Becoming the Hands and feet of Jesus- {Day 1 in Mexico}

{Hey everyone! I wanted to share this entry that my husband wrote about his first day experience in Mexico.}

Mark 16:15 “And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."

I would like to think if Jesus had another 30 years here on earth he would frequent his craft of being a carpenter to serve others. Humanity can relate to Jesus and that precisely is why God sent him here to earth so that we could have something tangible to relate to.

My wife Ashley and I were married May 30th 2015 and a part of our union that we were so eager to explore was our desire to travel the world. Near and far we both knew God placed in us a passion for serving others and experiencing the world.

Psalms 96:3 “Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.”

Ashley and I awoke at 6:00 AM tired but eager to embark on our long awaited first mission trip together. I awoke first, popping out of bed groggy but eager. I’ve been battling a cold for several days and it feels worse than ever. Congestion, sore throat and ear ache. I try and keep my spirit high. Ashley soon follows with a childlike grin on her face eager to go on our journey. We make it out of the apartment packed up and ready to take our journey. Ashley and I hop in the car and embark on our voyage.

Whilst in Phoenix we enjoy fine Italian cuisine “Jack in Zee Box” better known as Jack in the Box. Wisest choice, no, tasty yes. As we pilgrimage towards our 200 plus mile voyage we share deep spiritual conversation through the New Testament. We help answer questions about our spiritual journey and walk with Christ. We discuss baptism by water and baptism by the spirt. We relate our upbringing and environments to who we are today and why we’ve experienced what we have experienced. We decided to read Acts in the bible where the start of some local Christian churches began. This was a good place to be lead to since we would be serving and being disciples ourselves. We read how the community was drawn together and provided for each other.

Acts 4:32
All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.

We arrive at our 4 hour destination in what seemed to be a matter of an hour. We continue our worship and praise. The Bundys finally make it to the destination of service! Yes, the reason God sent us here, to help build small casas in the barrio. We introduce ourselves to the other volunteers. We scope out the scene and are quick to work. We hammer a few nails and assist as we can and before we knew it we had sidings to the casa. We reflect on our blessings in the U.S. and how God can continue to use us to show the love of Christ. 

We head back to basecamp shower up and begin to relax.

God placed us next to a very pleasant family at camp. We talk about our stories and families. We play games, laugh and meet the other 100 plus missionaries for a homemade Mexican meal provided by 1 Mission, the kitchen Chef and other local volunteers. It was delicious. The founder Jason tells the story of how 1 Mission came to be and it was very inspiring and real. 

So selfless and Christ-like. Than you God, thank you Jesus.

We spend time around the campfire then regress to our humble abode (tent). Excited we began journaling to further solidify the beginning of our new family traditions. Thank you Father for what you have done in our lives. Thank you for our communion with you through Jesus. Amen.

1MISSION basecamp


Alright guys it's Ashley here! My husband is amazing. I find so much humor, fun, passion, and love in his entry. He embraced the mission full force with making a difference burning inside his heart. I could not imagine taking our first leap of missionary work without him.

Day 1 was extremely amazing! We were warmly welcomed by friendly faces. We set up camp and met our fellow 1MISSION friends and followed them to the building site. My eyes and heart were torn. The community looked broken. Garbage everywhere, homes barely put together, dogs everywhere that were very sick, and most of all I witnessed the home our family had been living in. Made out of cardboard, old signs, no floor, and only space for a couple people. By Gods grace this family had come together and built this house they called a home. But they deserve more. The foundation of their new home had already been layed. We put together the frame of the house. What's amazing about this family is that they put in 200 hours of hard work to earn this home. These hours involved, gardening, sewing, building other homes, bible study, and volunteering at the 1MISSION base-camp. The most important point of putting in their hours is the fact that they are helping themselves, their community, and their neighbor! Growing together as one. God is so good!

We got back to camp, showered up, and met our camping neighbors. A delightful family! We divulged into getting to know the family tenting next door. This weekend 6 homes were built. 6 families who can sleep safer at night. Over 120 loving people coming together to share Gods love! Justin and I feel very blessed to be able to experience this blessing together. We ask God to fill our hearts with his desires and fill these families hearts full of love and peace. The miracles, memories, and friendships being made here are priceless. We're not guaranteed tomorrow, go out into the world and start your journey for God. 1MISSION is a great place to start. God's calling you. Hand Him the pencil and let HIM write your story!

http://1mission.org/

Blessings!