Last weekend we had the privilege of working with the X Project, either a 3-day or a 1-day build totally planned out by Amor.  Saturday night all participants were in camp for a program, which was held in a huge circus tent.  At the end of the worship and a talk from Scott Congdon, we had a final “breakout session” where all of the participants got into groups to talk about what they had seen that day.  This was the highlight of my week, to get to watch people who were giving up their lives for a weekend sit back and process what they had done that day.  It was good for me to be able to continue to think about what this summer means – how I view life differently than when I came here.  A man in my group stated it well when he said it would be nice to go back and have everything the same, but “there is a problem… it’s all different now.”

After being here for two months, I look around each day and notice a change in how I view one thing;  people.  Now there aren’t just Americans, Mexicans, pastors, kids, youth leaders, mothers… there are stories, families, feelings and experiences…  people to get to know and to love in whatever way I can.

Anyone who knew me before this summer knows how much I LOVE talking to strangers (insert sarcasm). Now, I actually am starting to be less hesitant to open up and ask that first question, to look someone in the eyes, and to dig deeper into who they are, where they come from and where they are at right now.  Every person has a different story, different eyes with which they look out into the world and a different way that they need the love of Jesus.

I have been blessed to know some Spanish and to be able to talk to the families and get to know them and visit them later when I am in their community.  Each of them has been a huge gift to me; each one has impacted me and changed me.

So many people ask us what Jesus would do in certain situations.

What would he do in the Mexican desert in 2009?  Sure, I am certain he would love to give these families shelter, but I believe that there would be more.  Jesus would be wiping snot and sticky mango off of the children who are swarming him, no matter how annoying they are; he would be crying with father who works from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. every day but still can’t provide for his family; he would be jumping for joy with the mother who just found out she was pregnant with her seventh child even though she doesn’t have enough money to send another to school; he would be truly reaching out, fully getting to know people and whole-heartedly loving people.

That image is definitely something that I will take away from this summer.  No matter who it is, where they come from or how they look, every person needs more than one second of your life, needs to be given more than just a glance, more than just a smile… they need to be loved.

By Kate Lesenwich

Project Nexus is a group of 18 – 25 year olds who are spending the summer in radical service, living at the Amor Ministries campgrounds and serving our groups in Mexico.