Mission Mexico

The Crossroads United Methodist Church in Lakeville, Minnesota, conducts an annual mission trip to an orphanage in Reynosa, Mexico. The orphanage was founded and is managed by Ray Henson and the organization he founded, Rio Bravo Ministries. My daughter, Becky, and my son-in-law, John, attended the Crossroads Church when they lived in Lakeville several years ago and, since moving back to Kansas, have gone on the "Mission Mexico" trip with the Minnesota church group several times. This year, they went with their seven kids, including Cindy's three boys, who are now a part of John & Becky's family. The church bus from Minnesota stopped in Kansas allowing them to get aboard for the trip to Mexico.

Carole and I are in The Valley in Texas across the border from Reynosa, Mexico, so I drove over to the orphanage every day the mission group was there to help with the work projects . . . and to spend a little time with my kids and grandkids.

I was able to cross into Mexico via the new Anzalduas Bridge, which has only been open for a couple of weeks. Entering Mexico was simple . . drive right through . . . no stopping, no questions, no inspections. Returning to the United States, however, was a different matter . . . waiting in line for 1 to 2 hours, questioning, inspections, searching the Blazer inside and out. I don't know how smugglers or drug runners ever get through into this country.

Entering Mexico . . . then returning to the United States . . .















The orphanage in Mexico is in a walled and gated compound at the Western edge of the City of Reynosa in a very poor run-down area, although I guess that describes most of Reynosa.



The compound has a number of separate dorm buildings for boys and girls, a home for very young boys and girls with house-parents, an apartment building for staff, a "motel" building for visiting work groups, an office and residence building, a school building, a gymnasium with mess hall and soon to be chapel, and a work shop/storage building.

















And, of course, lots of outdoor play space including a soccer field inside of a track. Most of the grounds around the buildings are covered with paving bricks.


















The grounds are fairly well landscaped and are clean and well maintained . . . especially for Mexico. This undoubtedly reflects the fact the this orphanage was founded and is managed by American missionaries. The students are taught English as well as Spanish in the school, which has some 60-70 resident orphans plus about 150 students from the surrounding area who attend the school.

The mission group from Minnesota organized themselves into three primary teams to work on three major projects.

One of the major projects was re-roofing the house for the very young boys and girls and the house-parents. That's one of my grandsons, Luke, standing second from left as a member of the roofing crew in the picture at right.











Another of the major projects was hanging drywall in a new room above the mess hall which is to serve as the chapel. That's one of my grandsons, Tyler, on the left in the left picture below. My son-in-law, John, is hanging drywall in the right picture below.

















The third major project was to haul in fill dirt, then level and tamp so they can pour the concrete floor in a new building which is to be another boys dormitory. All moving of dirt was by hand using shovels and wheelbarrows. We became very familiar with the shovels, including the ladies and girls. The photo on the left below is me and two of my grandsons, Tyler and Kyle. In the photo on the right below are two of my granddaughters, Jordan and Madison, and my grandson, Sam.















Periodically we had to stop shoveling and raking so the level of the dirt could be checked. Holding the measuring pole for viewing through the transit is Pastor Paul, the Pastor of Crossroads Church and the leader of the "Mission Mexico" group. Pictured in the foreground are three of my grandkids, Jordan, Alex, and Tyler, taking a break from the shoveling.










Every afternoon, some of the ladies and girls of the mission group conducted Bible Study in the mess hall for the younger resident orphans. It was surprising to me how well those 3-6 year old little Spanish speaking Mexican kids related to those English speaking Americans strangers. Their little faces just lit up and they were all smiles. Verbal communications may have been difficult, but they all communicated in other ways quite well.


Much of the activity was helping the little Mexican kids make craft items. In the left photo below, my granddaughter, Jordan, is working with a small Mexican girl. In the right photo, my daughter, Becky, and my granddaughter, Madison, are working with a couple of Mexican girls.


















Periodically some of the mission group are split off from the major work teams to participate in landscaping, grounds clean-up, or kitchen duty in the mess hall. My grandson, Alex, was no exception. He's shown here on the cleanup crew sweeping the mess hall after lunch.










On the last day the "Mission Mexico" group was in Mexico, Carole made the trip to the orphanage with me. She had the opportunity to see the work we had been doing and to see and visit with John and Becky and our grandkids.

While she was there we had lunch in the mess hall . . . tostadas and a type of bean soup . . . a real Mexican lunch.







Working at the orphanage in Mexico for four days was a very rewarding experience . . . as well as very interesting and educational. If I have the opportunity, I would quickly volunteer to do it again . . . even though during the past several days, I rediscovered some muscles I hadn't used for awhile. It may take me a few days to fully recover . . . but that kind of exercise must certainly be good for me.

God Bless Ray Henson, Pastor Paul, and all of the "Mission Mexico" group for the good works they are doing.