ClubRust ( www.clubrust.com ) is a mission organization based in Seattle that builds homes for families in Tecate, Mexico who do not have shelter or insufficient shelter. A small group of Marshillians went last year for 5 days and worked alongside people from other churches and built 5 houses in 3 days. The plan is to do the same trip this year (July 1st to July 6th). No Experience Required! You do not need any construction experience to go on the trip and children are welcomed as well. Let me know by April 1st if you are interested. This is a great opportunity to show Christ to those less fortunate and to develop relationships with other Christians at Mars Hill. See the website and videos for more details. The trip will be July 1-6. The cost for the trip is $200 for food, shelter and transportation from the airport, then around $300 for a plane ticket.

I had a chance to catch up with Josh about his experiences last year…here’s what he had to say!

Josh, tell us a little about the trip last year. What was it like working with other churches as you served Christ together?

I personally had an awesome time on the trip. Not just the bonding with the fellow Marshillians but also meeting new people from other Non-Denominational churches from around the US. There were five groups of 20-30 people put together per each house (5 houses). Our group from Mars Hill was matched up with a church from Kentucky, another from Washington DC, and a youth group from Seattle. It was amazing to see everyone coming together while working and also developing relationships. The local families who we were building the houses for would also join in and help with the building and make us lunches.

In addition to that, it was exciting to be immersed in a different culture that was very dissimilar to ours. In our free time we would play soccer with the locals, go swimming, and join in other misc activities. We also spent time at the neighboring orphanage and played with the kids there as well. I know that I personally made a connection with one of the orphans who I spent a lot of time playing soccer with and teaching a few tricks that I had learned back in the US. He was pretty sad when we left, as he followed me for quite a ways down the road and kept asking me to come back and kept kicking the soccer ball to me. He finally stopped in the middle of the road and just watched me leave. I felt bad knowing that he has no father figure and no family to be with he was probably pretty lonely.

It was also very exciting to hang out with the Youth Group kids and we would all go into town and see the local market place and just hang out down there. Every morning we would have worship, prayer, and a Bible Study. They did a good job of keeping the focus on Jesus and our end goal of giving glory to God. And one way we do this is by showing love to others that they might come to know Him as well and see Jesus’ amazing grace that is bestowed on all of us.

What did you take away with you from your experience?

The trip definitely gave us a realization of how much Christ has blessed us with. As one guy I know puts it when someone asks him how he is doing his response is “Better than I deserve”. I will never forget seeing the families with no shelters and the orphans who I played soccer with. I will never forget how much joy came to them over such simple things and how much I take for granted what Jesus gives to me. I could easily see the trip as one that I will go on several times and if I have a family of my own I would take down together.

Thanks Josh! If you’re interested in learning more or if you have any questions, email Josh McGaffey at jcmcgaffey@comcast.net.