While the boys squared and framed the walls, the girls worked together to measure the cut the studs needed for all four walls

For ROOTED, the youth group of Abiding Savior Free Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, mission trips are a new way of nurturing faith growth through intentional mission work for the purpose of sharing God’s love in tangible ways. Last year, the team spent their first mission trip at the Ysleta Lutheran Mission Human Care (YLM) campus, working together to paint the exterior of one of the campus’ buildings.

Measuring and marking boards to properly space studs as walls were framed

This year, through prayer and planning, they brought a team of fourteen -four adults and ten high school students -to spend the week across the border building a house in Kilometer 33. This area is sparsely populated, yet the need is great and through Iglesia Luterana Santisima Trinidad, shepherded by Pastor Jose Hernandez, outreach within this community has begun through these Servant Event mission teams.

“This is the second house built in this area,” Pastor Hernandez explained, “We held our first medical clinic here last month, and in April, our Celebrate the Children event allowed us to connect and begin a foundation of trust between our church and the community.”

For the Abiding Savior team, it’s been a learning experience, not only being in Mexico for the first time, but also in building a house. One of their adult members, Travis, has the needed experience to coordinate the team, and with all of them working together, the first day was successfully completed with all four walls up, several rafters put in, and the door and windows cut out.

Working together, this team was able to insulate and wire the inside of the house by Wednesday afternoon

Jennifer, Brisa’s oldest daughter, enjoying some fun time with the team during lunch breaks

The teenagers in the team -four girls and six boys -have shown great willingness in doing whatever needs to be done. As the walls were being framed by the boys, the girls measured out and cut the studs needed for the other walls. Together, all fourteen finished three walls before lunch time, then completed the fourth one in less than an hour before raising them all and anchoring them down.

Whenever the current task required just a few people, the others in the team would scour the property and collect trash, wanting to leave the surroundings better than they found them. For the young family they are blessing through their hard work, this small act of kindness was expected but greatly appreciated.

“We’re really blessed to have this house,” Brisa, a young mother of two with a third on the way, explained on the first day. She, her kids, and her mother Lupe stopped by to bring the team a pack of toilet paper for the team’s bathroom needs, “It’s not something I thought would ever happen, but having Pastor Hernandez bring these people to help me in such a big way is an answer to so many prayers.”

For a first-time construction team, Abiding Savior has made big strides in their little two-room house, having the insulation, metal tin roof, and wiring done, not to mention painting the exterior of the house a pretty lilac, chosen by Brisa, by Wednesday afternoon. For a team that’s never built before, they have taken on this mission with a dedicated exuberance that’s brought about some wonderful experiences for everyone involved.