Pastor Lozano welcomed MOST team to San Lucas in Anapra, eager to work side by side with them to bring God’s love in word and deed to their community

In poverty stricken places like Rancho Anapra, Kilometer 30, and Juarez, where many have difficulty acquiring basic amenities, such as food and shelter, eye care ends up at the bottom of a list of priorities. This, however, causes many problems for people of all ages, due to lack of healthy food and the constant exposure to sun and dust that is common in desert areas like Juarez.

Ysleta Lutheran Mission Human Care (YLM) partnered with MOST Ministries (MOST), once again, to help bring needed glasses for distance and reading to the communities of their partnering Mexico mission-churches. Iglesia Luterana San Lucas hosted a two-day clinic, with Wednesday and Thursday spent at Kilometer 30 with Pastor Jose Hernandez, shepherd of Iglesia Luterana Santisima Trinidad. MOST teams usually run 4-day clinics, whether at one or multiple locations; this team agreed to do a fifth day at a downtown Juarez adult daycare, Epoca de Oro, where they served over 200 people and ended up working four more hours than planned.

Education took place, along with Evangelism, to help people understand the importance of eyes, both physically and spiritually

Scott, facilitator of the Servant Event ministry, assisted the team throughout the week, sharing afterwards, “This team from Michigan was on a mission, and by the end of the week, they were tired yet satisfied because people who needed glasses also got to hear about Jesus, and they saw Jesus in this diligent, caring team of ten.”

The need for this caring service was evident as people kept coming, and at Epoca de Oro on Friday, the administration had to close their doors at 1pm to ensure the team could see everyone. Epoca de Oro had over 200 people seen, with close to 400 seen the previous four days. In total, this team of ten servants of God and people saw 606 individuals of all ages and gave out 698 pairs of sunglasses and prescription glasses combined.

Ernesto and Denise worked together at the nursing station, where they checked people for eye problems

“At KM30, the team provided a 71 year old man with his first pair of glasses!” Kaleigh, the team’s leader and a staff member of MOST, shared afterwards, “Having been on several mission teams around the world, it’s always a joy to see people’s smiles (or smiling eyes with a face mask) because you can tell that their lives have been impacted.  God was at the center of everything we did and that makes the lasting impact to the community!”

The evidence of what Pastor Hernandez shared revealed itself on the third day. The team shared how Ernesto, one of the Mexico translators hired to help, spoke with Pastor Dave Stechholz, from the Michigan team, about getting baptized. Connecting him with Pastor Hernandez, Ernesto has received a Bible, a Small Catechism, and information on the Lutheran doctrine. Working alongside Deaconess Rosy Lira, plans are being made for his baptism to take place in the next two months.

“It was an experience like none other,” he shared over the phone, “I could feel the love the members of the team have for the people and for Jesus. I have never been baptized but I want to be a part of that love, of God’s family. I want to do something meaningful and this felt like something I should be doing –helping others and knowing Jesus and sharing Him with others like the team did with me.”

For the Michigan team, the long hours ending in tired nights was well worth it after learning about Ernesto’s desire, for bringing one person out of spiritual darkness by showing them Jesus is the greatest reward for their labor of love to the people of Mexico.

“And Jesus cried out and said, ‘Whoever believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. And whoever sees Me sees Him who sent Me. I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in Me may not remain in darkness.’”
~John 12:44-46