So...tell me about your trip to Mexico!

Mexico. Wow. I don't quite know where to begin...when people ask me about a trip, my first instinct is to list off all the things I did and the places I went.  If the person who asked doesn't have a glazed over look in their eyes by this point and they ask some guiding questions I might actually get to the heart of the trip: how I changed, where I saw God working...

The neighbourhood we built the church in Vincente Guerrero (from the roof of the new church).

Me painting

So I'm going to try to start this post with a few things that really stood out to me about this trip and try to make it a different kind of list:

1. I was sick the whole time and basically had no voice.  This didn't affect my ability to work on the house, but it definitely changed the ways I could interact with other people on the team.  I wasn't so worried about not knowing much Spanish because I couldn't speak much English either.  It forced me to observe and listen more than I probably would have otherwise.  It was also another reminder of how God places people around to look after me and I don't have to do it on my own.  Between my brothers and the other members of the team I felt so cared for.

 

The work site, day 4.

2. Our work site was described as a bee hive, or an ant hill...each person was busy doing their own job with no lollygaggers to be found.  To me this was a great representative of God's church as it should be: the body of Christ that Paul talks about in 1 Corinthians 12:12-27.  Each person brought skills, strengths, gifts (carpenters, electricians, site managers, painters, willing workers), and most importantly a desire to serve.  Each person was valuable.  I spent a lot of time painting and didn't technically build much, but I didn't feel any less important than those building trusses and walls.  The church went up really quickly because of the skills in our team and the way we worked together.  We were even able to bless the church with an update to their old church (fresh paint, concrete floor, kitchen area), a dollhouse and soccer nets for the kids to play with, and curtains for the new church.  It was incredible to see how things came together.

The dollhouse.

Gordon teaching me how to wire a plug!

3. We were told many times that our team was not typical for this project for the reasons I just described, but I think it had even more to do with this: servant leadership.  Each person who had skills was humble and willing to serve in any area.  They were willing to teach and willing to learn.  "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.  Rather, in humilty value others above yourselves..." Philippians 2:3

Keith and Gordon building benches.

4. It was so natural to be with my brothers all week long that reality almost seems stranger.  We had a great mix of family time and our own thing.  I loved seeing them in their element on the soccer field working together, or working alongside other people on the team.  We even ended up sharing a cabin at the facilty we stayed in since there were no other single girls for me to bunk with.  

Siblings after a delicious meal.

5. Tacos.  THE BEST tacos I have ever eaten in my life.  I know this isn't as philosophical as the other things, but I continue to be amazed by the quality of food that I am blessed with on mission trips.  Granted we did eat PB&J for lunch every day, but there were definitely some moments that I was reminiscing about my DTS which we nick-named the "fine-dining DTS."  

So many more stories to tell and things that happened, but I will leave it at that for now.  Pictures are worth a thousand words and there are more posted on the Evangel Chapel Facebook page if you're interested: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Evangel-Chapel/329771290081

Completed church on the inside.