New Shoes

There is sometimes a tendency among Americans, when faced with the kind of poverty we have experienced here to respond in a way that seems obvious and comfortable to us, to put money towards trying to fix the issue. This often happens INSTEAD of engagement. However, we have been engaging the issues here, and with great caution to be listening to what God is saying to us, and particularly what the people we encounter have been saying as well.

So when some of our volunteers noticed the children of Casa Esperanza, the shelter that houses women and children of abusive relationships, could use some new shoes, they went to the women and asked, "might we take you and your children to the store on a shopping trip for new shoes?"

The response from the staff and from the women was very positive. The opportunity not only to get new shoes for their children, but to have a trip to town for shoes for themselves and their kids, along with the opportunity to pick out something they wanted and not something that has simple been passed along, was exciting. It ended up being just as powerful a moment for our volunteers as well.

Soon after lunch, the women started to appear in the main room, dressed in clean clothes and with their hair done. The groups loaded into vans and made their way to Ensenada to a local store, similar to a department store in the States. Al the children and their mothers got to select the shoes that their children wanted. Many picked the first pair they saw that caught their attention, irregardless of size, some even choosing sizes a bit too small, as this is what many have become accustomed to wearing, After some gentle prompting from some of our volunteers, they were able to get sizes they could wear comfortably and even have a little space to grow into to. The relationship building and community that developed in those hours was nothing short of remarkable. Casa Esperanza's Director, Jasmine, commented on how important the outing was for the women and children and thanked our group for their compassionate efforts and generosity.

Later that evening, during our time together processing our day, our volunteers who spent the day at Casa Esperanza with the women and their children, and who experienced the shopping trip were emotional about the experience. Many of our group felt we had received so much more than we gave in those hours.

It led Dawn to ask, might we do something where we can continue that community growth and also expose the women to men and women serving side by side, and sharing in healthy relationship. It was suggested that we invite the whole community to Lantern Hill on Monday for a Fiesta. We would prepare games and perhaps a Bible study for the women and children, perhaps do some self-care kinds of things, like make-up and nails for the women. We would cook together and serve them a meal, sitting down side-by-side to share in the feast. We hoped it would be another way of accompanying our new friends at Casa, and not merely an act of charity. Jasmine agreed that it was a wonderful plan and planning for the Fiesta is underway as of this writing.

It occurs to me that when Jesus invited others to a meal there was always great care taken to meet them where they were, and to listen intently. I only pray we might do the same. I am also thankful to our congregation, many of whom did respond to our trip by giving us money to help where it as necessary. Rather than just giving it to the LH team or to the ministries we encountered here, I am thankful God gave us opportunities to share it in ways that empower, accompany and allow the people we are called to serve to share in the moment. In the process we have been moved and changed in ways we couldn't anticipate. Thanks be to God.