In 2007, I took a new "call" at a congregation in a suburban neighborhood, with mostly affluent families. My commitment then, as now, was to help acompany youth in faith formation and vocational discernment, alongside of living out their Baptismal calling by faithfully serving in the manner of Jesus Christ in the world today.
I suggested then that we target a trip to Lantern Hill Lutheran missional servant site outside Ensenada, a place I have blogged extensively about on this site in the past. Yesterday, we arrived with 17 youth/young adults and eight adults in tow, all expecting to "serve" indigenous people, along with children and their families living in poverty. As usual, my truest hope was that in addition to what little service we might be to them, that our brothers and sisters in Mexico would be a gift to us in what they helped reveal within us. Perhaps we would begin to see our own lives through a different lens, begin to live our lives of abundance with greater appreciation, perhaps shift our sense of entitlement, and feel moved to adopt a lifestyle of serving others in the manner and name of Jesus.
Monday we began that journey at 3 AM eastern, and have arrived at Lantern Hill, with high expectations and much enthusiasm. I wonder how the emotions will change when we encounter the poverty and adverse conditions we find our fellow Christians living in here. Will my friends be shocked, scared, offended, moved to action, depressed? God will most certainly act in, through and on behalf of hurting children everywhere, and perhaps this week through our efforts, but also through those we encounter, to heal the hurting within us...within our souls, lives and egos.
We have safely and easily endured the travel, but the "trip" has only just begun.
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