Day 1 | Juárez

For those of us that love Casas por Cristo, Juárez holds a very special place in our hearts. For almost 20 years, Casas has been, and continues to be a fixture in colonias all over Juárez. Completing over 3,700 homes is no small feat. That’s a lot of lives that have been changed, mine and my family’s included.

Juárez has changed a lot in the 10 years that I’ve served with Casas. I remember coming to Juárez as a young, crazy 20 year old college student to serve in the summer of 1999. I have great memories from those days. Juárez was smaller then, geographically and numerically. I remember there being more dirt roads than paved ones. I remember driving in the fumes of loaded down buses, buses that outnumbered the cars two to one. I remember sleeping under the stars in the back of an old pick up outside of Casa de Jesus after a long day of mixing volcanoes under the 100 degree sun. A lot has changed since then. Roads that were dirt are now four lane paved highways. Cars equal buses as they fill the streets. Sparse colonias are now unrecognizable as they are filled with stores and homes. Despite all of the changes in Juárez as the city has grown, the thing that remains the same is the families; the smile on the faces of families receiving homes, the love in their hearts as they serve a meal that comes at a great sacrifice, and the hope for a brighter future for their families because someone cared enough to come share the love of Christ.

Despite the growth in Juárez, the people there are still in desperate need and seeking the light and love of Jesus Christ.  Please pray for these families and their struggles. Pray for ministries trying to answer God’s call and meet the needs of the communities in Juárez. Please pray for city leaders to remember the people. Pray that God’s will be done in Juárez as it is in Heaven. Thank you for your prayers for this city that will always be home to us.
- Pete