SERVICE IS THE REWARD

As the team from IIT endured a long drive from Chicago, ending with a breakdown 2 hours from our house, they rested and jumped into service for the community, building the trade school in Mexico. All hands were needed to stand up the 32 foot wall on one side, while other walls were built and stood up with relative ease. Two days into the project and a lot has been done. All the walls are framed and standing, and work is starting on the roof rafters. The team has been working very hard, in spite of the mid 90 degree temperatures and burning sun. Water is being consumed at record levels and the sweet smell of sunscreen fills the air. I can't help but be impressed by their resolve and desire to serve this colonia, both now and in the future. It doesn't end with the completed school, this is a life long commitment to educate and help a group of people that need our lives to connect with theirs for the good of both. I'm proud to have them here on our team and proud of Mikee and Michelle for organizing and challenging these young future leaders of our country into serving others with the gifts and talents God has given them. Today, we will stay through the dinner hour and grill hot dogs and hamburgers for the people in the colonia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SUN SCORCHED LAND INDEED

Isaiah 58 promises that God will protect us in a sun scorched land and He sure does.Saturday, Paula and I started painting the huge pile of wood for the trade school. At first it was just the two of us and then some kids joined the "fun". Before long several other people joined us and we made a pretty good dent in the hundreds of pieces of lumber that needed a coat of paint. Elizabeths' kids were helping also and she brought us lunch at the right time, just when we were running out of gas. It was really hot and there was no shade on the site, so we borrowed Roy and Rebeccas canape shade and that really made quite a difference, being able to work in the shade. We packed up after 8 hours of painting and I don't think we are half done, so I hope a few people will show up on Monday and get started before we arrive. I need to contact our insurance company because our house in Pharr sustained some hail damage to the roof from the storm last month and today I thought I should check it out, and sure enough, there was considerable damage to the shingles. HAPPY MOTHERS DAY TO ALL MOMS AND STEP MOMS.

 

 

 

 

I CAN ONLY IMAGINE

Last night, Paula and I went to the Mercy Me concert that our girls bought us tickets for my birthday present and it was awesome. They have had so many great songs over the years, but everyone came to hear their greatest hit I Can Only Imagine. As the question is asked in the song, when we get to Heaven are we going to stand in His presence or are we going to fall on our knees? Are we going to be able to do anything at all? I just want to see the one who paid the penalty for ALL my sins and gave me His righteousness as a gift and Worship Him as the Spirit moves me. Worship on this side of Heaven, as far as I see it, is offering up our bodies as a living sacrifices to do what He asks of us, whenever He asks us to. Romans 12 says that this is our reasonable act of Worship. Even though I fail to do all that He asks of me, I still consider it an honor to be serving Him here helping the poor in Mexico. The needs over there will never go away, so I know that God will always have something for us to do. I cleaned and organized the warehouse today and it just doesn't seem to get empty. We give and give the food away and it never empties. We met an 85 year old man Lupe' and His bride Francesca the other day. They live in a leaky house on the other side of the canal and could really use a new house. They are both new believers in Christ and as a result of their new found faith, got married last year after many years of living together, and I mean many, many years. Although we usually try to find families with kids needing a home, Roy and I both thought we could build them a slightly smaller home, to fit on the lot they have and bless them in the later years of life. The wood arrived for the trade school yesterday and Roy covered it up before the heavy rains last night. We hope to started painting it tomorrow. So I turned 55 yesterday and I still can't believe I'm that old. Thanks for the phone calls and well wishes.

MANY HANDS MAKES " LIGHT" WORK

When the truck backed up to the foundation to deliver the load of caliche' to back-fill before the concrete comes, all 15 tons was dumped in one spot and needed to be spread over a 30 X 30 foot area to a depth of 10 inches in some spots and 20 in others. But with so many men out of work, it wasn't hard to find some that wanted to make a few bucks. In a little less than two hours, they had the foundations ready for the "BIG POUR" of concrete. The truck arrived just as we were getting ready to leave, but we needed to take some photos, so we stayed until it was done. The trade school will be a huge blessing to the colonia and yesterday, Pastor Victor said He would teach the fine art of tapestry, or upholstery repair. When the team arrives next week from IIT they will have their hands full to get it all built in the time they have here. I'm sure God will getter done. The things we have to do without Carmelo, are a little strenuous, but we are trusting God for the right people to help us and so far so good. The one photo of a make shift house, with tar paper as a barrier from the elements, will be the next house we build with a matching grant donation from our church for the second time this year. Praise God for generous hearts!!! I just got a list of all the people that helped the team from Moraine Valley Church that just left, and I am so grateful that people respond to the needs of the poor and help us build these houses, provide funding for kids to attend school and all of the other projects we are called to get involved in. I shared with the Pastors that we had at our place in the colonia on Saturday, that in spite off all the evident needs that are present here in Mx that God doesn't respond to our needs, He responds to our faith. Meeting the needs of others is faith in action, and the more we spend our resources on meeting the needs of others, the more God gives us to meet more needs.