Sunday, June 25, 2023 Final Update and Thoughts from Team Leaders

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We were able to rise a little later this morning and were greeted with a delicious pancake and ham and cheese croissant breakfast prepared by the ladies of Shaloam church. We journeyed to tour Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza. As we walked around and heard the stories of their architecture, intentional structure and purposeful design, we were in awe of their hard work and intelligence to build such elaborate and detailed structures. At the same time, hearing of the Mayan

customs, rituals, and religious practices, my heart was heavy thinking of the many people who placed their hope in being sacrificed to the “good” gods (all 22). I prayed for the truth of the One True God to be heard by the Mayan and Mexican people. I prayed for our friends we met in Tuzik who are from Mayan heritage to have eyes to see and ears to hear the goodness of the free gift of life on this earth and for eternity that is offered in Jesus. And, I prayed for my own “idol factory” heart to trust Jesus alone to meet my needs. The people we have met have been so kind, welcoming and incredibly grateful for our work. I am thankful to be a part of a hard working and people loving group of Believers. 

  • Steph

Friday we visited a Mayan ruin, Chichen Itza. Our tour guide was very engaging and interesting. However, he seemed to have a sense of continued hurt toward the Spanish settlers and how they took over the Mayan territory. 

I prayed for those who have such resentment from years ago who were affected by the Spanish settlers who brought Catholicism and took over this area. I pray he, and those still hurting for the mistreatment of their ancestors, will be able to see Jesus in a new way and come to know Jesus. Hopefully, the seeds our team has planted this week will continue to be watered and grow deep roots.

Brian

  • A late wake up was just what we needed, after our long days of work! Chicken Itza was a beautiful sight to see. After the long days of work, walking around the place was a relaxing and beautiful sight! We enjoyed our trip to another cenote and a delicious dinner. This trip was very eye opening to the things that the Lord has blessed us with!

    • Bailey Atkinson


The team left the Merida airport at about 7am, and after a short layover in Houston, TX, arrived at the Atlanta Airport on Saturday 6/24/23 at about 530pm, and returned to Faith by chartered bus. Final Post on Sunday 6/25/223 at 10:00pm

More Videos and photos may be posted soon.

Update #7 Friday, June 23, 2023

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Yesterday we had our last workday. We fully cemented the roof  which consisted of mixing the cement, putting it in buckets, passing it down a line, up scaffolding, and tossing the buckets down to someone on the ground to go back to be filled. Mr. Philip and I were the main bucket catchers and we both got absolutely covered in cement because of the occasional bucket that still had some left in it. I also passed the buckets up the scaffolding. 

Friday morning we had breakfast at 8! We then drove an hour and a half to Chichen Itza where we spent the rest of the morning. We had a guided tour for the first part and got to explore on our own after that. 

Next we drove to a nearby senote that was extremely fancy and had a buffet. We ate lunch there at around 2:30 then swam in the senote that had a place for us to jump off of about fifteen or twenty feet up. We did that for about an hour and then hopped into the vans to go back to Merida and eat at a fancy restaurant for dinner. 

When we finally got back to the church we got showered, packed up, and went to bed soon after because breakfast was at 4:30 Saturday morning. 

Wade Hunt

Friday, the final full day in Mexico, was spent eventfully with an extensive bus trip to the ruins of Chichén Itzá and the Cenote Ik Kil nearby. After we explored the ruins for a few hours with a guided tour and some free time to roam, we ate lunch at the buffet restaurant located at the Ik Kil cenote, and then swam in the massive cavern below. The cave was far wider than the previous two, but also crowded with people wanting to see it for themselves. Many team members enjoyed jumping off of the rocky platform into the cool blue water underneath the vines and lucious plants between the water and sun, before we climbed back aboard our buses to drive back home to Merida. Before arriving at Shalom for the night, we ate a vast dinner at Mr. Pampas, a Brazilian buffet-style restaurant with an incredible volume and variety of all sorts of delicious food, a fittingly excellent ending to an already outstanding day. 

Elec Hunt

A late wake up was just what we needed, after our long days of work! Chichen Itza was a beautiful sight to see. After the long days of work, walking around the place was a relaxing and beautiful sight! We enjoyed our trip to another cenote and a delicious dinner. This trip was very eye opening to the things that the Lord has blessed us with!

