OUR MEXICO MISSION - Dec 2001

After many months of preparation, the 27 participants of the Gordon Uniting Church Mexico Mission Team departed from Sydney Airport on Wednesday 5th December, bound for Los Angeles, before driving to Tijuana. Those participants were: Kate Addis, Shirani Beckwith, Liz Bragg, Andrew Braid, Alice Coates, Katy Cracknell, Graeme Dunn, Mel Firbank, Andrew Gore, Margie Harvie (niece of Bob and Kathleen Hamilton), Fuzz Kitto (team leader), Catriona MacAulay, Lauren McNee, Ian McPherson, Nikki Morton, Jonathan Reid, Niall Reid (‘dad'), Paula Reid (‘mum'), Robert Reid, Will Richards, Louisa Rickard, Charmaine Roberts, Annette Roberts, James Stewart, Natalie Stewart, and Jeff Woodhouse.

A border town grown around the busiest border in the world, Tijuana is dusty and dirty, with hillsides and roadsides littered with rubbish. Driving through the border is likened to travelling through a time machine, with cars immediately ageing 20 years.

The Amor campsite where we stayed was a disused gravel quarry, complete with port-a-loos and make-shift showers, but the view over the valley was beautiful.

Amor Ministries have been working in partnership with local ministers, building houses for those in need for more than 20 years - it was indeed a privilege to play a small part in the long term ministry of local churches. This experience cast a new light for us on the biblical principle of ‘one body, many parts, guided by the same Spirit': we could provide the materials and labour, while the local ministers and Amor staff could speak Spanish.

Rising each morning before the sunrise at 6:30am, the task before us was to build a double house, the size of a double garage (22' x 22') in 5 days. This 4 room structure was to provide a weatherproof dwelling for the Gonzales Family. In 1985, Eduiges Gonzales (a day labourer, 60 years old) moved his family to Tijuana with the hope of better jobs and a better life. Although they had an offer to return to work with relatives in Durango (their town of origin), they were unable to afford to move. 15 years later they are still paying off the small piece of land they own in the community of Rio Vista (an established part of Tijuana), with the family of 18 earning a combined total of $US140 each week (about $AUS280).

Arriving at the site on Day 1, we were surprised to find that the family lived in 3 small structures (which remain), and had a flushing toilet and TV. From the Amor video we had seen, we were expecting to be building on the outskirts of town for a family who lived in a ‘shelter' made of boxes and tarpaulins, and had nothing. This was one of the many lessons we learnt: poverty has less to do with lack of possessions, and more to do with lack of choices.

Using the materials ready and waiting at the site, and involving members of the family where possible, the building process included the following: preparing the site, laying the form-work and concrete slab, building the frames, sliding the roof frames on the secured walls, nailing tar paper and chicken wire, sealing the roof, inserting windows and doors, and applying 2 coats of stucco – what was an empty space a few days earlier was now a dwelling for up to 18 members and 3 generations of the Gonzales family. With minimal previous building experience, and sustained by food Fuzz and Paula provided, the 25 team members had worked together towards a common goal of step-by-step building a house.

Sitting around the campfire on the final night, we agreed that we were a little disappointed to leave the house as a ‘shell', with no interior walls, no furniture. Returning the next day to bless the house and present the Gonzales family with 2 quilts made by Alison Cracknell, we were moved to tears with the sight of the house having been transformed into a home: a piece of purple carpet in one room, beds, a lounge, lamp stands and the TV – they must have started to move in the minute we left the site the day before.

However, we received far more than we gave: "I thank God for this house and for you beautiful people" said Flora Gonzales (54 years old), overwhelmed with joy and gratitude. In addition, we were presented with a ‘thank-you' cake by the family, and we all celebrated with cake and soft drink, which we understand would have cost them about 10% of their weekly income – we really appreciated their sincerity and generosity.

While celebrating and reminiscing on the drive to LA, there remained a cloud of sadness hanging over us. Despite the port-a-loos, the dust, the wind, the rain, the ripped tents, the cold showers, and the sickness, we longed to stay in Tijuana and build another house in a place that had become truly beautiful to us.

The educational phase of the Mission Trip occurred in LA, as we compared and contrasted our experiences of building the house (team work, true joy and satisfaction) to visiting Disneyland (artificial and superficial environment), Universal Studios (breaking down the myths), and shopping malls (overwhelmed by choice).

It was also interesting to experience how different churches approach ministry and worship:
• the Presbyterian church in Tijuana (to whom we gave the stained glass window) where the minister preached on how God had blessed them and provided for their needs, so there was no reason for them to complain, even though the whole area was without power
• the Mosaic Church who met in a nightclub in East LA
• the Crystal Cathedral with it's $US 500,000 upgrade of the women's toilets and marble pave-stones (by designated giving)
• Saddleback Church with 15000 members and currently building a new Children's Ministry complex, which will seat 1700 at one time

Through all of this, we asked ourselves "where is God in all of this?" and "what does it mean to be God's person in a world full of injustice?". As a consequence, we were all challenged to use our choices (which so many don't have) wisely.
So was it worth all the effort and preparation? Most definitely. To hear young people reminisce about our days on the work-site and celebrating with the Gonzales family, and talking about their desire to build another house, it is clear to see that this mission trip has made a difference not only for the Gonzales family, but in the lives of the team members. It is important to remember that the greatest learning occurs through personal experience, and as we celebrate what has been, it is time to look forward to the next GUC Mission Trip, to wherever it may be.

"I am only one, but still I am one. I can not do everything, but still I can do something and I thank God for that something I can do."

Further missions trips are to be planned, maybe overseas, maybe in Australia. Donations will be greatfully received at our church office during office hour, Monday to Friday 9.30am to 4.30pm.