Yesterday was our last day to spend time with some of the families from La Chureca. We had the opportunity to go to church with them and out to lunch. Saying goodbye is never easy especially when one only knows where those families with lay their heads to sleep at night.
I was curious to know if the people of La Chureca are aware of what is "available" outside of the dump. Most of the people are. Even though they understand their living conditions are so harsh, many factors keep them from freeing themselves from the dump. For instance, the men can actually make more money in the dump than they can being a security guard for a local plant. In addition, La Chureca becomes comfortable to the families living there. They know their neighbors, the school, the missionaries who come to help. They know where to find medical help (even though the people rarely seek medical attention.) They can walk to work. Most families have a home and a plot of land. They are comfortable in the neighborhood in which they live.
I find it hard and humbling. If you take out La Chureca, the neighborhood and experience might be a lot like mine or yours. We like our neighbors, the school system, the commute to work, the hospitals which are close by and the people who get us through life (our church, our missionaries and mentors.)
I am no different than some of the men I met in La Chureca. My family looks like some of the families in La Chureca. None of us are different...some of us are blessed by the grace of God differently. Will we use the blessings God has so graciously given us to love and help our neighbors? God calls us to love our neighbors...not just those who live on our streets and in our communities.
According to Richard Stearns (author of The Hole in Our Gospel), our problem is that the plight of suffering people and children in far-off lands simply hasn't gotten personal for us. We may hear about them with sorrow, but we haven't really been able to look at them as if they were our own, our own children, our own neighbors. God surely weeps and grieves because every one of these children is His child - not somebody else's. Bob Pierce the founder of World Vision, once prayed, "Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God." Let this be our prayer.
Our time is almost over here. We thank you for following our journey and praying with us. We would greatly appreciate your prayers for a safe return and for everyone from our team to start working through how to continue to use the blessings God has given us.
Thank you,
Mark
praying for your safe return!
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