Theology in Thread

In 2017 my daddy had the opportunity to go back to Mexico to visit family. He hadn’t been home in years and I could tell that he needed it. He also didn’t hesitate to come home with a suitcase full of gifts from his homeland for me, his little girl (but still a 24 year old woman at the time).

Part of those gifts were these beautiful ponchos or the native word for them, quechquemitl. They seemed so beautiful to me but instead of actually wearing them I tucked them away in my closet for storage until a few days ago. Why you ask? Well, earlier this month I applied for my passport for first time. I really want to go to Mexico and see the country my daddy calls home. To me it’s not just a vacation, it’s a chance to experience life with a family I’ve only known through phone calls and half translated Facebook messages.

I think it means so much to me because my daddy means so much to me. I get emotional just thinking about the sacrifices that I’ve seen him make that only we are aware of. My father holds the entire responsibility of why and how I not only came to Christ but was introduced to Him at such a young age. It is because of his migration to this country that makes the story of Jesus’ birth so personal to me.

When I look at the pattern of my quechquemitls I think of how each of these patterns began as a single design that eventually comes together to form one work of art. Just like my life, there are parts of it that I remember that I now see coming together to make something bigger. The simplest opportunities like taking a job at a clinic that serves a huge migrant population has been a stepping stone for how I plan to continue being a healthcare advocate for black and brown communities through my Masters Program. But I also see something else. I see the diversity of Christ through our lives. Not just as one big group of Christians, but as God created us to be in all of our colors and cultures. All of the things that make us different make us special. To me, the great commission isn’t just about getting people to accept Christ in their hearts. It’s showing the love of Christ to different people so that Christ has the opportunity to move into their heart on His timing. I never want to force people to Christ because that’s not what was done to me. I saw Him through my dad as he pulled over to give a homeless man our leftover pupusas after fellowshipping after church. I saw him helping other men, alone in this country find work to pay bills and support their families. I saw it in the extra hours we spent riding in a church van taking families and single people to church. I saw Christ in my dad before I saw Him in myself.   

I know my daddy wonders how a young, beautiful, and educated woman like me is still unmarried. The truth is, I’ve yet to encounter a man that has been able to even come close to the man that my dad is. This is not only based on the ability to provide, but also the ability to love and his humility. For this reason, I don’t think I even get distracted with certain men anymore that don’t display those characteristics because it simply is no use for me. I know the places where Christ is taking me and I can’t go there with just anyone.

I didn’t intend for this to be another post on my love life and yet, here we are again.