A mission team of nine adults from Shepherd of the Lakes Lutheran Church in Brighton, Michigan, arranged a trip to Ysleta Lutheran Mission Human Care (YLM) for the second week of November through Mission Opportunities Short Term Ministries (MOST).  Their tenth member, Darcy Zent, is a MOST volunteer from Wisconsin who met up with the team at the Dallas Airport before making the final trip to El Paso, where they would spend six days serving others through the use of their talents.  “Several of the members on this team have been to YLM before,” Darcy shared soon after arriving to El Paso on a Saturday afternoon, “This is my first time, along with four others, and we’re all excited to serve in whatever way we are needed.”

Families in Kilometro 30 with no running water benefit from the Water Clinic classes and filter systems

In the past years, MOST teams have served through YLM by hosting Eyeglass and Water Clinics in Juarez.  This year’s focus was the Water Clinic.  Aside from giving out a total of forty water filters, the Water Clinic includes informative classes for adults, and children, where the importance of clean water, hydration, nutrition and hygiene are taught as part of having a healthy lifestyle.  Families in Anapra, where mission-church partners Iglesia Luterana San Lucas and Iglesia Luterana de La Santa Biblia are located, will be blessed along with families in Kilometro 30, an impoverished community outside of Juarez where Iglesia Luterana Santisima Trinidad diligently ministers to the people in need.

Working in conjunction with YLM,these three mission-churches brought families throughout their community who would greatly benefit from the educational opportunity and the gift of a water filter system.  With language being a barrier, Rev Dr. Karl Heimer, CEO of YLM and pastor at San Pablo Lutheran Church in El Paso, extended an invitation to the Zaragoza Rotary Club of El Paso to provide translators to help the MOST Ministry Team communicate clearly and effectively with the Juarez families.

Children enjoyed Bible story time, crafts, and parachute games

On Memorial Monday, the team and translators made the early trip to Anapra, prepared to set up and conduct the Water Clinic for twenty families from San Lucas and Santa Biblia.  With over twenty families, including children who had their own class to include fun activities, the information and water filters were gratefully received.

People in San Lucas and La Santa Biblia expressed their gratitude for the Water Clinic and filter systems

“You have helped me keep my grandchildren safe and healthy,” an elderly participant shared as person after person thanked the group for their informative training and water filters.

The team visited Kilometro 30 on Wednesday, bringing along twenty more filters, and three translators from the Zaragoza Rotary Club of El Paso, to hold the same educational classes for adults, while the children enjoyed the sun and fun activities outside.  This impoverished community known as Kilometro 30 has been a mission work area for Santisima Trinidad for a few years.  They faithfully share the Gospel through music, loving pastoral counsel, and acts of kindness.

“The people here have so much need,” Rev. Jose Hernandez, pastor at Santisima Trinidad, shared as people trickled into the humble community center where all activities in the area take place, “They don’t have running water.  People have to walk for miles, every day, to get water from the water truck the city provides.”

The team helped organize donated items for upcoming winter distribution

An elderly gentleman shared how difficult it is for him to carry a five-gallon bucket with water every day, “To be able to have clean drinking water, and not have to carry a heavy bucket, is a great help.  This team is a blessing to me and my neighbors.”

Building #3 received much needed repairs inside thanks to the team’s dedication to serve where needed

In between the two Water Clinic days, the MOST mission team worked diligently to help where needed.  From separating, organizing and labeling donations to ensuring the warehouses were ready for the upcoming Christmas distribution, the ladies in the team did amazing work to ensure a smooth distribution in the upcoming weeks.  The men helped do much needed repair work for Building #3, a small adobe house on the YLM campus.

“They were able to determine the house was sound, get the plumbing working, demolish the kitchen and bathroom, re-tile and install a new toilet and bathroom sink,” Scott Juengel, missionary and facilitator for San Pablo Lutheran Church and YLM, shared with a joyful smile, “I was amazed!  They came here to serve and they weren’t kidding.  They served their hearts out.”

With every mission of mercy, God is working mightily among and through the people seeking to serve Him at YLM.  What an amazing impact God made through the dedicated team from MOST Ministries!