Dedication service - El Mesias Methodist Church

July 7, 2007

Dreams and Prayers - Becoming a Reality

Lee McDonald

How does one describe a life changing event? How does one end a part of one’s life that has touched so many and is a miracle?

For the past four summers, missioners from South Carolina have had the privilege of working with the members of El Mesias Methodist church in Calpulalpan, Tlaxcala, Mexico. UMVIM teams from across South Carolina traveled to Mexico to construct a church and not just any church - the only Methodist church in the city and the realization of a twenty-five year prayer. I had the honor of coordinating this project, living during the summers for five weeks in Mexico and experiencing the miraculous power of our Lord. We discovered language is no barrier when each person is working for the same end. When people are dedicated to the work of Christ, then we speak a language of the heart, the soul. For four summers we learned the language of the soul and “spoke” to our friends from El Mesias.

One day during the summer of 2004, Pastor Benitez shared the dream of building a grand church that many people throughout the city could see and then come to worship and learn about God. Little did I realize that day was the beginning of a journey that would involve hundreds of people from South Carolina, learning two languages-construction and Spanish and spending countless hours planning and raising money. The 2004 team worked on the parsonage of the pastor, which is located on the second floor of a concrete building. The room below was being used as a sanctuary. The plan was to build a grand two-story church in front of the small building housing the parsonage – 4 rooms and the “sanctuary”-one room. The new building was to provide classrooms and a huge space to worship for a growing church.

The plans arrived and the building project began. Because of the faith of four UMVIM-SC teams during the summer of 2005, the foundation was laid. We wrote our churches’ names in the foundation stones. We had become part of their foundation. Their twenty-five year prayer was becoming a reality.

During the following summer, 2006, the construction continued. When the first of the five UMVIM teams arrived, we saw the beginning for walls, a dirt floor and beams that suggested a ceiling. By the time the fifth team left, the church had a ceiling, lights, a concrete floor and finished walls. There was no doubt a grand place of worship was being constructed. We were truly a team in all sense of the word. For five weeks, the departure date of one team was the arrival date of the next team. The work of one team depended on the completed work of the previous team. As we built, we discovered we were also building a foundation of friendship that would continue for many years to come.

When the teams left each summer, the work continued. Members of the church sent pictures of each phase of the construction – the placing of the exterior doors, the completed ceiling, the hand-made pews, the tile floor – but these pictures could not adequately prepare us for the awe of seeing the completed sanctuary and the beginnings of the second floor when the first team arrived this summer, 2007. It was a miracle to stand in the sanctuary on what had three years ago been a field and one year ago a dirt floor. The four teams were able to complete the support beams, begin the electrical and plumbing and complete the ceiling of the second floor. The sanctuary was dedicated on July 7, 2007 and the final team from North UMC participated in this service. Six team members on that team had worked on this project for the past three years. I was asked to cut the dedication ribbon across the entrance with the presiding Bishop, Bishop Herrera. It was an honor to cut the ribbon for UMVIM-SC.

The second floor of the church is scheduled to be completed in late November, 2007. When I return to Calpulalpan in December to attend the first wedding in the completed sanctuary, I hope to see the miracle that God gave to each person finished and “open for business”.

Over fifty UMC churches from across South Carolina were involved with this four year project. Thank you for the support from these churches and the many people who believed a group of Methodists should not have to wait twenty-five years for a place to worship and learn. Thank you to those who sponsored a team, sent a missioner, donated money and prayed for the work and the missioners. One member from El Mesias wrote recently “because of South Carolina Methodists, we can now say “our church”.

I understand something more about God’s miracles now. This church is a miracle. It was not a “thunderbolt” miracle where the ground shook and a church appeared. It was a “sweat” miracle where we worked, loved, cried and experienced the living Christ. I am beginning to understand the “sweat” miracles are the ones that surround us each day and keep the world going.

How does one experience miracles – you travel on an UMVI M team, step out of your comfort zone and open your heart for the love of God to enter. Another miracle – one of the members of El Mesias has asked to travel with my team next summer! He is saving pesos, and I am working to secure a VISA! And the miracles just keep coming!

