Building a Home for the Homeless

I just sent my final letter for a project my wife and I are doing.  Put it on your bucket list if you are so inclined if you haven’t yet. It will be rewarding I believe

In a couple of hours the 17 of us will take off on our journey to Guatemala. Thanks for your prayers and gifts to make this happen. A simple thank-you seems small at this time.

We will live from our carry-on bags and leave a couple of suitcases full of donations. A small amount of money and my old cell phone (probably an original first generation) will tide us over as our team (we have four teams) will help build a home for a family with no home. The kids sleep in under sugar cane stalks used for a lean-to. We will help in an orphanage and also help in a food distribution center  for homeless.

The household will be well taken care of thanks to a network of people and a great house sitter while we are gone. It’s a strange thing to make endless to-do lists of all the things that need attention when we will be gone such a short time. I think I will quick check and make sure I have my passport (for the 23rd time) and money belt with money in it. We have an old camera and a journal each to jog our memories later should we think we have run out of stories.

This morning My wife said to me “what if the people we build a house for don’t appreciate it?”

I had thought about this earlier when I’ve given gifts that I’ve seen on a garage sale later. I know it’s a small matter compared to all the people in the world who have rejected Jesus and what he gave to us. It will not be a small matter when we someday see him look into our eyes when this life is over. I guess that is why we have not taken this project and all the support we have received from you lightly.

Gary