Today is my last day at La Casa, and as promised I have lots more to write about. Everyone warned me that this trip would change my life, but you never really know in what way, or when exactly it will dawn on you that you're changed, or in what ways it really matters in your everyday life.
My time here, albeit short, has truly been life changing. But not in the ways that are so obvious by just looking at me. I look exactly the same, except maybe ten pounds lighter. But I have really learned valuable lessons, taught without any words by the staff here at La Casa. I'm writing it down in hopes that I never forget.
Duty. What i'm supposed to do. To fulfill my duty is to have done all the hard work to get there, but no profit, or no credit. Just fulfilling my obligations.
But to live beyond duty, beyond what is expected of me, is to live the way I was intended to live. I begin to live the way I was intended to live, the abundant life, at the exact moment when I pass from the duty stage to the freer atmosphere of voluntary investment, going the extra mile. And that's precisely how everyone here at La Casa lives their lives.
I'll give you just one example. Yesterday I was invited to go on a field visit with Katherine, one of the staff members here at La Casa. A field visit to a school, to check up on the siblings of one of the girls at La Casa. Of course, she didn't have to go, but she was not only interested in the well being of the girl under her care, she wanted to make sure her brothers and sisters were also going to school.
Off we went in search of the school. We found it, went in and spoke to the principal/director. It turned out the kids were not in school and two of them rarely attended. One, the sister, was pretty good about showing up, but hadn't on this particular day. How nice, I thought, of Katherine to care enough to pay a visit to their school, though really she was under no obligation to do so. Oh well, they're not here, let's go, I thought. But no.
End of mile one.
She decided we still had a few minutes, we were going to go look for them. What? There was no way we were going to find them in a large coffee finca. Picture a huge mountainous jungle, with spiders and all, over a few miles long. These kids could have been anywhere. There was no way we were going to find them. Oh, and not to mention the entrance was a street fillled with the infamous MS13 gang members. The writing was on the wall, as they say. But off we went.
Headed to the finca and found a little boy who was willing to tell us where the kids may be. It turned out there was no road where we could find them, it would be long walk down hill through a maze of plants and trees, and shrubs, spiders, the works.
End of mile two.
Off we go. Through the finca until we spot the boys. She yells at them to come over. I'm thinking, there is no way these kids are going to listen to you. Their going to take off running, let's just go. But no, she called, and waited. Eventually one came. Good I thought, better than nothing. Then she asks, where's your brother and sister. Go get them. Aw man, I thought now were really going to lose him, but no, he returned with his sister. Returned for a speech that he knew was coming. And she let him have it about not attending school, and getting into other troubles. But, he sat there and listened.
Alright, I thought, our job is done. But no. Where's your mom, she asked. I want to speak to her. Great, now we have to find her mom in this huge jungle.
End of mile three.
Off again we went to find her mom, so she could make clear the deal she had cut with the kids. If they went to school, there would be a cool prize for them. Incentive to attend school. They didn't even have to maintain any particular gpa, just go! We found the mom, went over the deal, she encouraged them to go to school, and praised the sister for attending, and let them know above everything else that she loved them. End of mile four, five, six...
And that was just one example. Everyday I encountered Patty, Kurt, Katherine, Gary, Raquel, Alexia, Gerardo, and the rest of the staff go the extra mile, beyond their duty.
The organization goes beyond their duty in every respect. Beginning with their model, which strives to go beyond what they call custodial care, meaning just feeding and clothing the kids, but to reach to provide therapuetic care, where they meet the kids needs with respect to psychological and spiritual needs. These are kids that come from very tough backgrounds. I had only a glimpse and realized, this stuff is deep.
Beyond that, they strive to reach the families of the kids. Many of the kids were taken away from their homes from reasons ranging from extreme poverty, to neglect, to abuse. The staff at La Casa attempts to reach back and improve the situation of the kids families in an attempt to reconcile the families, a very lofty goal, but they do not hesitate to go the extra mile.
They go even further and attempt to improve the community where the kid comes from, because of the strong possibility that the child will someday return to his original home when he is grown.
Truly every project or task undertaken here goes beyond the call of duty. They truly live the abundant life! Not driven into it by duty, but lured into it by love. That's where I want to be. Going the extra mile at every opportunity. In giving, in kidness, in work, in everything.
Go the extra mile.
My time at La Casa and El Salvador is something I will never forget. El Salvador is a beautiful country, but it's the people that really make this place unforgettable. And the lessons I learned I hope I never forget. My friends here are incredible!
Next stop is Nicaragua. I'm skipping Honduras because of the situation there. Although news today reports that Zelaya, the ousted President of Honduras, is attempting to reenter the counrty via the Nicaragua border. This may delay my trip to Nicaragua as well. We'll see how that goes, stay tuned.
If you want to learn more about La Casa, check out their website. http://www.mfh-elsalvador.org/
Check out photos on Facebook.
I love you all,
Michael
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