Mexico City Missions: Encountering Christ in the Poor & Homeless

When we encounter Christ in the poor, we embrace our own poverty. We are filled with great love and are able to allow the love of Jesus to flow from us to those we meet. It is not enough to simply take a stand on an issue. We must stand with others and be one with them in what they face. When we do this, then the walls, the stigma, and the barriers are broken down. Human to human, life to life, a personal encounter cannot be replicated.   The depths of the human heart and connection with people is what life is all about.  The love of Christ is here with us always and present in the little ones. As Matthew 25:40 says, “Whatever you do for the least of my people, that you did onto me.” The greatest poverty in the world is being unloved. It is a tremendous blessing to have the opportunity to share with others on this journey of life and meet people where they are. Love transforms all and Christ Jesus gives us all the fulfillment that lasts forever. May the Lord bless those of Mexico City, especially the little ones.

Having the opportunity to go to spend time with people who are the down trodden and outcasts of society is important.  When we go and simply show up, blessings and immense light comes flooding in.  The encounter that we have with the poor is something that is transformative.  We bring joy into the lives of those we meet and they lead us closer to the Lord, radiating the love of Christ.  This intense experience is what continues to keep me going back to the places that nobody else wants to go.  However, the fact is that the poor are all around us.  They are in our work places, our communities, and in our schools.  Poverty tends to mask itself behind various walls.  There are all different forms of poverty albeit physical, spiritual, emotional, social, and financial.  Whatever form of poverty someone faces, it can drain them, sucking the very life out of their inner being.  When you and I show up in someone's life, we give them hope and these seeds germinate.  There is no telling how much this renewed hope will do for a person or a community and in fact it is not up to us to decided.  We plant the seeds and God causes the growth.  As long as we remember that we are workers in His vineyard, we will stay connected to the vine.  This will allow us to do God's work that He calls us to and our labor will bear much fruit.

Mexico City is a special place for me for so many reasons.  Experiencing the beautiful people in one of the most economically challenged places in the world has touched my life in a profound way.  I remember getting my invitation from a friend to join a group on mission.  When I learned where Hope of the Poor served the people on the streets of Mexico City and in the dump, I was touched.  Going there and showing up was another story.  So many people were supporters of my first mission and the one's I have served on since, as there is so much need in this place.  And yet, we weren't focused on "doing" but the emphasis was about being.  Being present is a gift, a far more impactful one than most understand.  Do not get me wrong, there was food, water and clothing brought with us, as these all served as a vehicle to allow us the opportunity to encounter the poor.  However, the heart of the mission was to share in time with our fellow brothers and sisters.

Think back to the ministry and times of Jesus.  He certainly performed many miracles and all of these impressed the crowds.  Giving sight to the blind, healing the lame, and raising the dead is quite remarkable.  It is not an every day occurrence that these happenings transpire today.  However, it is extremely important to recognize that as much as Jesus wanted to bring healing to people's lives, what he desired more was to draw them in so He could have an encounter.  Jesus was not merely a doctor for the ill, but one for the broken hearted and those who lacked faith.  Recall the words of the Lord in Mark's Gospel, "...Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.  I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners."(Mark 2:17)  This shows that physical healing was important to show the power of God, however the spiritual health is the most critical as that lasts forever and sustains the soul.

Street Ministry

Jesus is in Mexico City.  I saw and experienced the Lord face to face in the poor children on the streets and their distraught parents.  Climbing down into a drainage ditch and seeing how those who are forgotten in society live, opened my eyes.  I was blind, but now I was able to see.  Jesus was in the little girl who jumped into my arms and clung onto me.  The human need and desire to feel secure, to experience love, and comfort is extraordinarily tangible.  No thing, no material good, not even food or water which sustains life, can replicate this need for intense love.  Love is what the human heart and soul needs and that is what we shared in our ministry.  Spending time with the homeless in the local parks and listening to their stories, hearing their testimonies, and connecting with them on a deeper level was truly beautiful.  All the barriers, walls, and differences were erased.  Skin color, socio economic status, level of education, language; none of that mattered.  What mattered was the human heart connecting between me and the person I was spending time with.  What mattered was the warm hug, the holding of a tiny hand while walking on the street, and the kicking of soccer ball to smiling faces.

