Thoughts for our last week.

Some of you may know that this week is our last week here in Medellin.  We have been busy working with teams, coaches, and around the stadium with some manual labor type jobs (we appologize for that 5 day drought of no updates). 
We have been tested and stretched both physically and spiritually and I think we have all learned a lot about ourselves and what it means to serve.
A mentor and friend of mine, Aaron Faro, sent along some verses for us to read this last week.  Grant, Jack, and I read them the other night and I have been chewing on them a bit these last few days.

(2 Cor. 2) ¹⁴ But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. ¹⁵ For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.

Jack has been reading a book while down here and shared about something he read.  He shared about how important it is to be present and that sometimes you can not worry about having amazing before and after pictures to validate all the work you did while on a mission.  The importance of being present is that it allows God to work in you and through you.  One thing we have realized is that just being here, just being around the kids and talking with coaches, really simple interactions, can be an encouragement to those around us. Cyrus, our new gringo friend, added to this idea by saying ¨just smile.¨ His thought for us was that when we were getting tired or frustrated or couldn't understand what someone was trying to tell us, just smile and have a good attitude.

So for us, right now, while we finish up our time in Colombia, I think we have been encouraged to be present, work hard, and when in doubt, smile.  There is still more work to be done here and we will be working hard to have servant hearts and loving attitudes with each opportunity we have to work and serve.

(2 Cor. 4) ¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. ¹⁸ So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

p.s.  One side note.  With Cyrus around to translate, we have had some opportunities to share our testimonies with the kids on the teams.  I hope that this last week we will have more opportunities for these types of interactions.