As a mom of three, I learned years ago that I had to see everyday obstacles to my agenda as opportunities if I wanted to get through the day and stay sane. With perfectionism and OCD deep in my genes, I still struggle sometimes, but I’m learning that I need flexibility in every aspect of my life, not just my parenting. I’m a work in progress and on a mission trip to Puerto Rico in June, I had some good practice. We thought we were going to repair hurricane damaged homes, but flexibility is just part of missions.
Eleven people showed up on Saturday morning. Instructions were to pack light–only one personal item and a small bag to check. Bring work boots, four sets of work pants and shirts, one nice outfit, extra shoes, a sleeping bag or sheets and a blanket (a blanket in Puerto Rico, really?), a towel, and toiletries. Oh, and don’t forget safety glasses, sunglasses, work gloves, a hat, sunscreen, and bug spray. All that should easily fit into a small bag and weigh less than forty pounds. Naturally. Got it.
The bus didn’t crank. No problem. Got jumper cables? We can fix that.
I knew five of the team members, the other six were strangers. On the way to the airport I listened, picking up clues, forming ideas of who they were, where they came from, and what connected us aside from a desire to go to Puerto Rico. I did my lesson on the Spanish language app my middle one had challenged me to join him on. I was on day 108 and feeling pretty good about myself. ¿Dónde está el baño? Baby steps.
Normally I like to know the itinerary and travel time when going on a trip, but everything was in the hands of our mission team leader. A little disconcerting for a recovering OCD personality, but flexibility. After a one hour flight delay, we were off. Our onsite leader met us, assigned us a van for the week, and led us to Ponce, not our original destination, but flexibility.
Prior to our trip, we had online training about Puerto Rico and its culture. I realized Hurricane Maria had devastated the island in 2017, but didn’t know that in December 2019, a 6.4 earthquake had hit near Ponce, part of an earthquake swarm. Eleven aftershocks were 5 or greater and small ones continue today. Our site boss, José, told us he knew of at least one small aftershock while we were there, though he said they are stronger in the mountains. 2020 brought the pandemic. Puerto Rico is hurting.
Sunday, we attended church where we were welcomed, offered lunch, and given fresh mangoes from a tree across the street. The service ended with a feliz día del padre (Happy Father’s Day) video for the dads with pictures of the families set to music. No language barrier there. Family is familia.
Monday, we were assigned to clear two lots near the small church that was our home base. Not what we thought, but flexibility. After traveling all this way clearing brush didn’t sound very exciting, but we were there to do whatever was needed. Positive attitude. Flexibility. Bring on the work. So, we dove cheerfully into the jungle next door and across the street. There were lizards, centipedes, iguanas, and we got to use machetes. It was fun–hard, sweaty, dirty work, but fun.
A grateful neighbor, perplexed as to why we would come all the way to Puerto Rico to voluntarily clean the lot next door to his house, said it had been expensive for him to get it cleaned in the past. We didn’t speak much Spanish, but José told him we were “loving our neighbor as ourselves.”
At the end of the day we had good food, air conditioning, and showers. The AC was freezing in half the room, hence the need for the blankets, and the rest of the room was too hot. There was a bit of lively debate over the thermostat. Flexibility again. I slept the sleep of the exhausted.
For five years, the neighborhood school had been trying to get a classroom roof repaired. A tree had fallen on it and their appeals for help and funding were ignored. The pastor of the church had asked the residents of the neighborhood how his congregation could help the school and the community. Four days before we arrived, the school asked for help with the roof.
We had no money for new materials but we did have willing spirits. Part of our group removed the screws from the roof, saving them for reuse, and took off the damaged tin. The rest continued clearing the lots and the area around the classrooms.
Next day, Jose worked wonders with a sledgehammer, a claw hammer, and a 2X4 to straighten most of the old tin. With our limited tools, only a few people were needed on the roof, so the rest of us continued with clean-up of the grounds. That flexibility thing again.
Jose straightened the roof’s bent frame with a car jack and a metal pole. What couldn’t be repaired was replaced with salvaged wood. Someone donated used tin to replace the pieces that couldn’t be repaired. Sections of the unusable tin were cut out and used as patches where needed. By Thursday afternoon, the roof was repaired and sealed against leakage.
A member of our group marveled at how we were able to take the damaged tin and re-use it, allowing the kids and teachers to have a dry classroom. “That’s what Christ does with us,” she said. “He takes our brokenness, and if we let Him, repairs the damage and uses us where we are.”
The empty boarded-up houses and businesses in the neighborhood around the church were evidence that Ponce is still in recovery from the events of the past five years. But the people that form the small church are reaching out, encouraging, and providing practical help and friendship to their neighbors. God is taking broken things and broken people, repairing the damage, and providing hope. By being flexible we got to be part of that.
And those people I spent the week with? After seven days of unexpected challenges, a few irritations, but always laughter, we returned with sore muscles, dirty clothes, and good memories. I’m forever changed and if given the chance, I’ll go right back with every one of them next year in a heartbeat.
¡Dios te bendiga! God Bless!
Photo Credits:Abigail Jones, Gus Malcolm, Katie Williams, Melody Nelson, Katy Schaefer, Jacob Scott, Julian Morris, Brenda French
