The final part of our mission was on Saturday night where we attended church service of the local church. It was the end of a series, and so all the church's services were combined into one. This made for a packed house, a heightened excitement in the air, and many reunions with people from the current mission and from prior years.
The service was about surprising the world by thinking about something bigger than yourself. The bible tells us in John 14:12, "The truth is, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, because the work of the Son brings glory to the Father." So if God is your partner, start making BIG plans.
To illustrate the point, they used narrated video of the house built for Ana. At the dedication with unrestrained tearful joy on her face, Ana said she prayed on her knees that one day she would have a house. The rain falls, and it leaks through. She prayed for a house so she wouldn't get wet. That plastic which was laid over her bed, the one we sat our backpacks on for protection from bystanders, it's actually there so her mattress doesn't get wet.
For a reason I don't quite understand, I needed to hear this again. I was there when she gave the speech, but it was such an emotional moment of joy mixed with the sadness of the finality of being done along with the renewed realization that the need (in Las Brisas) is much greater than what we just did, that I stood as far in the background as was acceptable trying to keep myself at the tear-filled level rather than sobbing. Seeing it again at church allowed me to just be happy for her and happy for the hope grace combined with acts of service in Jesus's name can do to a community.
So it was over. Service was done and many goodbyes were said. I said my fair share, but I spent a lot of time just waiting for other missionaries to say their goodbyes. We have some missionaries that are very natural nurturers and sweet hearts that easily connect with many women and children. It was a beautiful thing to watch them say their goodbyes. When that was done we hopped on the bus that would take us to the mission house for the last time.
The bus was an old school bus that had been retrofitted for a more charter bus purpose. I got on the bus and saw that most every seat was filled, but some locals were standing in the isle to give us missionaries seats. I refused to sit and offered it to whatever woman or child was standing nearby. Knowing more were boarding after me, I just started to go back further and further in the bus. I lost count on how many times I had to deny an offer for a seat when someone got up for me. I kept thinking, we're here to serve you. There's no way I'm taking your seat.
I finally found myself in he very back of the bus. I couldn't see any other "Gringo" or "Gringa". I was surrounded by kids, many of them the orphans of Casa Hogar Vida and one of their "aunts". Mabel, on of the kids with HIV that was in a coma and almost died just before our mission last year was there with a big smile and playful nature. Birthday girl Cindy who has a background before Casa Hogar Vida that would break your heart was there with a smile. The kids tried to break the language barrier. I would here. "Hello Aaron, I love you." First one kid and then another, and another and so on. There was no where to move, but I didn't want to be anywhere else. To me this was a gift and it reminded me of the verse in Matthew, "and the king will tell them, 'I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!"
There are so many memories from this mission, but at no time did I feel closer to God than cramped into the back of that bus at the end of our mission week.
God Bless,
Aaron Mason
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