Mexico Missions Trip Update

Mexico_Missions_Trip

Our Missions team just left for Mexco to work with our Veteran Missionary Don Swearingin.

As of Monday at 10 PM CST, they have arrived safely and are prepared to start construction early Tuesday morning.

NOTE: Another one of our church members, Reuben Herrin, has joined the group. Let's keep them in prayer and wait to see what the Lord will use them to accomplish in His work.

Thursday:

This morning started much like the past few days have - we left the hotel at 8:00 a.m., for Mexico. Once at the work site, Ken Sawyer led our team in our daily devotion. He reminded us how the Apostle Paul went through so much for the Lord, and yet he never waivered in his commitment to serving God. Ken not only challenged all of us to commit to a higher level of service, but challenged himself as well. He said that each of us must determine in our mind what we will do - no matter what comes our way! It was a blessing to be reminded that we must determine in our mind to serve God each and every day.

Afterwards, Debbie Kaiser and Ciara Hobbs departed the work site with Mrs. Swearingin, and returned to the church facilities to continue painting all of the children's classrooms. Later, Ciara headed up a team of girls who painted the entire front walls to the property. Cliff Anderson was sent to a separate location to prepare more rebar for the construction site... a job that is done by hand in Mexico. The rest of our team remained at the work site throughout the day despite temperatures of 107.6 degrees. All the walls have been completed now, and only await the framing of windows and pouring concrete in the corner beams. In addition to this, we received another load of sand/rock mixture to be shoveled into the other side of the Bible Institute. Reuben Herrin, Scott Kent, and Joe & Darlene Honeycutt were all instrumental in completely filling the base of the other side before lunchtime. Ken Sawyer also assisted in this work as well as being dispatched to lay block. It was mandated that I continue to lay block. I'm still in shock that it has come so easily to me. Don't tell my wife, or I'll be laying block to make that shed we've talked about for three years! Ha!

The lunch meal was prepared by Heather Swearingin, some teenagers, and Miss Magdalena (a wonderful lady from the church). The food was amazing! And then, not to be outdone, Brother Ruben from the church in Mexico invited the team to his home for dinner... again the food was excellent!

The heat took its toll on all of us, but we are excited about what God is doing here in Mexico, and what He has done through us this week already! Keep praying for us as we minister this weekend in the services, and then, for our travel back to Missouri on Monday.

God Bless!

Greg Corcoran

Wednesday:

Today, the team departed at 8:00 a.m., for the work site. Upon arrival Cliff Anderson led the team and our Missionaries in our morning devotion. He reminded us how God's Word is like a "Plumb-line" to a construction worker - IT IS TRUE and ABLE TO BE TRUSTED AND RELIED UPON FOR OUR DAILY LIVES. It never waivers!Afterwards, we began work again on the walls and filling the floor with a gravel/sand mixture. Over the past day and a half, it is estimated that Reuben Herrin and Scott Kent along with some help from others, moved about 20 tons of this mixture into the foundation of the Bible Institute. Needless to say, they are a bit sore, but looking forward to shoveling some more tomorrow. Joe Honeycutt really went above and beyond today shoveling as well. Darlene Honeycutt has learned that God has gifted her in the area of masonry block cutting.

Back at the church facilities, Debbie Kaiser and Ciara Hobbs continued to refine their painting abilities with other ladies of the congregation. All work ceased at about 12:30 p.m., so the entire team could eat lunch back at the church and then head to the hotel to get ready for the evening services. LUNCH WAS TREMENDOUS!

This evening we were blessed to be with the people of the Iglesia Bautista La Gracia (Grace Baptist Church). Darlene Honeycutt provided some special music (Victory in Jesus) on the piano while being accompanied by some of the nationals and Heather Swearingin on the guitar. Later, I was privileged to preach the Word of God to this group of people. My message for the evening was entitled "You Can Run... But You Cannot Hide." All went well, and during the invitation, there were several individuals who came forward to do business with the Lord. What a blessing!

