N
orthstar Baptist Church youth pastor Wes Linde was on the road again with 24 youth (ages 15 – 20) and 11 adults, who used their spring break from school to serve others in God’s love. They traveled to Vincente Gurrero, Mexico to build a house for a poor family who have never lived in a house before.
The youth fundraised during the year to make this possible.
Every two years, youth from Northstar’s youth group send a mission group to build a house.
This is the fifth house they’ve constructed.
In just four days, the group, with a lot of hard work and some rain, built the house. In addition, they also constructed an outhouse, shower house and a chicken coop which will help the family become self-sustaining.
“The family we built the house for became very close to our group, especially their kids to our youth,” one of the adults on the mission Stacey Headey said.
“There was lots of laughter and then a lot of tears at the end. The family was so moved by our love they accepted Jesus as their Saviour. The father also asked to be involved in the next house build to help other Mexican people.”
During the course of the build, many neighbourhood children came to the house everyday, mostly without shoes. Headey said the group decided to purchase shoes for all the kids.
“Our youth played with the kids everyday and they became close to these children,” she said.
“They knew them all by name.”
She went on to say the youth also visited an orphanage and an area called Campos.
“Campos was a special project where we went to a very poor, secluded community and after their regular bible camp, our youth handed out food and backpacks which were filled with household goods and more food,” Headey said.
“Our youth got to see a lot of poverty while there, but also to serve and touch the lives of the people there.
“All the youth were very moved and changed by this experience. We had a great group of kids. People just don’t realize how poor these people really are, unless they actually go down there and see for themselves. It’s really sad. It makes you want to do more and not take your life for granted.”
Headey also said there were a lot of kids hanging around everyday, all day long, because they couldn’t afford to go to school.
“School for them costs about $150 a year. School is a life-changing event for them.”
If you would like to make a tax-deductable donation to help fund the next house project, or to help put a child through school, send your donation to Northstar Church.
“You can be assured it will be life changing to a family,” Headey said.
– with files from
Stacey Headey