Following a school year where "change" was the new normal, what else could you expect from a mission trip but the same. This year's trip was full of changes such as: smaller group of CHA kids, picking up 2 non-CHA kids from New Mexico, no canyon, spending the whole time in Guachochi at the school property, and finding more time to build relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ from the local church there in Guachochi.
Our work consisted primarily of finishing jobs that others had started. We had the privilege last year of seeing the first set of classrooms being built on the new school property. Between last years trip and this years, 2 other groups from the US came out to help further the work by finishing out the classrooms we began and by building 3 new classrooms, a storage area, and the foundations for the bathrooms. Our task was to take those classrooms to a near completed stage. In our week in Guachochi we cut out the windows and doors, mounted the metal windows and doors, put up dry-wall and insulation in all 3 rooms, taped and mudded the drywall, installed tar-paper in prep for metal siding on the outside of the building, textured the interior walls and painted 2 of the 3 classrooms. We also helped start the roofing structure on the bathrooms and completed the exterior cinder-block work. For such a small group of students, the work that was done was excellent and far exceeded what was expected.
Our students had a wonderful time this year really getting to know the local people. Everyday we had at least one or two workers that students worked along side and we enjoyed fellowshipping together through Sunday School, meals at the church and school, soccer games, and sharing testimonies. Both our students and the local believers there were able to have a tangible understanding of what it means to all belong to the same body of Christ.
From what I have gathered from new comers as well as those who have been on this trip multiple times, this may well be considered to be one the of the best we have ever had! God is good.
Ed and Debby are dear friends of ours. We met in El Paso when we they visited our church there. We lived there for 10 yrs and moved to OKC almost 5 yrs ago. Considering seeing if we can come down with CHA next time. Thanks for your blog and sharing. - Annette M.
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