Children listen to a Bible story at Santisima Trinidad

On the last day of April, the mission-churches of Juarez partnering with Ysleta Lutheran Mission Human Care (YLMHC) celebrated the blessing of children in their congregations. Dia de los Ninos is a national holiday in Mexico, where families, organizations, schools, churches, and the state as a whole celebrate their children in many different ways.

Iglesia Luterana Santisima Trinidad, located in the east of Juarez, have independently sought to fund this celebration for their congregation, as well as for the mission-church they support in Kilometer 30. One of their members donates the necessary funds to purchase the items for an hamburgesada, where children and their parents receive freshly cooked hamburgers, along with a bag of chips and a soda pop.

Children at San Lucas enjoyed candy bags, cake, and a piñata after worship service

Santisima members get together early on Saturday morning to grill the burgers, assemble them and wrap them before loading up their coolers and vehicles to make the thirty something minute drive to KM 30, where they meet at the house-church of San Pedro y San Pablo. Over two hundred hamburgers were distributed to those who attended, along with smiles and the message of the Gospel.

Kids at Cristo Rey enjoyed a lunch of pizza before receiving their candy bags after worship service

In Anapra, members of the two mission-churches located there -San Lucas and La Santa Biblia -also worked together to make the day special for the children of their congregations. Together, they raised the needed funds to purchase a pinata, give out candy bags, and have a cake for their children. In La Santa Biblia, there are close to sixty kids under the age of twelve, and it is always a joy for them to have treats such as these.

At San Lucas, several of the women worked together to make the Sunday special for their children, about thirty, which took place after their service. Nancy, one of their most active members, provided the candy for their candy bags, while the other women pooled their resources for a cake.

Over in downtown Juarez, where Cristo Rey -another one of YLMHC’s partnering mission-churches -is located, children felt the love of their congregation through their own celebration. This small congregation is mainly made up of older people, several who depend on the deaconess assigned to Cristo Rey for transportation. The few children they have bring them much joy and pleasure at their excitement, exuberance, and open curiosity for what they are learning about God’s mercy and grace.

The support these mission-churches receive from YLMHC has helped them become confident in their own ability to make events such as these take place. These congregations have grown as the body of Christ, working together to organize, fund, and implement these events, inviting their community to become a part of what is taking place, that is, in the proclamation of God’s love for everyone.