Bailey Atkinson


Saturday, June 24, 2023

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Today we are headed home! The week is over, and a large chapter of the summer is over. With long goodbyes, and tearful hugs, the end is sad. However, it is also a moment for reflection and hope.

As I reflect upon this week, I remember the fun times we had. Whether it was hard work at the construction site, or a fun trip to the cenote, there were always people with smiling faces, and sometimes even laughing and dancing to some kind of music. I also remember the meaningful moments we shared. On the last day of work, we learned about the story of how they saved for years just to afford the walls. This showed me how god has to be real if they were able to trust him so completely, even when things seemed so hopeless. I hope that I will be able to live like that, with that amount of hope and love for Jesus. 

Though I am tired, and ready to sleep in my own bed, I am both encouraged and awed at how god used me and the others in my group to answer a prayer for them that, apart from God, would have been impossible. The end of this chapter might be sad but it is also a joy to me to be reminded that God’s presence and power are everywhere. Being able to see how the family of God can be so close, even when they live so far away, is encouraging. This let’s me have peace in having the joy I get from being a part on this huge, wonderful, special family we get when we submit ourself to the lord, and are welcomed home to his heavenly family.

Carter Brooks

More to come to include more photos and videos from Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. This post Sunday 6/25/23 at 11:40am.

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Update Day #6: Thursday, June 22, 2023

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Today was a true testament to the faithfulness of God. We began our work day at 6:00am in order to get as much work done as possible - we had a long day ahead. For this final work day we made lots of cement, which were sent up to the roof of the church in buckets in order to lay on the roof to keep it secure. We spent many hours shoveling rocks and sand, and moving buckets up and down scaffolding. While we are very exhausted after this long day of work, we are so thankful to have been able to contribute to the building of this church in some small way. 

After we finished working for the day, the church members and village community cooked us an amazing lunch of “tacos de cochinita” (slow cooked pork in fresh corn tortillas). We got to enjoy lunch together, and afterword they explained to us just how important the building of this church is to them. They told us that they have been praying for years for this church to be built, and they thought they would never be able to finish it once they started. They saved for seven years just to build the walls. With our help (financial and physical) we were able to build the floors and roof of their church for them in order to help this new church to have an immense impact on the local community to the glory of God. We’re so blessed to have been a small part of God’s plan for this new church filled with the kindest, most hospitable people. They have been saving up their money in anticipation for our coming, so that they could feed us delicious food every day and help us hydrate during our work. They also sent us off with a sweet gift to remember our experience after praying for us and letting us pray for them. We could not be more thankful that God has given us the opportunity to know, love, and serve these kind and generous people! 

Marshall and Mary Rachel Danner 

Hola from Merida! Even though we got back late from dinner last night, we woke up even earlier than the rest of our mornings for a 5am breakfast. Because of this early start, we got to the work site an hour before normal to begin putting concrete on top of the cement block roof. There were many things for everyone to pitch in and help with: filling buckets of rocks or sand, stirring the cement, carrying full buckets of cement to/on the roof, hoisting the buckets from the scaffolding, brining back empty buckets, or helping people stay hydrated. After a quick fruit break at 8:30am, we were back to work and finished concreting and cleaning by noon!

For lunch, the ladies from the church treated us with delicious pork tacos. Before leaving for the hotel to pack up and shower, all of us, members of the Faith mission team, workers, Mexican church volunteers, and women from the town, gathered together in a circle to say goodbye to one another and pray together as family in Christ. During this sweet ceremony, the Pastor of the church surprised us with gifts: coffee mugs and honey made in the village by one of the church members! After hugging and thanking everyone at the site, we headed back to the hotels.

We arrived at Shalom around 5:00pm and unpacked, rehung our hammocks, and relaxed until having dinner at 7:30pm. Following dinner we met together for our team meeting, led by Marshall, which lasted around an hour. After such a long day, we finally headed to our hammocks to get some much deserved sleep.

With Love,
Lilly Atkinson


Thursday June 22nd 

Today was a very incredible day starting with the very early breakfast at 5AM.  After the breakfast we traveled to our work site which was around 45 minutes away. I personally loved when we arrived at the worksite the most because I had the chance to talk with the workers more. Micah and I made friends with some of the workers at the site specifically two men one named Roni and the other Andy. They were very kind to us and did their best to include us in everything they did. It was also very fun to communicate with their friends because of the language barrier.

