My First Impressions by Paul B. Arid, dry mountainous land Block & tin dilapidated buildings Farming on impossible mountainsides Rainy season Dry season Old cars & older buses 100,000 people in a square mile or two Streets barely wide enough for a bus Chickens & cows in the yard Taking baths in rain barrels Doing laundry by hand & hanging it out to dry Bars on windows everywhere Glass bottles on walls 2 room houses Don't drink the water Abject poverty Never leave anything laying around Depressing? It was to me for the first couple of days. THEN…I began to look around a little harder and saw joy: Happy, skilled bus drivers Smiles on the faces of children every place you see them Joy & enthusiasm in the Lord at Sunday evening service A happy-go-lucky man named Manuel who smiles while he works alongside us Smiling faces that serve us wonderful meals Obvious joy & thankfulness in those we are here to help There's a lesson I have learned here: There is joy in family, friends; the things God has blessed us with; small things.  Joy in a simple life; a life well-lived no matter how simple.  Joy that is in, and comes from the heart.