it might be a type of
fruit) in order to make it into a smooth bracelet or candle that can be sold to
benefit Vida Joven, the youth group that many of them attend here at El Puente,
at least once it resumes after the holidays. 
We have the opportunity to assist at a nursing home, a hospital, a
girl’s home, a feeding in the barrio hidden behind the colorful houses here on
Santa Lucia. There’s a literacy program that has just started that I would love
to see thrive.  Maybe down the road we
can even throw some ESL in there.  Many
of the materials are here.  El Puente has
its own library and there is another library down the road with more kids
books.  One of the staff members here,
Pepe, is starting up a bike shop right between Granada’s most famous site, the
cathedral downtown, and a tour company. 
Besides blessing them by buying bikes, there’s a chance a few people
might be able to help get that running as well, perhaps even start a coffee
shop in the front of their building. 
Some of the guys are going into a really rough area called La Jungla,
but even in an urban(ish) jungle they met an English speaking addict eager for
help out.

            These next
six months will be challenging, yes, but the opportunities and the potential to
see those thrive excite me.  Physically,
many of the visions seem out of reach. 
The prayer house is usually empty but the original dream was to see a
stream of people at all hours and we’d like to see that up and sustainable by
the time we leave.  I have no clue how to
teach kids how to read in either their language or mine, but ever since it was
mentioned in Mexico I had a sense that I’d be heavily involved.  We know it’s impossible to reach the
outskirts on our own, but I’m really looking forward to seeing the shadow of
influence that spreads over this city.