RVICS project for February 4 - February 26, 2008

Valley Baptist Missions / Education Center, located in Harlingen, Texas has a vision to prepare pastors, and laypersons to reach Hispanic groups and Spanish-speaking populations.  They partner with other training institutions to provide affordable training both on campus and through distance learning.   They facilitate mission work in the valley, along the Rio Grande, and into Mexico by providing housing, language training, and cultural training.  They host other Baptist groups that provide day camps, ESL, or other ministry opportunities.  The Baptist Child and Family Services are coordinating one of the present ministries on campus.  About 25-30 boys were here while our group worked.

Work Projects Men:  The main project for the men involved removing a carport’s flat-roof and building a gable roof blended to the houses hip roof.  After all the angles were determined, work progressed smoothly.  The winds were sometimes a concern when climbing on the roof was involved.  By the end of the project, the whole house had been shingled and the carport looked great.  The men also worked on sanding, sealing, and applying several coats of polyurethane on the main decorative doors of the church, repairing or replacing the large fans in one of the dorms, and work on exterior lights.

Ladies:  We were asked to make curtains for one of the dorm buildings.  Three of us were sewers and three were pressers.  We made a little over 150 yards of material into curtains for 24 dorm rooms and 12 bathrooms, which we bagged and labeled for future use.  One of us enjoyed pressing so much; she even pressed her plastic measuring stick!

Tours: Week one found us at the RVICS Reunion at Loma Da Vida.  It was great to see many friends at the reunion and enjoyed the entertainment provided by each group.  Our second tour took us to Santa Ana Wildlife refuge where we took a tram ride through the refuge.  We then went to Progreso, Mexico for lunch and a bit of shopping.  Our last tour was to Port Isabel and South Padre Island.  A day of museums, Sea Turtle Rescue, enjoying the beach area and of course, eating.