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SouthWest trip April, 2010

Hands of Mercy — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 00:44:14 +0000

Mexico brothers,
Just thought I would tell you that I believe all of our group had a really great time last weekend.
What a blessing to witness all that you guys are doing to serve our Lord in Mexico. I have heard story after story of how God was working in our lives as a result of this trip and the opportunity to serve in a small way.
The food was great and of your families were so gracious with their time and smiles. I am always inspired to see the fruits that result from Jesus working in you.

Well until next time, Vaya Con Dios!
Chuck Cawthorne

Capilla Calvario Horizonte

Hands of Mercy — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 17:32:55 +0000

Hands of Mercy is building a lofthouse for a needy family using the extra building materials donated from US work teams (left after completed lofthomes). The three HoM missionary families living full-time in Mexico attend the English speaking service of “Horizon Calvary Chapel – Ensenada”. They are partnering with members of the Spanish speaking service of Horizonte to help construct the lofthouse. This will be the second lofthouse built that was constructed using all workers that live in Mexico. The Mexican church has the same need and desire to give as the US church, but lack the resources to build an entire lofthouse. Using these “leftover” materials gives them a chance to help. The prebuild will take place in Horizonte’s parking lot in Ensenada on January 16, 2009.

Calvary Bible Church Bakersfield

Hands of Mercy — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 02:45:08 +0000

I hope this message finds all well. We as a group have been praying that God will intervene in the changing of the gaurd at the border. How did the meeting go? Hope everything was resolved in a gracious manor. I know the hearts of all of you and that you would not allow any other conclusion. What ever is the out come, we will support you and your ministry to the end.

You guys are such an inspiration to all of us, you cannot imagine the life changing impact you are having, not only in our community, but any where that has been involved. I can’t begin to tell you how many have ranted and raved about H.O.M. In our Tuesday bible study we were asked.? What for sure have you seen with your own eye’s that you can positively say is being blessed by GOD 100%.
Guess what You and your families are. Let me know what the outcome of your meeting was. May GOD continue to bless you all. Hope all is well. We LOVE you guys and can’t wait for the next adventure.

Randy Bradford

11/12/08

Sierra Vista Community Church

Hands of Mercy — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 20:03:49 +0000

Those of us with Sierra Vista Community Church who came last weekend (Aug. 29-31, 2008) would like to say a huge THANK YOU to all of you!!! This was our very first missions trip as a church, and we were all very blessed to be a part of this amazing ministry God is directing in Mexico. Your warmth and encouragement and patience every step of this process has been so wonderful! We thoroughly enjoyed our adventure there…from the journey down, “the road,” the GREAT food, the rope swing for the kids, the fun loft homes, the building of the home for the family, the AWE inspiring stars….and on and on. We have all grown in our relationship with the Lord through this experience, and we can’t wait to come back. God bless you guys as you do this day in and day out! We will be lifting you up in prayer, as well as the Cruz family. Blessings on you all!
Lisa Rettberg

P.S. On a personal note, on Monday morning, my 10 year old son and I were talking, and I said, “I miss Mexico.” He replied, “I do, too. It would be fun to do that again.” Amen to that!

Building Loft Homes (PLC)

Hands of Mercy — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 04:43:14 +0000

A coffee-time conversation turned into a ministry-altering emphasis for us here at Peñasquitos Lutheran Church (PLC) in San Diego. Thus it often is in the Kingdom of God. During coffee time on a men’s retreat in 2005, several men from our church met the architects of a ministry called “Hands
of Mercy,” a separate 501c3 non-profit organization out of Trinity Church in Redlands, California, and we forged a lasting relationship.

Hands of Mercy helps churches start loft-home projects. With a specific and basic blue-print for a 12’ x 12’ structure, congregants are encouraged to pick up their hammers and paint brushes. In a one-day session, we build the deck floor, four walls, joists, and roof in the church parking lot. Next, we load the prefabricated parts onto a trailer, and the following weekend a team of people drive the home to Baja, Mexico, where a family in need awaits its arrival. We assemble and erect the home in one day, and the recipient family participates in the project.

As is the case in many service projects of this nature, it goes way beyond simply cutting wood and pounding nails. Lives are touched and transformed in a tangible way. People who receive a Loft Home in the name of Jesus are forever changed every time they walk into the home that someone gave them in love. People stateside who donate to, build and deliver a home are forever changed as well.

PLC member Jason Harper states, “This is one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever been a part of.” The reward comes by making a difference. Little can compare to the feeling of standing with a family who once lived in cardboard boxes as they are handed the keys to their brand new house. PLC member Steve Josephs puts it this way: “To see a dirt- poor family be blessed with their first home is one of the most spiritually moving and soul satisfying experiences I can imagine.” Steve is not alone. Many have shared a similar experience where serving God by serving others has opened up a new depth to their spiritual lives. As Steve says, “This is the stuff that you hear about in Bible Study or Sunday sermons, but you never fully understand until you’re right there among the poor.” Since our original conversation with Hands of Mercy in 2005, we have raised money for and delivered eight loft homes. Participation by PLC people in the planning, cutting, assembly, delivery and erecting of these homes now numbers
over three hundred; this number increases greatly if we count all the prayer warriors behind the scenes. With the increased participation comes increased production. We plan to build two homes simultaneously on one weekend in this month, and send two teams to deliver them to Mexico the following weekend. We are not alone in this outreach. Churches throughout California have partnered with Hands of Mercy and to date have delivered over 600 Loft Homes in and around Ensenada, Mexico.

Building Loft Homes
by Sean Kelly