When Ysleta Lutheran Mission Human Care (YLM) traveled to the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) National Convention in July, the opportunity was about much more than setting up an exhibit and sharing information about more than 40 years of ministry on the El Paso and Ciudad Juárez border.
It was an opportunity to reconnect with longtime friends, meet new supporters, and begin conversations about where God may be leading YLM next.
Two months later, some of those conversations are already moving forward.
The convention provided many people with their first opportunity to meet YLM’s new Executive Director, Dr. Enrique Davila. Throughout the gathering, Enrique visited with supporters and ministry leaders while also participating in conversations that introduced him to the broader work of the LCMS throughout the United States and around the world.
Conversations with leaders from organizations including the Hispanic Mission Institute, Lutheran Heritage Foundation, Lutheran Church Extension Fund, and others provided opportunities to learn, build relationships, and consider YLM’s place within the larger mission of the Church.
For a new Executive Director, the experience offered another perspective on how the ministry taking place in El Paso and Ciudad Juárez connects with the LCMS commitment to proclaim the Gospel, plant and strengthen churches, and show mercy to people in need.The convention also gave YLM an opportunity to talk about the future of one of its most impactful ministries.
With YLM’s Servant Event Director entering seminary, visitors to the exhibit learned about the opening for a Servant Event Facilitator. The position will help YLM continue strengthening a ministry that brings teams from across the country to the Borderland to serve, build relationships, and share Christ in Word and Deed.
Another conversation that began at the YLM exhibit has already grown into something more.
YLM shared an idea for a future Servant Event Experience designed especially for church leaders and congregations interested in understanding how mission service can impact not only the communities being served, but also the congregations that send teams. The response in July showed there was genuine interest in such an opportunity. Now, that idea is moving forward.
YLM is preparing to host the “Come and S.E.E. (Servant Event Experience)” in June 2027, inviting participants to experience border ministry firsthand and discover how mission service can strengthen relationships, encourage discipleship, and help congregations become more actively engaged in sharing the Gospel.
An exhibit table created opportunities for conversations. Conversations created relationships. Relationships opened doors for new ideas, new connections, and opportunities for ministry that continue developing for months after everyone returned home.
As a Recognized Service Organization (RSO) of the LCMS, YLM is grateful to walk alongside the wider Church while serving within the unique mission field God has placed before us on the El Paso and Ciudad Juárez border. More than 40 years after this ministry began, YLM continues looking forward, strengthening relationships and pursuing opportunities to share the Gospel, show mercy, and help churches grow.
What happened in July did not stay in July. The conversations are continuing, the relationships are growing, and new opportunities for ministry are already taking shape.
