10/30/08 - A Visit from Suncreek

It's been a busy two weeks since I last posted an update! My mission trip buddy, Janet Hunt, and a team from Suncreek United Methodist Church arrived last week to complete the construction of a room for the De La Torre family. This family of seven live in a small one room home that has just one bunk bed (a double bed on the bottom and a twin bed on top). Their sweet grandma (abuela) lives next door. The three youngest boys - Felipe (9), Samuel (7), and Martin (4) have an illness called Hunter's Syndrome. This illness results in developmental abnormalities, skeletal deformations, mental retardation, and, in many cases, early death. The De La Torre family has already lost two children to this disease. It was such a pleasure for our team to bless this family with a second room and they were so appreciative! I have had these boys and this family on my mind all week. Please keep them in your prayers!

Martin drove the Suncreek team and I to the market in downtown Juarez on Saturday afternoon. Although there weren't many people shopping, we felt very safe. A couple of the vendors we've known for years told us that there are undercover security guards working in the market, but there hasn't been any incidents. I realize that there is a lot of coverage on the news about the violence in Juarez, but honestly it doesn't seem any different than it has for the past five years. We walked to the store for ice cream one evening and we were not nervous or worried at all.


I spent all day Tuesday and Wednesday of this week working with two of our favorite maestros (Oscar and Ernesto). With cinder blocks paid for by Suncreek UMC, we built a wall around the back yard at the home of a family that attends our church here. Javier and his wife, Oralia, were so happy to receive this gift! Javier is blind and has been unable to find employment for quite some time. Oralia works at a factory here in Juarez. They have an adorable six year old daughter who loves to sing at church. Oralia insisted on cooking breakfast and lunch for us both days. I ate lentils for the first time in my life!!! While waiting for more blocks to arrive on Tuesday afternoon, I spent an hour or so talking with Javier - in spanish!! We laughed and sang and thoroughly enjoyed our visit. I am really glad that I was able to get to know this family!


Today I spent most of my day doing laundry. It sure takes a long time to dry clothes on a clothesline, but they smell great after drying in the sun and wind! When there are no teams here, it's very quiet, but there is always a couple of girls (Eva and Erika) looking for attention from me!



It's hard to believe that I've been here for almost five weeks! I'm looking forward to a visit to Allen in three weeks. It will be nice to celebrate Thanksgiving at home! Although I miss my kids, my dogs, and my friends very much, I am thoroughly enjoying the work we are doing here! I received a card last week and I loved what it said -

"Work for the Lord. The work is hard, the hours are long, the pay is low, but the retirement benefits are out of this world!"

Until the next time, Dios te bendiga!

Rita