Soon, my wife and I will begin our fourth school year with Manantial. To say that these 3 years have been a blessing would be an understatement. We have been encouraged and have grown in so many ways since we followed God’s leading to Puerto Escondido, Mexico. God is truly at work in all of our everyday lives and is constantly pouring out His grace to us in innumerable ways. Deuteronomy 8:18 says, “Remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability ti produce wealth.” Everything we have is the generous love and grace of God who gives and provides for all things. God has truly been good to us, but this past year came a gift unexpected in our lives.
Not even a year ago, we met a family in our church and invited them to dinner the next night. Come to find out, this family lived just a few blocks from us. That one dinner turned into dinners at their house at least once a week where they opened their home and generously served and cared for us as their own. We began going to their house just to hang out for a little bit, but that would turn into spending the entire afternoon and evening with them. As Kristen and I celebrated 3 years of marriage last November, they invited us over to their house and they celebrated our marriage with us. In a little less than a year, these strangers have become our family. They are some of our deepest friends in Mexico and we haven’t even known them for a year. God’s gifts comes in various ways. My prayer is that this simple story reminds you of God’s grace in your life. What gifts has He given you that you are taking for granted? Who are some people around you that you can show the generous love and grace of God to?
-Daniel McDonald, GEM Missionary