Westbrook Church Team

It is the end of Resurrection Day, our third day here!!  It seems longer than three days ago when we left the Westbrook Church parking lot at 4.30 am, prayed in a circle under a moonlit sky, and loaded into three Suburbans driven by faithful brothers Al, Randy, and Tom to Chicago, O’Hare.  Weighing in our 20 bulging suitcases, shifting stuff around to maximize the 50 pounds allowed per person, 10 of them full of jeans, sports equipment, and other gifts for the EV kids and staff.  We were all bleary eyed but so excited to be finally getting on a plane to Mexico City after our months of planning and preparation.  We hit up the Starbucks and McDonald’s for breakfast and camped at Gate 18 for the two hours ´til boarding.

Four hours of trying to sleep, playing cards, reading, or watching the surfing movie later, we landed at last in waves of warm air and made our way off the plane, thru the halls to immigration, baggage, and customs… Then our gypsy crew piled our mountain of luggage and carry-ons all along a hallway where we camped again, taking turns going to get food until our bus to Puebla came.   The blur of colorful buildings, bright flowers, red dirt, and Spanish words outside the windows of the comfortable coach bus to Puebla helped us to begin to acclimate to being in a different culture.  The excitement was palpable as some of the sights became familiar to the 14 people on the team who had come last year, and suddenly at the end of a dirt road, the gate of Esperanza Viva brought a cheer from the whole team.  We were welcomed by the wonderful staff and ushered to the brand new dormitory for guest teams, which had been completed since the team came a year ago.  Absolutely BEAUTIFUL facilities!  The 12 women and girls on one side, the 8 guys in the other, with comfortable bunk beds and large cupboards in which to unpack out things…and lots of oohs and ahhs over the ceramic tiled showers and bathrooms!  We unpacked and then hurried out to greet the many children some of the team knew from last year and for the rest of us to begin to learn the names of the special, smiling staff and kids.  What joy to hear the cries of recognition and the hugs of sweet reunions with friends made a year ago!  A foretaste of heaven… The sun setting on the volcanoes and mountains which are on EV’s horizon was spectacular, and shouted wordlessly our joy and thanks at being in this incredible place to serve, play, learn, and develop relationships for a week.