I just returned from what was supposed to be a week long mission trip to Mérida, Mexico. Mérida is about four hours southwest of Cancun in the state of Yucatan. Mérida is a great city with the most amazing people who love the Lord, especially at Shalom Presbyterian Church. My team of eighteen high schoolers and four leaders stayed at the church and worked at a small Christian school called Blas Pascal. We were doing construction on a new building of the school. The year before we had actually worked on the foundation of this building, so it was amazing to see it coming together with some walls and part of a roof. It was really fun to work alongside the Mexicans from Shalom and build relationships while passing buckets of concrete up scaffolding. The trip wasn’t all work although we did accomplish a lot. Some of the highlights of the trip for me included playing soccer, visiting the market downtown, and catching up with old friends, but one of the coolest things was going to church Sunday morning at Shalom. I could truly see how big God is. We were worshipping the same God in different languages, some of us trying to sing in Spanish and others just singing the English version. He really was at work throughout the whole trip.
Early Tuesday morning I woke up with an ear infection. Between Tuesday and Friday, I went to the doctor, took lots of medicine, had to sit out of a lot of activities, didn’t get very much sleep, and cried out of pain quite a bit. Somehow I still felt joyful. I was ok. My team showered me with encouragement and care for which I am so thankful. By Friday, the day before we were supposed to leave, the pain hadn’t improved, so I went to the doctor again. I was prescribed more medicine including three antibiotic shots. My first shot was given by a nurse at the hospital who didn’t speak any English. I was under the impression it was going to be a simple arm shot, but I was greatly mistaken. He pointed at the table for me to lay down on, and motioned for me to pull down my shorts. Once he gave the shot, I just started laughing hysterically. The pain had gotten to me and the situation was just so funny. That poor man probably thinks I have some serious issues. He said ok and pointed at the door, and it was over. Definitely up there on my list of most awkward situations.
Midway through our goodbye fiesta Friday night, I was told by the leaders that I was not going to be able to leave with the rest of the group the next morning because flying could have caused permanent damage to my ear. I was excited to stay longer with all my friends, but for some reason I just started crying. I’m really not a crier, but I think I cried more that week than I have in my whole life. It had been a crazy past couple of days, I was tired, and I had so much to do. I usually try to keep my emotions bottled up and be tough, but I think God was showing me that it’s ok to show emotion. In fact, its a good thing to feel your feelings.
Through this trip, I was shown so much kindness and hospitality by my Mexican hosts, and I cannot thank them enough. Whether is was taking me to the doctor and holding my hand, getting me crackers and gatorade at the Oxxo, driving me around Mérida, or opening up their home to me and actually giving me my shots, they always put me first and cared for me. None of them had to anything for me, but they showed me, a sick American girl, God’s unconditional love. I learned to be flexible and roll with the punches life throws at you. God has a plan, and His plan is better than any plan I think I have. It will always work out for good. Hopefully this trip was good practice for this next year around the world.
1 Peter 4:13 “But rejoice ainsofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.”
