After Christmas, I headed down to one of my favorite places in the world, UTRI, to help out with the huge Navidad a Reynosa celebration. UTRI worked together with over 100 people from 7 states that came down to help the people of Reynosa have an incredible Christmas. It was an awesome day! We gave away 20 or 30 bikes and a car along with food and toys for all the people and children that came. It was cold, rainy and muddy, and I spent most of the day at the border helping Clay (one of the directors of UTRI) deal with some paperwork issues, but despite all of that, God showed up and the people in the dump of Reynosa were blessed. We were all blessed as well. I loved hearing the stories from everyone that participated in the event and how amazing things happened despite the rain, mud, language barriers, and cold weather. Over 100 people were saved, and over 1,000 people from the dump came to the event.
The highlight of the 4 days for me was a little girl named Gabriela. Gabriela is 11 years old and was born and raised in the dump in Reynosa. I met her the day before the event, and we talked about little things such as how many brothers and sisters she has, her favorite subjects in school, and what she wanted to be when she grew up. She had very little, and she lived in a little cinderblock house. On the day of the event, she wasn't even wearing a jacket. I arrived at the event late and had forgotten about talking to her the day before, but she found me and asked me to wait for her because she had something for me. She had been looking for me all day. I waited for a few minutes, and she returned with a stuffed animal and a drawing she had colored for me. On the drawing, she wrote in Spanish: To: Amalia, From: Gaby, Christ loves you. She looked up at me smiling, and I was truly touched. I spent very little time with her and yet, she wanted to bless me. Gabriela is a living example of Christ's love.
Spending time in the dump at Reynosa is one of the most humbling experiences I've ever been a part of. I love those people, and I love that country. The people there have so little in the way of material things, food and money but there is one thing they will never be short on: Love. I pray that I could love people the way Gabriela loved me with her beautiful drawing and gift.
What an awesome 4 days down at UTRI! I love that place, and I can't wait to go back!
So, it's the last day of 2009, and I'm doing my best to reflect on what's happened in my life over the past year, but it's kind of difficult. It's been a crazy year! So much has happened that I can't remember half of it. I know it's been a year of acknowledging change in my life. The changes haven't actually happened, yet, but I know that they're going to be happening very soon in 2010, so I spent the past 6 months coming to terms with that and trying to figure out how to adapt.
I'm looking forward to 2010. A new decade is beginning, and I'm going to embrace it with open arms. It's time to put the past in the past and leave it there. My goal for 2010 is to make it the best year in my life thus far. In January I'll be turning 23, and I have so much to look forward to in life. Of course, I have the normal New Year's Resolutions of losing weight/getting in shape and being less stressed, but I think my main resolution is just going to be: happiness. I want to be happy this next year no matter what changes happen or what life throws my way. I'm so thankful for such a blessed 2009, and I'm so thankful for the opportunity to experience 2010.
2010, you're going to be an awesome year... :-)
Lots of love to everyone and Happy New Year,
Amelia