It was very emotional hearing the story of the church. They prayed for many years before the church was given the opportunity to work with Shalom and finally build their roof for the church. Every member of the team was given a gift from the church in Tizimín. It was a coffee mug and a bottle of honey. After we took a picture in front of the church. We drove back to the hotel and showered, which was much needed by many members of the team because they were covered in concrete. 

Finally, we started the long drive to Mérida which was 2 hours long. I(James) slept most of the drive because of how early we had to get up that morning. We arrived at Shalom later that night and ate a very delicious dinner.

Hannah and James Mustard

Update #5 Wednesday, June 21, 2023

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We have just finished our third day of construction and we finished putting the blocks on the roof.  It was 103 degrees again today and we all put in our fair share of sweat!  But as we finished the day and reflect on our work there are three things that we appreciate the most.

First, we realized how much more we have gotten to know some people on this trip and have enjoyed  working alongside them.  This is a big group with people ages 5 to 55+ but we are amazed at how well everyone is working together.  Some people have experience with this type of work and provide good direction.  Some people are good at lifting large things.  And some people (the kids mostly) are good at passing out Gatorade and keeping everyone hydrated.  The local people are helping with construction and providing great snacks to keep up the energy.  We have found a rhythm and everyone plays a part. It’s a reminder of how everyone plays an important role in God’s economy.

Second, we are having fun!  The amount of laughter at our site is a testament to our relationships with each other and the joy we find in the Lord.  There is plenty of music and even a dance competition on the scaffolding between hoisting 50 pound blocks up on the roof.  There are jokes being told in English and Spanish and everyone is cracking up all day. This work is hard but it is joyful!

Third, we had our last night of VBS and the goodbyes were really sweet.  There were plenty of pictures taken and gifts exchanged with friends we had developed relationships with the last three days.  As our kids looked to say goodbye to specific friends we realized what a blessing these people have been to us.  They have a great community and a wonderful spirit here that was truly felt by our group.

We are so thankful we were able to bring our family on this trip.  The work has been hard but the rewards have been many!

-The Painter Family

This morning we had breakfast at 6am and then headed to the work site. Today we worked to pass cinder blocks in an assembly line and up scaffolding to lay on the roof between the beams we had placed the day before. We worked as a team to pass hundreds of blocks. We even played music and were able to have a mini dance party while working to make the time go faster. Once we finished the work we had a snack provided by the local women. Then we finished up by organizing everything for the next day so that we can get an early start tomorrow. Then we headed to another cenote! This one was like a cave down in the ground with little light coming in so it was very dark. However it was still just as beautiful and very cold and refreshing. We then headed back to the hotels for lunch and siestas. Once we had rested we returned to the village for VBS. We were able to continue studying John 3:16 with the kids and learning dance moves to spanish Seeds Of Faith songs. When we finished the lesson, we went to activities. We played soccer and jump rope and made lots and lots of bracelets with the kids. When it was time to leave we passed out snacks and said goodbye. The kids and parents were all so sweet and grateful, calling us their new amigos. Finally, we headed to a downtown area where we had pizza at a local restaurant. Then we headed to the hotels to rest up for the early morning we had waiting for us the next day.

Emily Brooks

Wed pictures coming soon.

Update #4 - Tuesday is putting up beams day

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Monday was an especially difficult day for Benjamin and I (Laura). A combination of heat, lack of sleep, and car sickness got the better of us both. But God is good! All The Time! He mercifully helped us through it to a much better Tuesday.

We hoisted 23 - 700lb concrete beams up to the top of the walls to start the roof. Then moved about 20% of the 50lb cinderblocks up to fill the space between the beams. After a lovely siesta we headed back out again for VBS. We have spent quite a bit of time bonding with our van mates! It was great to see so many children and their families listening to the Gospel and playing together. One of my favorite parts of today was hearing stories of the connections that were made between team members and local people. Norah made a friend named Jemima on Monday evening, who thought she would not be back tonight - but she was! As an expression of their new friendship, Jemima went to a local tienda and bought Norah some anelote (a local food with corn).

