“Here at Project Mexico, time moves exactly the way it’s supposed to.”

A volunteer from Washington state shared the above reflection during our end-of-week debrief. He told us that his homebuilding trip to Project Mexico had been a much needed spiritual and physical reset after a challenging year. He explained that time here does not feel like an enemy. At home, we’re often anxiously waiting for the future, desperately pursuing a deadline, or fretting about the past. It is hard to simply be present.

At Project Mexico, we start the day with morning prayers followed by quiet time for personal prayer or reflection. I love those 15-20 minutes of silence. Dedicating that time to God, rather than getting ready for the day, is a wonderful little moment to focus my intentions for the day.

Another Washingtonian volunteer shared that the week at Project Mexico helped her relinquish her need to be in control. She had difficulty with feeling out of control of the schedule and not knowing what to expect from the construction. She reflected that the week taught that she would still be okay despite her lack of control.

On the homebuilding work site, we do not base our schedule off the clock. Rather, we end our workday when we complete the tasks for the day. Likewise, we do not break for lunch at a certain time; we eat when half the day’s work is complete. Learning to go with the flow of the work day has taught me patience and to take things as they come.

The volunteers’ reflections about time reminded me about how we feel during church services. If our hearts are occupied by worldly cares, the prayers seem to drag on forever. But if our hearts are prepared for worship, we forget the passage of time and feel surprised when the service ends. Time stands still, and the outside world fades away.

We can experience time, with God’s grace, as the saints do in the Kingdom. Thanks be to God for gifting that experience of time to volunteers at Project Mexico.