Ezekiel 37 Project

Last fall, the Lord introduced us to a piece of ground completely barren except for some fence posts in an outline of an arena, scrubby cacti type plants, trash and a dilapidated house. A local friend, Cesar, had received permission from the property owner to ride on the property and had placed the fence posts. Old tires laid on the ground that he and his daughter would practice barrel racing and pole bending with, and they began to teach our kids the basics of these events also. My family was super excited for the opportunity to ride and learn these new events of rodeo. Lisa and I envisioned this as an opportunity to finish the arena and have this as a place to provide horse lessons to the children in the town that did not have access to horses. We shared this with Cesar and his wife, and they excitedly said Cesar had a similar dream. Our excitement grew last November (2019) when a short term mission trip helped us to dig new holes and to set new posts in the ground secured with concrete. The arena was enclosed with woven wire fencing offering a safe place for all to ride. 

The short term mission trip helping build the arena on this piece of property in November 2019.

The abandoned house on the edge of the property.

Fast forward to April of 2020, our family felt called to move out of the mission house and to begin looking for a piece of property to make a home for the next 3-5 years. The first place we dreamed of was the “Huerta,” the beautiful piece of property with good access to water, large pecan trees, and a large old abandoned house. Another local friend, Rodolfo, blessed us in October of 2019 by allowing us to keep a few horses on this property. As we dreamed about and planned the renovation of the building, we felt God saying this was not the place He wanted us to live. “But God, why not?” This didn’t make any sense; we lamented that this place seemed perfect.

In obedience, we looked elsewhere. Leaning not on our own understanding, we felt called to look at the ejidos. I have a group of about 30 local men on a WhatsApp messenger app group that I sent a message to asking them for possibilities for a place for us to live. We looked at several places and nothing felt right. We could feel the Lord stirring a change, but the struggle to understand what type of change was stealing our peace. Our family entered into a three day prayer retreat. We immediately felt the Lord asking us to stay in the town of General Cepeda, but we were uncertain as to where.

Then Lisa had the thought during her prayer time of the abandoned property where the arena was located. There were certainly many obstacles associated with this location. I mentioned it was basically an abandoned property, covered with bare dirt, littered with trash, and liquor bottles. The liquor bottles were another obstacle as this abandoned property was a popular hangout/home for the local borrachitos (this is the word meaning little drunks that the town uses to refer to these men). We went to explore the home and property in more detail. Another obstacle was water. This property did have an old well, but there was no water in the shallow well and we learned it was nearly impossible to receive a permit to deepen or to dig a new well. This location was certainly not the easiest nor most desirable of the three options we narrowed our search to. However, as we continued our prayer retreat the Lord continued to put this location on Jaylyn’s and Lincoln’s hearts. A vision started to materialize. We made contact with the owners and arranged a meeting to share our vision. Much to our surprise, the owners really liked the idea and envisioned a similar project as they are generous people with a heart to help improve the town and help the local people in many ways. Additionally, they were concerned for the men who struggled with alcoholism living in the abandoned building on the property as the police had threatened to tear down the building if the owners didn’t do something about the men there. 

 

Taking the remains of the falling apart roof off

Inside one of the rooms (that would become our bedroom) of the abandoned house with the old roof still intact but not functional 

Cleaning up after taking the dilapidated roof off

We were so excited and felt the Lord’s hand in the plan. In the upcoming weeks, I frequented the property and established a list of materials needed. We wanted to repair and restore the home using mud adobe as it was originally constructed. The adobe is much more economical and the dirt offers better insulation than the concrete blocks commonly used now. I befriended the borrachitos and renamed them los santos (“the saints”). They had many questions but offered to help. The men knew how to make adobe, so it was a perfect partnership. As we worked together, I got to know them and their stories. I was filled with the grace of God’s merciful love as I listened to and reflected on their lives and the chain of events that can take place to allow a man to lose all dignity. Once a man loses his dignity and self worth, a snow ball effect can take place that leads to misery and despair that is numbed by alchohol which turns to dependence and addiction. 

Side of the dilapidated house

Cleaning up (our future kitchen) inside the dilapidated house

Cleaning up outside

Cleaning up outside. Our little street dog, Jenny, is at the bottom of the picture.

It seemed as if we had found the place we would call home. However, as the next few weeks passed by there was little to no follow up or contact with the owners. Additionally, our family fell under heavy spiritual warfare. The clarity of our plan and mission became foggy in the spiritual battle, we almost lost hope. Then God provided the old testament reading of Ezekiel 37.
The hand of the LORD came upon me, and he led me out in the spirit of the LORD and set me in the center of the broad valley. It was filled with bones. He made me walk among them in every direction. So many lay on the surface of the valley! How dry they were! He asked me: Son of man, can these bones come back to life? “Lord GOD,” I answered, “you alone know that.” Then he said to me: Prophesy over these bones, and say to them: Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: Listen! I will make breath enter you so you may come to life. I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow over you, cover you with skin, and put breath into you so you may come to life. Then you shall know that I am the LORD. I prophesied as I had been commanded. A sound started up, as I was prophesying, rattling like thunder. The bones came together, bone joining to bone. As I watched, sinews appeared on them, flesh grew over them, skin covered them on top, but there was no breath in them.Then he said to me: Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man! Say to the breath: Thus says the Lord GOD: From the four winds come, O breath, and breathe into these slain that they may come to life. I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath entered them; they came to life and stood on their feet, a vast army. 

I knew with certainty the Lord was asking us to live at this property. I could feel in my bones HE was wanting to breathe life into this barren piece of ground and the dry bones that occupied it. The mission and vision for the project was solidified by God and gradually the details fell into place. 

 

Adobe blocks added to restore the walls of the house.

Working on the roof constructed of boards with a layer of plastic, dirt, and concrete on top.

Please pray the Lord will bless this land, but most importantly breathe HIS breath of life into every person that steps foot onto the soil.

Peace and love with blessings of perseverance and fortitude.

jmn


See the continuation of this story in the post entitled: Ezekiel 37 Project Part 2: Francisco.