19 youths, adults from La Grange build
2 houses, many relationships in 3 days

For the second year in a row, First UMC, La Grange, sent youths, college students and adults last month to Rio Bravo, Mexico, to build homes out of cinder blocks and wood.
Participants found that they were building much more than homes March 11-16. They were building their relationship with God, relationships with each other and confidence in their calling to live out Christ’s example in God’s world.
The first two days were spent laying blocks, mixing mortar and reinforcing corners, windows and doors. The third day found youths and adults building doors, installing windows, measuring and cutting wood for the rafters, and topping with a tin roof. The final construction day was spent touching up paint and stuccoing the exterior.
Although 19 people traveled to Rio Bravo, the entire church participated in the mission. The After School Program of kindergarten through third grade students created posters for each day of the mission. The children encouraged, inspired and entertained the missioners through their artwork and their messages.
The FROGs ministry for fourth and fifth graders made coat racks and pillow cases for the families living in the new homes. The coat racks were colorful and carried a message of love in Spanish.
Nineteen people signed on as prayer partners to sponsor a mission-er. Not only did the partners send anonymous cards and gifts for each day of the trip, but they prayed for their missioner by name before and during the trip.
Over the course of the week the participants studied 1 Peter to learn how to live and serve as children of God. The theme of the week was “The Heart of Mission” to help keep the focus on serving and loving God in all areas of life,
not just in completing the project.
But the week wasn’t just about building and growing in relationship with God. It was also about playing cards, laughing, making new friends, shopping, eating, playing tag/soccer and so much more. In the words of one of the missioners, “whatever you thought this trip was going to be, it’s like 10 times better.”