While many Canadians are planning winter trips to Mexico, a group from the Anglican Diocese of Saskatoon is preparing for a mission trip in June.
Participants from across the entire diocese including Maidstone, the Battlefords, Lloydminster, Lintlaw, Endeavour, Watrous, Humboldt and Saskatoon will be going to Baja, Mexico to build two houses for needy families in the region. There are 28 people already committed to the trip including Maidstone's Holly Fleming, Melinda Dubyk and Heather Ferguson with space for a possible 35.
The diocese is working with an organization that has been involved in construction projects in Baja, Mexico for 15 years called Absolute.
Bishop David Irving and his wife Joan, the co-ordinator of the project, were in Maidstone Wednesday to do a presentation about the mission trip and to meet the participants from the community.
The last diocesan synod brought forth a desire to be engaged in outreach and those gathered decided to take on an external and an internal project. The mission trip is the first external project and plans are being considered to build a home for a needy family in Saskatchewan as an internal project.
They've called the outreach program, Turning Hope in Action.
Baja, Mexico is home to many living in poverty who have moved from other areas of the country hoping to find work. Many people live in shacks with several generations together. The houses built on the mission trip will be simple constructions without indoor plumbing built on titled land.
The group will travel together from Saskatoon June 4 and remain in Mexico for 10 days living in simple shared accommodation. Each participant has been invited to take two suitcases, one filled with their own belongings and another empty one to be filled with donations of necessary items before heading to the airport.
The Irvings spoke about the project and showed a slide presentation depicting another group involved in a very similar project. They hope participants will take many photographs to bring home to share with supporters throughout the diocese.
At this time participants and localchurches are gathering prayer and financial support for those going on the trip as they hope to make a difference in the world.
