Welcome to our latest Wondering and Wandering post! After returning from our Mission Jamaica trip in February we settled into our winter home away from home at Villa Alameda RV Resort in Yuma, AZ. Deb returned to her quilting projects and Wendell resumed his grueling routine of playing Shuffleboard on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, fixing jigsaw puzzles, reading and enjoying Arizona sunshine. Deb completed her Alaska Quilt! She did all this in our 400 square foot home away from home.
Our First Reformed Church (Sioux Falls) CASA Team arrived here in Yuma on February 5th, pausing briefly at Curt and Kelly's home before crossing the border, anxious to get settled in for our build week. Earlier on the 5th, Deb and I, Tim and Cindy Klein and Mark Sissing crossed over into San Luis to open the CASA house and settle in before the rest of the team arrived. Once the team was assembled in San Luis fun at Farkle and Cribbage commenced. Even Avalee and Pastor Miguel's boys played games. Curt briefed the team later on the upcoming week and we shuffled off to slumberland!
Sunday we attended Pastor Miguel's church. Fortunately there were several San Luis residents who were attending also who were able to translate the messages from Pastor Miguel and guest Pastor friend of Miguel's.
Above Curt and guest Pastor
Below are pictures of the Fellowship meal our team was invited to join. Everyone enjoyed the food, fellowship and music.
The Lee's use their Spanish language skills!
Monday morning bright and early we enjoyed Kelly's pancakes and other hearty breakfast foods, filled our water bottles and headed for the worksite. This week's family was eagerly waiting our arrival. Meet the family!
Dad, Fernando is an auto mechanic in San Luis. Mom, Alondra (hidden behind son in red) along with her family had cleared the lot of trash, watered the sand and was waiting excitedly in front of their new house concrete slab. Their children are (tallest son) Fernando, Jr. age 15 years, Alexander, age 12, daughter Keila, age 8 and little Cesar Issac, age 1 1/2 years.
Every work day starts with prayer. Curt and Kelly remind us we are in Mexico to build more than a house. We demonstrate the love of Christ and build relationships that model His Love. So prayer before the day's work and meals are very important.
The team, after so many years of working together is like a well oiled machine, it operates smoothly and quickly. Everyone jumped to their task of setting up the tools, saw horses, etc. and began to work quickly. Framers started cutting wall studs and building the walls; painters jumped to getting the panels and rafters painted. Everything visible from the road gets a coat or two of paint before it is placed on the studs.
(House in background was where the family lived)
The walls went up quickly, with help from the family.
At the end of day one, all the walls were up, sheeted and the roof rafters and the deck on!
Then it was off to the ice cream shop for a refreshing break for the team!
After eating a delicious meal at the CASA house, devotions were lead by Tim and Cindy Klein.
Team members led each evening's devotions, with very enriching discussions. Everyone got cozy!
Day two saw the team sheeting the roof, installing windows, trim, interior walls, wiring, etc.
A great example that our youth from FRC work at the build, and build relationships that last forever with our friends south of the border. Avalee helps build the front door.
Deb and I enjoyed a visit and worked for part of the day with our student Kenia. Kenia is studying to be a dietician. She has a year of classes left, then a year of internship to complete. A beautiful young woman with a bright future!
Alondra paints her new bathroom door. Imagine if you will, never having any privacy or even a bathroom that wasn't an outhouse!
After the walls were insulated with Styrofoam, sheetrock goes up! Caleb, Pastor Miguel's son is handy with a sheetrock gun!
Day two ended and the team headed for Mission house! More ice cream was enjoyed by all, thanks to another gracious team member buying the treats for everyone. After supper, more Cribbage played by Curt, John, Kelly, Kim and Tim, farkle by others, and devotions, everyone slept soundly. The early risers on the team ensured the coffee was ready each morning for the team. Wendell and Mark were always the first up!
Day Three saw the finishing touches completed on the house. The Ramada (open air porch) was completed. Bed frames built, plumbing installed, ceiling Styrofoam installed, electrical finished and water lines installed.
At the end of the day all that remained for Thursday was putting up curtains, cleaning and moving in the new beds and mattresses, and dedicating the house.
Important time spent in building relationships. Above Curt spending time with Keila and Cesar. Below Kelly and Cindy flying a kite with Keila.
Zahir, Pastor Miguel's son is an very active boy who loves doing cartwheels and hanging from anything he can find.
At the dedication the family receives the keys to the house and Bibles!
More time to fly the kite!
Well that pretty much raps up this last project of the winter for the Brenneman's. We will head back to South Dakota on April 1st with many fond winter 2022 memories.
