from a foundation to a house to a home...

A bit about our Mexico house-build trip... and you can see the transformation from a cement foundation to a house...to a home!

When we arrived on the site, this was what greeted us: two small pieces of property each with a reinforced poured concrete foundation, and all of the framing and wall lumber, dry wall, and other materials needed to build two houses, and two eager and ready building project managers. (oh, and a wonderful view of all of Rojo Gomez, a border town "home" to thousands of poor families in shacks with no running water) Just add our two teams of eager builders (about 50 total)...and ...the building begins!

...10:45 am Friday...

(yes, that's me...not very flattering, I know!)
It was amazing to watch these two houses being built from the ground up and a privilege to be a part of it!

I helped build the frame of our house and then spent much of the rest of the day hammering on the outside wall boards... then hanging dry wall inside!
(all new skills for me!)

Windows and a door had to be cut and the roof put on.

This is Pablo, the project manager for House #1 (our house!).

He and Hector (HM for House #2) were AMAZING!

They knew how to do every needed task and how to teach us

unskilled labor how to do them as well....

all with cheerful attitudes and smiling faces!

Me hanging dry wall...

POWER TOOLS!!! COOL!!

The inside of the house looking into the "loft" from the largest of the three rooms.

(Oops. This came before the drywall photo!)

Me demonstrating my awesome and well-honed hammering skills!

(Please pardon the lovely look...it was HOT!)

"Charlie's Angels" pose

Two of my life group buddies (Kristen and Anita) and me.
Powerful girls with tools (and toolbelts!!)!

* * * * * *

...And this is what our house looked like 6 1/2 hrs later at quitting time...

I couldn't believe it.

House #2 was just as finished right behind our house.

* * * * * *

Day 2

full of dry wall hanging, mudding, putting in the windows and doors, trim on the outside, building a ladder for the loft, tar papering and shingling the roofs, sanding the inside walls to prep for painting, gathering tires and building a stairway into the hillside out of the tires, entertaining the neighborhood kids with games and fun, wiring the houses for electricity, working together with one another and with the families as they joined in the building of their houses

* * * * * *

Day 3

Because we had large teams, we were able to finish our houses mostly on Day 2. That allowed us some extra time to paint the interior of the houses as well.

This was the happy peach color in House #1 and the ladder to the loft:

And these are the finished products,

all ready for the dedication ceremony:

We dedicated each house to its family...

and prayed over the family...

There were tears of joy and excitement...

And very very big smiles!!

This was the family of House #1--

Flavio, Luz Maria, and their two little children...

a "mural" was created for each house, and this one says:

"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!"

~Joshua 29:15b

...and the house becomes a home...

To God be the Glory!!

relaxing...

This is what it is like on a regular basis living in the city as I do:

But, for this week, I've been enjoying the benefits of living in the country!

Ahhhh.... being awakened in the morning by the sound of Canada geese flying over to the lake... looking up at the multitudes of stars in the dark night sky... doing yard work with my mom... and going to sleep to the sound of frogs in the nearby ponds...

It's been glorious... and I am truly grateful!!

...the chicken appears here today with permission from Doug, chicken artist extraordinaire!

accent from "home"...

Yesterday at work I was talking with our auditor, whom I had just met, and a few hours into our day, the subject somehow turned to where we were originally from-- where was "home"? I am originally a Michigander (as we would call ourselves!). I was born and lived most of my childhood in the lovely state of Michigan. Two years ago, however, I reached the "equal time in both states" point and have now lived in California longer than I have in Michigan.

The reason she asked me the question, however, was because of the way I speak-- my "accent," if you will. Now, we Michiganders say we have no accent, but, well, we must begrudgingly admit that we do. It mostly has to do with the pronunciation of the short sound of the letter "O." It's a Midwest thing, and it definitely sets us apart from the West Coasters. There are also words or phrases that are part of the "accent." Words like "pop" (yes! that IS what it is, folks! no matter how many of you call it "soda"!!!) and ways of pronouncing words like "eggs," "bag," "measure." (or so they tell me!)

Now, after living almost 23 years in California, I've lost the pronunication accent. I go home to my family in Michigan, and they tell me I talk funny. I do, however, still use (at least in my head!) the word "pop" and I guess some other phrases or mannerisms in speaking that peg me as "not Californian." This was what started the whole conversation about it yesterday.

It made me start thinking, though, about my other home. Heaven.

It is said "Home is where the heart is." And, heaven is where my heart is. It is where my future lies. It is where my Father is waiting for me. And though I miss my home state of Michigan, the place for which my spirit grows most homesick is my true home. It is this place for which my heart truly longs.

That makes me a stranger here. Oh, not just in California, but in this world, period. We who hold our citizenship in heaven are strangers and aliens in this world (Hebrews 11:13b), and as a stranger, I would expect that I may look and sound like a stranger. There must be some kind of an "accent" from my homeland which sets me apart, by which those who encounter me can identify me as "from somewhere else." Something about my way of speaking and living--the words I use, the mannerisms, the attitude and ideas, how I behave--should set me apart from others here. For I am not of this world. (John 17:16)

I hope that my accent here on earth is not just the left-overs of my Michigan upbringing but first, and foremost, that of heaven, my true home. I pray that others, right from the first moment of meeting me, will "hear" my accent of heaven--that they will be curious and intrigued by it and will ask me where I'm from and what's it like to "live there." And I pray that as I speak and live, they will see the beauty of my homeland and the wonder of my Father... and will desire to live there, too.

So, I don't mind having an accent--a heavenly accent. I hope I keep it always and that it stays fresh and real. I hope it will always clearly identify me as from another place-- a lovely place, a joyous place, one I'm proud to be from, and one about which others want to know.