Texas churches head for the border with Buckner

March 31, 2003

Texas churches head for the border with Buckner
___By Scott Collins
___Buckner News Service
___EL PASO--Texas Baptist churches from Mesquite to Eagle Pass converged on border-area colonias during spring break, ministering in Christ's name in conjunction with Buckner Children and Family Services.
___In El Paso, 30 members from The Crossing Baptist Church in Mesquite distributed clothing and food, remodeled dilapidated homes and visited door-to-door sharing their faith with residents of the Sparks colonia, one of the largest and oldest colonia communities along the border.

JASON SNEED of The Crossing Baptist Church of Mesquite prepares drywall for installation in the home of a resident of Sparks colonia area El Paso. (Scott Collins/Buckner Photo)

___Crossing members also showed evangelistic films each night. Members of the church's youth group used skateboards to share their faith in Christ with high school students living in Sparks.
___In the Lower Rio Grande Valley, members from First Baptist Church in Lewisville and First Baptist Church in Eagle Pass used hammers and saws to share Christ's love with residents in the Progreso colonia.
___Progreso, located in Hildago County, is one of the poorest areas in the nation. It is the target of a major partnership between Buckner and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship as part of CBF's nationwide Rural Poverty Initiative.
___Colonias are unincorporated communities along the Texas/Mexico border characterized by poor living conditions such as the lack of sewers, running water and paved streets. Buckner operates community centers located in some colonias, providing social services to residents.
___Charlie Brown, pastor of The Crossing Church, said church

MARIANNE Gruzlewski of First Baptist Church in Lewisville cleans a newly installed window in the home of Juan Hernandez in Progresso. (Russ Dilday/Buckner Photo)

members broke down barriers that could have prevented them from sharing their faith.
___"When we went door-to-door, we noticed stickers on many front doors and houses that read 'no evangelical solicitation.' But when we shared from our hearts, the people were open and willing to listen."
___Crossing members saw 24 professions of faith in Christ, including several women who heard about Jesus while sifting through clothes donated by church members and hauled to El Paso as part of the mission effort.

TRUETT KING of First Baptist Church in Lewisville repairs a fire-damaged home in the Progreso colonia.

___"I was reminded of both the simplicity and the depth of being the presence of Christ," Brown said. "We modeled the life of Christ as we met the physical needs of food, clothing and housing and as we shared the gospel message. The result was joyous professions of faith and an extended presence of Christ."
___Autumn Konovalski, 16, traveled to El Paso with the mission team. She said the trip helped her see the difficulty of living in poverty.
___"I took Priscilla (a colonia resident) shopping with me one day in El Paso," Konovalski said. "I bought eight pairs of dollar sandals, and Priscilla's eyes got big, and she asked me, 'Is it your birthday?'
___"When I saw her surprise at my extravagant purchases, it convicted me of my blindness to poverty so close to home."
___Tim Jones, who worked on one of the church's construction teams, summed up team members' feelings. "They have poverty. We have choices," he said.
___In Progreso, adults worked alongside children and youth to help two families hit by fires. Lewisville church members thought their task would be as simple as hanging sheetrock and remodeling the inside of one home. But when they arrived, they found extensive structural damage and spent most of the week replacing interior wall framing.
___Truett King, associate pastor for pastoral care, senior adults and missions at First Baptist in Lewisville, said the project taught his church members the value of remaining flexible.
___"Our folks responded in a tremendous way," he said. "We've learned patience and the need to be willing to do whatever comes our way."
___Jorge Zapata, border ministry coordinator for Buckner, said the mission groups were successful not only in providing physical help for colonia residents, but also in showing Christian love. Family members helped by the construction teams have prayed to receive Christ because of the witness of mission groups, he reported.
___Churches or individuals interested in participating in a colonia mission trip may contact Zapata at (956) 423-7909 or jzapata@buckner.org.
___

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