Gloria Al Dios

We just got back from our college mission trip to Anapra, Mexico a week ago.

I got pictures yesterday (the youth group camera bit the dust) so I'm ready to post.

There were thirteen of us who made the trek. Eleven college students, Al Kline (72 years old), and me (42 years old). They kept us young and we kept them honest ;-) What a great group!

When we first went into Mexico we were blessed with a Mexican Christmas tradition called las posadas (Spanish for "the Inns"). With music by the mariachi band from Ysleta Lutheran Mission we traveled around the streets of Anapra led by Mary and Joseph and the star singing Christmas carols. Periodically we would stop at a house and sing songs. Basically the story goes that Mary and Joseph are looking for a place to stay and are repeatedly told there was no room there, that they had to move on. Finally we ended back at the church where, thankfully, there was room for them. I can say I have now done something I've never done before in my life. I never thought I would wander the streets of Mexico singing Christmas carols in my life!

Although my wife tells me that no one will have sympathy on us, it was cold at night down there. During the day it was a wonderful 50-60 degrees, but being desert, at night it just dropped. The problem was that the furnace in our building was not up to it. It kept on breaking down, and running out of gas.

By covering up the holes in the drywall ceiling, nurturing the furnace, supplementing with another heater, and lots of world relief quilts on our beds, we made it through.

Despite the cold we had a great time during Bible study, playing "mafia", eating Mexican food, and just hanging out together.

The big "news", however, is what we accomplished in a weeks time. We were able to:
-Finish the electrical

-Insulate

-Hang 3800 square feet of drywall (over 2700 square feet of floor space)

-Tape and mud the drywall

-Texture the ceiling

-Paint all of the drywall

-Build a 12' x 16' chancel

-Carpet the chancel

-Build/Install Communion rails

See for yourself. Here's the before and after pictures.


I've been saying over and over: "We took the building we built in May and made it a church!" Gloria Al Dios (Glory to God)

Construyendo la Casa de Dios en tres dias

For all of you North of the border that means building the house of God in three days.

Al Kline and I are the first wave to head down to El Paso. We will be stockpiling supplies and making sure everything is set for the rest of the crew to show up on Saturday.

We will be working on the new church sanctuary of San Lucas Lutheran Church in Anapra, Mexico. (a 60’ x 45’ building)
We will be insulating, drywalling, building their chancel area (along with communion rail), stuccoing the outside walls, and whatever else we get around to. We will also be distributing health kits, The Jesus Movie DVD's, and World Relief quilts.

There are thirteen servants total. Eleven college students, Al and I.

We will be staying and working at San Lucas Lutheran Church in Anapra, Mexico which is a poor district of Juarez, Mexico. Anapra began as a "squatters village" over an abandoned city dump.

By equipping the church in Anapra we have an opportunity to impact a large community with the love of God.
We have been blessed, so that we can be a blessing to others.

Please keep us in your prayers until we return on December 23rd.