Lessons From Mexico

I have been away from this blog site recently because I took a week-long trip to Mexico City. I title this blog Positive Power and would be remiss if I did not include powerful lessons learned on this trip.

I went with my church and an organization called Operation Serve International. The goal is to minister to people in some of the poorest areas of the city by providing medical, dental, and optical care they would not normally have access to. We also ministered to the children, and helped a local church and those living in the area. Another important aspect is to share the love of God and make them aware of how their lives can change by having a personal relationship with Christ.

This trip had powerful impacts on many lives we administered to. What I didn't expect, was the powerful impact it had on my own life. I was able to expereince a new culture and meet some great people. I speak Spanish, so I was able to have some excellent convsersations with some of the locals and help my teammates do the same as well. Throughout the trip, I learned two great lessons:

1. The power of team work. I came with people from my church (11 people). We also worked with other churches from Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, and England. Together we were a group of about 60. Besides making many new friends for life, I had never seen a greater display of team work. The reason it was so effective is that every person used their God-given talents to the best of their ability. No one complained that others did things better, or that they did too much or too little. Everyone was thankful of the talents they could offer, and utilized them to the best of their ability.

2. The power of the small things. As mentioned, I am able to speak Spanish, so I was able to converse with many of the locals. In several cases, I made small compliments that I would make to anyone. The impacts of those were unbelievable. I recall a woman who came to our medical station. She was shy and nervous, head down and shoulders hunched. She had a tatoo on her shoulder. I asked about it and at the end of her visit complimented the beautiful tatoo. Her demeanor completely changed, and a bright smile lit up her face. She left with her head up, and the smile never disappeared. It showed me how something so simple could have such a powerful impact. The lesson is that those little things don't only impact the poor of Mexico. They can be used daily in our own lives and can impact anyone around us.

This is a trip I will never forget. I will have pictures of the people I met and worked with and my mind forever. Chances are that I will have this opportunity again. However, these opportunities are in our lives everyday. By using our God-given talents (however few or many there are) to the best of our abilities, we can be great team players and make great impacts in our own worlds. Also, we need to know that even the smallest gestures of kindness can have the greatest impacts to those around us. They go a long, long way.

I thank God regularly for this opportunity. I already miss Mexico City and can't wait to get back there again. However, I know that I can apply what I learned in my own city as well. Anyone can.

Have an excellent day : )