This past week, I built for a family in Acuna, MX. There names were Gonzalo and Edelina. They are the younger couple standing on either side of their grandma in the picture. If you can’t tell from the picture, Edelina in 8 months pregnant. This will be their first child. They are expecting a baby girl. To the right is a little girl that their family took in after she was abandoned by her mother as a infant.
This was a special build for multiple reasons. Gonzalo and Edelina’s neighbor’s house caught on fire a few weeks ago. Next to that house was a couple of barrels of some type of oil substance. The fire caught the barrels on fire which went off like a bomb. One of those barrels flew into the shack that Gonzalo and Edelina were living in. The house quickly went up in flames. They lost everything. A nightmare for a young couple expecting a baby in 1 month coming in to the winter season. Gonzalo had been saving money from his night shift job of very bad pay. He had saved 1800 pesos which is about $180. That was burnt up in the fire.
As soon as the news reached our ministry, we bumped this family to the top of the list. The excitement of this family was evident when we arrived at the build site on the first day. Gonzalo had a serious tone about him. He seemed overwhelmed with gratitude of what he was about to receive. He was so impacted by the house he was receiving that he slept in his outhouse to guard the build materials ever night during the build. The outhouse was small with dirt floors. It looked and smelled like an outhouse. The temperature reached below freezing every night.
What also made this build very special is that it was built by the new Pastors committee in Acuna, MX. In both cities that we build in, Juarez and newly Acuna, we have a pastors committee that meets about and represents our ministry. These pastors are involved in sponsoring the families that we build for. Sponsorship includes handing out applications and shepherding the family they are sponsoring before, during, and after a build.
This was the first real informal bonding of these pastors. This is a big deal because the church in Acuna has never had unity. This is the first real unity these pastors have ever been a part of. Those in this picture, including myself, are just a few of the pastors that helped us build during the week. It is exciting to see God bring unity to Acuna, MX through our ministry.
These pastors poured their hearts out to Gonzalo and Edelina so much so, Gonzalo and Edelina gave their lives to the Jesus while we were there. This makes everything we do all worth it. Their sponsoring pastor is a good man with a great heart. He will be contacting them often, helping them mature and develop as a new Christian family.
I thing that the quick response from God in saving their family from the harsh climate of Acuna, MX was what led them to want to know Jesus and the most important love he has to offer. I am excited for Acuna and all of the work that his starting to happen there. This is an exciting time for our ministry.
Love you all!!!
Justin Kirklin
