We were blessed as a family to go to Baja, Mexico on a missions trip through Village Seven over Spring Break. There were 39 of us total and it was a wonderful experience to be a part of the Baja Team. Some of our highlights while in Mexico were: eating fresh fish tacos made by Oaxacan Indians, mixing concrete to pour additional flooring for a local church, clearing ground and pouring the foundation for a soup kitchen, building the roof ties for a new church plant, knocking door-to-door and giving away Bibles, inviting people to our Friday night drama, and participating in a drama based on the life of Jesus as read in scripture.
Each of us was stretched, pulled out of our comfort zones, and used by God. Here are a few of our thoughts -
Ana – I couldn’t believe I was walking through the slums of Camalu, Mexico knocking on the doors of strangers, inviting them to a drama, and asking them if they would like a Bible- all while speaking Spanish! I have never done anything like that before and I felt joy in my soul as I saw the faces of people light up and smile when they reached out to receive a Bible. One particular day of evangelizing brought me face-to-face with a young boy of about 10, who was riding his bike near me as I walked the dusty streets. I stopped and invited him to the drama and offered him a Bible. He accepted it gladly, and I asked him, “Do you know who Jesus is?” He said, “Yes.” I then asked him, “Who is He?” He exclaimed, “He’s the boy down the street and he is bad!” Oh yes, I laughed to myself, we are in Mexico where one out of ten boys is named “Jesus!” Despite my aching feet and the dust that was all over me, I was being used by God in a way that I would not have normally sought to do. When I reflect on Mexico, I thank God that in some small way, because of the seeds that were being planted in Baja, I would see some of these beautiful people in eternity with our Lord. What an awesome thought!
Zane – As we were driving home from school last week, I saw construction work going on; the men were working with concrete blocks. It reminded me of the church plant in Trece de Mayo that was under construction. It was made of concrete blocks and had no roof. The guys on our mission trip prepared the ground work creating roof ties, so concrete could be poured and the cinder blocks set. Next to the unfinished church was the pastor’s home. He lived there with his wife and several children. The house was very small. The front door had no door knob; there was no stove, no washing machine, and no running water. Their outhouse was shared by the people who attended church. I was able to go inside the home and see the rooms. The rooms were divided only by blankets and rope. I saw a very small refrigerator that would not be able to contain enough food for a family of this size for very long. I wondered why this pastor did not look for a job where he would make more money for his family. I don’t think I could live in such conditions with my family. But, I saw the children and they were very happy. They played with us and smiled a lot. The pastor and his wife were so appreciative of our work. I helped paint their house yellow. When the pastor’s wife saw her house she said, “que bonita!” Which means “how pretty.” It made me feel good to see their faces. I think the work we did in Baja blessed this pastor and his family. I was blessed too.
Eoin –While in Baja, we visited the home of a Oaxacan Indian family. What a feast awaited us! They were so kind and hospitable. They set out chairs, a long serving table, and built a huge bonfire for us to sit around because it was cold that night. Two of the older Oaxacan women were cooking fresh fish that their husbands had caught for us in the ocean, just a few hours before. They made a large wok out of a tractor part with rebar for handles. Into it they poured oil and began frying the fish. It took 2 – 3 hours to cook so much fish. The unbelievable part was these ladies were kneeling in the dirt for so long cooking for us. I never heard a complaint or saw the ladies move until all the fish was cooked. They wanted to serve us! It should have been the other way around. I ate four huge fish tacos. They were the best I had ever eaten. We roasted giant marshmallows in the fire and sang Christian songs in English and Spanish. These people loved the Lord and it was evident in their faces as they sang about Him. It was an inspiring experience to see these Oaxacan Indians display their faith. With very little material goods in this world, they were happy and loved the Lord. When I think about my own faith, all of the material goods I have, and how blessed I am, I thank God and feel more appreciative for what He has given me.
Shanah – My time in Baja was amazing! I loved the people especially the children. They were so friendly and had the most beautiful smiles. I had the chance to go with the mission team girls to visit a very poor neighborhood in Camalu. The children of the neighborhood were called “ninos del campo” or children of the camp. Their parents would leave at 5:00 in the morning and pick strawberries in the field the entire day. They would get home between 5:00 and 6:00 at night. They left their children at home alone all day, even one and two year olds. I couldn’t believe it. The campo kids didn’t even go to school. The mission team girls dressed as clowns and sang children’s songs in English and Spanish, blew up balloons and made fun shapes out of them, and passed out stickers, tiny toys, toothbrushes and toothpaste. The campo kids were not very clean, and had lice crawling in their hair. Some already had gray hair due to poor nutrition. Many misbehaved and did not want to wait for stickers or balloons and grabbed things from us. Trying to tell them to stay in line and wait their turn was very difficult. These kids had no supervision. But, I still got to hug, hold, and talk to many of them. I saw how much fun they were having with us, and it made me sad and happy at the same time because they were so poor. I wish I could have brought some kids back to Colorado with me. Maybe one day I will get the chance to go back and hug them all again.