Once we arrived back in Eagle Pass, we enjoyed dinner at "Chili's" with the Swearingin family. Hope all went well this evening back at Park Crest Baptist - we are experiencing great things here in Mexico and look forward to whatever the Lord has in store for tomorrow. We will definitely be trying to complete as much as possible over the next two days - since Saturday we will be visiting the local Mexican market. Keep praying for our team -

Thanks!
Gregory A. Corcoran

Tuesday:

Wow! What a day! The Lord really worked through the entire team from Park Crest Baptist today. Much was accomplished at the work site as well as at the Church building. Debbie Kaiser and Ciara Hobbs were a huge blessing to the ladies at the church facilities. They painted all day long, and had a wonderful opportunity to really get to know some of the ladies and children. I can tell by their faces this evening, that they truly enjoyed their first work day at the church. The rest of the team including Joe and Darlene Honeycutt went to the main work site, the future location of Missionary Swearingin's Bible Institute for training pastors and missionaries. The temperatures were high (105 degrees), but so was every one's determination, spirit, and attitude towards accomplishing something that is truly bigger than anyone of us! There were a few nationals that joined us today as we began construction. It was wonderful to get to know these men as well. One man, Alejandro, rode his bicycle 6 miles in order to join us this morning at the work site.

Our day started with prayer (we prayed for Hayden Stanley's surgery before leaving the motel parking lot), and then we heard a great challenge from our Missionary Don Swearingin, who talked about the fact that we as "Christians" are all different, but we are powered by the same God, who can and will utilize us if we are meet for the Master's use! He read 1 Peter 2:9 , which reminds us that we are a "...chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people..." As such, he reminded the team that no matter whether we are in Piedras Negras, Mexico, or Springfield, Missouri, we should live as "Christians" who are powered by an all-powerful God.

The day's work was hard, but the rewards were great! We came in order to be a blessing, but have already been blessed ourselves by what we have seen, heard, and experienced. One family opened their home and provided the dinner meal for the entire team. The food was delicious and the Christian fellowship was a huge blessing!

Things at the US - Mexico Border went very well (both ways), and we hope they continue to do so throughout the week. Please enjoy looking at some of the photos from today's adventures! We love you and look forward with great anticipation to see what God will do tomorrow! Please pray that we would again get much accomplished, and that in the services tomorrow evening, we would be able to minister to those that join us during the worship services.

God Bless!
Greg Corcoran

Monday:

After meeting at the church at 5:30 a.m., to finish packing the trailer, Pastor Phil met with us to pray for and encourage us before sending us on our way. After departing the church at 6:15 a.m., most of the team (besides Cliff and I) was able to get a little more sleep. It was a quiet start to our long journey. As we made our way out of Missouri and into Oklahoma, folks began to wake-up, and "small-talk" ensued. As I was driving, it was great to listen to the various conversations that were taking place! People getting to know one another even better.

Although the roads in Oklahoma were a bit bumpy, we all seemed to be enjoying the trip! We met up with Ken Sawyer in Van Austin, Texas for lunch at "The Golden Arches" otherwise known as McDonalds. How incredible is it that (including lunch) we only stopped three times during our 14 hour journey. Everyone was so excited about getting to the border of Mexico, that I (for the first time) was amazed how no one ever wanted to stop. After arriving in Eagle Pass, Texas, we checked in to our motel, received beautiful welcome baskets from Mrs. Swearingin, and then went out to eat with our Missionaries, Don and Delores Swearingin. All in all, today was a long and hard day of travel (and we are tired), but the Lord truly blessed us with a day of great weather, great fellowship, and minimal traffic!

Thank you for all your prayers today!

I ask that you pray for us tomorrow (Tuesday) as we will begin our work on-site in Mexico. The temperature today was 104 degrees, and still about 96 degrees right now... they are calling for more of the same tomorrow. NO WORRIES - WE ARE EXCITED AND READY TO BE A BLESSING!

Greg Corcoran

Photos from Monday

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