Most of the goodbyes are over and our team is now at South Padre Island in Texas for the weekend doing debrief. It is difficult watching this year come to a close, but I am so excited to see what’s next. This year has been challenging, frustrating, stretching, and rewarding. God has done so much and for me being able to experience what He’s doing in Matamoros has been an honor and a privilege. In some ways this is the end – it’s the end of the FYM program and it’s the end of all of us living together in Mexico. But it’s also the beginning of something great – life after this. We have all learned so many valuable lessons that won’t stay down here; we will take this experience with us forever in our hearts and what God has done will come home with us. It really is sad having the uncertainty of when or if we’ll see each other again – teammates and also friends in Matamoros. The cool thing is, though, that there is hope. This isn’t the final goodbye. Whether or not we ever see each other again in this life is up in the air, but we have the hope of heaven. We are brothers and sisters and we will stand together before our King with our Mexican brothers and sisters without any walls or borders between us. The problems of this life will be gone forever. It’s so exciting! But with that, there is also the reality of what will happen to those who don’t know Jesus. I have to believe now, more than ever, that He truly IS mighty to save. People that I’ve met here don’t need Abbey, they need Jesus. He changes their hearts and He was here before we got here and will continue to be here long after we leave. It’s hard to understand and accept at times, but He sustains our friends here in Matamoros, we don’t. So there is just a crazy whirlwind of emotions right now, but through it all there is hope in knowing that God has a bigger heart and love for these people than I could ever imagine. Now I just have to leave my teammates and my friends in Matamoros in God’s hands. He will provide for them. He will satisfy them. He will sustain them. And I believe that for my friends here that don’t know Him – that He is working and His heart is that NONE should perish. He is the God who saves and I just pray that He will increase my faith so that I can leave knowing that He will continue to move and that He will bring them to life.
I cannot say thank you enough times to all of you who have faithfully encouraged me throughout these past months. You have been more of a blessing than you’ll ever know, and thank you really isn’t enough. I look forward to seeing you all and I would love to be able to hear what’s been going back at home and to be able to share more about what God has been doing in Mexico. Thank you!
