A team consisting of members of Christ Church, Norcross, their families and friends and one member from St. Paul's, Atlanta, left Atlanta for Juarez, Mexico, early Sunday morning, June 15. In actual miles, it was not so far away -- just across the Texas border at El Paso. And yet it was worlds away from our life in Norcross.

We left with anticipation, concerns, and great hope for an opportunity to be of service to a family in need.

The mission team consisted of those who had been many times: coordinator Keri Duncan, Terry Franzen, Daphne Gary, Liz Lewis, Kim Lowe and Lon Cross.  For the rest of the team -- Lizzie and Mary Catherine Cross, Durham Henderson, Shelley and Rick Waxweiler, Sheli Dunn and daughters Kiana and Kailyn, Kim Lowe's sister Laurie Conkright, and Carolyn Collins -- it was a new experience that lived up to someone's earlier description as "an adventure." 

All sense of normalcy left early as we arrived at the Park Hills Christian Church in El Paso and began to make a spot to sleep either on pews, chairs or the floor -- along with other church groups who were headed to Juarez on similar missions. 

Our first devotion together was focused on the Serenity Prayer: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.  We found many things we could not change: poverty beyond expectation, heat, physical and emotional challenges beyond our "normal."  Yet God gave us the courage to change the things we could: to build a house for Norberta and Claudia Guerrera. 

Four short days later, this unlikely team had built a two-room house, approximately 12 feet by 22 feet.  There was a real sense of accomplishment and of God's grace and strength carrying us.  Then there were the beautiful relationships that developed with Norberta and her grandsons,  Jose Alfredo (17) and Angel (11), who worked alongside us.

We were supported by the family of Samuel Martinez, which has been hosting the group for six years now.  Samuel is the pastor of a small church near where we worked and shares his home with his son and daughter, their spouses and two children each.  (Think of adding 16 more each night to sleep on the floor, couches, and roof!) 

His family prepared a hearty meal for us each day around 2 p.m.  We came in tried and hungry to a wonderful meal.  God's love flowed through them to us in smiles, attempts at communication, and the loving preparation of their native foods.  Their hospitality was beyond all borders!

A health fair on Tuesday night -- and a worship service with Samuel's congregation on Wednesday night -- added more opportunities to meet and be touched by our similarities and common belief that our hope is in the Lord, and God's love carries people from across the borders, just as it carries us through our challenges. 

We concluded the trip again in the Park Hills Church El Paso, where people were gathering from Kansas and California and other locations to begin their own trip to Juarez.   All were building connections and relationships based on God's call to serve.  Wow! Praying - and working -- beyond our borders yielded rich blessings.

Photo:  The Christ Church-Norcross mission, the family, their pastor, and friends with the completed house. The woman in the pink blouse is the new homeowner, Norberta Guerrerra.

--Terry Franzen is a member of Christ Church, Norcross. To join the next Christ Church mission trip to Juarez, already scheduled May 31 - June 6, 2009, contact her at tfranzen@franzen-salzano.com or 404-357-7569.