Mexico: Seeing God

Words will never be able to explain it. I would title the week as...Seeing God.
I saw God in Mexico through people I never thought could show Him to me.

There was this old woman that we gave food and toiletries to who just touch my heart and soul like no other with her gratitude.
She was very old, with many wrinkles and hardly any teeth. She had long, gray hair and an old bathrobe on. She smelled like she hadn't showered in a while and her body was so frail, I was afraid she could fall over any second.
And I wish I could be as beautiful as that woman someday. Her love for God was completely radiant.

Man...it was the coolest experience just feeding those poor people. Just loving them without even thinking about it. Not caring about their age, or their clothes, or where they lived...if they had the latest phone or the coolest hairstyle or the best car (or even a car at all). I love every one of them more than I can express and they had none of what I just mentioned.
When we were at the church we hung out with sweaty, sticky, smelly, dirty kids and I never wanted to let go of them. I didn't care that they were dirty. I didn't care when they did something annoying or when they were mean to me. I didn't care when they stole my camera and stole extra snacks. I loved them so much. They gave me a glimpse of God's love and for that, I thank them so so much. They helped me out and did more for me than I did for them. The kids, the poor, the old, the lame, the blind, the starving...They gave me such a gift and giving them food and shampoo and my time is just the least I could do for them.

I also wasn't just changed from the people in Mexico, but from the people I went with. Our community changed and grew so much. We prayed for each other...I had life changing conversations...we did the most AMAZING thing on the last night where we whispered encouragement or something into everyone's ear. Hearing the encouragement was amazing...but I feel more changed from giving it. Just realizing what an amazing group we have and how many extraordinary people God has surrounded me with was so amazing.

Just through my week in Mexico...I've started to experience God all the time. I was even experiencing Him on the bus. Just through music and prayer. Listening to lyrics that are so beautiful and feeling God work through me.
Worship is starting to become something so much more to me. I believe it's starting to become the thing that is making me beautiful. Feeling God move inside of me and feeling His arms around me...I feel beautiful.
I love God. I love what He has and is doing in my life.

Mexico in a nutshell: I can't tell you in a nutshell. You need to experience it for yourself. I can only tell you so much as far as stories and such go, but you can't understand something fully until you really experience it yourself.
LOVE ON PEOPLE. Inconveniently, completely, passionately, as closely to God as you can. WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO CHANGE THE WORLD and someone's life.
I may never ever see that beautiful, old woman again, but I will never forget her and she will never forget me. I will never forget her eyes or her hug or her lips on my cheek. I will never forget those kids and the tears in their eyes and in mine when we had to leave them. I won't forget their smiles and how they loved me...even when I was sweaty, dirty, without makeup, whatever...

What if we loved like that? What if we sat with the guy who has no friends at lunch? What if we listened to the girl who has been crying out for love from someone for 2 years? What if we stopped ignoring everyone around us and stopped being selfish? What if we loved?

What if?

Peace
Liz