Painting day! The families get to choose their color,
we liked Marta's choice!
The kids really liked painting the outhouse.
I naïvely did not realize this is the families
permanent bathroom, no running water and
no plumbing.
Bobo's favorite perch!
Andrew really enjoyed learning about house building,
he marveled at an entire house being built in just 2 days!
We were so blessed by Bobo's involvement in the work
and not needing constant supervision enabled Andrew
and I to work the while time.
The story of the fence....I saw that some of the kids had
painted a few spots on the fence, I took this as liberty
(after checking with my big sister to start painting the fence).
I think Marta liked it because as soon as she was finished with her
part of the house, she started painting the opposite side of the
fence. We worked long on that fence, but I think we were both
pleased. All this was worked on with my two word Spanish
Vocabulary....Bonita (pretty) casa (house).
When we were almost finished, Leo's wife who has set up
the school and library, came by and she translated for me and Marta.
I was so grateful as I had been wanting to talk with Marta.
I wanted to tell her how much I enjoyed working with her and
what a great view she had out her windows.
I put some paint on Marta's daughter and put her hand on the fence
post, so the Marta did the same with her daughter and then we all joined in and
added our hand prints to the fence post..
After the house is built, Jesus translated for all of us words we
wanted to offer to Marta and her family. The pastor then hands
the key ceremonially to the family. We then laid hands on Marta
and her children and then ushered them into the house.
Welcome Home family!
Roy explaining how to use the water pump for clean
water to drink...such a different way of life. Andrew said
one of his"take away's was gratitude for clean water and being able
to flush toilet paper down the toilet.
Next we went to the site where the other half of our team
had built another house.
Just wanted to capture what the roads looked like,
trash all along the road as they have no garbage service
and lots of tires.
We are so thankful for all those who donated to enable us to give
our part to allow these homes to be built!
The kitchen Mexican staff. They provided such yummy food.
They also picked up a cake for Deveraux and another girl
on the trip who shared the same birthday!
After lunch we rushed to the orphanage to give out the bracelets the
girls had made along with the toys and toilet paper.
This is the large yard in front of all the orphanage buildings. The
children were just all hanging out outside, with some of the older
children hanging onto the younger ones. There was no apparent
adult supervision occurring.
Deverauv loved this little girl, she said, "I could adopt her right away."
The bathrooms were cleaner on this day.
Their rooms. It is so sad when you stop and think that
all these children are not living with loving parents.
Leo handing out the bags for them to take inside.
Deveraux and Missy's daughter wanted to make sure the
little girl they loved was able to get the cradle back to her room.
I wanted to hold and love on one of the kiddos, and then I found
this little guy.
Good-bye for now, but I told Leo I would not forget
the orphanage. I believe I will be back at least for one
more trip and I have some praying and planning with
Missy to figure out how we can walk alongside the
community and offer support to this orphanage.
Still with paint on her face...we had to hurry back so
we would be ready for the church outreach.
Bobo dressed up for the outreach to the church.
This is heading into the church's "fellowship" hall/
Marta and her family came.
Missions Ministries served some food to the people who came.
Our cousin Missy handing out more bracelets.
Stef brought a polaroid camera and took pictures for the
frames they were all decorating...they loved getting their pictures!
I realized I had "been doing missions" all along, even thought it
was in my own backyard and not across the border, it was the
same full room that reminded me of where I had been before,
that felt good.
Our sweet family we built the house for left on foot with all their
craft goodies and food, only to return that evening again for church...on foot.
A little play time before dinner...the compound was a safe
place to let the kiddos run free! We never left the compound
on foot. On one hand it was nice to feel safe and allow
our kids to run around. On the other hand, I sometimes
wanted to get in the neighborhood.
You cannot drink the water, even for brushing teeth.
Bobo found a special older friend that he liked to sit with at most
meals...thankfully, he was a sweet boy to Bobo.
And Deveraux found some friends as well....
Bobo loved flipping the homemade tortillas
and I loved eating them!
We went to the church service in the evening, all in Spanish
but Jesus interpreted for us. It was fun hearing a familiar
worship song in Spanish. It was also fun to see some
familiar faces at church of those we had met in the last
2 days. I realized from this trip that when we go to Mexico,
we are support staff. I am used to building relationships over
time and being on the "front line." However, Mexico is not
my home and I do not speak the language (at least currently).
Once I was able to talk this through with my sister on the way
home it made a lot of sense to me. One major emphasis is being there to
to support the Mexican staff and enable the people there to continue
to minister long after we have returned home.
I do hope to see those faces again of those I met, but much
of the work is coming alongside what is already going on
and helping to sustain the work and to provide homes.
I did tell Leo that I will not forget the orphanage and Lord
willing, I won't. There is some kind of work to be done there.
It would be good to find something to support again what can
continue once we leave.
I also had a longing to go back and felt such a sweetness
and a sort of a missing this colony outside of Juarez.
I believe we will be back.
Plus, I need to see how Marta's house looks filled!
Good-bye sweet family...hopefully there will be a next time!
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