Grace Happens Here

The title, Grace Happens Here, was purposefully chosen because it reflects so well what I encountered on Ambergris Caye.  The white sand beaches and sea breezes in San Pedro remind me to breathe in the abundant grace and beauty of the island.  Yet what has made being here so profound was discovered amid the third world poverty of San Mateo.  Unexpected lessons about life and love awaited me at Holy Cross Anglican School, in the homes of its surrounding neighborhood, and through my work beside some extraordinary people with the St. Luke's, Durham team.  I was fortunate to spend much of the week assisting Dr. Jim Short and Dr. Kim Shackelford, including going into the community as they made "house calls." Witnessing Dr. Jim's incomparable empathetic medical skills and Kim's gentle insightful social work was a complete privilege.

At one home we encountered Gasper, a young twenty-something man tethered by medical restraints that keep him all but housebound.  A vibrant spirit, he spends much of his time honing his artistic talent.  Following a peace-filled time at his family home, as we prepared to leave, he insisted that Kim and I accept a couple of his drawings.  Responding to his offerings, I wanted to pay him.  Gasper explained to me that if he were to accept money, the art would no longer be a gift, a gift from his heart. Grace happened as the shades lifted from my eyes.

As I pack to fly home in the morning, I am sad to be leaving.  I will dearly miss being with the good folks from the St. Luke's team who have openly shared themselves, and who have become dear to me.  I believe that my Ambergris Caye week has left me with a deeper understanding of God's love for all of us.  The good people of San Mateo, people with so little a share of what the world has to offer, live lives full of hope, faith, and love.  Grace happens on such fertile ground!

Mary Cerrato
February 9, 2020