Leon, Nicaragua...

I often get the response why do you go out of the country to help others when we have our own people you could help. Usually I smile. Then I evaluate just how long of an answer I can give the person.

I go on out of the country mission trips because I love different cultures, the children, adults, seniors, orphans, widows, widowers.

The people I have worked with are those who are facing life in the lowest of low situations, living on land and tapping electric lines that isn't theirs, money for one days worth of meals (maybe), living near an area where waste is dumped, in shacks where the supplies are gained from a garbage dump (did you know you could make a wall out of one of those children flexible swimming pools?).

Most times when we go visiting, we are greeted with big smiles and a welcome to come sit with them to talk. Thank goodness for translators, they helps us talk back and forth. Smiles, hugs, and warm hearts sure go along way.

I have come away from each trip with a lesson learned.

Last year, it was about worrying. I am the best worrier. I give it to God, and most times, sad to say umm....I help him out by continuing to worry. Worrying about tomorrow, worrying about cars, worrying about my young adult children. I am getting better at not worrying.

I keep thinking of a verse in Matthew, it is from the Lord's Prayer where it says,

Give us our daily bread.

Give us our daily bread...to me that means don't think about tomorrow...most times thinking ahead for me turns into worry.

Daily Bread to me is more than just food for my belly. Daily Bread for me is my husband having a job. Which was a huge worry from January thru April. Each time I had a worry over some part of the thought of Gary not working, I thought cant do anything about it today. Everyday it would be a different thing that would come to mind about Gary not working. Everyday I had to tell myself ummm...cant do anything about it today. Eventually I stopped worrying.

What is your Daily Bread?

The people we visited taught me that I can't worry about tomorrow or even the same afternoon, worrying sure is not going to get me any further than I am. Worrying only causes problems, physical ones, emotional ones, so why go there.

Every person we talked with said something similar to "I prayed this morning for an angel to help me, I needed food this afternoon for dinner, I did not have enough". Most were lonely, they praised God upon sighting us outside their front door.

Thank you God for the Daily Bread you give me everyday, even when I worry and I shouldn't.