It's official, I have arrived in La Paz and am living at "Rancho El Camino."
Pete/Cher and family picked me up at the Cabo airport Monday morning and we were all in awe to see each other after so many years. (I gave the bag of sour gummy bears to their kids - they loved them - thanks to you who gave them to me). While trying to catch up from years past, we drove two hours to La Paz and I saw some breathe taking scenery on the way. I could go on and on about how beautiful the landscape was, but what truly captured me was the way God was instantly being shown through this family I found myself riding with on the way to their home in the dessert.
If you can picture this, we are swerving through dangerous roads/bumps/terrain through the dust and blazing heat while at the same time I can't hear anything but praise to God from the mouths of Pete and Cher "Praise the Lord." "Gloria a Dios." "Praise Jesus." (even after the bad stories or whatever).
This is significant, especially for me, because lately I have been troubled in my my own mind in that I find it hard to escape this seemingly never ending world full of injustice and heartache and furthermore disorienting me from focusing on and trusting the almighty. This is ultimately connected to a lack of freedom and trust in Christ primarily carried out in my own agenda to complete God's will for the world (which in reality is such a joke). Conversely, I believe He wants me to show and be the Love He promises for the world with each person I come to know (which can be very difficult in our ever ambiguous world). So the question I found myself asking was, how can Pete's family be so full of purpose in engaging the kingdom of God?
I'm reading a book by Leanne Payne right now and I couldn't help but include a quote in this post (relating to the above question): "to emphasize our need to fully depend upon God. In our zeal to help others we can get in the way of what God wants us to do. On the other hand, it is through the most commonplace gesture of human love and touch that God often finds a pathway through...Through these small things the power of Christ's love and the full efficacy of His work on the cross issue forth to save the derelict soul, the one suffering..."
Even having just arrived in Mexico, I can't help but be aware of the Gatto's simple love for others as reflecting from Christ's ultimate love for us all. I'm hoping this season in Mexico will help God orient my heart toward him and know that He will provide everything I need to serve Him.
Because Jesus died and extended his ultimate love for us on the cross: "...It is finished"
Nonetheless, question(s) still in mind, we eventually arrived at the Ranch and I got settled into my new accommodations.
Change tends to happen very quickly for me. One moment I'm allocating various freight shipments all over the US for a logistics company, the next I'm laying concrete in the Mexican dessert with two new amigo's (Bito and Abram). Did I mention it's hot here? Holy french toast.
And my Spanish skills are lacking at best. You'd think 4 years of classes in high school and 2 in college would be helpful enough just to sail along. But it was right after I started hearing the Gatto children speaking Spanish all around me that I new I was in trouble. I'm hoping some of it comes back to me eventually (I'm sick of doing hand motions and saying como se dice to everything I hear)
I already have tons of stories in mind. But I will share just a few.
1. The stars are gorgeous here. Like unreal. I saw 4 satellites last night in the open sky plus planets etc.
2. Pete said they have had a rattle snake in their house once before. (This was way before I arrived but I don't care it's still worth sharing).
3. For those interested, there are lots of horses here. They are cared for mostly by the children and look great. They also have donkey's, goats, chickens, dogs (pregnant), cats, fly's, rats, skunks, scorpions, black widows and did I mention snakes?
4. The hiking here is stellar. I love climbing mountains and there are so many around the ranch which I can't wait to dominate (or be dominated).
5. The kids are hilarious and each have tons of the own funny stories (Oldest to youngest: Megan, Sam, Zack, Madi, and Noah).
6. There is a lot of work being done here. But my prize task to date has been cleaning the spring pool full of algae and slime (fun in the sun).
7. I haven't taken out my guitar often as of yet. But when I have it has been nothing short of sacred for me. "oh How He Loves us so"
8. More to come but it's bedtime...
Isaiah 40: 27-31 check it out (and the pictures below)
This is where I sleep (I'm on the bottom). Frank, a Mexican student from La Paz, slept on the top bunk the first night I was there and has been back at school since then.
This is the house where we all are staying. Pete and his family sleeps upstairs with his 5 children.
This is where we have been mixing/laying concrete.
Pete, Sam (Pete's son), and I hiked up a mountain right behind the ranch and could see miles of open dessert terrain.
One of the two pallets on the ranch (holler back lean!)
Yes, it's real and was in my room.
This is Abram. He is one of my roommates. He spent 20 years in prison and released a rat snake right outside my door the first day I got there. But don't worry Mom, He now serves the Lord wholeheartedly and is becoming a new friend. (He also cuts up palm branches and puts the inner goo juices on his head...but that's another story in itself :)
