Day 6 (July 16) – Casa Abba

 
1 Corinthians 13:4
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant…

Today’s devotional reminded us of the importance of being kind to one another as an act of love. 1 Corinthians 13, often called the “Love Chapter,” gets a lot of attention at weddings and marriage seminars—and rightly so! There’s plenty of truth in it for loving your spouse and family well. But originally, this chapter is about how to love fellow believers, especially when there are disagreements about spiritual gifts. We won’t dive into all of that now, but chapter 13 is showing us how to navigate differences within the church: by loving one another and choosing kindness.

Ephesians 4:32 echoes this: “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Our kindness isn’t rooted in how people treat us; it’s rooted in the kindness and forgiveness Jesus has shown to us. So, how can you be kind to someone today?

This morning, Kayla Morales shared her testimony during our group devotionals. I love hearing Kayla share her story! She is such a sincere believer who genuinely desires everyone to know Jesus. (You can read what I wrote about her testimony from the first trip HERE.) Every time she shares how God has worked in her life, it impacts our team.

She talked about her life before Christ—looking for fulfillment in all the wrong places—and how she came to know Jesus at Skyview and was radically changed. She shared how she got connected to Lakeside Christian Church and our youth group, and how hard it was to follow God’s call to attend Word of Life Bible Institute and then move to Mexico for missions—especially when people close to her didn’t understand her calling. But God led her to Mexico, to Jocsan, and ultimately to Casa Abba.

As she spoke, a metaphor came to mind: life is like being in a boat at sea. Before Christ, we’re tossed to and fro, at the mercy of the waves and storms—hopeless and afraid. But in Christ, the sea is still the same, only now we’re tethered to the Anchor of our souls, who helps us navigate every storm.

Kayla has been such a blessing and an inspiration this week. She has cared for our group so well, and I’m deeply thankful for her!

This afternoon, we returned to Casa Abba to wrap up painting, move dirt, and build a roof over the well. I’ll let the pictures tell the rest of the story.