Ensenada Outreach Center - YUGO

i have these moments. these moments when everything seems surreal and right and spiritual and a whole whack of other emotions. i had a few of those this week...

This past week we had a special week at EOC. We got to work on a house build project together as a whole staff. No teams. Just the staff. The 'hired pros', the office staff, the kitchen folks, the interns, all of us! We invited our family members, some pastors, and got to really live out community this week. It was a beautiful thing. We ate phenomenal breakfasts served by various people during the week. We savored incredible lunches prepared by Ana and her family (who conveniently happen to be neighbors to the family we were building for). We enjoyed working together for once... a first in EOC history. It was really special for many of us. Alejandro shared before the build he'd be dreaming about this opportunity! And Jose shared that he hopes this won't be the last of these types of builds!
we laughed. we built - fast. we learned. we served.
And we fell in love with the wonderful family we were building for. Their story is rich and full of struggles, health issues, perseverance, joy, and smiles that were so full of love...
So when we were dedicating the house on Thursday, I had one of those moments. standing with my friends. from 3 nations. from different spaces and places. for one purpose. to love. so often, even here in the ministry we make it so much more complicated than that..

That evening we had a grand feast. my first american thanksgiving. in mexico.
We invited staff, families, neighbors, pastors, friends... over 100 were there to celebrate. to bread break together.
It was a night of abundance. joy. fullness. diversity. community.
After watching the highlight video together of our week's work i had another moment.
Looking around the room, some faces i didn't know, some i only recognized, and others who i can now call real friends. These people were my family.

As the evening unfolded I had just finished saying farewell to Marisol, the young woman (and new friend) who we built the house for. Then suddenly I see someone calling me over...
it was Christina. Christina was part of the family I helped build a house for the very first time my youth group came down to Ensenada! Over 5 years ago we met Christina and her mom and we built a home for her. She's now married, with two children. I've been able to visit with her a few times since my return and she's always excited to see me; always telling me she's never forgotten us! And so I sat with Christina, holding her baby... and had yet another moment. Who would have thought... over 5 years later I'd be sitting here holding Christina's newborn. Who would have thought... over 5 years later I'd be sitting among these people and calling it home...

.moments. that shake me. and remind me Im apart of something really cool...
and indeed I am thankful.