Grace and thankfulness

This week has been God one way or another teaching and reminding me to be thankful and gracious in all situations. Starting off that  couple who head up this trip to Mexico every year use their connections, fiends and family to find places for us to stay with little to no expense. With this trip costing about $500 per person to go every time they find other ways to keep the cost down with still finding ways to bless the families with more then just a home. Of corse living in the us it is easy to forget about how other parts of world lives but when confronted by the poverty of the world up front and personal even in one of the richest third world countries. This year with the most people that we have ever taken down, nearly 50 people built two houses in three days. During that time we were fed by the families that we were building for.  When you think about to feed that many people would cost them between two and six weeks of wages. 

With this being my second trip with them down to bless families down there. I have been much more thankful for the comforts we have like clean drinking water, sanitary bathrooms, and just it being clean and not having garbage everywhere. Having so little they are still able to do so much. On Wednesday night the pastor of the church in the neighborhood where we were building these homes came and spoke to us. He was a drunk and a druggie and now that God got ahold of his life he is now 30 years sober and leading 3 churches with his wife. They have so little in our eye but God sees the as just another loaf or fish to multiply and bless others. 

As the responsibility grows for those in charge so does the level of stress and some times when under stress things may come across in ways they didn't mean for them to.  There are time where I have felt slighted and hurt due to the reaction I got from them. I know in my heart that that I have grumbled against them and I must ask forgiveness from them when I can. God is continually growing the work they do with Amor ministries. These people are great people and just as we all need grace from God through Gods love we are also called to extend that grace. That is why I have to forgive them for that way I took things and ask their forgiveness for my hearts grumblings about things. God has been whispering in breezes about grace and thankfulness to me this entire trip and I thank you lord for the lessons you have for me because they hone me into the man you call me to be.