Random mix of thoughts....

At times, I never thought that going on trips to CdE would make me as involved in the youth ministry as I am... I also never realized how full time it could actually be. I am by no means complaining about it, I enjoy it, it's just a realization I have come to lately.

You know someone knows you when..... you're walking next to them, thinking about how crazy they are making you by whatever they are doing that is annoying, and then they say, "Me haces loca" (You make me crazy) in an imitating voice... Yep, that happened from the boy I sponsor on the last trip - he knows me way to well - it's scary.

You know things aren't forgotten or unknown when.... I am saying goodbye to all the kids or "See you soon" as they hate goodbyes... one of the boys, Cristian, comes up to me with his arms open wide. I do my usual of scooping up this 11 year old boy and give him a hug and a kiss or two. He then keeps walking and points to the 3 boys behind him. He says, "new" and then crosses his arms over his chest and moves back and forth like he's hugging himself and then says, "hug and kiss them." I looked at the boys and realized that I hadn't seen them all weekend and said, "No, they are your friends, they're not new." It was on that drive home that I remembered what happened earlier this year when I basically picked up on a random kid in Imuris thinking it was no other than Cristian and that I picked up that boy and hugged him and kissed him. I tried to take him back to the orphanage and when I realized it wasn't him, I got in the car and then they rolled on the sidewalk laughing hysterically... Yeah, it was those 3 boys - I'm sure of it... and I guess they ended out telling Cristian the story too... It's pretty funny, I have to admit.

You never know what a true pastor looks like... until you are practically brought to tears in a church service seeing the love that someone has for the flock by giving a simple handshake and smile to a new-er member. This happened to me today.

You never realize the vision the church has until you come up with ideas and then realize that other people had even better ideas for just as worthy causes (since I don't consider any ministry better or not-as-worthy as another). I am so proud of the people in the church that have planned the backback/school supplies donations to Sonoqui Village and that we're doing an Angel Tree this year.

Also, instead of doing individual gifts for the kiddos at CdE this year, I have been asked to try to get laptop computers. They need them for their homework as crazy as that sounds. If anyone has any ideas of how to ask different computer manufacturers for donations, please let me know. I am not that good at that.

Love you all. Thank you for allowing me to be in fellowship with you and to learn from you by simply the way you live your life. :)