Family of Christ Lutheran Church of Ham Lake, MN, had been sending mission teams and support to Ysleta Lutheran Mission Human Care (YLM) for 8 years.  We are grateful to Family of Christ (FOC) making YLM their international mission partner, sharing God’s love and serving His people on the border of El Paso and Ciudad Juarez.  Thank you!

The first week of February, FOC sent one of the most diverse Servant Event teams you will encounter. With a team of 15, consisting of members ranging from 10-years-old to 82, with two families including grandparents and grandchildren, this team created bonds, which were evident with how amazingly they all got along.  Working, sharing, laughing, worshiping, experiencing new things, new foods, and making new friends were part of their mission experience.  One of the team members shared, “You see all these people in church, but you never get so close as we do down here.”

In a little over four days, a house for Maria and Fernando was completed.  Maria was overjoyed at being able to pick out paint color, as well as the placement of windows and door.  Fernando, her husband, works at the S-Mart grocery store in Anapra, where many of YLM’s Servant Event missionaries will shop for treats and gelato after a hard day’s work.  Maria and Fernando’s son, Hector, a hard-working and jovial young man, was invited to work with the team every day. At times, he would bring his own tools to help in the construction of his parents’ new home.

FOC also experienced hospitality at its best, as several women from the Anapra mission churches, Iglesias Luterana de Santa Biblia and San Lucas, provided homecooked Mexican meals for lunch every day. A day didn’t go by without several members of the team commenting on how good the food was during their lunch break.

The kids on the team enjoyed playing with the neighborhood kids—soccer, card games, and crafts were some of the activities they participated in.  They worked alongside the rest of the team, helping paint the siding for Maria and Fernando’s new home.  The biggest impact made, however, was when after playing soccer in the sandy streets of Anapra and it was time to leave, the local kids called out with cheerful, “Adios, amigos!”

So many different talents and skills were brought to the surface due to the diversity of the team.  It was a joy to see these talents shared, such as between Rick, the “most mature” of the team, and Ben, the youngest at ten. One of the team members shared, “I can’t imagine doing this without the generational dimension.  We want to bring our parents with us next time.”  Also, “I love getting to do with our kids. AND we all want to come back!”

What families experience on YLM Servant Event trips is life-changing and a part of “Family Ministry”.  With churches offering all kinds of ministries for kids, youth, adults, and seniors, YLM is prepared and willing to help add mission work for families —dad, mom, kids, grandparents—to “Grow, Know, and Show” in faith together. Reach out to us at (915) 858-2588 or luz.soto@ylm.org for more information on how you can schedule an multigenerational mission trip for your church families!