Another piece gone...
It's been two weeks since I left Juarez, Mexico. Yes, it has taken me two weeks to find the right words to share about our trip. And yes, I left another piece of my heart behind. I always seem to lose a piece of my heart when I travel overseas. I wonder why that is...
Anyway. This was my sixth international missions trip. My second trip to Mexico (my first was to San Luis Potosi in 2006). And my first all-out work trip. The majority of my trips had to do with encouraging the missionaries and putting on Vacation Bible Schools. But not this one. This was a work trip. And my goodness did our team work!
We built a 14.5 x 30 foot house in 3.5 days. Two of those days we were working in 100+ degree weather. And we did jobs that most had never done before. Jobs like cover a house in chicken wire or stucco a house or make rake walls. But our team learned those things. And we completed an entire house for a family of 6, soon to be 7 (baby is due in September!), in 3.5 days.
Talk about incredible!
I don't even know if I can begin to describe the emotions I went through that week. I was ecstatic to be back in a Spanish-speaking country and to be working with David, my trip leader from my first ever mission trip (10 years ago!!). I was frustrated because I felt like a weakling when I couldn't hammer a nail in straight or wasn't tall enough to help with anything above the window sills. I was beyond blessed to have this week be the first mission trip I ever went on with my husband (yes, together for 4 years and married 2 and this was our first mission trip together). I was angry that the heat was getting the best of me and our team. I was overjoyed that my brother was a part of our team and I got to see him smile like he hasn't smiled in a long time. I was heartbroken that I couldn't stay.
Here are some words I wrote for our Sunday presentation that I think are the best way for me to finish this post off:
Anyway. This was my sixth international missions trip. My second trip to Mexico (my first was to San Luis Potosi in 2006). And my first all-out work trip. The majority of my trips had to do with encouraging the missionaries and putting on Vacation Bible Schools. But not this one. This was a work trip. And my goodness did our team work!
We built a 14.5 x 30 foot house in 3.5 days. Two of those days we were working in 100+ degree weather. And we did jobs that most had never done before. Jobs like cover a house in chicken wire or stucco a house or make rake walls. But our team learned those things. And we completed an entire house for a family of 6, soon to be 7 (baby is due in September!), in 3.5 days.
Talk about incredible!
I don't even know if I can begin to describe the emotions I went through that week. I was ecstatic to be back in a Spanish-speaking country and to be working with David, my trip leader from my first ever mission trip (10 years ago!!). I was frustrated because I felt like a weakling when I couldn't hammer a nail in straight or wasn't tall enough to help with anything above the window sills. I was beyond blessed to have this week be the first mission trip I ever went on with my husband (yes, together for 4 years and married 2 and this was our first mission trip together). I was angry that the heat was getting the best of me and our team. I was overjoyed that my brother was a part of our team and I got to see him smile like he hasn't smiled in a long time. I was heartbroken that I couldn't stay.
Here are some words I wrote for our Sunday presentation that I think are the best way for me to finish this post off:
Fulfillment. Accomplishment. Pride. Awe. Humility. Purpose.
These are all things we sensed and experienced as we watched the last nail be hammered into place and waved "goodbye" to Jose, Laua, Daniel, Jeshua, Evelin and Alexa. They are all things we sense and experience when we find that we are doing exactly what God created us to do.
When we find ourselves worshipping, serving and doing the things God created us to, we find a peace and a sense of fulfillment that is like no other. We find ourselves exactly where God wants us... in the very center of His will.
While the work was excruciatingly hard this week, the reward is so very sweet. The sense of fulfillment and accomplishment is beyond compare. Knowing that because of our 4 (really 3.5) days of work, Jose and Laua's family will have a home to use as a ministry tool is incredible. Because of our 4 (really 3.5) days of work, it's possible that God will use that family and house to impact the neighborhood and countless lives who so desperately need to know Jesus. And one day the reward will be even sweeter when we find ourselves among "a great multitude that cannot be counted from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb."
We just built a house. We served in a new way. We found ourselves in the center of God's will doing what He created us to do. Serving and loving His people while glorifying and making His name known.
The work was hard. But the reward is so very sweet.
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