Visiting the City Dump

We took an hour or so bus ride to our next destination where Jesus spends much of his time south of the boarder.  There was no seashore and there certainly was no crowd gathered.  The stench was horrific driving into the city dump.  Even from a couple miles out, the smell infiltrated the bus.  As we got closer it looked as if this was a very mountainous area where we were approaching.  Then, it dawned on me...The mountains I saw off to a distance were actually heaping piles of trash.  Hundreds of feet tall with no end in sight, these garbage mounds were massive.  For as far as the eyes could see in every direction was filthy disgusting rubbish.  Out of the enormous piles emerged the people who worked and lived there.  How could this be?  Who could withstand such horrific conditions.  It was very hard to wrap my mind around  all of this.  Even the thought of these conditions could be paralyzing.  I quickly called to mind why we were there.  We weren't at the dump to fix anything and certainly had not come to fix anyone.  We were there to love and encounter Jesus face to face.  Walking up the mountains of trash to find other human beings, to be present, and hang out was our main goal.  And that is what we did.  In doing so, I felt God's presence like I never felt him before.  Looking into the brokenness of those people, I saw Christ staring back at me.  The suffering crucified Christ gazed into my soul.  In many instances, all I could do was to look back and with my eyes and smile tell the person on the other end that they mattered, were not forgotten, and are loved.  We were there to love and to share in God's love.  I felt the Lord and I believe that the children, women, and men I shared those afternoons with felt God's presence as well.  The smiles I received and the hugs, the  many "muchas gracias" uttered, and the hand shakes all were evidence that Jesus was alive.  In the midst of a mountain of trash, Christ was present. 



Jesus & Baseball

A final place I felt the intense presence of Jesus was during the Baseball Miracles portion of a visit I had in January of 2020.  Having the privilege and opportunity to team up with MLB pros, coaches, and staff as well as other volunteers to provide a dream day for kids at the dump was spectacular.  Over 150 kids and their families came out for a one day baseball clinic right there on the edge of the city dump as we transformed a massive patch of dirt into a baseball haven.  Once again, love conquered all.  The kids were provided and fitted with new baseball gloves, t-shirts, baseball cards, a backpack, and a good old fashioned ball-park frank lunch.  We taught them the ins and outs of the game including hitting, base running, fielding ground balls and catching pop flies, as well as the mechanics of throwing.  I have never seen so many kids so happy, as they smiled ear to ear.  That day in particular changed my life and led me to become a member of the Baseball Miracles Team!  This nonprofit organization travels the globe brining hope to underserved communities through the game of baseball and the love shared with the kids on the diamond.  The human connection felt that day broke down all barriers yet again and it allowed these children to simply be kids having fun! 

Get Involved

My hope is that you too will seek out opportunities to encounter Christ in the poor.  Take a step out of your comfort zone.  Remember, the poor are all around you.  Invite someone into your conversation, take a few minutes out of your day to be present, and love someone like Jesus did.  Your willingness to love and show up in the lives of another person will sprinkle light and make this world a better place.  There is no doubt that you will feel whole, as engaging in such an encounter is truly a holy moment.  We are called to be saints and we can change the world one person, one encounter, and one relationship at a time!

(Here is a link to a video that I created highlighting some of my experiences with Hope of the Poor & Baseball Miracles encountering the poor in Mexico City)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr68MvDZR-g

To learn more about HOPE Of The Poor or BASEBALL MIRACLES or to help these great organizations to continue to serve through donating, please check out the links below:

https://hopeofthepoor.org/

https://www.baseballmiracles.org/

  


God bless you,
Dan Jason

Who are You & What will your Impact Be

On your tomb stone it will have the year you were born and the year you died.  There will be a dash. That dash will represent all the things that you do, who you were, and the impact you had on other people's lives.  What do you want your dash to represent?

Each of us lives and each of us will die.  As it is said so often, "the only two things that are guaranteed in life are death and taxes."  There is another guarantee though, one that we can control based on how we use our time, our talents, and the faith that has been granted to us...We can all love and make a difference to others.  Jackie Robinson was one of the greatest baseball players of all time.  He was an MVP, World Series Champion, and most significantly the man who broke baseball's color barrier.  Robinson said, "Life means nothing, except for the impact we have on other people's lives."  One man can do something about problems in the world, one person can inspire others to be great, and a human life can impact numerous people by how we treat others.

