I felt it the second my black and white vans hit the busy asphalt streets in Mexico. My heart knew what the city was longing for. There was an ease in my step, an excitement in my soul as I knew we were about to encounter the hungry ones. You could feel it in the atmosphere. A culture rooted deeply in hospitality, warmth, fun and religion. A religion that’s walls were dying to be torn down to a revelation of relationship with the Living King. I felt it in my bones, the longing for more of Jesus in this land. Hearts were open, people were waiting, and we came with one mandate. For the Mexican people to encounter the love they so desperately were searching for.
I saw a people whose eyes were welcoming, as they filled our plates to the rim with food overflowing. A people who worked hard to provide for their family. A people who sat in church conferences for hours with expectancy to see God show up. A people who make the best dang tacos I’ve ever had (sorry La Vic’s)!
I saw a team that encouraged one another’s strengths and called them forward. A team that prayed for one another and loved each other unconditionally. A team that was very go-with-the-flow, just wanting to show the love of Jesus to people whatever that looked like. A team that laughed easily, bonded quickly, and danced joyously. A family that I enjoyed getting to do life with every day that we were there.
I saw my leaders give themselves constantly to the group, pouring out daily because they knew their strength came from being filled up daily by Him. Leaders who called out the gold in you, encouraged you and built you up, who challenged you to do the things you didn’t even believe you were capable of doing. Leaders who were flexible with the schedule, and so sensitive to the Holy Spirit, even if there was no plan besides to trust what he was doing and just go for it. My thankfulness for all they taught me goes beyond what any words can say.
But really, how do you put into words the power of God? the manifest beauty of His love? I’ve struggled with writing this, because there truly are no words. There are no words for watching a fourteen year old girl get baptized in the Holy Spirit as she cries out that she needs to go tell people about Jesus. There are no words when three girls living in the dumps of Tijuana Mexico give their lives to Jesus. How do you react when you realize how clearly you hear the voice of God when He tells you a man in the room has left knee pain and a woman has arthritis, you take the risk to call it out, and they both get healed? There are no words when you get to worship and see people healed in the streets, when you get to pray over men and women in the rehab center and see them encounter Jesus. How do you respond when you see the sick and injured healed, the broken becoming whole, and the lost returning home as they feel the love of Jesus?
You worship Him and give thanks. That’s all you can do. You see how good He is, you see what a privilege it is that He’s given you to partner with Him as He shows you what it looks like to co-labor with Him and see heaven come.
Psalm 145:9 “The Lord is good to all, and His mercies are over all His works.”
You praise Him because He is faithful to always come through. You praise His holy name because you see how powerful the one living inside you is. It’s your obedience to take risks that pave the way for His power and love to shine through you. Your hunger to see the people around you be touched by His beauty. But it’s His goodness, His grace, and His love that encountered each and every single person in Mexico. It’s His love that healed back pain, knee pain, arthritis, blurry vision, caused legs to grow out etc. It’s His love that set people’s hearts on fire as they felt the heat of the Holy Spirit for the first time. It’s His love that spoke words of reviving dreams as we prophesied what He was speaking over their lives.
We get the privilege to be His vessels to do His work, and what a beautiful exciting fun privilege that is.
The Mexican people are beautiful and hungry for the more of God; desiring the deep intimacy with Jesus their soul longs for. But they aren’t the only ones. The rest of this world is searching too. I’ll continue to let His love be manifested through me. So grateful for all Mexico taught me; about leadership, myself, and the living all powerful God that dwells within me. Till we meet again, Mexico.
theres life in the desert 