Never the Same

Praying with one of the two ladies at Rio 3

A precious girl at Rio 3

Group of girls posing at Rio 3

A man waiting to be feed at the soup kitchen at Rio 3

One of my roles here at B2B is debriefing the American groups that come down. Its really an enjoyable part of my job. Its away where I feel like I am out there every day with a particular

group without actually going. When Greg is on the group, I'm home with the boys to help with homework, make lunch, listen to the days going ons, etc. The usual stuff. Above are a few pictures from a recent trip Greg took with a group to Rio 3, a impoverished community on the outskirts of Monterrey. When I debrief a group each night, I get to hear the "pictures of the day" from the group members. Just last night the group was talking about this very site. After everyone shared, I felt like I had been there that day. This type of community is where my heart is so I really wanted everyone to go around again. I wanted to hear more. I had heard about 2 women who greeted this group in away that they made a huge impact. The smiles of these ladies, they way they hugged them at the door, the prayers they prayed over the group was powerful and meaningful. What they didn't say was these ladies are house bond as both have diabetes and have had legs amputated and are in wheelchairs. That information wasn't vital to what they were telling me. Others spoke of a 19 year old who went out of his way to help the group in any activity they were doing. Still others told of a child who had patience with poor spanish, or displayed love and happiness without the material things of this world.

This has happened times before with groups and in my life too. We go to try and help someone out. We look for ways God would want us to give and serve others, and somewhere in the process God turns it around on us and we are the ones who are blessed and impacted. God is amazing how He does that. In the circle last night, I was able to see the fingerprints that the people of Rio 3 had left on the group members. Somehow, only the way God can do it, I was touched and impacted as well. Praise God for how He touches us. It reminds me of a quote that I once heard ...."Some people come into your life, make footprints on your heart and you are never the same" I think I'd change it up just a little and say, "Sometimes God puts people in your life that make footprints on your heart and you are never the same."