Latino Hospitality and Families

As I enter my last week in Latin America for a while I can't help but reflect on my past 2+ years here. There are so many stories to tell and things that I have learned. There are so many people that have entered into my life and been such a blessing to me, have become as close as family to me and its hard to say goodbye. I have lived with 10 or more families in the last 5 years in Latin America for at least one month each family, not many people can say they have that much family. Each one of those families adopting me as one of their own, took me to birthday parties of random relatives and to funerals of lost loved ones, we chatted about futbol or futebol, talked politics, life, girls, God, the church, economic development and just shared life together. So many people that have forever shaped me, so much that I have learned that makes me who I am today. I think of Mark 10:29,30

"I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. "

I am on my way to 100 and have received so much from so many people. Just this weekend I went back to Puebla for a visit and just received so much love and hospitality from so many people. I wish I could write about every person and every event that has transformed me, but that would take years. Just to say that I have learned so much about what family is and how to open up your home to strangers and accept them as family. I would say I have over 30 houses across the Americas where I could show up at the door and spend a few months living there no questions asked. I'm learning to love people and to love God and have had many amazing teachers along the way.

Meu Irmãozinho André, my little brother André


My Brasilian Mexican Family