Buenas Dias (Good Day),

The team had the opportunity to visit the neighboring Municipality of Utuado, just 30 miles south of Arecibo today .  You may have already seen this photo floating around the internet, however seeing it first hand is another story.  Just ask any of the team members and they will share how they felt, I am certain it will leave an impression on you.  Several of the roads in the mountainous region continue to be unstable however what you see is people just dealing with their circumstance.  Local people going about their daily lives in order to provide for their families, children going to school with the new landscape being a part of their normal day, and life just happening.  Most of the area still does not have any electricity, over 5 months after the hurricane, and it may be months before they get any.  That photo above that I just mentioned belonged to an extended family member of someone that the January team met.  During the hurricane as it tore through the island the husband felt uneasy about staying in the home, he decided to get his family into his vehicle and drive to a different location.  Literally minutes after they got into their vehicle the home collapsed.  A decision that will always leave an impression on this family’s life.  Although they may never go back to their home, they are thankful for their lives.  We all have at some point gotten attached to a tangible item however think about the times that your heart was ready to explode with the joy that comes with spending time with your family, friends, neighbors or just basically being in fellowship.  How often do we thank GOD for what we have?  Instead of asking why we still don’t have that one item that will make us so happy that we will never ask for anything else again, ever!  Life is complicated and no one ever said it would be easy.  But let me end with this, each of those individuals living in that home in Utuado today are looking at life through a different perspective.  They got the second chance that many never do.  What are you waiting for?  Want to see your life through a different perspective?  Consider joining a trip to Puerto Rico and seeing how happy you can be through the eyes of those that are experiencing happiness with much less.

Bendiciones (Blessings)