For a few days now I’ve been trying to figure out what to
share with you guys. Debrief, travel days, and orientation into new countries
are always difficult for me to blog. I find that I have less to say—I’m not off
changing the world during those days. Sometimes I wish I could just avoid them,
but they are obviously necessary to do what we have this year.
Over the past week or so that we haven’t been in the slums,
a village, or wherever else I feel productive, I’ve had some time for
introspection and recalling the things we have done this year. That is really
hard for me. I’m one of these that doesn’t like to analyze things for fear of over-analyzing, and I generally try to
avoid “emotional” stuff. So, though it’s been a bit uncomfortable, I’ve done
it. Time after time, my mind wandered back to two specific families I’ve fallen
in love with this year—the Aguirre’s and the Gama’s.
You may remember me blogging about the Aguirre’s. They are a
family we met in the Philippines. One of the last pastors we worked with.
Their family really touched me because of the humility I saw in them. They
desired more than anything to follow God’s will for their lives, even though
it has meant living in poverty. Throughout the race, when I begin to feel
materialistic, my mind drifts back to Girly Aguirre—nearly in tears, while she
prepared lunch for my team with the little food they had, telling me about the difficult times they
have endured, but how much she trusts our Savior in spite. I recall the
room—dilapidated, held together by some corrugated tin, plastic sheeting, and
bamboo, serving as a kitchen, dining room, office, and living room. It
certainly puts my “comfort” into perspective when I think about it. They are one
of those families that you wish you could just give the world to. They impacted
me so much that I know someday I will find both an opportunity to go back and
visit and a way to help them out of poverty.
The Gama’s are Moses’ family. I still think about them
daily. Tears don’t come to my eyes every time now, but rather, I usually am
thinking about them with a smile. I talked to Pastor Gift last week at debrief. He is the one that was inaugurated as the pastor of our first church plant in
Nsoko, Swaziland on Easter Sunday. He will be living there with his family
shortly, and the Gama’s will continue to receive aide from that site. Anyway,
when I spoke to him, I expressed my desire to help support them financially
when I return to the states. He told me that Phelile (Moses’
mom) is doing better because she has been able to take her TB medication daily. 
Her nutrition is poor, though, and he had brought them some food just that week
because they had none. I worry about them often; imagining Phelile literally
starving; about the kids growing up without their mother present—
fears I have
never experienced in the states. I love that family as if they are my own
blood. And because I have such a strong connection with them, I know the same
that I know about the Aguirre’s– someday I will find both an opportunity to go
back and visit and a way to help them out of poverty.
The Aguirre’s were from Asia (our first continent), the
Gama’s from Africa (our second continent), so it makes me wonder who God will
put in my path here in Central America…I can’t wait to fall in love again.
