makin' my way downtown

i was reminded to mexico today as i sat on the couch with annie, talking about how we were going to love on kids. for a moment we were silent and the only noise was the beautiful nighttime symphony being performed by the frogs. immediately i thought of mexico, and then home during the summer with the window open, and then summers at camp bradley. as i drove home tonight i kept thinking about mexico...

sleeping in an enormous tent that had been knocked over by a windstorm earlier in the day. sleeping in a much smaller tent with four of my greatest friends. sleeping in the attic during a great thunderstorm. sleeping in the crazy, stinky bus. sleeping in the attic again with my mom and a bunch of older women. oatmeal every morning for breakfast. walks to the store down the road for treats. the crazy mule in the field. flip-flops with socks because it was just so cold. water fights in the kitchen. tricks on the trampoline. pushing the kids on the swings. nicknaming lucy "baby godzilla." sorting beans. sweeping the hacienda. sitting on the porch railing watching the ever-changing sky. returning tons of rubbish to the dump, only to see it blow away the next day. switchfoot. filling in potholes with big rocks. laughing. crying. singing. journaling. spending time with beautiful sela. tearing up when sela responded to worship music and nothing else. beautiful mexican indian children. piggy-back rides. wishing i could stay forever.

then i smiled and thanked god for those eight short trips that instilled in me a passion for the "least of these" and traveling and learning that god does not see borders, languages, or heritage as barriers.