mandy inchaustegui

“It’s the Mayan Club, Mom, but it’s the people that make it a church.”

This comment came out of the blue from Xander a few weeks ago as we were driving up to church. When we moved to LA five years ago, he was a year and a half. He has grown up going to church on Sunday nights at the Mayan. It might have seemed crazy, and not altogether safe at times, to take our kids to the club but I knew that they were getting experiences that would shape their worldview in a way that I thought was pretty important.

Because of our time at the Mayan, Xander has witnessed the power of the arts to communicate truth. He’s watched incredible dancers and artists tell stories through their crafts, asking questions, understanding that there is more to what they are doing than just dancing or painting. He had the opportunity to invite others to participate in a backpack drive, learning that we can do so much more together than we can do on our own. He has learned that not everyone dresses or looks the same and that everyone, no matter what, is a valuable person, loved by God. He has been loved on by so many of our friends at the Mayan as people have watched the boys so Anthony and I could serve with Celebrate Recovery, understanding the value of community as we all live life together.

I am so grateful for the way our time at the Mayan has shaped our kids. Xander had his first big boy potty experience there. It’s where Elijah learned to climb stairs. I’ve had to avoid fully explaining the naughty pictures down in the green room and that lamp by the back bar of the topless lady that is conveniently the exact height of a two year old. They have been “conversation starters” for me with so many people, usually who are there by themselves, maybe not having anyone else to talk to. I could have done without the several times we have lost one of them in the sea of people in downtown LA or Xander almost running out in front of a bus. But other than that, it’s been incredible for our family.

Last night was the last time my boys will be in that building for a very (very!) long time. Driving home, I was a bit nostalgic and crying. We talked about why we wouldn’t be going back there and what we are looking forward to in the future. We talked about how it’s not the building that makes a church or the people that make a building a church. The people ARE the church. We talked about what the church is and who we are to be as the church. Xander started saying all the places we could BE the church: We could be a homeless church, Mom, and be on the street, not even IN a building!

We talked about how being the church means loving one another and that by us being the church, people will know who God is and how much he loves them.

Xander’s final questions of the night: 1. Who were the first people to know God loved them? 2. Who was the person who started the church?

Such fun and important conversations continue! Thank you, Mosaic, for these five years in a place that have shaped my sons in beautiful ways. I am forever grateful.