One of Welcome Home’s wonderful Partner churches, First Reformed of Lansing, IL, sent a short-term missions team to work with us in Vicente Guerrero at the end of October. Long-time friends of Welcome Home, Jerry Cassity, Ken Vanderhye, John Van Drunen, and Kristen Smit, were among the twelve team members we welcomed.

In preparation for First Reformed’s week in Vicente Guerrero, we talked with team leader Jerry Cassity about the scope of their work. They wanted to build a house, as well as supply food bags for a farm workers’ camp and and other needy families. And, as always, they planned to touch base with and assist some of the medical personnel with whom they have established long-term relationships.

Welcome Home staff identified the family for which the First Reformed team would build, and relayed this information to the team leader. The house would be for a young widow named Claudia and her four children: Myra (14), Laura (11), Modesto (9), and Juan (6). Claudia was widowed six years ago, at the age of 23, just after the birth of her youngest child. She and her oldest daughter, Myra, work in the strawberry fields as much as possible, sometimes even seven days a week. The family was living with Claudia’s brother and his family of five, plus grandma, in a tiny windowless shack comprised of pallets and plastic. Claudia had made an attempt to build a shelter on her own lot in Zapata, but the pallet- and scrap-wood-structure, was without floor or roof.

Claudia’s two boys, Modesto and Juan, were enrolled in school, but she had not yet been able to pay their school fees or buy the required school uniforms. The girls, Myra and Laura, had never been to school.

The Sunday before leaving for Mexico, team leader Jerry shared with the First Reformed congregation about the family the team would be helping. Funds for the house build and other ministry projects were already in hand but, without even making a plea for more funds, Jerry walked away from church that day with another $1,100 earmarked for Claudia’s children’s educational needs!

What a great week it was! In preparation for the team’s arrival, Welcome Home staff had already poured the foundation and floor, and the corners had been laid. The team, with its seasoned block layers, came in and tore into the house. By Wednesday the walls were up and roof was begun.

Also on Wednesday, we visited with the director of the small community school where Modesto and Juan were enrolled. The director was gracious in giving us her time and answering our questions about what was needed for the boys, as well as how to enroll Laura as a first-time student.

We were thrilled to be able to take the boys and Laura shopping for uniforms, buying two sets for each child, plus two pairs of shoes, backpacks, school supplies and so on. Money was paid for the school fees and we even paid for a full year of the desayuno (special breakfast program) for each child. What fun!

On Thursday the children proudly went to school in their new uniforms. For Laura, at age 11, it was her first school day ever — imagine her joy! She and her brothers are all in the same first-level class but each will be advanced as their progress indicates.

On Friday, final touches were put on the house, and the team presented the keys to Claudia and dedicated the house with the reading of Scripture and a prayer of blessing.

Thank you, First Reformed, for your hearts of love and hands of service. You are a great blessing to the people of the San Quintin valley!