Day Three, December 28, Thursday

We made much progress on day two. Four walls are standing and most of the wood has been painted. We’ve met the family and we’ve been encouraged to broaden our vision to not only build a home in the community, but to build relationships with the community.

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

I have an amazing time doing what I don’t want to do, or have the energy to do. I walk the roads of Colonia with Sara, Rolando, Elizabeth, and Denise as they—all knowing Spanish—talk to the neighbors. We see their faces, we learn their names, we hear their stories. Sara graciously translates for me. Every encounter slowly awakens my spirit. We pause at the entrance of a Baptist mission. A group of people sitting in the courtyard invite us in.

The mission houses fifteen migrants from different places, backgrounds, different histories. They generously offer us coffee and sweet cake, then show us around. They sleep on the pews of the church and each contribute to the day to day chores. Some are just passing through, some have been there a little longer. Each have plans, hopes, dreams.

We stand in a circle together holding hands in the courtyard, and as I listen to the prayers in Spanish, the peace of Jesus settles over me, a peace that has been eluding me throughout the holidays. Since September, truth be told. Somehow, in hands held with these strangers, God’s Spirit connects us and creates holy ground in that place.

I also walk around the community with Monica, Sara, and Denise as Monica hands out the dresses her sixth grade American Heritage Girls made for the little girls in the community. The dresses are bright and cute and the girls excitedly receive them.

Meanwhile, the rest of the team finish exterior walls, build the loft, install rafters, fabricate and install windows, and add trim. After the front door is installed a young artist from another group paints pink flowers on a blue background (as decided by Pilar who overrules the alien that Oscar wants).

Raquel, one of the neighbors we met on our walk, stops by with her tamales. Strategic Alliance built her home years ago and now she makes her living selling tamales and she always blesses the teams when they come. All work stops as we all feast.

By the end of the day, we have the makings of a house as well as new friends in the community. On the way back to the hotel, we stop for a quick trip into Soriana, the local superstore in Reynosa. We purchase all kinds of yummy goodies, including some candy for the neighborhood kids.

That evening—unlike last night when I didn’t want to hear the stories of those we’re with—the stories now bring me joy. We’re introduced to Jaimie Garcia, a major league baseball player from Reynosa. Every Christmas he comes back to his hometown and hosts a fiesta for the communities around the dump.

An answer to the question you might have. What makes a difference in coming to the border? To serve in a community like Colonia? From my experience today, and seeing families in the community excitedly finding those who have come again, those who may be sponsoring the children or built a house for them in previous trips, that’s what makes a difference. They’re greeted with squeals of delight, huge hugs, and joy. The difference is in the connections with people, seeing their faces, learning their names, making new friends, hearing their stories. Recognizing them as amazing image bearers of our God.

Do I hear the clicking of things moving into place, the shifting of understandings, paradigms, and convictions? Am I getting a glimpse of what Jesus expects of us? A peek into what it means to love like he loves? And a return to serving the least of these again.

Will you pray as I have been? “Open the eyes of your servant, Lord, that I might see. Speak, Lord for I am listening.” If you do, no telling where it might take you. But don’t worry. It will be sweeter, greater, and more full than you can even know.

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.
Ephesians 3:18

Me? I want to learn Spanish. I want to talk to the women. To pray with them. To listen to them.To hear their stories first hand.

Grace & Peace