2009 Chichimeca Mission Trip

San Luis de la Paz
Saturday-August 15, 2009


In 1 Timothy 4:12-15 Paul admonishes Timothy to be an example to other believers in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith and purity. He also encouraged him to read, stay attuned to doctrine and above all else not to neglect his gift. If he did all these things then he would be blessed and bless others, as well.

As we finished our week and headed back to Texas , our12 hour day on the road and an additional 2 hour wait to cross the border gave e all of us time to reflect on how we, like Timothy , were able to be an example and use our gifts to make a differenced in the lives of the Chichimeca Indians.

This summer I had the opportunity to be in a Beth Moore Bible Study of the book of Ester. Several passages from her study were especially relevant to our week in San Luis de la Paz. She stated that to live for the greatness of God is to live the great life, and this week was exactly that. She goes on to say “Every one of us who embraces the glory of God as our purpose will end up doing great things precisely because we do God-things. His holy hand resting on the least act renders that ordinary extraordinary.”

I was able to witness many of those small acts that were made extraordinary because they were done in the name of God’s love.

For example, when David stopped the van to get out and help a young man carry a wheelbarrow full of dirt over a concrete culvert; when Carlos sat brushed the hair of a little girl whose face was dirty and sadder than anyone’s I had ever seen; as Denise and Shirley helped Juanita prepare on the noon meals for all of our VBS workers and team members; as Phil, Keith and Pastor Alberto went out to show families how to start gardens, and when Angel Ibarra stopped the van to pick a mother and her four young children who needed a ride to the mission each day and then home again at night, and as the doctor, Olivia would treat the sick who came. These were only a few of the many things that were done in the name of God’s love.

Our week was indeed extraordinary!! And as Matthew 16: 24-26 reminds us, when you give up your life for Christ, he gives you a Christ-like life. Our prayer was that the Chichimecca people would see Christ in us through each small but hopefully significant act of kindness that we showed them.

What a joy it has been to serve the Lord this week! How rich we feel and how blessed! Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Yours and His
Marie Davenport and the Chichimeca team.