First UMC, Edinburg, sends mission team to
Mexico to build new home for victims of 2005 hurricane

By Laura Brewster
Pastor, First UMC, Edinburg
An elderly Mexican couple has a new place to call home, thanks to a construction team from First UMC, Edinburg.
A volunteer team from the church recently journeyed to La Carbonera, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Volunteers constructed a small cinder-block home for the couple. The new home replaces a house that was badly damaged by Hurricane Emily.
Hurricane Emily made landfall in the northeastern part of Mexico in July 2005. The eye of the storm came ashore near La Carbonera, which is about 75 miles south of the United States-Mexico border. The Category 3 hurricane had winds of 125 mph and destroyed or badly damaged many homes.
After the disaster, a number of United Methodist congregations began assisting with recovery efforts. Construction teams from churches in Oklahoma, Louisiana, Missouri and Texas have all traveled to La Carbonera to rebuild homes.
The home built by the Edinburg church is the 38th one to be constructed.
If you are interested in taking a team from your church to La Carbonera, contact Susan Hellums at (956) 661-9771.