This year I had the privilege of participating in the Mexicali Missions Trip with Hope Community Church. Including myself, the team consisted of 7 adults and 9 students.
Each day while in Mexico, we visited our site: a small church about 20 minutes from where we tented. This year again we ran a Vacation Bible School with the kids. They were very patient trying to explain themselves in Spanish, allowing us time to ponder what they were saying or to get one of our two translators. It was cool to be able to see some of the same kids as last year as well as meet some new kids. The pastors of our church site would insist that we let them make us lunch. I remember last year how a pastor told me that he wanted to help us because we helped the kids. He talked to us this year about how we were planting seeds in these kids’ hearts and how we have, by coming here and showing them the love of God, given them the chance to flourish.
Back at the camp, we would have a few hours of free time. Most of that time was spent in the small market that edged on our property or playing soccer with neighboring church groups. Then we would have dinner and attend chapel (same as in the morning) which included singing, Bible reading, and listening to a sermon on ‘the perfect gift’.
One of the last days at our site, we stood in a circle holding hands. The pastors stood in the middle of the circle. They asked us to sing “How Great is Our God” while they would pray for us, in Spanish. The moment we started singing and they started praying a thought went through my head. It made me think how at that moment it was as if we represented all Christians who hold hands and continue to sing, who are not over-ruled by other sounds but are louder than anyone else and who make others turn their heads towards us because they want to hear more.
The pastors in the middle of the circle represented those sounds, trying to distract us and be louder than us. But we won. With Jesus, we were able to keep singing his praise louder than everyone else and to sing in unison to the glory of God.
- Amanda Gerber