Day Five, December 30, Saturday

Yesterday unfolded with my personal frustration over limited tasks while the team worked on installing the roof. However, productivity did not stop. Others shopped for food, installed windows, learned about power tools, did touch-up painting, and crafted shelves from leftover materials. The propane camping stove arrived and to our delight, Raquel brought more tamales.

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

Today brings a flurry of activity. Having felt under-utilized the day before, it’s now hit the ground running, don’t stop, we only have until noon to finish EVERYTHING.

Todd takes Elizabeth and Sara to Soriana to finish shopping for some last minute home supplies. Most of the house items (bedding, cookware, baby items, etc had been purchased and brought with us). The rest of us finish the final construction, install remaining shelves and paint, paint, paint everything inside.

As soon as the paint is dry enough, we descend on the inside with the bed, bedding, the table and chairs, cooking supplies, food, storage items, towels, and baby items. We find some rebar to construct a rod for the privacy curtain (shower curtains) for the bedroom and a clothing rod for their clothes. This brings me much delight because the plan was to use rope which would have sagged, and since I knew that would drive me crazy, I wanted something better for Pilar. The final touch: curtains on the windows.

We finish just in time for the family to arrive. We greet, pray, then have the big inside reveal. Todd anoints the family and presents them with a family bible and a children’s bible. Monica gives them a painting with a verse that her daughter made for them. I brought a wooden train alphabet that had been made for my youngest as a baby and also praying hands that my dad had made. The train adorns the edge of the loft and the praying hands sit on a shelf by the door.

Then we head down the street to Fiesta in a large open field at the edge of town. Food distribution draws the neighbors and the line winds along the fence around the field. Some of us hand out plastic bags to those waiting while others serve up (with huge smiles as warm as the December sun) the beans and rice, masa, oil, milk, and other food items.

In the center, families congregate under canopies and children fill the jump houses. Characters from Toy Story (Woody and Jessie) and Paw Patrol make an appearance to entertain, then the baseball player Jaimie Garcia gives a message. In another area, a team hands out hundreds of pork tacos, made from pork roasted in the smoker they had towed behind their truck to Reynosa .

At the end of the long, busy day, we leave. Tired. Filled. Grateful. We make another run to Soriana for those who want to purchase souvenirs (and I totally forget to get a magnet, which means I definitely have to come back) and any other items wanted. Sara loads up on a Mexican laundry detergent she absolutely loves. I grab a light breakfast for the next day and some coffee since we won’t have time to get any at the 7-11 like we had been doing.

The evening worship and sharing don’t last as long, because it will be an early morning. We are told to meet in the walled parking area at 3 am to load and be ready to leave by 330 am. It’s New Years Eve and we want to get across the border before the rest of the world wakes up for 2024.

Grace and Peace