How well do you listen to God?Do you recognize God's voice when He speaks to you?And what about if you travel to another country?Could God possibly speak to you in Spanish, a language you don't even know?Hmmnnn . . .

October 9-14, 2005, five members of FBC Bethlehem, PA and Missionary David Reed traveled to Santa Rosalia, Mexico to help a small mission. (Eight hours North of La Paz) The mission, called Mahanaim, is perched on land that overlooks the ocean.During the last hurricane, a lot of their property eroded away because they don't have a sea wall.The mission's kitchen, which was a small room added on to the side of the church actually fell into the ocean!The mission project:begin to build a sea wall that would eventually be 75 feet long, 12 feet high, and 4 feet across at the base.

At first glance, the project seemed mammoth.Where to begin? How does one actually dig a foundation on sand?Where were the rocks for the wall going to come from?Luckily, these 6 guys weren't alone in their efforts.Fifteen men from FBC of La Paz also drove up to assist on the project.The work was tedious and hard.They began at 7am and worked until 6pm everyday.One crew rode out of town to a hillside where rocks were lifted into a dump truck.Collected one boulder at a time by hand!Another crew was cementing rocks together to form the wall.Slowly, it began to take shape.By the end of the week, the wall was all the way across and 7 feet high.An amazing feat in only 6 days!

Listen to how God spoke to some of these men . . .

Gary:I live on a farm and began to build rock walls around my property.I just kept building and building.People would ask, "Why are you building all these walls?"And I'd reply, "I have no idea."Finally, when the boundaries were enclosed, I stopped.I said, "I'm not touching another stone or rock again!"And then the chair of our Missions Committee came to me after church one day and told me about this project in Santa Rosalia.The mission needed to build a rock wall to protect it from the ocean.And I thought, "I think I know what God had in store for me!"Coming to Mexico and meeting brothers in Christ from different areas, seeing us bond together as we built this wall--rock by rock, this is what drove me all week.

Tom:God could have sent an angel and built this wall in an instant.But he didn't.Instead, God wants us to build each other up in Christ.This is the way God works: he puts us together to be a family. There is no East, West, North, or South.No United States or Mexico.That's what happened as we built this wall.We built each other up in Christ.It just swells my heart to see the power of God come together when we unite as brothers and sisters in Christ.

Mark:It's amazing how God speaks.I've never seen a burning bush.I've never been swallowed by a whale.I've never met a giant like Goliath.But I have experienced God speaking to me in a small, still voice.Sometimes I focus on the task at hand at the expense of my relationships.So I was putting all my energy into building this wall, and God would whisper in my ear, "Get to know the people working beside you.Open up your heart.Can you hear me now?"God showed up in a powerful and mighty way.He renewed, strengthened and united us in Christ.

Milton:I live in La Paz and am part of the English-speaking Church Crossroads.I was on my way home from a trip to San Diego and pulled into Santa Rosalia on Wednesday night, found the guys, and bunked with them at the hotel.The next morning, I had coffee with them, and then hit the road.I was several kilometers outside of town when God said to me, "Where are you going?"I countered, "You don't need me, God. They have enough help.I want to go home."I kept driving a bit further.Then it was like, "Oh man!I can't do this!"So I listened to God and turned the car around.Did God need me to finish that wall?Not really.But it wasn't about finishing the wall, was it?It was about building relationships.It was letting God use me to build up his kingdom.

The last day, as the men were gathered at the work site, a ten-year-old boy named Victor walked over to the church.Victor's dad ran a road-side flea market across from the church. Everyday Victor would come across the street and see what was going on. This particular day he walked up to Mark and Tom.He motioned to Tom to set down his cup of coffee.He motioned the same thing to Mark.Mark and Tom looked at each other, trying to figure out what Victor wanted.After the coffee cups were out of the way, Victor grabbed each of their hands.He indicated that he wanted the other men to join them.So, in a few minutes, this little boy had 21 guys joined in a circle.And then Victor began to pray for them.This wasn't a short prayer.This wasn't a "God bless you and have a safe trip," kind of prayer.No, this was a passionate prayer.Full of conviction.Full of the Holy Spirit.Full of love.It went on for several minutes.It was God blessing the hearts of adults through the faith of a child.

God says, "Can you hear me now?"

Let us respond like the child Samuel: "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening." (I Samuel 3)

May the hope that abounds in Mexico speak to your hearts as you give to the World Mission Offering this Fall.

In Christ's Love

David, Joyce, Ian and Aaron Reed