Mother/Daughter Mission Trip

This is the first post of the annual Mother/Daughter mission trip reporting on our life changing experience at the San Juan Malnutrition Center. The day began with a hot breakfast served under a cool open air garden dining room. The ladies enjoyed our morning devotional and the gift of spiritual food to accompany our delicious breakfast of hot eggs and pancakes (with peanut butter if you like them the way Ron serves them!) After breakfast, we traveled a windy road in scenic buses to the tiny town of San Juan. Our praise and worship singer Michelle Franklin began to lead us in beautiful songs of praise to the Lord. The sun seemed to shine a little brighter along the mountainous way. As we entered the town, we watched the women hand washing clothes in an outdoor community basin pool. As women, we vowed never to complain about loading a washer machine again! The gates opened to the Malnutrition center and so did our hearts. We prayed prayers of eternal work to be done in the lives of the children before we ever took our first step into the center. But, as we entered, little footsteps came running toward us! We were surrounded by the beautiful faces of children we had never met, that we were called to serve and love, even if for one day and moment in God’s kingdom. Our team was given a tour of the center that has undergone dramatic changes in its ability to house and care for the children. Many women were surprised to see all the food in the pantry as initial teams saw empty ones with hardly one box of rice. The ladies quickly bonded with the children in the nursery – changing diapers and changing frowns to little smiles and giggles. Our team also worked and bonded with each other – loving one another and giving love to the children. As one team member commented, there was never a time when a team member couldn’t get a hug from another team member and then turn around and give a hug to a child. Toddlers were fed, bible stories read, crafts were made, and children were entertained by sweet precious- tweens and teen girls. Their laughter down the hallways made the adults stop and watch in wonder as children so naturally can play with other children. As we returned home, a little tired, we when to dinner and then out for a night of McFlurry at the snazziest McDonalds you have ever seen. Our wow moment was precious as we learned our Spanish team member lead a worker at the center to Christ that day- WOW – Every prayer was answered as we returned to our cozy rooms….eternal work was done and as the lights went out, so were we….