“So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” – Galatians 6:10
The summer of my senior year of high school my youth group headed to Juarez, Mexico. The purpose of this trip was to build a house for a family living on the outskirts of the city. We loaded up on our church bus, which was a repainted, beyond used, school bus. We piled our luggage in the back few seats and started our ten hour journey.
I love missions! Each time I have gone one a mission trip, it seems like I experience a small piece of heaven. However, I must admit, I am not a gifted craftsman. When it comes to building projects, I am definitely an amateur. My lack of handyman skills has never stopped me from trying. I have helped build a church, dig sewers, build homes and much more on mission trips.
The reason my senior mission trip stands out to me is not because of the work I did, so great building masterpiece. The memory of this trip stands out to me because of the last day of work in Juarez. Our work this week was to build a small house, approximately 20’x14’. It was smaller than any room in my house back in Oklahoma. It was such a simple structure with a concrete floor, and concrete blocks for walls. There were two windows, with no glass and one opening for a door, but no door. It was capped off by a tin roof.
When we finished the house, the family came to meet with us. Our team and the family pressed inside this small home. We were going to pray together and ask God’s blessing on the home and the family. It was then that the mother of the family began to cry. She was overwhelmed with gratitude. Her joy came pouring out through her tears. We prayed together and by the time we were done there was not a dry eye in the house!
That family’s lives were changed that day. Before we arrived, the families’ house was built out of scrap lumber, paper and other materials that they could scavenge. Now they had a home that was built with more substantial materials.
This mission trip for me was also a life changing event. We truly made a difference in this family’s life. That small house nothing compared to the home my family lived in back in Oklahoma. However, the gratitude I witnessned that day as we all gathered to pray taught me that no matter our circumstances, we all have something to be thankful for. As we approach Thanksgivng I am reminded of how much God has blessed us with and today, I give thanks.
Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
