We'd like to start out by thanking the Grants and Scholarship Committee of the Synod Trinity for the $250.00 grant. Without donations, grants, and fundraising the mission trip would not be possible. Thank you again!
Our 2006 Mexico trip was amazing, as it is every year. This year's trip presented us with challenges and road blocks that we've never faced. Our dear Pastor Bud Green who heads the trip for Shenango was ill and could not go. A few other churches we team up with, backed out and it seemed as though we would not be making the trip. However with the hard work and dedication of John Adams and Donna Millard we were able to go and a build another house.
We arrived in Pedrias Negras, Mexico on Sunday July 9th safe, sound, and eager to meet the family we'd be builiding for. Early Monday morning we woke to join the CPC crews for our morining worships, breakfast and then we were off to our site. We met Maria and her son J
ope the family we'd be builiding a house for, so they could turn it into their home. Every moring before construction, our group would circle up, read devotions and sing praises to God together. After reading and singing, we would build. You start with a cement slab and a row of block that the hard workers of the CPC staff had already laid. After four years on the trip, it still ama
zes me how well we all work together and turn the cinder blocks and cement into a home. A home that we will forever be a part of. Every moring we build from 7:30 a.m. to about noon and we'd head back to the hotel for lunch and siesta. For those not familair sie
sta is a Mexican tradition where they rest for a part of the day. After siesta we would headback to the site around 4 p.m. and continue to construct until 7:00 p.m. and the call it a day. By the end of the day Monday we would be about 8 block high and SBC'd (Surface bonding cement) in.
Every morning started the same way, it quickly becomes a routine. Tuesday morning we build up more blocks, while remembering to leave room for the windows and doors, all the while making sure the walls remain plum and level. If one wall is off by 
just one half of an inch it can and will snow ball very fast. With great construction leaders like John and Doug and with patience it goes very smoothly. Everything comes together, from the blocks, to the cement mixed by the hands of a small "mud" crew, to the SBC, to the windows and doors going in, and the roof panels 
being put on by usually four tall and strong builders. After the roof is laid in place, we put two very light persons on top to drill holes, while inside the house we have workers putting in nuts and bolts to lock the panels in place.
I loved building the house, interacting with Maria and Jope, I loved watching the anticipat
ion mount on their faces knowing that each day brought them closer to owning their own home, and the sense of accomplishment that each day brought. Building the house isn't the only fullfilling part of our mission, there is much more to it. Seeing everybody work so well together, the team work personified from Donna our devotions leader, to Angie our musician and food coordinator, to Noreen our health director who made sure we stayed hydrated in the 105 plus degree heat, to Derek, Collin, and Ian mixing the "mud", to John and Doug running around to a
nswer, help, and guide everybody in their part of the process.
Feeling the bond we had formed with the children of the neighgborhood, bonds that we will have forever, playing soccer and football with them, ring around the rosie, or just sitting around with them laughing as we tried to
understand them and they tried to understand us. Playing with the dogs and cats of the nieghborhood, some of us formed bonds with them, I think all of us will remember "monster" who was the leader of one pack of dogs. It was awesome when Shandra (who we built for last year) tracked us down to bring us Gorditas that she had made for us. Visiting homes from 
years past, such as Shandra's and the Sanchez family. Senoir Sanchez is such an inspiring man, he prays to God in Spanish and none of us know what he is saying, but we understand his prayers and they lift us up. Senoir Sanchez has a grandson named Victor Hugo that all of us adore, but some of us feel so very close to. We are watching him grow up with the house that we built.
Friday morning we dedicated the house to Maria and Jope. We all stand in a circle inside the house, we pass the keys to the door from hand to hand until the reach Maria. We pray and give thanks to God.
