Editor's note: The following article, written by Cecilia Garza, was published Friday, May 9, 2008 in the Flower Mound Leader, and is reprinted with permission of Star Community Newspapers, Inc.

In April, 34 people from Flower Mound United Methodist Church (FMUMC) set off on a life-changing and eye-opening mission trip to Juarez, Mexico.

There, the 16 youths and 18 adults worked together for two days to help build a home for three different families.

Twice a year for five years now, FMUMC has been working through the Proyecto Abrigo program to bring the word of God and a helping hand to the people of Juarez. Juarez is one of many towns that is experiencing the hardships of poverty. Without plumbing systems or electricity, the people receiving new houses from FMUMC have been living under the conditions of scrap cardboard and plywood homes.

Rachel Cotten, 11, was one of the many kids who participated this year. Her experience there, like her peers’, has become memorable.

"It's really amazing that they're thankful for the littlest things,” Cotten said. “We take so much for granted.”

Her parents, Shelli and Dave Cotten, sponsored five other kids besides their own this year. When asked why she decided to go on this trip for a fourth time, Shelli Cotten said, "Once we did Juarez the first time we got hooked. It has become a very special place to us." Special indeed. Shelli, like many of the group that went, experienced a lot of eye-opening situations in just the two days they were there. During the trip when one of the Cotten's daughters became dehydrated and felt sick, the mother of the family that they were helping immediately took Shelli's daughter in and laid her down with some water.

"Regardless of the language barrier we're both just moms,” Shelli said.

One of the missionaries, Mike Farrer, said that, he too, had one particular moment that stood out to him. They had built a house for a family that was living in an 8 x 8-foot cardboard home with a 15-day-old baby and a 3-year-old named Brian who had a cleft pallet.

During the dedication ceremony, the church group interrupted Brian's youthful running around and gave him a big children's Bible. At the sight of his brand new Bible he took it, plopped down on the ground, opened it up and saw a picture. When he looked at it, he got quiet and began to smile, Farrer said. He described this moment as one where he could see that what they were doing was going to make a difference in this child's life.

Farrer is the oldest traveling missionary of the group, having made this recent trip to Juarez his 10th. When asked why he keeps coming back, Farrer said, "We enjoy being able to give back. This mission has helped develop an adult ministry into a family ministry."

"Now, I know so many different people that I never thought that I would meet. It's really a great way if you want to meet more people in the church," said Rachel Cotten, of the new friends she has made through the mission.

The group will be going on their next trip to Juarez this coming November and hope to add people to their mission.