Ensenada - Day Five : A “Can Do” Attitude
The third day of building is essentially only a half day. We spend the morning visiting a local Blow Hole, which is a natural feature in the cliffs where as the tide comes in it, air is rapidly released sending a large flume of water upwards. That bit is pretty cool part of the visit, and the excitement (for me at least) lasts about two minutes! To get there you have to walk down a long street that is just packed with shops selling all sorts of “souvenirs” (I think most of them are made in China). This is a fairly fun experience, but it becomes bizarre when you note that every so often one of the stores is selling cheap pharmaceuticals! This is a place for cheap medication, if you dare to risk it.
In the afternoon each team worked hard, trying to get as much done in a few hours, and succeeded. This was despite a strong breeze that turned our working environment into dust storm for most of the time. Most of us have noticed that we come back from the worksite with our skin feeling “burnt” not by the sun, but by the constant flow of dust onto our skin. I guess this is a perfect place for a cheap exfoliation, as well as cheap medication. At the end of the day each team had got a roof fully on, sheet rock nearly completed, and are well positioned for the big push on Thursday.
One of the things I love to see through the week is people having a go at something that they have never done before. As a result people have discovered new things about themselves, new talents and gifts, and sure they have also discovered sometimes that this is not for them. But everyone has tried, and everyone has worked hard. The “can do” attitude runs through the team for these five days on the work site and clearly anyone who comes to Mexico is prepared to get out of their comfort zone.
I think there is a danger of not continuing with that attitude for the other 360 days. It is too easy to stay in our comfort zone. We do what we think we are capable of new things or we don’t want to try for risk of failure. My prayer is that we all embrace this “Mexico Building Site” attitude every day of the year ahead, knowing that this is exactly what God wants. He see so much potential in all of us, and loves to see us walk and run, and when we fall over, He is there to pick us up. He does not want us to try independently but to realize our potential with Him, through His power, accepting the promise of Jesus that:
… you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
We are all here because a group of men were prepared to get up, and follow Jesus, and were then transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. They discovered their potential, new gifts, new talents and a new purpose. Seems to me this is a great way to live your life?
See below some more photos from Dan’s Team, and Natalie one of the Ensenada Interns.