El Mesias Church.
Calpulalpan Tlaxcala, México.

First I apologize, because my English is bad, I just want to share my experience.For four years UMVIM´s teams have travelled to Calpulalpan, we was working together, we spent the summer in this project. I did not realize that four years of my life are gone, I did now , I have many memories. I can´t explain this experience. It did not matter if they were sick, an example is Lee McDonald, she was very sick, she had surgeries and she should have remained in house resting, but she knew how important is God´s work. I want to be like her when I grow up. Young people came, also adults like Suddie Love, she is the best example of God´s love, I love her.

I remember what UMVIM´s people said:"the most important thing that you have to remember always is: Be true and show the Jesus love, this is your church and this work is yours, please open the doors of Sanctuary always, maybe in a few years more this church will be full and you will have to make a new bigger church".
July 7th, 2007, the sanctuary was dedicated to God by Bishop Bacilio F. Herrera Lopez, it was a nice celebration, it was a wonderful day for all people who worked in this project. You can see that day in the picture. But this mission was not just work, many people in México and SC are friends, that friendships is strong, I found wonderful friends, many times we cried together, we laugh together, birthdays together, and now I am sure, I will never forget this experience, I want to thank of this good people who worked with us, for their time and Love. I thank God for his love for each of us and for to give you a reason of life.

May God bless you and your family, in your house, city and country.
Pam Speas a special friend say:

With God
All things are possible.

Ana Benitez, Mexico.

An Interesting NY Times Article...

An interesting Op-Ed in today's NY Times talks about Mexican politics, religion, and helping the poor. You can read it by clicking here. You can also discuss it on this UMVIM blog, or at the Center for Faith in Politics website.

- Matt Lacey, UMVIM.

Mexico Mission - El Mesias Methodist Church - Calpulalpan

It is September and many weeks have passed since the members of the Mexico mission team have returned from their trip, but the memories are still fresh in our minds. We have received emails and pictures from the church members explaining and showing us the work they are continuing. The church is being built and their 25year + prayer is becoming a reality. Now, to share the details of our trip with all of you.

This past summer, Frank Kendrick, Ginna Ollis, Ginger Ollis, John Taylor, Diane Cardone, Pam Speas, Sudie Love, Lewis Hobgood, Carl Evans, Walter Bowers and Lee McDonald traveled to Calpulalpan, Tlaxcala, Mexico to begin construction of the sanctuary for a small Methodist community - El Mesias Methodist Church. This community had been praying and hoping for a building for over 25 years. Members from 4 United Methodist churches in the Columbia area were the first of 4 teams from South Carolina that traveled to Mexico to begin this church.

The May team, as we referred to ourselves, had the task of digging the foundation holes, constructing forms from rebar to be placed at the bottom of these holes, and constructing columns. When we arrived, we were pleased to see the church members had dug the majority of the foundation holes. By the time we left, there were 10 columns standing and forms in all 20 foundation holes - the foundation was becoming a reality. We were supervised by Mario and Rodolfo who were more than patient with each of us and by the end of the week, we had added some essential Spanish words necessary for construction - not there, over here, wait - to name a few.

One highlight of the trip was celebrating John Taylor's birthday Mexican style!

The members of the team would like to thank their churches for the prayers and support we were given. It takes a church to send a mission team. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Frank Kendrick for stepping in as my co-team leader after Walter Bowers was forced to return to the U.S. the day after we arrived because of health reasons. We were and are still grateful to Frank. This summer the building continues! Seven teams from South Carolina will be traveling to Mexico to work on this project.

In a recent email from Mexico, the Pastor's daughter wrote to share their excitement over the upcoming summer and also to share the news that their congregation was collecting offerings for the building project and a regular offering each week. The church members are participating in work days once a month after church. This news, these people are two of the reasons UMVIM folks travel to foreign missions - we are touched by the goodness and dedication of those we meet.

Lee McDonald, UMVIM SC

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