Currently there is a team there in Brisas right now. I was invited to attend, but had to decline the invitation for various reasons this time around. To not go was very difficult for me, as those people have become a large part of my life. But the team was gracious to me, and allowed me several ways to still participate and be part of what they were doing through helping to write lessons and collect items to bless the women. I cannot wait to hear how their trip goes, as this particular team is doing more of a focus on teaching and discipling the community and even the surrounding communities pastors, more than on the focus of the construction.
But I am off track. I want to go back to Brisas and tell you about the Food program.
When we attended in 2016, we learned about the food program the village hosts. This program is provided/funded by the church, and allows for children in the village who do not have enough food to eat lunch to come to the cabana and be provided a meal by the church. This program is honestly beautiful. What a ministry! The problem was that in 2016, we learned that there was a lack of funding and so the program would dissipate and only be able to feed minimal amounts of the children.
Enter Barb Benson. Barb was on my team that year and she fell in love with these kids and when we returned home, she took on this program. Barb quilts (beautiful quilts!) and she began fundraising for this program by raffling and selling her quilts. Led by her, others in her church got on board by helping donate bits each month to this cause, and for the last year and a half, Barb's efforts have been a large part of what has kept this program going.
Barb returned with the team in June and she got to see how her dollars and efforts had been put to work. You could see her heart and passion as the kids would show up each day (M-F) for their lunches. I was generally in a different vicinity when this was taking place, but one day I did get to sit and be a part of the program. Pastor Javier, new to the community in January, had done some things with organizing the order of the kids checking in and making a system so that when they don't show up for a few days in a row, he then goes into their homes to check on them, etc. The one day I was able to help out, as I checked in the kids one by one during this time, in between the moments of interacting with the kids, I was able to do a little translating between him and Barb, as Barb asked questions and shared some of her concerns and dreams, he answered and shared some of his dreams and visions with it, too. Watching Barb's passion in this event was inspiring.
She loves those kids as if they are her own.
Ashely and Emma and Cindy did a lot to serve the kids and help with the food during this time too. Barb has a huge heart for this program and came home with more determinations and dreams to keep fueling the program. It was really neat to see how her efforts have helped the program grow. You don't have to be a missionary in another country to make a difference there. It was so clear how she had made a difference there with her efforts here in Ohio. But how cool she got to see those efforts firsthand in June.
At the end of the trip, I got to take place in a cool event with Barb. One of Barb's concerns as she watched the lunches take place through the week, was the state of the kitchen tools, utensils, pots, etc. And so with discussions with the various leaders in the church, it was determined she would go to a store in the city when we returned to the city to buy what the kitchen most needed as part of her efforts to help that food program. So the ladies of the kitchen made a list. I actually was not totally aware of this.
But when we left the village, I spent the first half of the drive with Mileth quietly reflecting, sometimes crying, but really soaking in the last moments. I was in my own world a little bit. But we always make a stop half way between the village and the city, when we hit this little "gas station" to use the restroom and get snacks the Bishop approached me (who spoke only Spanish). I had honestly forgotten that he was in a vehicle behind our bus. And he asked me to ride in the car with him and Barb to help translate. Juan, the week's translator, needed to be with the team and the bus driver. But I got to have the special privilege to go with the Bishop and Barb... and then Chris, too, who wanted to buy tools for the construction site. For me, this was a moment I won't forget. Nothing monumental took place, per say, but for me it was just a little more confirmation in my journey. But also it was so cool to go into this IKEA like store in the city, with the Bishop and Barb and Chris, and get to take a small part in gathering up all these items for the village. Barb was having a lot of fun seeing the cart fill up with things the kitchen needed. Bishop was seemingly having fun bargain hunting for the needed items (and he was rather good at it.) And Chris had a good time in the tools, doing a lot of sign language and such with the workers since I was not there to translate for him.
By the end of the trip, Barb had a full cart and a full heart. And I had a lot of fun, even though I really did nothing. Just seeing the joy filled me. Barb has made a lasting impact on that little village. The food program has grown and it was a beautiful moment to be a part of it.
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