-Laura Milner

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Tuesday morning was the day for the concrete beams to be placed along the top of the building so that the roofing process could begin. By 10:30 AM all of the beams were up and in place. We were then treated to a delicious fruit break that included mangoes, pineapple, watermelon, bananas, and salbutes (a fried corn tortilla topped with egg, pickled onions, lettuce, and tomatoes). After the fruit break, we began putting the cinder blocks on top of the concrete beams to form the base of the roof.

We had another good night of VBS with around 50 children again. It was a joy to see children running down the street smiling and waving to us as we drove in. There were also children lined along the fence of the pavilion full of excitement when they saw our vans. With the help of Lettie (from Shalom Church), Stephanie and some of the youth were able to tell the children of how God Loves and God Gives. After the lesson we helped them make bracelets, play with bubbles, color pages, and jump rope. The night ended with a locals versus Faith volleyball game. To see the men that are helping to build the church all day, then bring their families to VBS in the evening, and then want to play volleyball with the adults shows what this church will mean to this community. Truly an example of how God Loves and God Gives.

Update #3- Our First Work Day in Tusik, Mexico and VBS

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A theme in all our doings that we've seen so far was the ways God and man communicate. Worship at Shalom church yesterday was wonderful! Familiar songs in an unfamiliar language was a beautiful reminder of the global family of God. For Nathan this was a particularly meaningful experience, since he helped pour the foundations of the Shalom building over 26 years ago! Work this morning was described by family members as "really fun" and "rewarding" as we worked shoulder to shoulder with locals in the tiny village of Tuzik, Yucatan to pour concrete for what will be the floor of their church sanctuary--a reminder that God is far greater than our own community and culture. Even our young boys (7 and 10) were able to pitch in; a reminder that God is honored by even our feeble mortal efforts. Afterwards, we visited a natural cenote where we experienced much joy & relaxation: the heavens declaring the glory of God and our enjoyment of the world he's given us. As we write, we're headed back to Tuzik to help with a VBS, hoping to communicate with the local kids how much God loves them and how he shows that love in Christ!
Shalom!
The Pettigrews

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Today, Monday, we had an early start to the day with breakfast at 6:00 AM. We then loaded into the vans and made the 30-40 minute drive to Tusik (or Tuzik in English). When we arrived at the building church we found local workers waiting for us, a building with exterior walls, and a small “pavilion” with a restroom which is where they are currently having services. We quickly got started with filling buckets with sand and others with rocks to help make the concrete that would be used for the floors. While this was taking place others formed a line inside the building to pass the buckets filled with concrete down to the workers and another line to take out the empty buckets. We were finished with pouring the floor by 10:00AM - just in time for a fruit break. Since we finished early and that was our project for the day, we took the opportunity to explore a local cenote that is not widely known outside of the locals.

After a refreshing and fun time in the cenotes, we loaded back into the van in our wet work clothes, sitting on top of trash bags, and headed back to our hotels to eat lunch, get cleaned up, and prepare for VBS.

Around 5:30PM we went back to Tusik to one of the local community centers to hold VBS for the night. We were told to expect about 5 kids, but we had almost 50 kids plus their parents join us for our first night. One of the highlights of the evening was to hear Sara W. introduce John 3:16 to them and they automatically started quoting it Spanish all on their own. What a precious sight and sound to see that they already knew such a wonderful verse. After speaking with the children for a few minutes we let them make bracelets, color pages, jump rope, play with bubbles, or even play basketball or soccer. It was a great evening. While the children were getting snacks, we packed up and headed back to the hotels for dinner, an evening devotional/team meeting, and soon we will all head to bed to be ready for another early start tomorrow.

Enjoy some photos of our worksite, our fun trip to swim in a cenote, and VBS in Tusik.

Update #2- Sunday in Merida, Mexico

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Today was different than had originally been planned, but I think all agree it turned out great. We thought we would be in Tizimin, worshipping at a church we didn’t know and visiting a cenote. The mixup with our reservation at the hotel meant we stayed at Shalom. This was the Lord’s plan for us all along, and we are grateful for it! Norah’s favorite things today were the people she met. She writes…. “I got to talk to a lady after church that was holding her adorable little girl. Even though I don’t know much Spanish, and she didn’t know much English, we held a small conversation and she was very sweet!  I also got to talk to the cook. Even though she doesn’t know much English, I could tell she was trying very hard and was doing great! She asked what my name was in Spanish, and then when I didn’t understand her, she asked in perfect  English! If you ever come on this trip you definitely need to talk to her, if possible.” The people we’ve met at Shalom have been so kind and welcoming. It has been such a blessing to begin our trip with their company. We are driving to Tizimin as we write this and will be eager to settle in and get ready for the work ahead. Our work project is helping to put a roof on a small church. Thank you for praying for us! 

