Mexico Mission

By Richard Simpson

CONSTRUCTIVE HELP — Building the walls. Former family housing in background. From left: Bill Wieler (Christ Church, Cranbrook), Areli, Randy Secret (St Saviours, Penticton), and Rev Ken watts (St Georges, Westbank).

 

 

There are fifty-one people whose lives will never be the same because of a mission experience in the Baja! November 9 to 21 saw a team of thirty-one people from across the Diocese of Kootenay travel to the Baja California state of Mexico where we built houses for two families. Baja California occupies the northern half of the Baja peninsula on the Pacific coast.

Our journey began with a commissioning service and Eucharist celebration November 8 at St. Michael and All Angels’ Cathedral, Kelowna at which Bishop John Privett presided. This was the first time many of the team members had met face-to-face. So this was a very special time of introductions and an opportunity to begin connecting with one another.

Nov 9 we flew out of Kelowna to Seattle, then to San Diego where Charles Roberts met us, our Hero Holiday leader. Little did we know how many hours we would be spending in the bus in which Charles drove us to our motel in Chula Vista where we remained overnight. The next morning, we entered Mexico crossing the border at Tijuana, and continued south through Ensenada to San Vicente. Here we stopped to deliver used wheelchairs to Angel, a man who rebuilds wheelchairs for the rugged terrain in the Baja. Angel, who is himself confined to a wheelchair, told us about his ministry. Inspired by his dedication and faith, we continued on to our base of operations in Vicente Guerrero, about 240 km south of the U.S. /Mexican border.

The Erma Fennell Foundation, which provides relief from poverty for people in the Vicente Guerrero region of the Baja, has facilities that would be our home for the duration of the mission. It is a dorm-style building with two large rooms filled with bunk beds, a community kitchen and meeting/dining area.

Nov 11 about 10 a.m. we arrived at the site of the two families we would be building houses for. They live in the barrio of San Simon, which is about half an hour by bus to the south of Vicente Guerrero near Bahia de San Quintin, (Bay of San Quintin). After being introduced to the families and unloading the tools, we gathered at 11 a.m. on the concrete pad for one of the houses. Wearing our poppies, we had a moment of silence, prayed, recited In Flanders Fields, and sang our national anthem before beginning the work we had come to perform.

There was a sense of excitement as we donned tool belts and began our labour. We divided into two teams, quickly assigned tasks and started the work of cutting, nailing and painting, assembling the roof panels and walls for the 20’ X 22’ houses. The families worked energetically alongside us throughout the day, including Oreste and Roberto, two of the children, aged about six and seven. They hammered nails alongside the rest of the team to secure the plywood sheeting to the framing. By 4 p.m. that day we had the four roof panels, four outer walls and the centre-supporting wall assembled and neatly stacked on the ground at the site of the house I was working on. The family had chosen a bright orange paint for the outside of the first house, while the other would be blue. The team at the blue house ended the day with the four outside walls standing. Meanwhile, the painting crew had painted the banos, (out houses), and trim boards for the windows and doors for both houses. Each site had an interpreter and, with their help, relationships were beginning to form.

Nov 12 was another plus 33-degree day in the Baja. The walls and roof panels were assembled and the remaining plywood nailed to the roof. Painting continued, and windows and doors were installed. The families continued to help with much of the painting and carrying materials. The ninos (little boys) played with the scraps of wood, and one of the team members, Brian, realizing they had few toys, made two toy trucks for them. We had accomplished a lot that day, and, more importantly, we were witness to hope coming alive in the families we were serving. It was very moving to see their appreciation, awe and excitement as the houses began to take shape.

Nov 13 with temperatures headed for the mid-30s again, rolled asphalt roofing was installed with “mucho” perspiration, and the painting began on the interiors — mint green for the orange house, and sunshine yellow for the blue. We decided to install a fourth window in both houses. We left the worksites at 1 p.m. that day so some could join Erma Fennell, as she travelled north of Vicente Guerrero to San Telmo where she took food to children as part of her outreach mission work. Other members of the team bought fruit trees and other plants for a women’s co-op that had recently been built in a neighbouring barrio.

Nov 14 dawned with a bit of fog, which quickly burned off in the hot Mexican sun. We returned to San Simon where we completed the painting, finished installing the kitchen counters, built shelving and hung curtain rods. The final task was to paint the concrete floors with an oil-based paint — blue in the orange house, and red in the blue house. We set up an outdoor shower closet in the yard and painted it. The casas (houses) looked great! The families and the mission team were so excited to see them nearing completion.

photo by art more

DEDICATION — Back row (left: Ranalfo, Marcia Dean (St. Saviours, Penticton), Sylvia, Marion Mitchell (All Saints, Vernon), Christine Winger (Holy Trinity, Grand Forks), Ian Fraser (Holy Trinity, Grand Forks), Liz Mitchall (St. Georges, Westbank), Evelyn Wieler (Christ Church, Cranbrook), Randy Secret (St. Saviours, Penticton), Rev Ken Watts (St. Georges, Westbank), Bill Wieler (Christ Church, Cranbrook), Dalla (Hero Holidays foreman), Vassell Johnson (St. Andrew and St. George, Trail).
Middle row: Paulbo, Maria, Isabelle, Annabelle, Adalaida, Gelasia (holding Laura), Paublo.
Front row: Art More (St. Saviours, Penticton), Lloyd Mitchell (All Saints, Vernon), Caroline Enns (Rossland), Samuel, Oreste, Phyllis Kennedy (St. Saviours, Penticton), Dianne Muir (St. James, Armstrong)

Nov 15 — Vamoos el Mercado! We went shopping for the “stuff” needed to furnish the houses. We explored the markets in San Quintin and bought tables, chairs, beds, bedding, stoves, pots and pans, and food supplies for the families. The market is an eclectic mix of vendors, some with tables in the open air, some in more protected shops, some selling new merchandise, others selling segunda (second hand) products, and as always, a great variety of food. After purchasing everything on our list, we took the items to the houses in San Simon and, like secret Santas, began setting things up. It was very exciting to see the finished product, complete with curtains and quilts, as we locked the houses before leaving.

Nov 16 was the day we’d all worked toward — the day of the house dedications and presenting the house keys to the families. The two families wanted to host us in a celebration meal, and had spent the morning cooking. We were very humbled, as they gave so generously while they had so little. We prayed for God’s blessing on them and their community. The mothers of the families thanked us all so sincerely and told us their story — a very moving account of their struggles and the poverty and hopelessness they have endured, and the hope and encouragement they now have because of the gift of their new homes. There were many tears as we listened, and realized how great a difference we had made in the lives of these families. Even though what we have done seems a small thing in our eyes, it is a huge benefit to them. I feel very honoured and blessed to have journeyed with our brothers and sisters in this part of the world.

Because of our efforts and the support of many people throughout the Diocese of Kootenay and beyond, there are twenty people in the Baja who are now sleeping in warm beds for the first time in their lives; they have adequate shelter, a place to prepare and eat their meals, and hope for a better life. And there are thirty-one people in the Diocese of Kootenay with a greater compassion for those who live in poverty. Thanks be to God!

There is much more to share, but that will have to wait for another edition of The Highway.