The Travelling Word--Mexico Part 1

I just spent a week in Monterrey, Mexico serving orphans and those who have not much of anything to call their own. I immersed my heart, my soul and my mind in the experience that God called me to. I spent 4 days at 3 different orphanages and 1 day at a squatter's village where the poorest of the poor have nothing, so they scrounge through a trash dump that serves as the center of their neighborhood. God began to speak to me and move me in ways I've never experienced. Over the next few weeks, I'll share my experience, not in narrative, but in stories. Every day was packed and I saw Jesus everywhere I looked.

I'll start with the end. The day before I left for Mexico I wrote about deciding whether to bring my big, bulky Bible with me. I felt compelled and was so glad I had it along. It was open and speaking to me each morning during my quiet time and held me captive in the evenings when I was drawn to certain verses. But it wasn't until I was leaving Monterrey airport yesterday that knew the true purpose of why I needed to have it by my side.

After packing my suitcase, I laid my Bible right on top of all my dirty clothes and closed it. I knew my suitcase weighed in at close to 50 lbs. and if it goes over that weight the airline charges a large additional fee. So I wanted to be able to get right to my Bible if I needed to pull some weight and put it in my backpack. Before checking in, my suitcase needed to be inspected. The guy unzipped my bag and there lay my Bible right on top. He looked at it and then searched around the sides of my bag and then looked back at the Bible. I could tell he was really drawn to it. He picked it up and then gently laid it back down. My Bible cover has Jeremiah 29:11 on the front..."For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." The guy moved his finger under the word "Lord," paused and then ran his finger under the words "plans to prosper you." He looked up at me and said, "Is this for me?" I replied, "Yes, God has a plan for all of us." He just smiled and rezipped my suitcase.

I don't know what was going on in that man's life or why he was so captivated by my Bible and the verse on front, but God does and yesterday morning God spoke to that man in Mexico through a very well loved Bible that calls Danville, IN home.