Meredith and Norah IRWIN

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I’m sitting in church next to my two favorite people this morning writing this. I sadly do not understand enough Spanish to know what the pastor is teaching on, so while I have these thoughts on my mind I figured I would put them down. 

We just finished worship, which is a little bit louder than what we are used to simply because they use more electric instruments and have a drum set! Even though I cannot speak Spanish I was able to recognize all of the songs and still be able to sing along with the words they project in the screen.

Even if I’m not a Spanish speaker, the name of Jesus sounds just as sweet in Spanish as it does in English. The Holy Spirit is just as present in Shalom this morning as he is at Faith. We are still surrounded by fellow brothers and sisters in Christ! There are still children here to whom I’d love to take home with me for a few hours, give them all the candy they’d ever want and then return them  to their parents! 

Although I am unable to understand what the pastor is preaching, I know he’s speaking God’s word. He opened his Bible and he’s reading directly from it. Even if I don’t understand his words, I’m still in the presence of my Father in Heaven this morning.  

Our plans changed yesterday, right before we landed. We were not supposed to be at Shalom this morning, but I believe it’s a blessing that we are. Many of the people on this trip have never been here before and it has been by the hands of past church members who helped to build the building we are sitting in right now. We are able to reap the good of what those in the past have done. 

I will say, as I sit here unable to understand, I am thinking about those who come to America and do not know English, nor do they have the same safe nets I have. Emily has been able to explain some of the sermon to me, and I know I ever want to know what was said all I’d have to do is ask Sarah. But, I’m here for a week on a mission trip and I’m safe in a church. When we head out to downtown Merida in just a little bit most of then employees in the shop will speak English or I’ll have someone with me who can help translate. The employees will show me patience as I try to figure out how much money to give them and I get nervous and stumble over my English words! I can’t imagine not having my safety nets. 

This takes me to our ESL program and just how beautiful it is. We aren’t just teaching our students English but how to live and thrive in a country where they are strangers. We are giving them safety nets and giving them the tools to make their own! And, even if some come who cannot understand English, they are getting the love of Christ the same as I am sitting in a service where I have no idea what’s going on. Language is not the only way we can communicate, especially when it comes to understanding and sharing the love of Christ. 

I’ve had the goal to learn Spanish for several years now, but my poor brain doesn’t seem to let me, however, that doesn’t mean I can’t love the people around me well while I am here! I don’t know how God plans to use me this week, but I can’t wait. But, as much as I hope to touch the lives of those around me, I can’t wait to see how I’m changed by those around me!

UnderHisLove, 

Hope Eason

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In this blog I have the honor of speaking to what we did this afternoon. After eating a delicious lunch, we were blessed with 2 hours of free time. Most of us slept. Around 4, we loaded the van and went to the Blas Pascal, the school where Ms. Sarah teaches English to the middle and high school students. These kids have a bright future ahead of them. 

To relax our bodies from the heat  some of us hit the pool the school provided. Others played a game of frisbee and a game of soccer. We all had a great time bonding with each other and becoming closer friends. 

Bethany

This is the church on the main square in downtown Merida. It is one of the oldest churches in the americas.

We have arrived in Merida, Mexico!!

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Today has been a long travel day for our team, but we have made it to Shalom Presbyterian Church in Merida, Mexico. This was an adjustment to our original plan, but things have worked out and we all have a hammock to sleep in tonight.

We started our day at Faith by loading onto a bus to head to the Atlanta airport. It took us a while, but was able to get everyone checked in, through security and onboard our flight to Houston, with just a minor airplane delay. Once in Houston the team had time to play games, eat, fellowship, and rest a little before boarding our flight to Merida.

