Casas por christo
I was raised with many good examples of how to love my neighbor. My parents went on mission trips, contributed food to needy families, and occasionally housed folks transitioning between jobs or life events. But I can clearly remember the first time that, with my own time, resources, and two hands, I was able to show the love of God in a tangible way.
It was my first year in college. During Spring Break, I traveled to Juarez, Mexico with a small group of fellow college students. Through a ministry called Casas por Cristo, our team helped to build a house for a family of 5 who had been living in a bus. We stayed in a local church, sleeping on the floor in sleeping bags. A team that had come before us had laid the foundation, so our job was to add the walls. In a matter of days, our team added walls and stucco and the home was ready for a roof to be added by another team. The family was so grateful and amazed that we would use our own time and money to help strangers in another country. The bus was donated to another family who had nothing but cardboard to make their home out of.
This trip forced me out of my comfort zone in many ways and opened up my eyes to a world where running water and protection from the elements was not the norm. It would have been much easier for us to just pray with them and maybe provide some food or clothing. And we did do those things. But what these neighbors really needed was the love of God to be shown in both a spiritual and practical way. We were able to provide this family with a lifelong reminder of God’s goodness. In return, God gave me a lifelong memory of how giving of your time, money, and energy, in His name, will always bless your own soul as well.
When we consider all the ways that we might love our neighbor as ourselves, I pray that we will always incorporate action in our efforts. Hebrews 13:16 says, “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” While we should also continue to pray for others and even express love to others with words, do not forget that actions usually speak much louder than words.
