Answering a two-year old Prayer

The week of April 17-23, we hosted a youth mission group with kids from ABC churches in MA and the FBC of Olean, NY.David's goal was that they would touch a project, the Mexican people, and a new culture.The project was at the Las Fuentes Mission (new church plant) of El Mesias, the Third Baptist Church in the Southern Baja Convention.The first day they cleaned up the property and began some painting.The second day they were to pour an 18'x25' cement floor slab for a Sunday school space that met under an Aluminum shade.But the cement pouring got delayed because of the need for water.

Las Fuentes, while connected to city water, does not receive water every day.It is rationed during the hotter months (as it is in all of La Paz). Most homes have a tinaco on the roof to store extra water for those days when the water doesn't run.The mission, however, doesn't have a tinaco yet, so when water is turned off, they don't have any at all.

The mission had set aside four 50 gallon water barrels to fill up for the project.But the water got turned off that day (the city doesn't always necessarily tell you which days it will be on or off!).They were going to call and ask a water truck to come, but realized that would be cost prohibitive.Finally, members of the mission decided to take the water barrels to the water company and have them filled there. As the group waited for the water dilemma to be solved, they did more painting, they played with the pastor's children, and they learned the true meaning of mañana (tomorrow) in the Mexican culture!Sometime after 1pm, those who went for water returned, and the cement project got underway.

David directed teams of kids to collect buckets of water, sand or gravel.Bucket by bucket, the cement was mixed in the mixer and poured in place with wheelbarrows.This was the second time the mixer provided by the First Baptist Church of Scottsdale, AZ had seen action.There was just enough water to finish the floor.As they finished up that day, Pastor Guillermo of El Mesias told them, "We've been praying for two years that God would provide the resources to finish this floor.You are the answer to that prayer."He also shared how touched and impressed he was at how the group of youth pulled together to get the pour done.He noticed how every one in the group was working.Not one had been sitting and watching.Not one had complained about the hard work or the heat.What a testimony from a group of kids that had just met each other 2 days ago!

Passing the Hat

After the work project was completed, the kids were involved in a service project.They were given a list of basic food stuffs (flour, sugar, rice, beans, coffee, oil, etc.) and then divided into groups, let loose in a local grocery store, and sent off to find the items on their lists.Afterwards, they separated all the items into 15 care packages, adding some clothing items that they had brought with them from the states.Then they met with Pastor Braulio of Cristo Viene, the Fifth Baptist Church, in one of the poorest neighborhoods of La Paz.They began traveling from home to home, passing out the food and clothing.At the home of one woman, the pastor learned that her mother was critically ill in another part of Mexico.The woman began sobbing, saying that she wanted to go visit her, to see her mother before she died, but didn't have the money to get there.David translated to the group what this woman was sharing.This group of young people gathered in a circle with their adult advisers, and decided to pass the hat.They were going to address this immediate need before them.Everyone was asked to simply give from their heart, whatever was in their pocket, in order to assist this woman.No one counted the money.No one knew if it would be enough.But hope was restored to this woman's eyes.It was a moment of following the Holy Spirit's nudge to be the hands, the feet, the voice of Christ.Each person in the group understood again, what it was to be used by God to meet the needs of people in Christ's name.It was a powerful moment.

Let the Little Children Come

The next day, the group was invited to Calafia, a community on the outskirts of La Paz.There lives Roberto and his wife who provide a foster care/orphanage residence program, called Nueva Creacion (New Creation), for about 9 kids.Their facility is a long, double-wide mobile home trailer.With just the double-wide trailer there is not enough room to meet the need for all the requests to house kids. They have had to turn children back onto the streets because they had no place to keep them. While the group was there, they dug trenches that were going to be the footings and foundation for a greatly needed boys' dormitory.Roberto, the director of Nueva Creacion, shared how they had prayed and waited for the right timing and help to get this project underway.They had been praying for 2 years. (See a theme developing!) He shared that this local project was part of a greater vision of taking care of kids at risk.

The group also provided a volleyball and net for some recreation.They cooked over 50 hamburgers on the grill which thrilled the kids."We never get hamburgers," one young boy said.And they all celebrated one of the kid's birthday with plenty of cake.They practiced the presence of Christ with children that had been abandoned, abused, and neglected. They became the answer to many prayers.They were again able to be used by God and touch a need in the Name of Christ.

In Christ there is no American or Mexican

After the trip to Calafia, the group gathered that evening for an intercambio (interchange) with Mexican youth from the Baptist Churches.The Praise Band from the First Baptist Church provided music.Songs were sung in both English and Spanish.Games were played in both languages.Laughter rang out.Side by side teenagers from both sides of the border learned more about one another.And a few even flirted!It was another example of being united in the body of Christ despite the difference in languages.

The Rev. David Berube, one of the adult leaders, commented, "Our communication couldn't be based solely on verbal skills.We had to communicate through a look, a touch.This really maximized community because we didn't clutter up the situation with words.Our vitality came from the heart."

To Live is Christ

The Apostle Paul, in Philippians 1:21 says this, "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain."Our hope for each of these young people on this mission trip was that in one short week, they lived Christ.They lived Christ through a mission project that answered a two-year-old prayer.They lived Christ through building relationships with Mexican people of all ages.They lived Christ through gaining a glimpse of God at work in a culture that was not their own.