The Ultimate Christmas Gift: An Update

[pullquote1 quotes=”true” align=”center”]Instead, we are going to give this family something needed, something that will last, something that will be whole-heartedly appreciated, something that will change their lives—a roof, solid walls, and a floor because we found that the ULTIMATE GIFT IS GIVING to those who truly need the gift.[/pullquote1]

The Seilhan family are prospective missionaries who, God willing will join Intake this fall, and we are so incredibly excited to have them as full-time missionaries. This past November they came with Family Missions Company to General Cepeda Mexico for the second time in 2012 and were struck by a large family whose home was in great need of repairs. The family had suffered in the past year from both a fire and flood in their home. Melissa described the house in this way: 

[pullquote1 quotes=”true” align=”center”]The family had used scraps of tin they found to patch up this side wall. The clothing that I originally saw hanging out of the house had been stuffed in the cracks to keep the cold out. My heart ached even more for these women and children. The mother-in-law allowed me to go inside and take a look around. The ceiling had a large black tarp on it to keep the rain out because the roof leaked. General Cepeda is in a desert area, so they don’t get much rain which is good thing in this case. But when it does rain, the water drips off the edges of the tarp down the adobe walls. [/pullquote1]

After spending a good deal of time getting to know this family, Travis and Melissa decided that God was calling them to do something about their brothers and sisters in need. Melissa wrote on her blog: “We decided to make this “The Ultimate Christmas Gift” named after one of our favorite movies The Ultimate Gift.  Instead of wasting so much money, which we all do no matter how hard we try not to, this Christmas we are not giving our kids or our extended families (& friends) gifts that they don’t need, want, like, or will be tossed out at the next garage sale.”

So in luie of giving and receiving presents for Christmas, they pulled what money they would have spent on them and began a fund for the Martinez family. Other friends, hearing what they were doing joined the project and gave money to help. All in all, the Seilhan family found that they had realized their hopes. They had raised the necessary amount to completely repair the Martinez’s home, to give them the Ultimate Gift! 

Below are some photos of the completed project and if you would like to read the entire story click the link here: 

Button

Button

[nivo width=”600″ height=”450″]





[/nivo]

[fancy_header2 textColor=”#0C5673″]A Thank You from the Martinez Family[/fancy_header2]

Thank you to the Seilhan Family and those who contributed to this project and to Raul and Marta, my friends who remained very close to us during this process. For that I thank them for helping me. May God bless you and give you strength. May your spirits continue to be full of love and harmony, so that you can continue helping people like me that need it. Thank you for the room and roofs that you built for my benefit and my family’s benefit. Thank you once again.

Gracias A la Seilhan familia y sus companeros y a mu conpadres Raul y Marta que no se despedo poreso le doy. Gracias por ayodarme y que Dios los Bendiga les de Fuerzas y que Sigan sus espiritus yenos de amor y armonio, para que sigan ayudando a Gente como yo que lo nesesita. Gracias por este coorto pro los techos que me hicieron, para benefisio mio y de mi Familia. Gracias una vez mas.

Button