no.131 130908 Thank you for my first basketball game

I hope our team was a "pleasing aroma of Christ" in Mexico.

 

I survived my first basketball game. It wasn't just any leisure activity, it was co-ed, and let me tell you, it was VERY competitive. When I was on the court to play for the very first time, I was thinking "what in the world am I doing here?" I was the only girl when I first made a substitution with a team member, and I had to block a guy in the opposite team. I thought I would be playing with at least one more girl from the other team, but that wasn't always the case.

The more I played, I started to understand the game and learned what to do, through friends' advices. I'm hoping to get better the next game we play! Although I was scared at first, I did have fun towards the end of the game. I bumped into other players a few times, and I think someone knee-kicked my thigh... it's still kind of sore, but I should be fine. So, I'm thankful for my first basketball game! Yes, I have played basketball before in elementary school, but I wouldn't call it a game.

Anyways, I also shared my testimony at church. As I promised, I will share it on my blog as well.

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One of my personal prayers before leaving for Mexico was for God to give me the heart of Jesus to love the people in Mexico, and to break my heart for what breaks His. Thankfully, God did answer my prayer.

The first few days, our team built a house for a family in the region called Cerro del Cuatro. We drove up a steep and rocky slope for fifteen minutes to get to the top of the hill. Although the view from the top was breathtaking, the surrounding sight was devastating. It was something that I had only seen on TV. When pastor Rolando introduced the family to our team and showed us their current house, it brought tears to my eyes. The family’s house, as well as the neighbouring houses, were made of wood panels (that is, if they’re lucky), plastic tarp, old clothes and towels, and some even construction paper. In that confined space, the family of seven was living together. Seeing their quality of life, God broke my heart and I was determined to work hard to finish this house for them.

From the family’s house, you could see the beautiful view of the city including high-rise buildings far in the distance. I wondered how the family would feel, waking up to this every single day. To the family, what lies in front of them is a whole different world, something unattainable. This family may not be able to live in the city, let alone afford to visit the city. In fact, it is most likely that they will not escape poverty. Thinking about this made me angry and upset.

However, I realized that I was forgetting about the most important thing. I was thinking in worldly sense and was worrying about the temporary life. Living a comfortable life with possessions, money, reputation and accomplishments may be good, but what good is it if you don’t have Jesus in your life? To this family, getting out of poverty might be the first problem to solve, but God is offering something greater for them – the eternal life.

As it is written in 2 Corinthians 4:18, let us “fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” We should set our minds on things above because our life on earth is short like a vapour, but our time in heaven is forever.

What I saw in Mexico does not meet the standard of this comfortable life that you and I have. It is important to physically help alleviate poverty by building a house, but most importantly, as Christians, we should guide them to seek what is eternal. That is my hope for the family we met in Mexico. I pray that through the one house we built in Cerro del Cuatro, the family will turn to God and eventually the entire neighbourhood will repent and become followers of Jesus Christ.