Mission Team from Mayer, Minnesota enjoyed the use of the new van donated to YLM

What a great blessing it has been to receive a brand-new fifteen passenger van!  Trinity Lutheran Church from Stamford, CT called in the middle of the summer to speak with Rev Dr. Karl Heimer, CEO of Ysleta Lutheran Mission Human Care (YLM).  The work of mercy being done through YLM deeply moved their congregation to give YLM a brand-new fifteen passenger van.

New van arrived two days before largest Mission Team

“It’s a wonderful blessing,” Pastor Heimer shared soon after the purchased van was delivered to the YLM campus, “We not only have a reliable, comfortable, and beautiful vehicle we can use with the mission teams who serve through YLM in different areas of Juarez, but we will be able to leave one of our vans in Anapra where it can be used for ministry purposes by La Santa Biblia, Cristo Rey, and San Lucas.”

Comfortable time spent to and from Anapra in new van

In Anapra, everything is sprawled out and it’s difficult for many of the families and children who live near the La Santa Biblia lot to walk to San Lucas, as many of them don’t have vehicles.  Considering San Lucas has a functioning building for their church, while La Santa Biblia doesn’t, many of the outreach events are hosted there, such as summer Vacation Bible School, Dental Clinic in October, and Water Clinic and Thanksgiving meals in November.

The daily journey to and from Anapra was done in comfort

With a van of their own, they will be able to safely transport members of La Santa Biblia over to San Lucas for these special events.  Rosy Lira, deaconess at La Santa Biblia and Cristo Rey, shared how helpful it is to have a reliable van with plenty of space. “We pick up kids who want to come to church but can’t because their parents won’t let them walk the long distance.  We are able to pick up donations given to our mission-churches through YLM.  Having our own vehicle is a blessing from God.”

The 2019 Ford was delivered a couple of days before the year’s largest mission team arrived on December 27^th.  With 79 people planning to make the trip to and from Anapra every day, YLM had to make sure they had plenty of reliable vehicles for their transportation needs.  Three more vans were rented to accommodate such a large group, but it definitely helped to have three YLM vehicles, thanks to the gift of this new van.  As good stewards of what they’ve been given, YLM is seeking ways to ensure it will last for many years to come, starting with finding funds to purchase heavy duty floor mats.

Thank you, Trinity Lutheran, for your continued blessings and support of the work being done in and through YLM –we are indeed changing lives everyday through simple acts of kindness, and your act of kindness towards our mission has already begun impacting lives!