In 2005, a team of seven United Methodist Volunteers in Mission from South Carolina, including members from Orangeburg and Calhoun counties, traveled to Calpulalpan, Tlaxcala, Mexico, to help lay the foundation for the first large Methodist church ever in the city of 21,000 located 80 miles southeast of Mexico City.

Volunteers worked side by side with church members and their pastor, Angel Benitez Nava, who had been praying 32 years for the new building.

The volunteers returned in 2006 with a team of 13 to continue building the church in Calpulalpan.

This summer, 12 UMVIM members, including six members from Andrew Chapel United Methodist Church in Calhoun County - Lori and Mattie Hair, Ronnie, Pam and Kelli Rucker and Aaron Miles; two from the North UMC - Lynn Norris and team leader Billy Robinson; two from Pond Branch UMC near Gilbert - Darrel and Sarah Briggs; Jerry Gooden of Beulah UMC in Sandy Run and Wayne Goff of St. Mark UMC in Greenwood, accompanied project coordinator Lee McDonald of Columbia to continue the effort.

"I have been privileged to lead one team a year," said Robinson, of North. "This year, as in the past two, we focused on Philippians 4:13, which states: 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.'"

The volunteers participated in the dedication and consecration of the new church on July 7. The first floor/sanctuary was finished and could be used while the second floor was being completed.

"Our overall message to them was to keep their God-given vision alive," Robinson said. "Now that their new church was nearing completion, it was time for them to redirect their vision to one of evangelism and the filling of the church building."

He said donations from U.S. churches partially covered the cost for each team member to travel to Mexico, and various church committees donated extra funding for construction, windows and doors.

"All members gave graciously and sacrificially to make up the rest of the cost and donated many needed items for the building of the new church," Robinson said. "We gave both physically and out of Christian love and fellowship."

"Our Mexican brothers and sisters had become a second family for us as we had drawn extremely close to them over the three-year period. We all exchanged everlasting gifts," including fellowship, hugs and Christian expressions of love, Robinson said. "They gave wonderful handcrafted gifts out of the ... kindness of their hearts and even gave me a fancy sombrero."

He noted that, as with past UMVIM missions he's been involved in, "it seems that the more you give, the more you receive."

To join a United Methodist Volunteers in Mission team, e-mail the Rev. Tony Rowell at lolobobo@alltel.net or Robinson at brpraisejesus@aol.com.

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