Story number 4 for 27 Jul 2001

(Mexico)–We turn next to a small town on the border of Mexico. The abject poverty here is a way of life for many people. That’s what makes Casas Por Cristo’s mission so important. Casas’ Nat Bell says they’re working to help people out of physical and spiritual distress. “We build homes for poor families over in Juarez, Mexico. It’s one of the largest border cities. By building them [poor families] a home, it gives them a chance to get ahead in life. We work through a pastor’s committee in Mexico. We have 60 pastors in Juarez that we work through-and they’re the ones that actually select the families.” Bell adds that through their work, they often see lives changed. He asks people to pray for the team members, and for the pastors. “We’re there for three of four days and we build them a house, and we go home. And in that time, we get to share what we do in Christian love and by our actions. But, it’s actually the pastor for their church that’s working with them. They come back in afterward to talk with them and really get to work with them on a day-to-day, long-term basis.”