Spanish Lincoln SDA Church Project 2015
God in His wisdom and perfect timing, had been working in a small church community in Lincoln, CA. The church members had been praying. God was leading and the time for us to go yet on another mission trip was soon approaching. Our youth group was getting anxious about going on this mission trip. You see, we had been planning for months and our anticipation was building up with each day. Our youth group of 18 volunteers jumped in their cars Sunday morning and headed out to the Spanish Lincoln SDA Church which was a 50 minute drive.
Upon our arrival, we were greeted by the head elder and the deacon of the Spanish Lincoln SDA Church. Quickly they opened the doors of the church and we began to organize the various projects inside and outside that needed to be completed. Little did we know, but God was sending 60 volunteers that day to help us complete the work that was much needed. Our team began demolition and removal of old broken windows. As the work continued, many volunteers came from other SDA Churches in the area to contribute and help. By the time lunch was served, we had 10 of the old windows removed, old siding removed, first coat of primer on the walls, prepared the floor for tile installation, sheetrock installation upstairs in the Sabbath school rooms and materials purchased for the next day of work.
The next 2 days we moved quickly to prepare interior and exterior walls for painting. We needed to primer and texture the ceiling and walls. Patch any holes in the walls, install tile flooring downstairs, remodel the bathrooms, change out old plumbing and install new water pipes. As the days were quickly passing, we still had a lot of work cut out for us. New carpeting was ordered for the sanctuary and the Sabbath school classrooms. We saw how the Lord blessed our efforts and increased our strength to get the work done.
The church head elder and some of the church members who came to help us, told us that they were blessed beyond measure to have gotten this much needed help. The church building was in much need of repairs. A once in a lifetime make-over in 4 days, just in time to celebrate Thanksgiving. The following Sabbath Church service, members of the Lincoln Spanish SDA Church were amazed at the miraculous transformation. God blessed our efforts in more ways than we could have ever imagined. We had enough funds to cover new paint for exterior and interior, 10 brand new windows, tile flooring for Sabbath school rooms, and new carpeting in the Sanctuary, new insulation, sheetrock, and paint upstairs for the youth room and children's area, and new carpeting for the stage.
Our initial budget for renovations was estimated to be about $5,000. Yet the Lord sent more donors to help with an additional $3,000 that was much needed to cover the expense of new carpeting in the sanctuary, and upstairs in the Sabbath school classrooms. Total project budget of about $8,000. Earlier in the year, the Spanish Lincoln SDA Church had asked an organization to come and give them an estimate to remodel the church building. They were told that it would be about $50,000 to fix up the church building. Yet, the church members continued in prayer with prayers of faithfulness. This made it possible for us to come and remodel their church for a fraction of the cost. We saw how God truly blessed and stretch our dollars to make this project a success and a blessing for the Spanish community in Lincoln.
As I look back on this project, I see how God was taking care of all the small details that I didn’t see coming. I see how God moved on the hearts of the people to give generously and support our work. To God be the Glory for what He is doing in our lives today, and will faithfully continue to do in the future. Maranatha!