20160721_193016 (1)crop

Baja 2016 Mission Report

TEAM TWO – The Trajabadores:  Kyle Cromer, Susan Cromer, Tom Cromer, Rachel Gray, Michael Hawes, Pete Hawes*, Rebecca Hawes, Reed Hopkins, Merrily Kohler, Renata Martin, B.C. Sommerfield, Danni Sommerfield, Robyn Sommerfield, Josh Thacker [*Group Leader]

Years ago, I asked a fellow Staunton Covenant Presbyterian parishioner, who had just returned from the Baja Mission Trip, what it was all about.  The response I received was something like this:  “A diverse group of individuals with varying life skills (willingly) travels into the Mexican desert with a set of building plans and materials – and in four days, you build a house.  And the whole thing changes your life and the way you look at things forever.”

Four days?  Laypersons?  Build a house?  That stands up after you’re finished?  Nah.  Couldn’t be.  And if it could be, I certainly couldn’t be part of a group that stands firmly on the fruits of a successful trip.  And even if that happened, there’s no way I would look at things differently for the rest of my life.  But what if it did?  So I packed up my ten year old son (B.C.), my eleven year old daughter (Danni), and joined eleven other fantastically diverse individuals on my build team who I barely knew on this supposed trip of a lifetime.  

BUILD DAY ONE:  GETTING TO KNOW YOUR NEIGHBOR

Driving to the build site on your first day is sort of like agreeing to go on a blind date with someone your friends set you up with.  You want to like them – you have high hopes, but you’re not quite sure.  Only this date was set up by your Christian brothers and sisters – and God has a plan for you . . . so even if it goes badly, are you really going to complain?

BUILD DAY ONE:  GETTING TO KNOW YOUR NEIGHBOR

Driving to the build site on your first day is sort of like agreeing to go on a blind date with someone your friends set you up with.  You want to like them – you have high hopes, but you’re not quite sure.  Only this date was set up by your Christian brothers and sisters – and God has a plan for you . . . so even if it goes badly, are you really going to complain?

The entire day was spent getting to know our “neighbor.”  After receiving the warm handshakes and welcoming glances from the family, the eight veterans began digging into the materials that had piled high around the jobsite; the six rookies circled around, sizing up where we fit in and how we could help.  Slowly, we ascertained each other’s strengths and weaknesses and began to understand how each one of us fit into the process.  And in a few hours’ time, a rhythm in the work developed.  There were mistakes; bent nails; reminders to drink plenty of water and put on sun screen; chastising of those who did not drink or put on sun screen.  But by the end of the day a feeling of accomplishment was achieved by everyone on the jobsite.  And all of our gifts were coming together to form a competent team.  Renata could speak Spanish and relay the wants and needs of the family during the build; Josh possessed valuable carpentry skills; Reed possessed storytelling skills to entertain the neighborhood children; and Pete was a calm and effective leader who guided us safely in our tasks.  It was all starting to click.

BUILD DAY TWO:  WE WHISTLE WHILE WE WORK

When we arrived on the jobsite, each of us seemed filled with energy and purpose – we all had a specific task to complete and the energy to complete it.  Everyone has a renewal of spirits and the neighborhood kids began to come out of their houses to make themselves known to us.  Smiles were a bit broader, looks were less suspicious, and a slight feeling of familiarity was entering the site.  The most fulfilling part of the day was when we completed construction of the walls and began to set them up on the concrete pad.  Apolonia, the family matriarch, stood under the olive tree in the yard as the 14 of us worked together to lift and position the walls into place.  And I distinctly remember the look on her face.  It was reminiscent of a kid who sees Disneyworld for the first time.  Awe, wonder, and happiness all rolled into one glorious aspect in her eyes as the walls of her house went up.  She put her hands to her heart, and looked away to dry her eyes.

When we arrived on the jobsite, each of us seemed filled with energy and purpose – we all had a specific task to complete and the energy to complete it.  Everyone has a renewal of spirits and the neighborhood kids began to come out of their houses to make themselves known to us.  Smiles were a bit broader, looks were less suspicious, and a slight feeling of familiarity was entering the site.  The most fulfilling part of the day was when we completed construction of the walls and began to set them up on the concrete pad.  Apolonia, the family matriarch, stood under the olive tree in the yard as the 14 of us worked together to lift and position the walls into place.  And I distinctly remember the look on her face.  It was reminiscent of a kid who sees Disneyworld for the first time.  Awe, wonder, and happiness all rolled into one glorious aspect in her eyes as the walls of her house went up.  She put her hands to her heart, and looked away to dry her eyes.

BUILD DAY THREE:  LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR, EVEN WHEN YOU’RE REALLY, REALLY TIRED

Day three taught us that pacing ourselves was important – we had gone gangbusters the first two days, which meant that on day three we were dragging a bit.  But we still evaluated what needed to get done and worked hard to build on (excuse the pun) what we had accomplished the two days prior.  After doing a final alignment on the walls and setting the ceiling panels in place, we connected the walls to the concrete slab and placed the plywood on the ceiling.  Windows and paint became the focus and we rallied at the end, knowing we only had one more day before we turned the house over to the family on dedication day.

Day three taught us that pacing ourselves was important – we had gone gangbusters the first two days, which meant that on day three we were dragging a bit.  But we still evaluated what needed to get done and worked hard to build on (excuse the pun) what we had accomplished the two days prior.  After doing a final alignment on the walls and setting the ceiling panels in place, we connected the walls to the concrete slab and placed the plywood on the ceiling.  Windows and paint became the focus and we rallied at the end, knowing we only had one more day before we turned the house over to the family on dedication day.

BUILD DAY FOUR:  SERIOUSLY, WE BUILT A HOUSE!!!!!

You arrive on the jobsite with the added pressure that this is the last day – and as NASA says, “failure is not an option.”  You sincerely believe you have done SO MUCH the past three days, but as you look through the punch list of tasks to be completed, realization sets in that as much as you have done, you still have more than you feel comfortable with.  The veterans turn to the rookies with that all knowing look of compassion, pat them on the back, and say things like, “we’ve always finished – it always works out – we’ve got this,” and then you see them turn to another veteran to say something like, “man, you really think we’ll get it done?”  Still, with the dedication of the house on the horizon, everyone puts their safety glasses on, grabs their hammers, and does what remains to finish the house.  And when the last nail goes in, the final brush stroke is applied, and you turn over the house to the family, the dedication is emotionally overwhelming – not a dry eye.  You are giving a deserving family something they could never give to themselves, and in the process, you are getting the opportunity to do this for someone who you have never met before, which is (in my opinion) the greater gift.  So in four days, a diverse group of 14 individuals with varying life skills (willingly) traveled into the Mexican desert with a set of building plans and materials – and in four days, we build a house.  And the whole thing changes your life and the way you look at things forever.  If you don’t believe me, you should go on the trip and see what happens.