Even a special place is just a place

Last week I was reminded that a house doesn't make a home and a bell doesn't make a school. The boys were on vacation and it was much quieter around here. We are so in love with this place. The campus is surrounded by majestic mountains and the flowers are always in bloom. Everywhere I look my breath is taken away by awesome beauty. But I didn't realize how much this El Sembrador depends on its students to make it truly special until they were missing. Somehow the heat seemed more oppressive and the rain seemed more despondent. The bell didn't ring because there was no one to ring it and we almost didn't know what to do with ourselves without the reminder to eat or sleep. It wasn't just that everything was quieter and less chaotic. It was like the heart and soul was sucked away on vacation too. I am reminded that even a place as magnificant as this one is still just a place. El Sembrador needs its boys to breathe life into it and make it the home that we love so much.