Casas por Cristo

Welcome to the work week, friends!  Just stopping in, on this sticky, Monday morning, to share the pics of my hubby and Ezekiel's mission trip, to Juarez, Mexico, that I promised you.  It was a smaller group than usual this year with a total of only 14 workers.  As in trips past, which you can see more pics of by clicking on the "casas" label at the bottom of this post, it was their job to build a two-bedroom home, a tangible example of God's love and faithfulness, for a family, deemed in need by their local church.  This year's home cost $5,500, and as always, was paid for, along with travel expenses and food, by the team members themselves.

Here are some of the team members hanging out on the front porch of their living quarters, for the week, on the morning of the first day of building...

and hauling tools and materials to the job site.

They began by creating a form and leveling the ground...

to pour a concrete foundation.

The site was nestled in tight between the home that the family had been sharing with extended family members and a cinder-block wall.  So, among other things, pouring concrete turned into an adventure.

Once the foundation was dry, walls were built, erected, wired for electricity, and insulated.

The outside walls were then covered in blackboard and chicken wire before being stuccoed.  I love this hardworking smile on my big kiddo...

and this rare one of both my boys posing for the camera, while taking a break from the nearly 100 degree temps and hard work.  Ezekiel knew more of what to expect from this trip, since he'd been there, done that once before, and fit in flawlessly with a group of mostly adults.

Once the roof was secured...

the inside walls were covered in sheet-rock; and while many of the teams that do these builds do not tape and mud the sheet-rock seams, this team always has.  They've also always brought an extra ceiling fan.  That way, both rooms, since the Casas por Cristo organization provides the other ceiling fan, can be as comfy cool as possible.

AND this year, a few members of the team attended a church from central Missouri.  That church's congregation raised enough money for the team to purchase and install a swamp cooler, which is similar to a window air conditioning unit.  I'm sure this is going to be the neighborhood gathering place on more than one hot afternoon a year.

The team even hit up the local Star-Mart to purchase more gifts for the family and their new home.

The children, whose home was being built, and their cousins had such fun, during the week, using scrap 2x4's as building blocks.

Their mother and her mother-in-law made scrumptious tamales, for the crew, one afternoon.

In three days, or approximately 19 hours, this once empty lot...

became a cozy home to this precious couple and their two beautiful children pictured, with their gifts, above.

Years ago, a college professor of mine gave me the words of Jesus, that were written in Matthew 5:14-16, scribbled on a piece of paper.

You are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

I don't think he'll ever know the impact those words have had on my life.  I'll be the first to admit that my light has, often times, grown very dim.  I've even, at times, struggled to keep my light flickering at all, but these photos and the excitement my big boys shared about their trip has me longing for my turn to take the good news to all creation.  I'm convinced that my God can use me despite my many failings, even if, for the time being, that means pouring His unconditional loving kindnesses, promises, and mercy into the lives my children, church family, neighbors, and acquaintances here in the states and supporting others in their endeavors inside and outside our American borders.

If you'd like to donate to this organization, please click here; and if you'd like to know how you can get involved on a deeper level, please click here.  How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, "your God reigns!" (Isaiah 52:7).  Thanks so much for reading!  Have a blessed week, friends!