There are so many things about Northside's mission trip to the Rio Grande Valley that I wish I could tell you about - sights, sounds, smells. Well the wind blowing over the regional garbage dump right down the street from the church made the smells very ...interesting but I don't need to go into that. But the smell of good food made by loving hands was also a constant too.
There were images that I want to carry with me - the sight of three churches from two different cultures coming together to do a work in a poor neighborhood. There is the the sight of the smiles of teh families whose homes we touched and the sight of one of those families attending the church that week. There is the sight of an auburn-haired, teenager named Crystal coming down during the invitation time Sunday morning to receive Christ. Her green eyes filled with tears that fell on our hands as we prayed together for Christ to come into her life. She attended church for the first time the week before.
There were sounds that were constant. I will remember the sound of the praise band made of our's and their's and singing in English and Spanish and all to the Lord. I can still hear the sounds of voices speaking loudly and boldly in Spanish proclaiming the change that Jesus can make in anyone's life. There were the sounds of saws and hammers and cement mixers as work took place around the church and three homes. I heard sounds of laughter and it did not matter what language you spoke, laughter is the same in any language. I also was reminded that you can smile, clap and move folding chairs the same in any language.
Then there was the ever present sound of a generator running outside the church providing electricity to the activities within. That sound was a constant reminder to me that colonia church without electrical power is not a church without the power of God. Thank you Northside, Austin Street and Fe y Poder for giving to the Lord.
Join with us Sunday evening, March 27 at 6:00 pm in the Student Center as we share our memories and reflections.
For the Journey...
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1 comment:
I am so glad I had the opportunity to meet these 3 ladies, and 1 teenager, & make them into clowns, at the Block Party.
I have learned to love each of them, as a sweet sister in Christ.
And I will continue to write & call them, on my cell phone.
Francine Taylor-Schmidt
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