It takes a village

 

On Sunday, Dinah and I were able to join our hosts in distributing most of their monthly grocery deliveries for February. Coordinators will notify the people on their distribution list, who then gather at the coordinator’s house and await their monthly distribution. We were able to hand out dozens of eggs, along with pasta, rice, beans, oil, and other staples. Each person received their dispensa with extreme gratitude, often pulling us in for a big hug or kiss (one poor granny had to wipe her lips off after kissing my sweaty neck), or a handshake and blessings for our future. We felt like we were the ones  receiving the best end of the deal, especially when the coordinator at the second location commanded us to sit and prepared a local meal for us.

 

No matter where we traveled, people gave out of their scarcity, offering food and drink, well-wishes and prayers, and always taking time not only to say hello, but to talk and try to get to know the people in our group. We also noticed that people would reach out to our hosts for help with various issues. Our hosts are the embodiment of the phrase “love your neighbor” and showed us countless times during our stay how to love and care for people, no matter their situations. If we learn nothing else from this trip, we are definitely learning a lesson in being open to opportunities to meet people, and receptive to those God puts in our lives.

 

On Sunday evening, our hosts held a special Bible study in their home. Dinah taught some neighborhood girls how to make friendship bracelets and played board games with them for a while. I shard some of my favorite Bible characters with the group, and they were surprised to find out how imperfect some of the heroes of the Bible truly were. It was a wonderful time spent reading the Word of God together, even if I did struggle reading the Spanish verses at times.

 

Monday gave us another chance to distribute the remaining monthly groceries. This time, our hosts made house visits, checking on the people they hadn’t heard from in a while, and generally making sure they were ok. This simple act of physically visiting people and checking on them clearly made some of them feel more loved, and handing them groceries showed them just how much people care about them.

 

When delivering groceries to a family who lives in a very rural setting, our hosts started talking to neighbors to see if a better living situation could be found for them. This neighbor knew someone who knew the family’s history and promised to follow up with details. That neighbor knew someone who could look for a better location for housing. Another neighbor promised to look out for the family while they were living in their current place. Just with simple conversations, the ball started rolling to get this family in a more sanitary environment, where they could be protected from the elements and maintain their dignity. It truly takes a village to care for each other, and we are returning home with a renewed passion for helping our fellow humans.

They say all good things must come to an end

 

This week, Jess gets to go on her third and final mission trip with one of our eighth-graders. It’s hard to believe that we’ve been on this journey for over a decade, but we’re looking forward to what’s next. In the meantime, check out what Jess and Dinah are doing in Oaxaca.

 

It’s the last eighth-grade mission trip for the Campbell Homeschool Academy, and it’s a

bittersweet experience for Jess. I’m excited to spend time with Dinah working with our friends, Sacha and Fabricio, as we support their organization, Carballo International. I’m also sad to think this will be the last one-on-one mission trip I get to take with one of my children.

 

For this trip, we let people know that the organization was looking for Spanish NIV Bibles and stuffed animals, and boy, did people deliver! A grand total of 87 Bibles, three suitcases, 30+ stuffed animals, and funds to cover luggage fees was donated, meaning we have oodles of items to hand out…and felt a bit like smugglers during our flights. It also meant that one suitcase in particular had so many stuffed animals in it, it was in jeopardy of exploding if anyone tried to unzip it, just like a suitcase full of animals on another trip.

 

Early Thursday afternoon, Dinah and I landed in Oaxaca City, Mexico. Our friends, Sacha and Fabricio met us at the airport, along with their son and dog. They gave us a ride to our adorable hotel, where we were able to get settled in and freshened up. In the evening, we walked around the downtown area of the city, taking in the markets and historic buildings. Jess tried samples of mezcal and crickets, Dinah opted out of both.

 

The next day, we hit the road to Monte Alban, which is the site of huge ancient Zapotec ruins…and also the site of an important scene in the movie “Nacho Libre”. Jess was expecting one ruined building, instead it was an entire city of ruins, spanning across massive fields of grass.

 

The tallest structure, which had 43 steps to the top, had every tourist in the area huffing and puffing. Keep in mind that each step was at least 12” tall…Apple measure may or may not have been accurate. Also, the sun apparently shines very brightly here, and although Jess did attempt to apply sunscreen, she and Dinah both ended up resembling candy canes, much like Daniel did on his mission trip to Puerto Rico.

 

After the ruins, we headed back to the city, to enjoy lunch, a marriage parade, and a trip to the museum. This museum is housed in an old convent, or maybe monastery, and holds treasures discovered in the tombs of Monte Alban, along with history of the Spaniards and indigenous peoples of the area. We followed that with a little cooldown, then back out to the streets for dinner, people watching, and a street performance of Cosi fan Tutte.

 

On Saturday, we left Oaxaca City, and headed toward Tehuantepec, where we will be based for the rest of our trip. On the way, we visited El Tule, which is the stoutest tree in the world (2,000 years old, according to the sign), and Hierve de Agua, which are astounding petrified waterfalls.

 

When we reached Tehuantepec and had gotten settled, Dinah and I helped divide up the monthly grocery order. Each month, Carballo International distributes groceries to residents of the area - spreading God’s love through the simple gift of food and toiletries. This month, their order was large enough for sixty families. Over the next two days, we’ll also help to deliver these items to the residents.

 

We’ve eaten amazing food over the past three days, seen incredible history and landscapes, and already met kind and generous people. Now to rest up and prepare to share the next few days handing out food and toys.

 

Tree, tall and stout 

Petrified waterfalls