From Mexico City Meetings

Once again, I'm back in the enormous city where I started learning how good God was when you look for him at the margins.  I first came in 2005, and I've lost count of how many times I've been back.  Six?  Seven?

I'm here with other Trek directors for time in prayer, meetings and preparation to take students into 5 different cities' slums this summer.  Mexico City, Lima, Kolkata, Manila, and Bangkok.  (I've got Lima, by the way.)  It's refreshing to remember our common vision together, supporting the crazy work that we're all digging into. 

Current statistics show that 1 million people move into or are born in cities each week around the world.

We believe that God is raising up flesh and blood followers of Jesus to incarnate the gospel among the urban poor.  We on the Trek want to help students see the truth that Jesus often calls us into difficult situations, hardship, and suffering.  But when God does that, it's not out of punishment or guilt-- it's because this is the most beautiful adventure imaginable for our lives.  We don't want students responding because they think it's some weighty demand from the Creator of the universe, but because it's an invitation to a life that we wouldn't imagine on our own, a life of deep love from our Father who cherishes every one of his children.

We wrestled today with a desire to not only EXPOSE students to something new and impactful in their Trek city, but to develop their CHARACTER, to give them the tools and grounding to see God truly and to recognize his voice.  In sum, what do we (and our students) need to believe about God in order to enable us to say yes to follow Jesus into the slums and there to discover a life that is beautiful, significant, and adventurous?

I rejoice that this is what meetings are about in my line of work.  This is what prayers are about.  This is what my life can be about.  May it be beautiful, significant, adventurous.