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| Pancho, Ava, Gloria, Megan and I at the site |
In 1997, my family and I took a trip to Tijuana, Mexico to build homes for a less fortunate family. This was the trip that changed my perspective, and thus, changed my life.
Amor Ministries is an amazing organization that provides an alternative to a traditional family vacation. We slept in tents at a campground with other families, we took bucket showers, and we spent our entire days at the worksite in downtown Tijuana. It wasn't glamorous, for sure, but it was a blast.
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| That's me, handing out meals to local families |
Let's be honest. Growing up in the Midwest, we didn't learn very much about our global neighbors. We loved God, sports, and our family. When I went to Mexico, it was as if the great secret had been kept from me for years. I loved serving, I loved learning the culture, and of course....I LOVED the food!!
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| Ernestine, Megan, Gloria |
Ernestine was the mother, and she was an inspiration! Such a beautiful smile and incredible children. Though they lived in a rundown shack, it felt like a home. Her cheerfulness in spite of their hardship was awe-inspiring, and we returned to their home just a year later after the difference they made in our lives.
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| Pancho, our little apprentice |
This is Pancho. What a beautiful boy!! He would not sit around and watch us construct his home. No, he insisted on helping every step of the way. Isn't that the way it should be? He wanted dignity, and not just charity, and I'm sure he is an incredible young man today. His work ethic far surpassed children born into the best of circumstances.
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| Ava, Pancho, and other neighborhood children |
I could not wait to get to the worksite each and everyday. There was laughter, there was pain, there was pity, there was hope. Every emotion you can think of was experienced at one time or another. But, it was a rude awakening. They didn't need pity. They didn't need money. They needed dignity and an opportunity to change their own lives. We hopefully provided the first step among many.
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| Me swinging beautiful Ava |
For all the memories we had here, I will never forget the faces of the families. I have never seen gratitude like I have the beautiful raw smiles of Gloria, Pancho, and Ava. Despite the fact that they had nothing to give, they gave! They gave their love, they gave a prized possession, and they gave me a life-altering experience. Building a house is nothing in comparison to what these people gave me.
If you have children, do whatever you can to show them a glimpse of poverty. I can tell you I came away from it with more love, and an enormous amount of gratitude to my parents, and a spark to be a part of something much bigger than I found in a small Midwestern town.
Be blessed!
~Linbrooke
