In September, I learned the cost of the trip for both me and my dad - over 1700 dollars. By January, we’d raised just over 600. Not good odds. I never actually talked to my parents, but I was considering telling them it would be okay if I didn’t go; $1100 was a lot of money that I knew we probably didn’t have. Then, God totally paid for the whole trip through some unexpected refunds we got. What a blessing! God is so good.
Sunday morning, February 20th came, and I had to be at the airport at 6am. Everyone met and checked in and got to the gate. Security, take off, flight, and landing were all very smooth. Another blessing. That afternoon, we met with the Penske trucks that were carrying all of our stuff and headed for the border. Most years, it can take close to a half an hour to be allowed through border crossing, but this year, we got through in under 10 minutes. We drove to the camp ground through the rutted, muddy roads, and got camp set up. No one had forgotten a tent or something major like that, and all went smoothly.
The next day, work day one, we headed for our sites. I was building a double house with my team, Las Guerreros Fieles, the Faithful Warriors, led by Tom Renner, and another team led by Bart. Wegot our concrete slab down, got to know the family, and framed a good portion of the walls.
Throughout the week, the house came together with good, sound, insulated walls, a water proof roof, and doors and windows. My favorite project was working on the roof of the house.
As freshmen on the team, most of my similar-aged classmates had one disadvantage - pranks. I, unfortunately, had heard some sophomores talking earlier in the year, so I was pre-warned, but I took part in the pranking. We had my friend Stephanie looking for the left-handed hoe, and a couple other people looking for doorbells (why we would be putting doorbells in, I have no idea).
Every day without fail, the vendors would stop by with ponchos, hats, bags, jewelry, and other local Mexican-made goods. Most of the people on the trip, including me and my dad, bought a poncho.
The most touching part of working was the key ceremony, where we gave the keys to the family. We stood in a circle around the inside of the house and prayed over the keys, said words of blessing, or spoke encouragement to the family. Then, they were handed to the mom along with a Bible. On our way out, she was crying and hugged and kissed each one of us.
During the workday, we didn’t always have a job that needed to be completed, and that was when we played with the neighborhood kids. There were five or so regular kids that came around. One little girl, about 8 years of age, was named Josalina. She had only known us a day and a half, but when she learned that we were leaving for good, not coming back, she was sobbing. Through her tears, she prayed for us. That was touching.
Another thing that struck me was that these kids never complained. They weren’t extremely well off, not by Mexican standards, no where near American standards, but I didn’t hear any “Quiero...”s (I want...). These kids had learned what contentedness was, in ways most Americans never touched.
I told you that the theme was Ebenezer:Stone of Remembrance. One of our assignments over the trip was to find our EBENEZER. The ebenezer I chose was a scrap block of wood with two pesos (Mexican money, coins) nailed to it. To me, this represents the fact that God PROVIDES. Always, what we need - truly need, not just want - He will give it to us. I am reminded of this in the pesos (God provided money) and in the nails. I went to the trip 9 times out of 10 missing the actual nail. I nailed those in smoothly and cleanly, because God gave me the strength and skills to do what was needed, whether it was nail, mix concrete, or saw wood.
All in all the two main things I learned are that GOD PROVIDES and BE CONTENT. And the trip’s not over yet - as I reflect on what happened, God will reveal more to me, if I listen to Him, just as He will reveal to anyone who will listen and have faith.
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