Priscilla Joy

It was early when I got up. About 5:00 in the morning. Everything had been packed yesterday so all I had to do was get dressed, brush my teeth and grab my two backpacks on the floor. My mom drove me to the airport. We went out of our little town of Mooresville where everything was still asleep and into busy Charlotte where a lot more was going on.

After parking in the car garage, my mom went with me into the airport where we met the other people who were on the same flight, my youth pastor, two college students and a dad. A hurried hug with my mom and I was off to Mexico and Rancho3M!

I went through security, rather quickly because I was pre-check. A nice surprise. We then hurried to our gate and chilled until it was time to board, although even then we waited because we were Group 3, the last group to board. The airplane was very new and modern with screens that played TV all through the flight. Rather distracting. I mostly read a “Christians Then and Now” book on Cameron Townsend and then just sat and thought to myself.

We arrived in Dallas TX and I made the fatal mistake of NOT buying something to eat. We had a short layover there and then got on another airplane to El Paso TX. This plane had little screens on every seat which was better because I could choose what to do. I got the interactive map up on there and watched our course. After touching down in El Paso, my favorite part of the plane rides, we got to go through those swinging glass door thing, and an escalator. By now I was VERY hungry but I would have to wait even longer.

In the El Paso airport we met up with another family on our team and two couples from the Sovereign Grace Church of the Lowcountry. Dean Adamek (director of Rancho3M) and some of the early crew from our team came to pick us up. I got in the big 15 passenger van and then everyone went to an authentic Mexican restaurant for a late lunch. My stomach was very happy with this, but alas, Anna (a girl from our team) and I were of course the last ones to get our food, which we gobbled down quickly. I got chicken tacos.

After lunch, we all piled in again and headed to the border. The border crossing went well and we were in Mexico! After an hour long drive we reached the Ranch! When everyone piled out of the vans all of the kids piled on us! Hugs, hugs and more hugs. Lots of the kids remembered me and my name so when I got out some kids would yell “Priscilla! Priscilla!” Lil Cristian and Juanito were some of the ones who remembered me. It was like reuniting with family!

I settled into the dorm room, I was bunking with Sarah (a college age girl I have gotten to know on past trips down there) and then went to hang out with the kids. Some of the kids from the year before were not there, which was sad, but for the kids who were there it was, like I said, reuniting with family. We kicked the futbol around and I was delighted to find that my Spanish was an answer to prayer! While the rest of the group went on a tour I stayed back and played with the kids. I played basketball with Josefina and Bianca, some of my new friends and played tag with some of the young boys.

I went to bed very happy that night. I was there in Mexico with my dear Mexican family.

Priscilla