More snow (D'oh!) and learning to just be

Well, it snowed again this past Monday in Nogales. I want to share a couple pictures of the snow covered hills at sunrise.

We had a group from the University of Arizona with us this past week. The weather, which had been in the 80s for the past 2 weeks, turned very cold and it began to snow on their first day in Nogales. We were all surprised, especially me. I was convinced that the cold time was over in Nogales. But, just like springtime back home in the Old Dominion, it can snow unexpectedly here. The college students had not brought many warm clothes and we all shivered together. We "suffered" for two days at the most. Many people in the Colosio are cold all day and night for lack of warm clothes or decent walls to keep out the cold. It was good for us to share in their discomfort.


On Monday, the temperatures began to rise just a bit but it still snowed and hailed on and off all day. By Tuesday, the weather was back in the upper 60s and by Wednesday, it was in the 80s again. The plan for the week was work in the neighborhood, experiencing the culture and taking time to learn what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.

I think what I enjoyed the most this week was the return to morning, afternoon and evening chapel services. As the only person at the Cuirim House, it is often difficult to maintain the Celtic rhythm of work, study and prayer. Sometimes Carlos shows up very early and needs help with his work. Sometimes I get side-tracked. The three times a day prayers and meditations are a wonderful way to refocus on God and get the focus off of me. It is what I enjoy most about the Cuirim House summer schedule. There is something really wonderful about worshiping God with other people who love him and are like-minded in wanting to be like Jesus.

Along with the group from U of A, two college students from Lynchburg, Virginia and one of their friends from New Jersey flew in to work for a few days. It was great to meet new people and to share with them the work in the Colosio. We mixed cement and poured part of a floor at the church, we put in a concrete barrier at a single mother's home so water won't run through her house when it rains and we replaced the roof on the home of a man who is a paraplegic. The college students worked closely with the men from the church who headed each project. I was in charge of one project with three students and at times it was difficult because I do not like being "in charge". I realize that it is part of my on-going character development to learn to be more flexible and to value people over any schedule or plan. With great patience, my Mexican friends are teaching me this lesson. When I came here, I thought I would be the one helping them. Instead, they are teaching me to be more like Jesus.