Pray for the 2012 Mexico Mission Trip (March 25-31)
The VGBC team heading to Juarez will build two houses with Casas por Cristo, (Houses for Christ). Please pray for:
- travel mercies and safety at the work sites
- the families who will receive the houses
- the team’s testimony and witness—that God will be glorified
“Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.” Psalm 127:1
The 2011 Mexico Mission Trip was March 20 - 26. Thank you for praying for their safety, health, effective ministry and witnessing opportunities.
We also appreciate your support of the rummage sale, which raised $4,400. Donations at the Children's Choir concert provided another $2,000. The funds were used by the Mexico Mission team to build a single house, a double house, and to work on the Rose of Sharon church. Thank you to the church body for coming together to serve the Kingdom!
2011 Trip Report by David Boncler, Photos by Zach Gulden
Sunday, March 20th Our 42 member team gathered and left the church parking lot at 8:30 am to begin the journey to Juarez, Mexico.
Monday, March 21st The team made the final stretch into El Paso. After getting supplies, we met up at Casas Por Cristo. We crossed the border around 2 p.m. We arrived at the church compound and unloaded. Fifteen team members went to clear the land where the double house would be built.
Tuesday, March 22nd A team of 22 began to work on the 3 room double house. Seventeen began to work on the 2 room single house. Three team members stayed back to begin working with some of the church locals on their facility.
For the houses… the framework was hammered together and concrete foundations were poured, smoothed, and set. The two teams arrived back at the compound around 6:00 p.m.
The church team removed the iron gate on the second floor so a wall could be built there. They also worked on some of the electrical, and began work on one of the bathrooms.
Wednesday, March 23rd The house teams got all the walls up, roof on, insulation done, and chicken wire (pre-stucco) completed. At the double, a few got to speak with a couple involved. God used this conversation to help restore a marriage!! At the single, a large number of children began to come to the site. This led to opportunities for interaction and evangelism with the children. The church team got the shell of the wall put up on the 2nd floor of the church.
Thursday, March 24th
Stucco and Sheetrock! Houses completed!! Houses dedicated!! The husband who received the double accepted the Lord. “Unless the Lord builds the house, the laborers labor in vain.” True story!! God had to be the One to complete the house. Every element of the service was done as an act of worship. God used it to bring glory to His name.
The church outside hallway was completed with sheetrock and chicken wire. The stucco will be done later by the church locals.
While The Rose of Sharon has opened its doors for Casas groups for years, no church has offered to partner with them and help them serve their community!! This was such an unreal blessing to be a part of.
Friday, March 25th The team crossed the border, and began their trip home.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support as we seek to minister to those God has called us to serve just across our borders.
2010 Mexico Mission Trip
On March 21, 2010 a group of 50 volunteers from VGBC left for Juarez, Mexico and returned on March 27. The main focus of their ministry was to build three houses for families in need with Casas por Cristo. They were joined by volunteers from Anchor Way Baptist Church and Fountain Valley Baptist Church. Thank you for praying for their opportunities to share the love and grace of Jesus with others, their health and safety.
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| 9 vans made the trip |
Stephanie and David |
Praying for team members |
Our team met Brittany Girle, Team Coordinator with Casas Por Cristo, during the mission trip in March, 2009. In her Spring Newsletter she wrote about working with our church. Brittany gave us permission to include her newsletter on our website.
Brittany Girle Newsletter Spring, 2009 (PDF file)
Mexico Mission Trip Report by Rev. David Boncler
March 22 – 28, 2009
Vista Grande Baptist Church, along with a few members from Fountain Valley Baptist Church and Anchor Way Baptist Church, sent a team of 64 to Juarez, Mexico to build 3 houses for families in great need of a safe place to live.
This is what our week looked like:
- We left Sunday morning, in order to get halfway there. Everyone was able to get a little extra rest on this night, as rest would soon become a much needed thing!
- On Monday, we arrived, picked up our food for the week, and then met up with the Casas Por Cristo team who would be serving alongside of us. We crossed the border, got our tools, and unloaded at the church we would call home for the next 4 days.
- Tuesday--all 3 teams headed to their sites. A concrete foundation had to be formed, poured, set, and secured. Others spent time cutting wood to build the frame.
- Wednesday---the walls go up, the roof goes on, insulation gets placed, the outside wall gets prepped for stucco, windows and doors get set, and if there is time--some sheetrock goes on some walls.
- Thursday---The sheetrock gets completed, stucco goes on, and the roof is completed. THEN---the house is dedicated. This is a very special time as everyone realizes the fullness of why we came.
The witness of people coming to serve... and the families having a complete house DONATED to them is a blessing beyond imagination. Many families are overwhelmed with the great love and sacrifice of those coming to serve. This year, it was especially powerful as the families questioned how much we knew about the violence that was going on in Mexico. When they learned that we were aware, it had that much more of an impact.
Every day, each team was able to have interaction with the communities we were serving in. All teams had backyard bible clubs with children. The evangelism this brought about was a great new addition to the ministry in Mexico!!
God's hand of peace and protection was clearly over us. It felt more peaceful than any of the other years we have gone. Many from the team continue to express the impact this mission had on their own lives.
Prayerfully consider how you can be involved with us for 2010. Maybe you will have a desire to go. Our first meeting will be in August. Maybe you will have a desire to help gather materials we can use to evangelize with. We start collecting Bibles, soccer balls, candy, coloring books and colors, and other various items next January - March. Maybe you will have a desire to help fund the houses. We try to raise funds continually - each home costs approximately $4,300 to build. This is a great way to help because every dollar counts. And maybe you will have a desire to partner with us in prayer. Knowing we have strong prayer support back home is POWERFUL!
We appreciate so much everyone who is a part of this trip, both those going, and those who serve alongside from other areas in Colorado. This trip is definitely about the body of Christ serving together. All ages from 9th grade through senior citizens travel on this trip, while people of ALL ages help prepare the way. Thank you to all who are involved in one way or another!!
