Lost and Found

I am starting to think that every time something goes great there always has to be an interesting finish. This last Saturday we had a group from Iowa come and help for ½ a Saturday with New City/Barrio Nuevo. The group had come to brainstorm and plan for their business in the coming year. I am grateful that their leader, boss, decided to do some team building by working with New City. They helped fund a Saturday that impacted my lives, both kids and adults.

We did a picnic in the park party and had a free lunch where some friends cooked dogs and burgers. Many in the neighborhood brought different salads, soups, bean and a cake for dessert. The helpers from Iowa connected with the kids through doing crafts, i.e. face painting, making bracelets, playing basketball and finally doing a piñata. A good portion of the Iowa group went into the neighborhood a painted a house of a single mom whose had the same job for 21 years! Everyone had a great time being stretched a little by being in a diverse community and being asked to do some things which they hadn’t done before.

As the day progressed it was obvious everyone was enjoying themselves, making little friends and accomplishing a lot. We had taken many pictures with the cameras that had been brought. The key contact for me was Kim, the admin specialist for the owner of the company. We finished the day with bringing all of the kid people over to see the house we had painted in about 2 hours. We took a large group picture with Ora, the single mom and homeowner. She had tears in her eyes as an appreciation of thanks. So just as we load up on the bus everyone seems fine and has all of their belongings.

As usual I take outside groups that help to Ranch Market to experience some of Mexico in Phoenix. The Ranch Market close to by house burnt down and is still being redone. So we went to another market on their way back. We pull up with this gigantic bus and park it taking up over half of the spaces on the side of the market. Everyone enjoys walking around looking at the interesting Mercado’s that are outside. We walk into another world and I get everyone to have a fruit drink that ranged from Horchatta to Sandia (watermelon). Just as we are making our escape back to the bus Kim comes up to me asks me to look for her camera. I have no idea where it could be. We talk a little bit and I promise to look at the park as I go back to clean up and finishing loading the truck.

As I pull into the South Ranch neighborhood I ask a few of the teens to look around for a camera that is very similar to mine. We look and look and there is nothing to find. I txt Kim and tell her that we were looking, but still no camera. She is starting to get a little frustrated and fearful that it might be gone. As I look in my little car I see my camera case and my camera sitting on the seat. Ahhh, maybe the other camera is actually in my case. As I open it up it dawns on me that I actually had her camera and someone else had mine and left in my other car. I thought back and realized that her camera was a little different in the way it worked even though it looked the same. I txt her back and tell her to start praying so we can find. I wait another 10 minutes, I’ve got her attention and then tell her the good news – we found it and it is all in one piece. She echoed quickly that she is thankful to God for us finding it.

I go home and quickly download my pictures from my camera only to discover that I had really used her camera a bunch and then proceed to download the rest of the pictures. I was quickly able to print a few of the pictures to give to her when we drop off the camera at their resort where they are staying.

I know at times I can feel like I am lost and that no matter how hard I try to figure out life’s ups, downs and turns I don’t get it. I know that Kim had this gut feeling like I can’t believe I lost the bosses camera after such a great day. What a horrible way to finish a day and the trip. The great news is that God is in the business of doing lost and found. I am thankful that someone who has a better eye and ear than me is always watching out for me. The challenge is that I often like to be lost and pretend that it is just life circumstances that cause this. I am no different than anyone else the last thing I want to do is ask for directions or let anyone know that I’m hurting or have a real problem.

The great news of the gospel is that Jesus is in the business of finding lost sheep, feeding us, watering us and putting us back on track. Yes, the Saturday was a great success and finding the camera only affirmed to me that sometimes the little bumps in the road help us keep our focus on the Father!