2013 Reynosa, Mexico Trip - Thursday PM - Post #7

Well today did not turn out at all like I expected or prayed.  Hoping to spend time talking with the team throughout the day, I quickly realized this morning that we needed some extra attention at our work site.  I am not the most experienced carpenter/builder, but as some of the bigger and more technical jobs were being filled, there were smaller jobs that had yet to be started.  So today I went about framing and installing the door free hand which can be a challenging process.  I did some other odd jobs like helping finish the siding on the home, cutting some excess siding and flooring up in the loft, and touching up some gaps in the trim to give the house a more detailed finish in those areas.  Due to the work, I was not able to play with the boys hanging around the work site: Daniel, Omar, Antonio, and Caesarito (Little Caesar).

(From left) Antonio, Omar, Daniel & Caesarito 

Yesterday I spent the afternoon playing soccer or "futbol" with these boys in an open area near their home.  They speak no English and I only speak fragments of Spanish, but we managed to communicate enough to play some soccer.  They walked into the brush and came back with four big stones that we set up as goals.  Then we played two on two soccer with me paired up with each of the boys.  Needless to say, i wanted every boy to experience the joy of winning so my team won all three games...it's for the kids you know. :-)  

Playing with them reminded me of playing with my own children and I thought how much the Zilkie children would enjoy playing with these boys were they given the chance.  On top of that I held them, picked them up, hugged them, touched their face and head...all things I do with my own children and I was blessed to do so.  It appears they all have good families there in the Colonia, but still they live in "the dump".  We are building a home for Daniel & Caesarito's family and I pray that this home blesses them abundantly.  

2013 Reynosa, Mexico Trip - Thursday AM - Post #6

Am I my brother's keeper?  This is a question that has been asked going all the way back to Cain and Abel and its implications are many.  Here in Mexico the question has a specific meaning and application.  You see, not speaking Spanish I can spend time and play with the children, have very brief interaction with the folks we are building the homes for, and then pray for them knowing that the Holy Spirit will bridge any and all cultural and language barriers.  Yet my scope of ministry to the locals is limited.  But I also feel the burden of ministering and serving these fellow sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father while traveling with and serving them.

2013 Reynosa, Mexico Trip - Wednesday - Post #5

This evening I am tired after another long day, but a full day it was.  Here are some pictures that illustrate some of what we did today.  I hope you enjoy seeing some of what we did and I will share more tomorrow. Good night...

A rugged and run down home we visited early this morning

2013 Reynosa, Mexico Trip - Wednesday Morning - Post #4

This morning as I opened up the Word to see what God might have for me here in Reynosa on Wednesday morning, I continued reading through Romans chapter 1.  The last couple days this idea of "exchanging" has really come alive to me.  One of the great, if not the greatest atrocities that man has committed is that he...we...I have exchanged God, His glory, His truth, for much, much lesser things.  In the beginning we hadGod fully and intimately and yet in our sin and rebellion, we "exchanged" the beauty and glory of God the Creator, the Infinite One and instead chose lies, foolishness, creatures and created things.  From God's perspective and any human glimpse of reality or what is actually true...this really is criminal.

2013 Reynosa, Mexico Trip - Tuesday - Post #3

Well today was a hot one, but the show must go on.  We leveled out the very uneven ground in our family's yard, put down some cinder blocks, and began to build a solid 20' x 12' floor, one wall and started on another.

One of the things that really impacted me today was the husband and father of the home, Caesar.  He was present with us the whole time and he was working right alongside us every chance he could.  Imagine you are Caesar...

2013 Reynosa, Mexico Trip - Monday (cont) - Post #2

So this morning after praying last night and getting up early to see what God had for me in my "thirst", I continue reading and studying through Romans 1.  Well this morning I read verses 22-23 which are "Claiming to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things."

Well, we all in our sin and rebellion have exchanged God for our own feeble and fruitless desires and control and in so doing we are fools though we claim to be wise...this is me for sure.  And yet, recently the Holy Spirit has been reminding me that in Christ, I can exchange my own efforts, my own sin, my own flesh, my own control back for God, for Jesus Christ my Savior and the Lord of all.

2013 Reynosa, Mexico Trip - Monday - Post #1

The week leading up to my mission trip to Reynosa, Mexico has been so busy and consuming.  Shoot, most of you don't even know that I am on a mission trip right now because I didn't have the time to let many people know.  The past couple weeks have been quite busy but full of good stuff and also an incredible blessing.  Although I didn't have much time to get ready and prepare for this trip, God was faithful time and again.

Two weeks ago most of our family got sick with a nasty bug which knocked most of the Zilkies out anywhere from 3-6 days.  I got it and lost 12 pounds in three days heading into last weekend.  I was so weary and dehydrated so bad that 4 quarts of Gatorade and everything else I drank was just consumed by my body as I recovered from the sickness.  It felt like I could not drink enough or get enough fluids to satisfy my body's needs.