So a little preface to this week. Tuesday before Christmas The mission organization which is dear to my heart posted this on Twitter
"Team just added a 2nd home to their trip for next week. That brings 2010's total to 199. You know you want to be home 200! We're ready 4 U!" My thought was how cool would it be to be part of this 200th house. But I didn't think it was going to be possible. But God is good! Soooo Good! The next morning I get a DM that was simple "call me ASAP" and gave me a number to call. It was my friend Shane Spears. Someone had donated the money needed for this 200th house now he just needed to come up with the team to do it. I was already heading to Juarez to build with another team but I was willing to go wherever I was needed.
Ok so here we start its Sunday Dec. 26th and I'm headed to El Paso with a good friend and a new friend. Kyle and Hope respectively. After taking a wrong turn we finally made it to El Paso in about 8 hours instead of the 6 we had originally planned on. But all is well. we were in El Paso and they had a team to join in the morning so we grabbed dinner and went to bed.
Monday we begin the day having to wait for keys to a vehicle so we can cross over and meet the Casas Rep for their team in Mexico. Makes us about 40 minutes late but thats ok. We get the slab poured, wood cut, walls built and now its time for me to say goodbye to my friends and head back to the states. That evening I got to meet all the guys that I'm building with, most of them I had met this summer because they were Interns but there were a couple more that none of us had met but we all soon became friends. Also that night I was able to hang out with a bunch of girls that I had built with over spring break. I call them my Olivet girls or K'State girls. This was the team I was suppose to be building with.
Tuesday we were up early before bright thought about showing itself. This was a day that God showed himself in so many ways that I just hope I can do it justice. Aside from all the ragging that the boys were giving me it was a really chill group. Hard workers and a fun bunch. We arrive at our site and what do we find? How about we go with what we don't find, like 12ft boards and a door to start. So we make a call and are told that the confused our build date with a team that is coming on the 30th but we will have some shortly. So we sift sand and cut all our other boards everything that we can do before laying the frame. When we finished that and still didn't have our 12 ft boards we decided to borrow boards from the Kstate team. Our cement truck wound up being an hour and a half late. So I was able to assist the wildcats with their slab. A blessing of our truck being late there was so much extra that we were able to help our single moms parents pour some of their floor that they are working on for more rooms in their home that had been volcanoing all day but we were able to give them what was left over which was about an 8x8 floor. We finished our slab and then called it a night.
Wednesday we again start the day of early and have the walls up black boarded, top row of Chicken wire and electrical done by 10. Like I said we had a very hard working and good team. The family then brought us out donuts and coffee. After getting the roof up I made it over to the Wildcats site to see how they were doing and help them out a little if necessary. They were a little short in the height and strength department. So I helped them get the roof up then returned to my build. Sheetrock goes up and the day is over. So at this point all we have left is a few pieces of sheet rock, electrical outlets and stucco. As we are preparing to leave the family informs us that they have cooked us dinner. So we called the The wildcats and told them they could have our dinner we had ordered and we would pay for it. trust me they were ok with it. Josues is some of the best you can get in Juarez.
Last day was a breeze we were finished had our tools put up and began dedication by noon it was a great feeling being able to be a past of a family receiving keys to their new home and the Love of jesus being bestowed upon them. After again having donuts and coffee again that morning and then Asado in Celebration for lunch heres a little something for you to look at. Just don't drool on your keyboard.
I know amazing right! Looking at the pictures and I can taste it all over again.
After the amazing lunch a few of us went and helped the other team do the finishing touches on their house and hung out with them that night staying at Verdad Y Vida (Truth and Life) with the wildcats. This was a fun experience playing Signs for 3 hours and only stopping because it was late and we had an early morning to come. Also getting snowed on while running to the Del Rio to get a propane tank was a new and fun experience.
New years Eve I got the privilege to join the wildcats in their house dedication. This was an experience i don't think I will ever forget. I have been a part of dedications where laying hands on the house occurs and even lots of prayer occurs. But this pastor took it up a notch. Placing oil on everyones hands then having us lay hands on the wall. He said the oil was the holy spirit protecting this new home from unwanted spirits he then went around in the circle and laid a hand upon each team member praying for them individually as well as praying for the individuals and families that were a part in raising the funds for the team.
This was an amazing week that ended with all of us hanging out in El Paso on New Years eve. Lots of friends were made and relationships built. I can only hope that I am able to run across this great group of people again.
As I close this post full of rambling I leave you with this scripture one that many people have heard
Psalms 127:1 "Unless the Lord builds the house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good"
