The Migrant Camp

My Blog (The Migrant Camp Week)

My first day on the migrant camp was a slow process of adjusting and taking in all that God was showing me .We started with cleaning and painting the rooms that we would be staying in for the next four days.  After we were done working a couple of girls and I wanted to take a walk around the camp. As we walked down this one little road there was a lady sitting out in front of her home with her baby. So we walked over and engaged in a conversation with the lady. Her name was Maria and her baby girl was three months old, as we talked with her more we found out that she has seven children.  She also told us that she and her husband had come from south of Mexico looking for work and a better life. I felt so blessed to be able to just talk with her and hold her little baby girl. The one thing that we have been learning in our classes was how important it is to build relationships, Therefore, I felt like I was able to put some of our teaching into practice. It was as simple as talking and hanging out with her and her neighbor, and showing a genuine interest in their lives.  I also felt so blessed that they were so open to us being there.

The second day was more of manual work which I love to do. So I helped start a hole that was going to be an outhouse for the community. We also had a time with the children painting nails and showing them good hand washing technics. They all really enjoyed it.  The children were always filled with so much joy and smiles; it amazes me, and showed me that we don’t need material things to make us happy.

The next two days were filled with many different projects, we filled holes that needed to be filled and cleaned drainage ditches out so they would drain better and be more effective. There was an area where they would have to walk through that was filled with contaminated water and garbage so we filled that in and burned some of the garbage. I know that many of them appreciate this and were very thankful. I am so thankful that God gave me this opportunity to grow in what he is teaching me and be a blessing to others. It was hard to say goodbye to them all and especially Maria and the children, but I know that we were able to plant some good seeds of God’s love in this place. I  will hang on to that hope in Christ . I know that he loves these people more than I could ever, and is faithful to watch over them. 

I have learned that God does hear our prayers and we must give our burdens back to him, remembering that he is most powerful and all seeing.( Matt: 11:30” For my yoke is easy and my burden is light’) These are his children and I pray for the ones that don’t know him, that one day they will see and experience his love.

 I want to ask you if you can remember them in your prayers and know that we all live in different ways.  However; just because we don’t have every convenience that we think we need in front of us and at our disposal doesn’t mean that we cannot be happy. Because I did see something different with these people that don’t have the certain conveniences  like running water and electricity .However they still have smiles on their faces, and they opened there doors to us.

Deuteronomy 15:10-11

Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded towards your brothers and towards the poor and needy in your land.

Blessings and Love in Christ Jesus,

Linda