It is hard to believe that two weeks ago was Easter and even harder to believe that I arrived back home after being in Mexico on a mission trip a little over one week ago. The Easter service was wonderful with all the music, the prayers, and the scripture we explored. It was also really cool that we commissioned 17 people, two in abstentia already on the road with trailers, that first Easter service. I felt like we were not only proclaiming our faith Sunday morning but we had representatives of our church enacting their faith.
The drive was uneventful, but the time in Mexico was amazing. We had one less day to do all the same work as usual and fewer people than normal to finish a house from foundation to roof, including two windows and a door. The first night on site was the coldest it has been since January and yet the next day we were sweating in short sleeve shirts. The second day on site the foundation was hard enough to put up the walls and the wind came up making it difficult to pass up the plywood for the roof, but we made it work.
The crew worked very hard and were patient as some of us were still learning what needed to be done and sometimes still learning how to do it. The special tricks of the trade were demonstrated by our leader Bruce Bryne and we were informed that our house was probably the strongest of the sixteen being built because of his expertise.
The family we were building for helped as well and it was great seeing their five year old grandson carrying water for our cement mixing. The girls, granddaughters, helped mix the cement and the grandmother and grandfather nailed and carried items as well. No hand was left idle.
We seemed to start slow in the morning, getting to the site behind some of the groups but we finished strong and full. It was amazing to look back at the house we had built in three and half days as we left on Friday. There were tears in more than one person's eyes and the pictures will only tell the physical story not the emotional or spiritual one.
We left being grateful for the gracious hospitality of people who have so little but were willing to share so much.
If we can go next year I hope we can learn as much from our hosts as we did this year.
To God be the Glory!
KBBS
Pastor Randy
