We just arrived home from Mexico last night after a three-day trip made with the family. We had the privilege of exploring different areas of the coast, which were south of the border, and the only other time we had been to Mexico previously was with the Hands of Mercy organization. All the memories of the house-build came flooding back as we passed all the familiar landmarks on the coastline.
The Hands of Mercy house build campaign, sponsored by Upland Rehab and HOM, was one of the most gratifying things I have ever done. I remember meeting at Upland and our family, along with the Upland Rehab Department heads, began assembling the walls and paneling for the house onsite at Upland Rehab. The next weekend we would be loading the two pre-built homes and heading South of the Mexico border to a small rural town that was approximately 1.5 hours inland from Ensenada; the name of the town was Ojos Negros.
The day had finally came for our expedition, so we rendezvoused at Upland Rehab and prayed for traveling mercies before we began on our adventure. As we came across the border through Tijuana, I remember seeing all the of small homes sitting on the hillsides and I remember seeing a young mother eagerly approaching all tourists and visitors with colorful pieces of fabric that she would braid into your hair for a few dollars. I was blown away by how different things were across the border, but I hadn’t seen anything yet.
We stayed the night in Ensenada that first evening and we went to bed early, since we knew we had to be up at around 5:00AM for breakfast and for our trip to Ojos Negros.
When we arrived to the small town, we introduced ourselves to Isidro and his son who would be receiving one of the homes. They were currently homeless and Isidro’s wife walked out on him and their young six-year-old son. The wife’s family did not permit them to build anything on the property, which they once lived on, so we had to start building the house on a very small plot of land next to the other property.
It was very warm and there was zero shade, so we put on our sombreros and began cutting the paneling for our foundation dimensions and then before we knew it, the walls were going up.
In all the house completion took us approximately six hours from beginning to end, including installation of a propane stove, curtains (A woman’s touch is always needed), as well as a fresh coat of paint on the outside of the home. When we finished, all 50 people, including Isidro and his son, prayed for the family as well as God’s blessing on the house. Isidro began praying in Spanish and even though only a handful of people could interpret his prayer, EVERYONE was impacted in such a way that we could feel the presence of the Lord pouring down his love on that family and on that house. That Spanish prayer meant more to me than anything else. I still get goose bumps every time I reminisce.
I can still say with confidence that the house build for Isidro and his son was truly one of the most gratifying things I have done in my life. We hope to go back for another house build soon, but until then, please pray for Isidro and his son. God's love and care crosses all cultures! God's children are everywhere and He cares for all of them. God Bless and have a great week!
In His Love,
Garrett
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