After going through customs, Sarah Weinrich greeted each team member at the Merida airport. She led us to the vans where Gaby was awaiting for us and greeted his old friends with hugs and warm greetings. We then loaded into the vans and was driven to Shalom by Gaby and two other men from the church. Shalom fed us Burger King Whoppers and drinks for a late dinner. Then after a brief team meeting, everyone started to settle in and head to bed (or hammock) for the night. We will stay at Shalom tonight and join with them in their church service tomorrow. On Sunday afternoon, we will head to the village where we will stay for the next few days as our base for our project and VBS in Tuzik.

God’s hand has been at work protecting and providing for us throughout the day. This has been seen through conversations with strangers, luggage not getting lost, and everyone staying safe.

Here are some photos from our travel day.

-Update by Dave Crumley and Jessica Sagraves

Mexico Mission Trip Team and Schedule

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Thanks for your support of our team. As we prepare to leave in 1 week, we wanted to give you a list of the team members and a brief schedule for the trip so you can know who to pray for and how to pray.

Schedule

Trip Dates: June 17-24

We will spend the 17-18 traveling, settling in to the village of Tuzik where we will be staying and working, and worshipping. On the 19-22 we will do construction the first part of the day putting a roof on a church and pouring a concrete floor for them. We will do VBS for kids in the village in the evenings. for part of the 22nd and all of the 23rd, we will learn about the culture of the Yucatan including visiting Mayan pyramids and exploring the city of Merida. We will then travel back to Watkinsville on the 24th.

Team Members

  • Andrew Atkinson

  • Bailey Atkinson

  • Brian Atkinson

  • Lily Atkinson

  • Stephanie Atkinson

  • Carter Brooks

  • Emily Brooks

  • Micah Brooks

  • Steven Brooks

  • Bethany Crumley

  • Dave Crumley

  • Marshall Danner

  • Mary Rachel Danner

  • Hope Eason

  • Paul Haag

  • Elec Hunt

  • Wade Hunt

  • Meredith Irwin

  • Norah Irwin

  • Benjamin Milner

  • Julia Milner

  • Laura Milner

  • Thomas Milner

  • Will Henry Milner

  • Hannah Mustard

  • James Mustard

  • Amanda Painter

  • Anna Painter

  • Jesse Painter

  • Kate Painter

  • Landon Painter

  • David Pettigrew

  • Erin Pettigrew

  • Hannah Pettigrew

  • Micah Pettigrew

  • Nathan Pettigrew

  • Grayson Sagraves

  • Isaac Sagraves

  • Jessica Sagraves

  • Philip Weinrich

The Countdown Has Begun.....

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In just 30 days our team of 40 – YES 40 – will travel to Merida, Mexico to work alongside Shalom Church for a week.  We will fly out of Atlanta on June 17th and will return on June 24th.  Our team has already been meeting and training over the past few months with a focus on helping and not hurting - helping Shalom Church in the mission work that is already being done and not hurting what they already have in place.  We ask that you would come along side of us with your support, whether it is financial, encouragement, or prayer, as we continue to prepare for the 2023 Faith Mexico Mission Trip.

We currently have several fundraisers underway to help raise funds that are still needed for our team.

1.       Family Photo Day – at Hadden Estates

Thank you for the families that participated in this event.

 

2.      Purchase a T-shirt

Adult shirts are available as a Classic Tee or Comfort Tee.  Youth shirts are available in two different designs.  Multiple colors are available in all styles.  Shirts will ship directly to you once the campaign ends on May 28th.

Order your T-Shirts here: https://www.bonfire.com/store/faith-pca-mexico-mission-trip/

 

3.      Rent-A-Kid

Get stuff done around your house AND help send students to Mexico for this year's mission trip! Most projects over the years have been various levels of yard work, but can also include babysitting, basement/garage/house cleaning, or any other jobs you think high school students would be able to handle. Contact Philip Weinrich for more information.

 

4.      FUN(d) Fair

June 3rd From 8am – 12:00 pm, the Mexico Team will be hosting a yard sale and fun fair at the church.  We are asking family and friends to save items that you are willing to donate to go towards the Yard Sale.  We are hoping to have face painting and a bake sale as well.

Remember to check this blog for updates on the team as we prepare to go and also once we are there.  While we are in Mexico, we will be posting daily updates with pictures so that you can “be there with us.” 

Thank you for your support for the 2023 Mexico Team. 

You are an important part of the mission as well!