2 down, 7 to go!

March 25, 2012
Dulce Garcia

It's been some years since I have had the privilege and honor to be a part of a missions trip team. I was invited to join the ABCRM team to Chiapas last year, but for several reasons was unable to join them then. I now know for certain that I was never intended to join that team... but that the Lord was saving my time in Chiapas, Mexico for such a time as this - to join hands with 4 other brothers from Colorado (3 of which had never been to Mexico on missions) and to join our hearts to the people of Chiapas.

We were off to a great start on both day 1 and day 2, however I think I speak for the team when I say that both days were long in their own regard. Saturday was our traveling day, and after two different layovers and one very very choppy landing in Mexico, we arrived. Day 2 was spent in San Cristobal ("San Cris") and mostly at the seminary that we have partnered with here in town. Now, I know I am not often short on words... but you can ask the team to verify that on this particular day I may have hit my quota of speaking! Part of my role on this team is to act as translator between the Spanish-English barrier. As many may have noticed, Colorado isn't exactly booming with Latin/Hispanic culture/people, so even though I grew up in a bilingual home, I don’t often have occasion to practice my Spanish… much less flip the switch back and forth between both languages at a moments notice! Sunday (day 2) was all about our team learning from the students at the seminary. They shared anything and everything they could with us about Chiapas, the Mayan/Mexican cultures, the myriad of struggles the people face, the projects and programs they as students and as a seminary are dreaming of accomplishing, and much more!! All of this was done in Spanish; and through in several questions posed in English throughout the day and it made for a dry throat for me. Needless to say, by the end of the day, when the guys and me took a stroll around the town square/center of San Cris, I didn’t exactly click my heels in joy when I was asked to translate “Can I have ham on my subway sandwich?” and “I’d like to order a chocolate shake.” J Nevertheless, Sunday was a great day with no real complaints. It was full of shared knowledge and it was evident that the students and teachers at the seminary have a strong passion and huge heart for their community, their people, their state, their country, and even the world at large! It was certainly a challenge, as well as a great encouragement to hear this so sincerely from such young people (as most are in their very early twenties).