Recently, my family and I had the chance to go to Mexico with our church, College Church of Christ, to build houses for familes in need.
Since I have been to Mexico previously, I knew what to expect upon entering the country. Although crossing the border from the US into Mexico was a short ordeal and the various checkpoints and government buildings spanned only a couple hundred yards, the difference was startling. The poverty in which these people live was heartbreaking.
We arrived at Youth Unlimited Gospel Outreach Ministries’ (YUGO) Ensenada Outreach Center (EOC), in the small town of Maneadero, roughly 20 minutes south of Ensenada. We stayed there in a small hotel that had recently partnered with YUGO.
The next day, we drove out to the house-building location, which was another 30 minutes south of Maneadero. The first day of construction we met the families who we would build for and then began framing the houses.
The blue prints and materials provided by YUGO were for a simple house divided into two equal sections, one containing two bedrooms and the other for a family room and kitchen.
By the end of the first day we had the frame and ridge line for the roof up, in addition to most of the siding on the frame. We returned to our hotel reeking of sweat and covered in sunburns, but it had been a good day. After a quick, freezing cold, low-pressure shower, we piled back into the van and went to dinner as well as an evening worship service at the YUGO EOC compound.
The second day, we all got up around 7:30 a.m., eager to reach the job site. We went to the EOC compound for breakfast, got materials for lunches and then set out on the 25-minute drive.
Construction-wise, this day was very similar to the other. We worked continually on roofing, dry-walling, painting and cutting trim. By the end of the day, we were all thoroughly worn out and ready to take it easy for the evening.
On Wednesday, the last day of construction, nearly everyone was getting frustrated. Tensions ran rampant, as did emotions and body odor. However, we all managed to avoid confrontation and finished the house.
That evening, we were invited by a local pastor to attend their mid-week evening church services. We arrived and were graciously welcomed by the church family. Two guitar players, a bassist and a singer took the stage. The music had a barely discernible rhythm with each musician playing according to their own style.
As bad as the music was, the audience was still worshiping and not just standing there as many people tend to do. Suddenly, I was hit by the notion that they, the band and the church, were offering up what they had to God and giving it their all. They were content, which is something we struggle with in America.
On Thursday morning, we dedicated the house by turning over the keys and praying over the families. It was a touching experience and one that I have had the privilege of witnessing more than once.
Serving through construction in Mexico, or anywhere for that matter, is a very tiring but rewarding experience. Not only did I grow spiritually from the time spent abroad, but I was able to touch the lives of others.
For more information on community service, visit the November 13, 2009 column, Service outside my comfort zone.
