Mother Theresa was quoted to say, "Let my heart be broken by that which breaks the heart of God." It was my prayer as I went to Mexico. And it has been a bittersweet one to have answered.
I thought I knew what poverty looked like until I stepped into the colonia. This cardboard village was filled with people living in such devastating conditions, tiny homes of boxes, crates, tires, scraps, with dirt floors and few contents. But the most remarkable part to me was that the people living there had such joy: true, unabashed joy. They were thankful for what they had and they were generous with it. I was amazed that any time we would give out of our plenitude, they would reciprocate out of their poverty. And they would do so without hesitation. It was a beautiful picture of priorities. In our culture, we focus so much on what we have and how we can protect it. How humbling to see a world that finds their joy in bigger things: faith, family, community.
It's funny how I went into this trip, eager to teach, to serve and to build and instead, I learned, I received, and I was broken.
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