This was our last full day since we are heading to San Antonio late today. We made an early departure at 7 AM for the Border Mission in Hidalgo. The director greeted us along with the one of the pastors of a church we will be working on. He told about their work then we heard our final message which centered on living with a mission helping us to not slip into bad choices. The singing was again super thanks to Luke. We were blessed this week with music.
I joined several others to go to prison to the women’s side. It took a while to get in but it was a good visit seeing where they lived. We took Bibles and led a witness of singing and personal sharing. There were several mothers with small children 6 months to 3 years old. I sat with the women and children. It was a granpa/papa time. We’re were asked to pray and give blessings/healing to them too. Some accepted Christ and prayers continued delaying our departure.
On the way back to the van I was called back to the heavily armed guards who had checked our passports at the prison gate. They asked me to give them God’s blessing and to pray for them. I put my hands on both of them and prayed aloud. They may not have understood English but God understood.
Then we all joined for lunch at Big Heart Orphanage for fantastic tacos. In the afternoon the men in our van built rafters. Other groups took some orphans to get pizza, another group took food to the homeless in Reynosa in alleys and under bridges. A group worked on the roof at Rigo Ramirez Church. We worked till 5:30 then headed back to Hidalgo before departure for San Antonio. We stopped in Kingsville eating country fried steak at Big House Burgers. Then we headed back on the road toward San Antonio hoping to be there by 12:30 AM.
I thank Dave Coryell for asking me to share my experiences as a first year participant. It was a bit overwhelming but I found a place and new friends in Christ, it was easy.
Chris Nettles