Sometimes we get overwhelmed with the feelings of insignificance or not being "good enough."  We might even feel like what difference are we making if any at all.  How could I be like Jackie Robinson, or St. Paul, or Mother Teresa.  But it is not about making a name for ourselves.  It isn't about fame or glory.  Who you are is an easy question to answer, you are a child of God and oh does he have a mission for you.  It is easy to fall into the rabbit hole of comparison in a day and an age that is littered with social media postings, a get-ahead mentality, and keeping up with a high class lifestyle.  If we are to become our best version of ourselves, it is important for us to stay in our lane and be the best we can be.

Being our personal best every day will be what makes changes happen where we are for as long as we are there.  Every day we have people around us who take note of our choices, the way we treat others, and how we love.  When we put our faith in action, when we do the uncommon thing and make sacrifices it can be a game changer.  Mother Teresa is well known for serving the poor in Calcutta, caring for leapers, and healing the hearts of those in distress.  She became a great saint and left an imprint on the world.  She did what she could do.  One of her most famous sayings is, "Do small things with great love."  If we heed this advice and each day go about our routine and normal business with a "great love" attitude and approach the world around us will change.

Building up the Kingdom is about loving others where they are and for who they are.  Who you and I are is a person created to impact this generation in our own way.  We do not know how much time we will have, but if we trust in God's plan for our lives and are receptive to holy moments each day we will be remembered.  What is more than making a name for ourselves is making a name for He who we represent, Jesus Christ..."And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." (Colossians 3:17)

Be the best version of yourself each day, one day at a time.  Understand that your life is a platform to share the love of Christ with others through the way you interact with people, and how you go about your day.  For they will truly know that we are Christians by our love.  Becoming a millionaire, acquire fame, acceptance, and power...none of these will provide the joy in knowing at the end of your life that you made an impact on others. 

There is only one you that will ever exist on this planet.  You have unique gifts and talents to share with the world.  The world needs everyday heroes of faith who live for an audience of one--God.  When we live for Him everything changes and people will see Jesus in us.  It is then that they desire to know him more because we love as Christ loved.  

So what will your impact be?  How will you share love and Jesus with the world.  Remember, our Kingdom is not of this world.  This life is not the end, it is only the beginning.  What greater thing than to live for Him and lead others closer to our Lord. 

A Kingdom Not of this World

I was racing back and forth and couldn't believe what still had to be done.  Another day gone and so many tasks to accomplish, yet note enough time.  I felt anxiety beginning to creep in and take a stronghold over me.  Why were there so many burdens coming down, numerous lists that I hadn't even touched yet, and I was overwhelmed once again.  Then I suddenly stopped, paused, and took a deep breath.  I closed my eyes in distress and said four simple words that changed it all, "Jesus, please help me."

In life we can feel at times that the weight of world is coming down on us.  It might seem like we can never get ahead or even catch up to where we are "supposed to be."  Working tirelessly for that promotion, getting the kids to practice night after night, and having to do the million daily tasks of paying bills, household chores, and keeping everyone in the family situated.  Step back and breathe.  All of the things we must do, people we feel like we have to care for or the business of life should not and must not take us away from what this life was given to us for.  Even the best situation, working to advance ourselves to provide for our future and family, something of highest regard cannot take first place on the medal stand of life.  If Jesus is not on the top of the podium, whatever it is that is higher will rob us of what we are made for--Heaven.

In this 21st Century it is very easy to get distracted.  We are consumed by a culture that needs results instantaneously.  There is countless stimuli that infiltrates our lives on a daily basis.  Much of the "noise" is not for our benefit and even that which is often distracts us from that which is most essential.  This life is important, but we were made for more, we were made for Heaven.

We are laborers in God's vineyard and we are living for a Kingdom that is not of this world.  Jesus said, "I am the vine and you are the branches (John 15:5) and then reminds us that "the harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few." (Matthew 9:37)  When it becomes clear to us that we do have an important role and calling on this earth, however we were made for much more; then we can keep Christ at the center.  When Jesus is the center of our lives the stuff, the tasks, the material desires, the agendas, the responsibilities, and even other relationships become a little lighter.  They are still important, yet he enhances them all and will help us through it all.  Not only will Jesus help us to survive, but our Lord will allow us to thrive.  Our end goal is provided as a gift through the Lord's amazing grace and the blood of his cross (John 3:16).

