Our child in 3-D

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Missions to Mexico '08

We were blessed to be able to take a group of teens/young adults from our church to Ensenada, Mexico for a week-long missions trip. There were 22 of us (23 if you count Noah - he's already been on his first missions trip!!) and we split into two ministry teams.

One of our ministry teams built a house for a family. Our other team ministered to children in two communities by running two VBS programs. The experience was both utterly exhausting and completely uplifting. We have loved seeing the change that has taken place in our youth. They have developed such a heart for serving!!

We built the home for a young, single woman named Guadalupe (or Lupita, as we came to know her) and her daughter Ariana. Ariana's father left the family to come to the United States for work. Here he met and married another woman and cut all contact off from his family in Ensenada. As a result, Lupita has been living with her mother, her brother, his wife, and their children. And not just living with them - but working in the fields picking tomatoes for around $70 a week to support them.

Our construction team worked very hard in building this home in only 4-days!! And, due to God blessing our group's fundraisers, we were able to furnish the home with a cook-top, dining room table and chairs, a couch, bunk beds, and a toddler bed as well as home goods such as floor rugs, curtains, blankets, towels, and dishes. Oh! We were even able to purchase groceries! Seeing the look on Lupita's face as she entered her furnished home for the first time was indescribable.

Perhaps my favorite part about Lupita's story, is that she was not a Christian when a Pastor from her community began reaching out to her and nominated her to receive a house. Through this blessing she received, she has become a Christian! And it was great to be the hands God used to bless this new Christian.

Our VBS team, as I mentioned, worked in two churches. This experience was also rewarding and tiring!! Everyday we taught a memory verse, Bible lesson, sang songs, and did a craft. Oh, and we also played some fun games.

It was really fun to see the teens in our group working with these children. And some of the kids stories were incredible! We had kids walking over an hour to be at the church for the VBS. And every day there were decisions to give their lives to Christ. I know that the seeds we planted will forever have an impact on those kids.

One thing is for sure - the group we left with was not the same group we came back with. God really used our experiences in Mexico to grow us all in many areas of our lives - spiritually, physically, emotionally. And it also brought us all closer together - there is a unity I never dreamed of! God is good and we can't wait to go back (and we'll take Noah again, too!).

And he shall be called...

Noah Sebastian Valenzuela.

We can't wait to meet him!