Family ties

This is a posting from yesterday night that got lost and has now been found...

With all the homes built I knew today was going to be a different day but I was not expecting the great gift that God was about to bestow.  We were given the privilege to visit a few houses built by previous Sarnia teams.  While all the visits were rewarding and allowed us to see the wonder of God's work, two in particular stood out for me. 

Our very first visit of the day was to the first house built by a Sarnia team back in 2009.  We arrived at the home only to find it locked with no answer.  Initially this was disappointing until I realized that having a safe/secure home they can leave to work is one the blessing we are trying to provide.  As we turned to go a 15 year old girl appeared from the field, welcomed us, and opened their home for us.  This 15year old clearly remembered the great blessing God had given 5yrs ago and remembered the faces of several of the team members that were once again present.  We were no longer strangers in her home but part of family.

After visiting with several other homes we were able to have lunch at Basilio's home.  Over the week I had learned about Basilio's conversion a few years ago and also learned how he now provides most of the structural pieces for the homes employing 6 other people in the process at a cost that allows more houses to be built.  However it was not until this lunch as we watched him build a section of a house, watched him humbly thank us the great changes in his life, and as we watched him cry on our departure that God allowed me to truly see the heart of a man changed to be a servant of his with a passion for building better homes for these people.  Again I could clearly see that Sarnia is now considered a special part of the God's family for him.

As I consider the blessing God had bestowed in these lives from past visits I could not help but wonder what blessings would occur in the lives of the eight families we are able to serve this year.

Pat