In the NewsMethodist Money and Ministry - Spring 2005 Building Foundations in Juarez, Mexico TIERRA NUEVA, Mexico |
In an area stricken with poverty, where
people live in homes made of cardboard and
wooden pallets, a mission team from the
Texas Methodist Foundation traveled over
spring break to build a new home for a family
and bring a message of hope. They thought
what they shared would change the hearts of
others, but it was their own hearts that were
touched most deeply.
This team, comprised of 17 Texas
Methodist Foundation staff, family members,
and friends was supported by the Foundation
in partnership with Proyecto Abrigo (translated
“Project Shelter”) located in Juarez, Mexico.
Financial support for the mission trip was
provided by Foundation board members,
staff, and team members.
On site, the team was equipped with
shovels, trowels, a wheelbarrow and two
local “maestros” to aid in the construction of
a 16' by 18' cinderblock house for the Garcia
family. Simon Garcia, the matriarch of three
generations now residing in the home, worked
side-by-side with Foundation team members
to provide shelter for his loved ones.
After three days of hard work, a house
with four strong walls, a sturdy roof and a
solid cement floor stood where only sand,
trash and the hope for a brighter future lay
before. The group joyfully joined hands with
the Garcia family to dedicate the house to the
Lord and celebrate the many blessings God
had bestowed on everyone present.
This trip, in its essence, materialized the
Foundation's core value of Servanthood,
while team members garnered many spiritual
gifts in return. “It was by far one of the most
rewarding things I have ever done,” remarked
Sonia Riley, Accounting Assistant for the
Foundation. As new relationships formed with
the Garcia family and locals in their humble
community, existing relationships strengthened
between co-workers, families, and friends.
Foundation Relations Intern Kenna Williams, who
organized the trip with the assistance of
Candy Gross, Vice President of Grants and Board
Administration, noted, “Proyecto Abrigo has
become a central part of my spirituality. Even
after 12 trips, I always return with new
insights and a refreshed soul.”
Another team member, Ryan Williams,
commented: “Going to Mexico and
interacting with people there made me realize
that we are all in this together. There is no
'us' and 'them.' We are all God's children. It is
our responsibility to take care of each other.”
Rev. Jose Luis Portillo, founder of Proyecto
Abrigo, has overseen the construction of over
1,000 houses since the project's inception.
To learn more about Proyecto Abrigo and the
lives this organization has changed, visit
www.proyectoabrigo.org.
To view this article in its original form visit Methodist Money and Ministry online.
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