A first-time Servant Event team from the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League of the Utah–Idaho District arrived the second Saturday of January to serve alongside Ysleta Lutheran Mission Human Care. Joined by their husbands, this small group came ready to learn, serve, and build relationships across the border through ministry at Iglesia Luterana Cristo Rey in Ciudad Juárez and Iglesia Luterana La Santa Biblia in Anapra.
The partnership began in mid-fall of 2025, when the district’s Gospel Outreach Vice-President reached out to explore what service alongside YLM could look like. What followed was a visit shaped by prayer, preparation, and a shared desire to walk with others in faith. The team included seven members, four women and three men, each ready to serve in ways fitting their gifts. The women hoped to lead Bible study and activities for children, while the men prepared to help with construction and repair projects.
The team’s excitement began even before crossing the border. Many looked forward to being in El Paso, where their former District Pastoral Counselor, Rev. Kirk Tripplett, now serves as Senior Pastor at Zion Lutheran Church. Worshiping alongside the congregation at Zion the Sunday after arrival offered a meaningful time of reunion and fellowship with Pastor Kirk and his wife, Lara.
Monday morning began early as the team left the YLM campus with a van full of Spanish Bibles, study materials, craft supplies, paint, and tools. At Cristo Rey, chairs and tables were moved to prepare the sanctuary. Tarps were laid out, and walls received a fresh coat of paint, bringing new life to the space. Before long, women, children, and youth began arriving. Nearly forty gathered throughout the morning, greeting one another with laughter as Bibles and study handouts were shared.
While the women led Bible study and activities, the men worked alongside YLM’s Servant Event Director, repairing the parsonage roof and replacing damaged ceiling sheetrock inside the home. Ministry unfolded on multiple levels, with learning, service, and care happening at the same time.
Each day ended with shared meals and conversation. Lunch, provided by a congregation member and sponsored by the team, offered time to connect before heading home. This rhythm continued into the second day before the team moved to La Santa Biblia on Wednesday and Thursday.
At La Santa Biblia, mornings filled quickly as nearly thirty women and children arrived. Bible study and fellowship continued while the men assisted an elderly congregation member, Socorro, whose roof needed urgent repair. The team expressed gratitude for the chance to serve her, recognizing her fifteen years of faithfulness in preparing soup for the Friday feeding ministry serving more than fifty children and adults.
Call us at (915) 858-2588 or send an email to luz.soto@ylm.org for more information on how you and your family, friends, or church family, can make an impact on eternity here in the El Paso/Cd. Juarez border!
