Blessings

As I sit and reflect tonight, a familiar question runs through my mind.   Over the past 12 hours many people have asked Jennie and I about what sort of "blessing" the Hope Church team has been.  To answer such a question is very difficult.  How do you sum up 7 days of incredible memories into a few brief sentences?  The blessings over the past week have come in a variety of forms.  Ways in which you often don't anticipate, and forms in which you won't forget anytime soon.  Below is my attempt to share with you the ways our lives have been blessed over the past 7 days.

A Blessing is....

...friendships that connect at the heart level

...watching bridges being built between cultures that seem so incredibly different

...seeing joy on the faces of children that have been abused, abandoned and neglected

...observing gifts God has given being used to encourage and glorify His name

...enjoying the moments of special talent

...watching your daughter soak in the love of people she will really miss

...seeing friendships of a lifetime being created

...seeing passion at work

...hearing the sacrificial stories of students who loved without hesitation

(Seth giving his sock up for a bandage)

(Students in Ravelo serving Romulo with a blanket)

(Lindsey giving away her jacket at a moments notice)

...observing ministry happen in spite of communication obstacles.  

...experiencing the hope of salvation being given through a simple drama 

...watching God move in incredible ways

...being joyful for what God has given and realizing that experiences like this are a gift from God