I finished 2012 down in the countryside of Baja California, Mexico as I have done for the last 11 years, visiting a single collection of farm, orphanage, home, and school. Every year during the week after Christmas, a
group goes to
Rancho Santa Marta to serve its people and also one another. I go to give freely and serve selflessly and (as we all know how it goes) I end up receiving greatly more than I give. It has become a blessed tradition for me. After over a decade of visits, I've seen less-fortunate infants become mature, sound teenagers and teenagers now prosperous adults. I'm thankful for the work of the Lord; thankful that God considers it infinite riches to invest in others and real power to become weak. It's a mysterious yet wonderful paradox of joy in which to participate. I hope these pictures instill a bit of that joy.
