Today, three of our boys got to ride a convertible Mustang to school. The wonder and excitement in their eyes was genuinely moving. And the joy of our dear friend who so graciously drove them was undeniable. Such a simple act, yet of immeasurable worth.
Almost two years ago we boarded a plane bound for Mazatlan and soon found ourselves right in the heart of Mazatlan’s garbage dump community. I remember all the newness of walking around its messy streets. The oftentimes nauseating smell, the trash everywhere, the chickens flurrying about. And the kids. Dirty, unkempt, and bad, bad, bad. They quickly had us falling head over heels in love with this messy little colonia. This community, with all its roughness, captivated our hearts.
Then, we opened our doors and became witness to change. To growth. To healing. We reveled in the kids’ excitement and wonder as they discovered a whole new world that included books, clean clothes and regular meals.
Over time, this has become our normal. Those dirty streets. The stories of struggle, abuse, tragedy. The slow but steady change in the children’s lives.
It’s partly why we love inviting others to experience all that is Roots & Wings. In many ways, seeing someone else experience the craziness and charm reminds us of just how special this place is. Not in a “come and see the need” kind of way, but in witnessing in a new light the transforming beauty of love.
Meeting the young widow that was withering away under the burden of depression and caring for four young children now exhibit a strength and determination to help her children succeed. The house next door that was once drab and dirty, now looking almost homey with its friendly mint paint and tidied yard. And the sheer thrill felt by three little lads as they rode in a fancy car for the very first time.
We don’t want to get so used to this new normal that we miss the beauty in those special moments. We want to remember them, treasure them and share them with you. We want to never forget that a simple act of kindness can make a world of difference.
Above all, we don’t want to forget that the reason we are here, the reason we are even able to experience any of this, is because long ago, someone performed an act of love so huge, that the only way life even feels worth living is when we are living in response to that sacrifice.
