The Valley-Mexico Mission Trip
TRIP UPDATE!  (July 24-29, 2005)

Our Student Choir - New Creations, along with other members of our Student Ministry, as well as parent sponsors and skilled workers, spent a week in Mission, Texas and Rio Bravo & Reynosa, Mexico.  The group divided up into two teams and crossed the border into Rio Bravo & Reynosa each morning Monday - Thursday.  The two churches - Primera Iglesia Bautista Rio Bravo and Iglesia Bautista Monte de los Olivos Reynosa, needed a lot of work. 

On Sunday we departed FBC Pflugerville excited to be about our Father's work.  We stopped for a concert at FBC Alice.  The students sang songs in English and Spanish.  The church members were so gracious to our team and provided refreshments for the group after they sang.  It was a great evening.  We made our way on to Mission, arriving at Valley Baptist Retreat Center in Mission around 10:15 p.m.  This was the first of many long days!

Primera Iglesia Bautista in Rio Bravo had 10 ceiling fans installed throughout the building.  All of the upstairs class rooms were caulked & painted. The pews were all sanded down, gum scraped from underneath the seats and varnished.  Old windows were removed and replaced.  The soffet & fascia board around the sanctuary was removed and replaced with new wood and flashing.  The exterior of the church received a new coat of paint.  The inside of the sanctuary received a coat of ceiling texture and was repainted.  An air conditioner for the nursery was also provided.

On Tuesday afternoon Linda Hill decided that as the work was progressing throughout the building that she could be better used doing something else and asked the pastor if she might lead a small VBS.  He agreed wholeheartedly.  The only problem was that every room in the building was being worked in.  There was a huge shade tree out front and a couple of tables were set up where 19 children gathered around on Wed. & Thurs. for VBS.  Their sweet voices singing ' Jesus Loves Me' and 'The B-I-B-L-E' in Spanish was just precious and carried inside to the work crew.  The children listened intently and were a joy to share Jesus with.  Linda was given a bag of gum to share with the children on the first day but she hesitated after seeking all the gum that had to be scraped from underneath all of the pews and from the floor in the sanctuary.  On the second day, she was again given gum to share with the children.  She determined that God had a special message for the children about respecting His house and not putting their gum under the pews. She then gave them all a bubble gum treat and made them promise to NEVER put it under the pew or on the floor. She also told the other adults at the church what she had taught the children about the gum. 

Iglesia Bautista Monte de los Olivos in Reynosa received 17 ceiling fans throughout the building.  The interior was completely caulked & repainted. The team was able to install a new air conditioner in the nursery and blinds were hung throughout the building as well. The 17th fan was a provision from God. 

On Tuesday evening we attempted to return one fan that was too large to fit a small closet space where the sound equipment was stored at the Rio Bravo church.  Unfortunately Walmart doesn't like to accept Target brand merchandise for exchange.  A new fan had to be purchased instead.  What were we to do with the 'leftover' fan?  On Wednesday evening we attempted to return it to a Target store but got completely turned around and lost. Then we realized that a return wasn't even possible without a receipt.  When we returned to the retreat center

Debbi asked Maria if the Reynosa church might need another fan, but Maria doubted it because they had already installed so many.  Unknown to us until Thursday, some ladies of the Reynosa church had asked their pastor if one more fan might be installed in the kitchen because it got so hot in there when they cooked.  He told the ladies that they had already asked for and received so much.  He suggested that they pray about it.  God knew that we would need that 'leftover' fan and worked out all the details for that fan to be taken to Reynosa rather than come back to Pflugerville for a return.  The ladies' prayer was answered just like that!  What a 'cool' God we serve!

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Vacation Bible School was held at Abundant Grace Mission and Grace Madero - both are small Hispanic churches located in Mission, TX.  Due to heavy rain the first day, VBS at Abundant Grace Mission was cancelled.  They have limited facilities and all of their activities were to take place outside.  We took the entire team to Grace Madero where we had a total of 10-12 children (preschool - youth) plus the 42 team members.  It was a bit overwhelming the first night but the worship time was a lot of fun!  God took care of the rain after that and the two teams were able to continue with VBS at their own sites. At Grace Madero, Pastor José was able to teach the adults the 40 Days of Purpose in just 4 days.  At Abundant Grace, Lee Garcia also taught an adult Bible study.  Abundant Grace Mission had approx. 50 children each night. 

Our work-day in Mexico was the shortened on Thursday to allow time for the students to perform a concert at a nursing home near the retreat center.  They sang in Spanish and English.  The residents loved interacting with our students.  There were tears in some of their eyes and most of ours as our students ministered to them through song.

This ministry team greatly appreciates your prayers and support.  We left Mexico and Mission knowing that we had done a good work in our Father's name and that many will be blessed.  Pray for these four churches as they reach out to their communities with the Gospel message of Jesus Christ's love for them.

Thank you for your support,
Your Student Mission Project Team