Rancho Santa Marta 2015

Rancho Santa Marta Mission Trip
I was away for eight solid days in Mexico, learning about the children at the school and the ranch itself. We traveled to Ensenada the first day and had lunch in town. After passing the culture shock, dirty and nasty area of Tijuana, I realized how much God and these people needed our help. I did manual labor for 6 days, electric chiseling, regular chiseling, picking up debri, sweeping, and hauling out excess cement for a junior high. We had bonfires at night and devotionals in the morning and evening. Our team of 47 wonderful people took 7 vans and a huge truck to haul our luggage. Renn and Matt, our team leaders, worked well together, and had so much innovative ideas and strong energy towards this cause. That team became my family that week and the team parents became my loving caring parents who watched over me, protected me, advised me, listened to me, and showed me why we were there. I met the school director who told us about her and her husband owning the school and the ranch, how 250 kids attend there, some live on the ranch, and how they rescued a girl from India in their family. I learned to get some of my Spanish back from when I took classes in high school. The house families were generous, their actions and words truly humbling, and some of the nicest, passionate people I have ever met. Their children are special, intelligent, and truly loved. The work teams before us had done, really showed. This ranch has come a long way and still has lots to be done, but my hope and prayer is that it will one day be complete. I had a hard time leaving a project one of our groups started. Everyone had a task, demolition, digging trenches, painting, roof crew, etc. It took a lot of prayer and heavy resolve to believe that it would turn out beautiful, even if I may or may not be there to see it. Writing this blog to you now, or telling people at work, or my friends, doesn’t even do justice to what went on in Mexico that week. What I experienced, the fierce passion I gained, and time spent, was all worth it. I hiked in the morning with some early risers, I helped in the kitchen, and we got to play with the kids most of the week. We even got to go to the beach on the days! The past of some of these children and what some of these folks have endured, well it’s truly heartbreaking. I cannot begin to explain how much respect I have for them, how they have worked hard, and stayed strong. Their resilience makes me feel so undeserving at home, and a tad guilty of how we live over here. I had to get over that, and know in my heart, what I did was for them. With tears in my eyes on the plane back to Sacramento last Saturday, this trip was unlike anything I have ever done, and I am so glad I went. Blessings to those who served with me and for those headed there to the Ranch shortly or in days or months to come. Rancho Santa Marta 2015 team, and  team Quemado forever. 




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