Day One December 26, Tuesday

The day has arrived. With many years in the making, and despite a hectic four months, we, along with a team of 10 others are embarking on the mission trip with Strategic Alliance and heading to the border.

We are Reynosa bound.

For the first blog in this series, visit Reynosa, Mexico: An Introduction.

Jon and I wake, eat breakfast, load the truck with tools, supplies, and our backpacks and suitcases, and bid good-bye to our youngest. He had spent Christmas with us and is also leaving, heading back to Dallas. We drive to our church, Journey Fellowship to meet up with our pastor, Todd, and nine other volunteers going with us: Jeff, Cara, Elizabeth, Ian & Monica, Rolando & Sara. We’re introduced to Joe & Denise, winter Texans in New Braunfels from Minnesota who have been teamed up with us. We load everyone’s tools, supplies, and suitcases into a small trailer, pray together, then pile into the fifteen passenger van.

Our group is half men, half women.

The trip takes less than four hours and, after a brief stop for gas and lunch in Alice, Texas, we arrive at our meeting location at the McAllen La Plaza Mall. Thirteen teams with multiple vans and trailers, from Kansas, Missouri, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio overrun one of the parking lots. Many of us run into the crowded mall to use the restrooms. It takes longer than expected because the closest bathrooms are closed and we weave through people, people, and more people and finally find another set of restrooms. I am overwhelmed by the mass of humanity shopping the day after Christmas. Loud. Crowded. Bright lights. Reminds me of the cruise we had just returned from.

Our caravan of vans, trucks, and trailers finally leave around four and head for the border crossing at Hidalgo. There, due to the large quantity of tools and household in the trailers, we experience a long delay before we can cross.

We finally reach the El Camino Hotel in Reynosa—only 20 miles away—around six. Todd, despite the many helpful backseat drivers, does an amazing job navigating and parking our van and trailer in the walled parking area, filled with all the other vans and trailers. It’s a nice hotel, with tiled floors and stucco walls, an extremely comfortable king-sized bed, an upstairs conference room that we’ll use for worship, and a buffet style dining area. Jon says it reminds him very much of hotels he’d been to in Spain. The only down side: the dining area can’t quite accommodate all 213 of us at one time. Usually, by the time we make it through the line, seats open up. But not always.

I’m tired. Empty. Hungry. After dinner, we gather in the conference room for worship, a message, and instructions for the next day. I want to worship, but feel depleted. I’m grateful to be there, but I wish I wasn’t so exhausted.

How can I serve when I’m drained? What can I pour out if I’m showing up empty? I can’t. Not in my own strength. But God’s word tells me, “I lift my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1-2

I have help. The Lord made the heavens. He made the earth. He can certainly fill me, strengthen me. energize me, to do the work he’s called me to. Jesus says, “Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you. shall find; knock, and it will be opened unto you: For every one that asks receives; and the one that seeks. finds; and to the one that knocks, it shall be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8

So, I ask Jesus to somehow fill me. Because I’m finally at the border. Because I want to be a part of helping the least of these.

Are you tired, empty, exhausted, drained, empty? You have help. Just ask Jesus.

Grace & Peace