“You’re full of life now, you’re full of passion. That’s how He made you, just let it happen.”
I want these words to be so real and tangible in my life. Every day. Every moment of every day. Remembering. What a gift it is to remember the sweet memories with sweet friends that the Lord has given. I’m making new ones now here in Mexico and I stop to just remember all that has happened within the last 7 weeks. All the emotions, prayers, expectations, frustrations, all of the “newness.” Mexico isn’t bad or weird or wrong…it’s just different. And I love that it is so different. I love that it makes me be more patient and care more about relationships. I love that it shows me what an impatient and selfish person I can be. I am
always counting these little revelations as gifts. What awesome gifts our Father is always giving. Thank You, Jesus. Thank You for this beautiful place that we live in with these beautiful people in this beautiful culture. All of it is little gifts inside one big gift.
The body of Christ is so necessary and real, and I’ve come to this realization recently. What a wonderful thing it is to lean on each other and love each other and talk late into the night about what the Father has done in each other’s lives. Talking about how He has shown us His faithfulness early in the mornings before the sun has risen and before the school day has began. How encouraging it is to run this race with others who genuinely seek after the heart of Christ and His people!
What a joy it is to love these little faces every day here in Puerto. Aren’t they so beautiful? I can’t stop looking at them in the day or thinking about them when I’m away. Jesus uses these faces to make me so aware of my sin. He reminds me so gently of how I fall so short of His glory every time I look into their sweet eyes or hear their sweet laughs. His presence is so evident here in Puerto. I’ve been so humbled while learning to teach and I see how precious the opportunity is to get to lead and disciple children. If I get caught up in the details then I miss the whole point of it all, which is love. The only thing that matters is loving these children to Jesus by Christ before me and Christ behind me. When I am reminded of this truth then and now I can only think about His love and promise to us—He will never forsake us. Not now, not ever. We are all the same…every race and color are the same. We are all in need of our Savior.
There have been times I’ve been so homesick, I didn’t want to be here. But where I can go without Your Spirit?” Wherever I am—The Lord is there. Mexico has been just a place to me…but it’s becoming a home now. All so fast. Because He is here with me. Wherever the Lord is, is my home. Seeing His beauty in every little thing can make our hearts so full. Counting our blessings, our gifts. I have found so many gifts He has given us since we’ve been here…words can’t do all of them justice. I know I have so much more to learn about Mexico, teaching, relationships, loving. There is joy and peace in knowing that I can never stop growing in these things, either. He is a good, good Father. Be where He has called you to be, and be all there.
Haley Tew and her husband, Nate, moved to Mexico to serve with GEM in August of 2016. Haley grew up in Denton, TX and graduated in 2015 with a B.S. in Elementary Education from Emmanuel College and became certified in Special Education. Haley serves as the 1st-grade teacher at the Manantial school in Puerto.