Jesus came and lived in this world for a mere 31 or 32 years.  He could have stayed on the scene for much longer and have done even more miracles and work on earth.  However, as the Son of God, he knew full well that the Kingdom is not of this world.  Jesus did say, "nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is in your midst." (Luke 17:21) He did tell people this for a reason, we will have slices and pieces of the Kingdom revealed to us here in the now, but it won't come to fulfillment until we meet our Lord face to face in Heaven.  It is interesting that Jesus lived a fairly average life as a carpenter's son and then his final three years or so he dedicated to ministry.  It is in the daily grind of life where we can meet our Lord on the road and take steps forward toward Heaven.

At times people say you become what you eat or you become who you center yourself around and upon.  Well, when we center our lives on Jesus and realize that this is not the end, the burdens can be made lighter and the yolk not as heavy.  We then focus on what truly matters and have an eternal outlook.  So as you go into the hustle and bustle of the week, keep your eyes on the prize and fix yourself on Him.  Then the Son will raise you up this day and on the last day when you appear with Him in glory.

Come Follow Me: Saying "YES" to God's call

Thy will be done...How could four words in scripture and in the most well known and recited prayer throughout the world and history pack such a huge punch!  These four simple words contain great complexity, searching, and questioning.  They involve listening, quieting ourselves and being open to the direction of God in our lives.

For many of us we might want a sign or some kind of clear indication.  If it was as easy as a knock on the door and God showed up at our home and told us, "I want you to do this..."  Would that be nice and give us clarity, perhaps.  However, that would not make the great commission and what the Lord calls us to easier.  Discernment is a vital process in our faith development and our growth in an on-going relationship with Jesus and the Father.  By contemplating, praying, thinking, and searching we come to know who we are at the core and what God created us for.  The Holy Spirit is that still small voice that we will hear whispering when we give the time and space needed in our busy lives to discern that call of Christ say, "Come and follow me."

So what does that mean for you and for me?  How do we truly know what God created us for and what it is that He desires above all else that we do?  If it were that simple or easy maybe we would already be doing it or perhaps maybe we do know and the answer is closer than we think.  Throughout our lives God's call in terms of a vocation or the "what" and purpose for our lives might look different. Jobs are changed, careers, altered, but how we go about our work on a daily basis must remain the key and focal point.  Our ultimate calling is to discipleship and sharing the love of Christ with others in all that we do and in whatever arena we do it in.

As time continues, one door closes and another opens.  This all happens for a reason...God is leading us to the "next right thing" for our lives so that we can continue on our path to sainthood.  The purpose of our lives truly is Heaven.  We were made for ultimate communion and relationship with God for eternity.  God wants us to happy and more than that joy filled here on this earth and forever with Him in paradise.  So how can we get to this place and state of joy?  We get there through the course of our lives.  We get there through continuous relationship with Jesus, our best friend, with God our Father who wants the best for us, and by listening to the Holy Spirit which comes many forms to us with signs, wonders, messages, and in the stillness of prayer.

I encourage you to take some time and to prayerfully reflect upon your life.  Happiness is fleeting and eventually it will ebb and flow, come and go.  Deep seeded joy that comes through knowing your purpose and reason you are on this earth--discipleship and to become a saint for God's Kingdom is our call.  How we reach that comes in a variety of ways, jobs, careers, places, and experiences.  Think about what fills you up with that inner peace daily and makes you deeply joy filled.  No matter what it is that God calls us to next, as long as we are open and ready to say "YES" to that call we will be filled with joy.  When we die to self and align our will to God's will for us we can reach this state of grace and peace that leaves us with a joy only Jesus can fill.  For the Lord said, "I came so that they might have life and have it to the full...I have told you these things so that my joy might be in you and your joy complete." (John 10:10, John 15:11).

It is evident we must make heartfelt and head smart decisions.  Life keeps us on our toes and we have great responsibilities to take care of our families and try to provide a solid future.  But I encourage you to listen to the Lord and seek what he is calling you to.  Imagine him saying as He did to the first apostles, "Come follow me."  When we say, "YES" and go with Him we will never be the same.  Our lives might not be easy, and things might not allows be comfortable, but remember that "a ship at harbor is safe, but ships were made for sailing."  Take a step out into the water even when it is rocky, for the Lord will help you and guide you.  Your heart will be so filled with joy and this joy no one will be able to take from you.  May the Lord direct your steps and path and may you have that trust in Him who wants what is best for each of us so we can build up the Kingdom one day and one person at a time. Amen.

