Mission of Encouragement
CB summer 2024
Hebrews 10:24-25: And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
The Covid pandemic changed a lot of things in our lives. For one thing, since Covid hit there has been a marked decrease in people participating in cross-national mission trips. In relation to Crossing Borders (CB), we did not make any in-person trips for two years (due to the border being effectively closed to travel). But we continued to communicate regularly with our Mexico partners, and (thanks to our gracious donors) were able to provide financial aid during serious sickness and death, horrible storm damage, and other critical needs.
Since we re-started CB trips in summer 2022, our attendance has been quite low. On this June trip we used in-person visits to push ahead with keeping our Mexico relationships strong and with helping our partners as God gives us opportunity, wisdom and resources. This trip was definitely a mission of encouragement—for our partners and for us.
We were able to have meaningful visits with nine of our Mexico partners in four days. We were a part of Pastora Marta’s Sunday morning church service, enjoyed a meal with the whole congregation, got to see the new second-floor walls for which CB was able to provide the finances, and had deep discussions regarding their church goals and needs. They are praying to determine if this is God’s timing to plant a new sister church in another neighborhood (they feel they have the personnel to do this).
We visited with a family for whom CB had built a small house in 2012. It has been a joy to watch the kids grow up from adolescents to young adults. Then we had dinner and discussions with Pastor Carlos, with whom we have shared ministry on many previous CB trips. The next morning, we spent time with Pastor Roel (a new contact last December) and some leaders in his congregation. They are building some new classrooms for their youth, and working on completing a new parking area, have hopes to purchase some additional land for expansion, and want to concentrate more on service to the elderly in their community.
One of our original partners (since 2005) is Pastor Pedro. He and wife Loudres are now planting a new church six hours away, but we caught up with them while they were in town for some doctor appointments (he has recently been healed of cirrhosis of the liver). Then we shared lunch with partner Holly Garcia and some of her ministry team, and we toured the progress they are making on their new ministry site. The first two buildings are almost completed. They have the vision to help (among others) teens who are “aging out” of the orphan care system at age 18. Often with no job skills and no direction in life, these young people fall into very harmful personal situations.
Pastor Fernando and wife Nora have been long-time partners of CB. We have supported them with many Vacation Bible School programs over the years, some construction work, purchasing a used car, as well as our December shoebox ministry outreaches. We met with the pastor couple and several members of his ministry team. They report that their church is beginning to grow again after the Covid shutdowns, illnesses and deaths.
On our final day in Mexico, we spent time at Sister Juanita’s children’s home, donating some new toys, spending time playing with the kids (about 15 of them), listening to the kids show off their scripture memorization and some songs they prepared for us, and feeding them a pizza lunch. What a joy! Then we visited the site across town where a group of local supporters is raising funds and constructing a new building in a safer location for Sister Juanita and her kids. The first large building is essentially complete, and work on the two dorm buildings is moving along (as finances allow).
Our final visit was with Pastor Rendon, wife “Mama” Lupita, and son Alfonso at their orphanage. The Pastor and his wife are senior citizens with many health challenges in the past few years. Two days before our visit, Mama Lupita was in the emergency room with heart artery blockage (soon to have surgery), and Pastor Rendon has heart, lung and mobility challenges. Son Alfonso and his wife Erika have begun to take over daily running of the orphanage. It was an honor that they asked our CB leadership team to help them talk through and walk through this important transition. On top of the transition, the Rendons have to deal with thousands of dollars of damage done to their buildings by a recent severe windstorm. While CB cannot foot the bill for all the repair expense, we are blessed by our donors to be able to contribute $2500 so far to the repair needs.
In many ways, our recent trip was a mission of encouragement, reflecting the heart of God’s love—both to and from our ministry partners. Our U.S. supporters—you—continue to be an encouragement to our Crossing Borders team, and we thank you for your ongoing prayers and resource gifts to this ministry.
God willing, we will head to Mexico again December 13-16. We will be asking our supporters for donations of filled shoebox gifts and funds to fill other shoeboxes. And we hope to see some of YOU on this upcoming, life-changing trip!