President James Maxwell of the Rocky Mountain District LCMS visited Ysleta Lutheran Mission Human Care (YLM) and brought along new staff members Rev. Jason Cody and Melissa DeGroot. Their time on campus gave them the chance to meet the YLM staff and walk through the ministries taking place each week. The visit included a tour of the campus where they learned about the history of YLM and the work carried out on both sides of the border.
It was a great opportunity for Pastor Maxwell and his colleagues to meet YLM’s new Executive Director, Enrique Davila, and hear his early impressions of the mission. Their conversation also opened the door to discuss the partnership between YLM and the Rocky Mountain District and the ways both ministries continued to support one another.
The joy of the work being done at YLM made a clear impact on Rev. Cody and Melissa, who both expressed amazement at the ways God has worked through this border ministry for the last 44 years. Their visit gave them a closer look at the daily rhythm of service and the long history of care offered to families on both sides of the border.
Rev. Cody and Melissa have now returned to their congregations in Colorado and New Mexico, where they have begun sharing with their members about YLM and the opportunity to make a long lasting impact on families living in this metroplex borderland. Their excitement carried home with them, and the conversations already taking place show how quickly this visit has begun to bear fruit.
Within days of returning to Colorado, Rev. Cody reached out to YLM about a potato farmer interested in donating potatoes. Melissa has shared about the mission opportunities through YLM’s Servant Event ministry with her pastor, excited about the chance for their congregation to serve alongside YLM in the near future. With an open invitation for them to return, the seeds planted during their visit are already growing.
YLM looks forward to working side by side with the Rocky Mountain District as new changes and opportunities come its way. The partnership continues to grow, and this visit strengthened the connection between both ministries as they look ahead to the work God is preparing.
