Work and Witness 2009

Just thinking about our recent trip to Mexico brings a smile to my face. Our only hope is that the Lord causes growth to the seeds we planted for the gospel there.

Bill and I joined the Hamlin Church of the Nazarene early Friday morning, the 13th of March. With all the bad press about problems in Juarez, we had received many “warnings” from friends and loved ones not to go on this particular mission trip. The drug cartel and law enforcement problems in Juarez are at an all time high right now, and we knew what we might be facing. But on the other hand, we know the enemy doesn’t want us to go and share the gospel. So we joined the few brave ones that had decided, as we had, to press on.
We arrived in El Paso on time for the rush-hour traffic Friday evening, and joined the rest of the group at the Motel 6 near the border. Some had come from Tahoka, Lamesa and Lubbock, and still others from the state of Colorado. We did some last-minute shopping in El Paso, as the group always brings enough food for all the meals served the entire week. Purified water was part of the necessities, and we had many cases of the precious cargo.
Early Saturday morning, we met in the motel parking lot, eating a breakfast from McDonald’s before the border crossing. We drove the 4 vans and two trailers full of supplies across the bridge over the Rio Grande and into the state of Chihuahua, Mexico.

Juarez is always teeming with people, but this particular morning was a little different. The border crossing was full of Federales, in full riot gear. I had never before seen the large shields they were carrying and felt very safe to see them and the military men with automatic rifles guarding the customs areas. We had heard on the news that several thousand troops had been sent in to protect the border and law enforcement, but it was something else to see them there, in full view of tourists and residents alike.
Our time at customs was delayed for hours, as it usually is, due to increased security. We had to unload the trailers and they inspected all the contents. Finally, about noon, we were able to go to the next checkpoint, where we got our passports stamped and our vehicles registered through the usual paperwork. It was unusual to be able to walk right up to the passport counter without waiting.
This area of Mexico doesn’t begin daylight savings time until April, so we were actually 2 hours behind West Texas time. Even so, we were grateful when the three hour drive was interrupted by a relaxing meal at our favorite restaurant, The Arizona, in Villa Ahumada. After we ate, we headed on to Ejido Benito Juarez, and arrived after dark at the house we would make our home for the next week. Without electricity or running water, it wasn’t your average rental. But the owner, who lived next door, wired an extension cord to the electric box and his garden hose to the bathroom so we could fill up buckets of water to flush the toilet.
A local church let us use their kitchen for our meals, so we met there every morning for breakfast and devotions. After that, we headed to the church and began cleaning it, preparing the way for all the supplies that would be delivered on Monday. Bill described the church looking like “The Alamo.” No windows, no doors and no roof. Over the next several days, the transformation was amazing.
Metal doors and windows were installed, walls were painted inside and out, and a beautiful roof was built to complete the building. Two bathrooms were completed, and a roof put on the parsonage as well. I painted a wall mural on the wall behind the podium, complete with a vineyard and a river with trees beside the water.
Monday through Thursday we had a Vacation Bible School for the children in the afternoons. They enjoyed the songs, crafts and Bible stories Juanita and three girls from the church taught the children. They played with water balloons, and the number of children went from 28 on the first day to 60 on Thursday.
Thursday night, we had a big dedication for the church, and served everyone hamburgers with all the fixin’s. It was fun to see so many people come back for seconds.

There were three salvations Thursday night when Bill and I shared with three men who were drug addicts. They wouldn’t even come into the church for the service, but after eating, were standing around watching all that was going on and I had a chance to talk to them, heart to heart. The one man, Serci, was one who had been hanging around every day while we worked on the church. I had spoken to him but he was very hesitant to talk.
He and his friends, Luis and José were attentive while I shared about the lifestyle Bill and I had been in before we knew the Lord. I told them that only Jesus can give them the strength they need to change their lives. We can’t do it on our own. Bill shared about his life, too. I asked all three men if they knew where they would spend eternity if they were to die tonight. Each of them said they were going to hell. It’s not a joke, I said. Hell is a real place, and you don’t want to go there. We talked about how the world doesn’t offer us any hope, and that the enemy is out to steal, kill and destroy us. But Jesus died for our sins, and would have given His life if there had just been one person on earth.
All three men told me they wanted what we had. They each prayed aloud to receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and we were crying when we finished praying for them.
One of the men, José, had 5 children. He said he didn’t have work and couldn’t feed his family. The group gave him a big container of hamburger meat, bread and snacks for the kids. The kids were so happy! His little girl was gleaming when she carried off the snacks.
It was hard to say goodbye to everyone we met in Mexico. The next day, we packed up everything and headed home. We arrived about 4 a.m. Saturday, March 21st.

I can’t tell you how wonderful it feels to have been a part of all of that this past week. Sometimes we feel like there’s not much we can do to make a difference for the kingdom. What the Lord wants us to do is to just show up. He’ll do the rest!