| Project Puerto Rico |
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Just beyond the opulent face of Puerto Rico’s tourist scene, the second-world country takes on a decisively more oppressive aura. This place suffers from rampant crime, poverty and drug abuse. An impression of despair reigns in the government projects of Arecibo, Puerto Rico. But it is not without hope. This is the message that Missouri Baptist University students brought to the country during their week-long service trip there this past June. The trip marked the second time in two years MBU had sponsored a mission trip in Arecibo. “I was shocked by the conditions of Puerto Rico,” MBU education major Kimberly House said. “It was kind of bizarre because when we landed in San Juan, we got off the plane and ate at Wendy’s. It wasn’t much different than the States. But as we drove away, you could see the city start to deteriorate before your eyes the further out you got. A lot of it was hard to see.” House was among six students who participated in the effort to aid the Puerto Ricans. While there, the group stayed within the protective gates of Arecibo’s First Baptist Church compound. The church’s brightly painted walls were scarred with the unwelcoming sight of deep bullet holes. “The shooting wasn’t necessarily directed at the church, but you still get that unsafe type of feeling,” said MBU Campus Minister Jonathan White. The fact that a drug compound existed a mere two blocks away probably didn’t add to a sense of safety. But the students had not come to Puerto Rico to soak in a feeling of well being. They had a mission: to complete the dramatic renovation of two houses before the week was up. One of the projects was for an elderly woman, who was afflicted with Parkinson’s disease, and her drug-addicted son. The structure that the two shared was in shockingly poor condition. It lacked any interior doors, including to the bathrooms, and a large portion of the ceiling was missing.  “It’s really sad because a big reason for the conditions that they live in is because of the son’s addiction,” House said. “The poor lady was telling us that every time she bought anything, her son would sell it for drugs.” During that week, the students helped tile the floors and fix broken plumbing while communicating Christ’s love with the residents through broken Spanish and, most importantly, their actions. “I think that the family was receptive to what we were trying to do,” House said. “I hope that people like us coming in and giving them some opportunity will help their situation—even if it’s just one small message that they can hang on to.” The second project warranted an even more drastic solution. A woman, along with her father and two sons, had been living in a house with no walls for seven years. “The lady said that she had been praying for seven years to be able to have enough finances to be able to afford this house,” said MBU senior Erin McDermott, one of the participants of the trip. “I believe that God used us to answer those prayers,” McDermott added. The students often had to brave unfavorable elements when building walls and installing new plumbing. It rained nearly half of the time that construction was in progress. But soggy clothes were not enough to put a damper on the group’s disposition. “We worked really hard, and it was really exciting and fun,” said MBU alum Tarah Snow, ‘08. “We got really dirty every day. It rained at least half of the days that we were working, and we kept getting completely soaked. But it was great to go there and just give it your all.” The students’ labor was not in vain. “I feel like I came away with more than I gave,” House said. “I think that some of the lessons that God taught me there were things that I will able to keep and build upon for my whole life. I don’t think that the work that I was able to do in a week would ever make up for the things that I’ve learned.” “I feel like I came away with more than I gave,” House said. “I think that some of the lessons that God taught me there were things that I will able to keep and build upon for my whole life. I don’t think that the work that I was able to do in a week would ever make up for the things that I’ve learned.” |