Today was a good day! We started out at Sende De Vita (Hector’s homeless shelter). Only it doesn’t look so much like a shelter anymore. The government paid to put down concrete paving throughout the entire place, with concrete curb and gutter out in front. So once you get off the rutted dirt road, you walk into a walled little piece of downtown America. Brian once again encouraged us from the Bible, using Luke 19 (the story about Zaccheus). Then we were off to our projects. Our van went to the Hepburns, who minister to the Mexicans along a narrow strip of land formed by the excavated spoils of a large canal. On one side is the canal, with periodic ‘pull ropes’ stretched across, which appeared to be how the people living on the other side got to and from their encampments. Bruce and Paula Hepburn sold their possessions in Illinois, and have been spending their lives building houses, putting in a water well and PVC water line for the Colonia, and passing out food and Jesus Christ to their neighbors along the bumpy dirt road.
We helped them pass out food to over 150 people. Then we jumped in the van, and went back across the border to Hildago to pick up some more tools and several boxes of Bibles. Then back to Mexico, where we had lunch at the Rufugio Orphanage for lunch. After van reassignmets, we drove out to tim buck two, where about 25 of us decended on the Lorena Vicaro School. In about 2 1/2 hours, we put a metal roof on a 75’ long by 25’ wide schoolroom, along with installing electrical and drywall inside. It was great working weather- blustery with a few raindrops. We were ‘serenaded’ as we worked by a group of neighborhood kids as we worked. Then back in the vans and back across the border once again. I know that we spent more time waiting in line at the border than anything else, but we ‘redeemed the time’, fellowshipping in the vans. After dinner at Fuddruckers, several of us spent the last hour of our day praying at the hotel. A long but rewarding day!