A Right to Life

He was taking the field again and had all of the doubters saying, there is no way he could win this time!  After four quarters of laying it all out on the field the quarterback lead his team to an improbable playoff victory over a superior opponent.  The game winning touchdown pass in over time on the biggest stage of all!  316 yards passing, 3 touchdowns and a huge smile entering the locker room.  On top of the world and riding with his teammates on cloud 9!

All of this pales in comparison to the tens of thousands of children who have been filled with tremendous joy and hope around the world.  His desire to lead people to Christ and to impact the lives of children especially those disadvantaged is monumental.  His work has lead to orphans being loved, cared for, and finding homes, the poor being recognized and visited, and thousands of children getting a once in a life time wish to come true.  In addition, around the globe a night for handicapped children and those with disabilities to have an evening they will never forget being made the center of attention through dinner and dancing-A Night to Shine!

What if his mom decided to take the advice of the doctor's over 30 years ago and terminate her pregnancy?  What if she heeded the voices that said, "he is going to die and has no chance."  What if that mother never gave her son, Tim Tebow, a chance at life?

Tim is just one example of life being lived to the fullest.  His mother was "supposed to" abort the pregnancy due to great complications and a bleak diagnosis. Instead, Tim's mom chose life and in doing so her faithfulness and love gave her son the chance he deserved and look how he thrives!

Over 50 million children were robbed of the life God had gifted them over the past 45 or so years in the US alone. On average over that time span upwards of on million children have been killed.  Why is our society not outraged by this atrocity? This is genocide and when we take a step back and think about it, how can it even be considered a "choice."

God blesses us with life.  He pours breath into our lungs and pumps blood in our veins.  Our heart beats and we go about our day never even thinking about the miracle of life that began at conception.  Did you know that the baby inside a mother has all of the eggs it will need to become a mother?  When you and I were born into this world we came in by the grace of God and did not have a choice, fortunately for us our parents decided to LIFE.  How can one who has life say "I chose for another for them not to have their life."  In John 10:10 it says, "I came so that they might have life and have it to the full."  Jesus desires for all of us to have life as each person is "created in the image and likeness of God" and is a child of God.

Some pro choice people hold firm on the argument that it meaning the fetus is not a human until X amount of weeks.  Or they will say, well it couldn't survive on it's own.  These arguments are completely crazy and nonsense.  First of all, what is "it" then?  The child inside the mother is not a dog, an alien or another creature and never will turn into one of those things.  The child is human and will always be.  The second argument is bogus also.  So you are telling me that a specific time then the child is able to survive on its own?  What baby right after birth can survive on their own?  Until about age 6 or 7 kids cannot survive on their own and are dependent on their parent or guardian.  Not to mention a child is not more a child at age 6 than they are at age 7.  They are still human and a child.  People would be outraged if babies or children at 6,7,8, 9 or any age for that matter were being killed.  Why is it okay to kill a child in the womb?  And can you imagine that in NY State the laws are getting so loose and evil that a child can be aborted nearly throughout the entire pregnancy.

It is evident that 100% of people who have an abortion or assistant in abortions at clinics or medical facilities are already alive.  No one is threatening to take their life and they are enjoying the life they have been blessed with.  Then how dare they go about killing innocent lives.

When we look at scripture it is clear that God protects life and desires that people are given that life he has granted them.  In Jeremiah 1:5 it states so beautifully, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."  God knows us before we even entered the womb, he knows us in the womb, and he knows everything we will do with the life he calls us to!  We were created for a reason to in relationship with one another and with him.  Why would anyone desire to terminate that life?  Furthermore, in the book of Job it explains how God is the giver and taker of life.  Job went through so many difficulties including losing all his possessions, get greatly sick, losing his wife and family to death, yet he still realized God had a plan.  No matter what our lot is in life, God can always turn it around like he did for Job and make beauty from ashes.  We must not play God and decide someone else's fate, that is wrong!  We wouldn't want someone to do that to us! "And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken it: blessed be the Name of the ..." Job 1:21

Stand up for life!  Be a light to the nations and know that in defending these little ones, God will greatly reward you.  Be their voice.  Be their hope.  And be the change that the world needs.  As the great Martin Luther King Jr. so emphatically proclaimed, "Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hatred cannot drive out hate, only love can do that." Love these children and give them the life they deserve so they might have a full life and see how each person can change the world for the better, but they have to have the opportunity to do so!