Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca. 4 years ago, I wouldn’t have recognized that city’s name or even thought twice about traveling there. Now, I consider it one of my home away from homes. Puerto (as everyone calls it
for short) is unique. Anyone who has spent any stretch of time there would tell you that.
Puerto is surrounded by beauty. The beaches are pristine. The waves are perfect. The sunsets are unimaginable. The market is filled with fruits and vegetables of every color. There are so many adventures to be had! Snorkeling, surfing, walking down the coast, horseback riding, new foods to try, and so much more.
Even with all of that, my favorite part about Puerto is the people. That is what makes any place feel like home, being surrounded by people that love you.
I worked at the Manantial School, which felt more like a family than a staff. Left and right there were people to help you, pray for you and laugh with you at all times. I was a first-year teacher, AND living in a new country – but none of that could overpower the joy of the Manantial family.
I also attended a local church, also filled with people who accepted and loved me immediately. The love of Christ filled that place, just like my church back home. We would worship in Spanish, which was completely new to me, but after a few short weeks, it began to feel like home also. The people of Puerto loved me so much and made it feel like home.
Through my time in Puerto, I believe I got a tiny taste of what Heaven will be like. It will be a place I’ve never seen before, completely new, but will immediately feel like home. Because that is what I was created for. I was created to worship my God and be with Him forever. Although it is completely unfamiliar to me now and I know I could never imagine it exactly what it will be like – one day it will be my home forever. I will fit in instantly. Not because of anything other than who is there, someone who loves me perfectly. Man, oh man, I can’t wait to go home!
Rachel Ellzey, Sponsorship Coordinator & former GEM Missionary