“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”           Isaiah 55:9

Pastor Christian, Steve, and Kaye arrived YLM on Saturday afternoon, ready to serve however needed

For several months, Hales Corners Lutheran Church (Hales Corners, WI) has been organizing and planning to bring a first-time team of missionaries to Ysleta Lutheran Mission Human Care (YLM). The plan was to work in Mexico and build a house for a family of nine, but unexpected events in Juarez, along with the small size of their team, resulted in changing plans for the three members still willing to come and serve as needed.

Building a house in Anapra was the initial plan, but they shifted gears and helped renovate a porch in two days

Multiple projects came up during their time here, from installing a new door in the dormitory to helping unload the Orphan Grain Train (OGT) semi-trailer, loaded with pallets of boxes and school cafeteria tables, which were promptly sent to the Juarez mission-churches at the end of the week. With every project, this small team of three willingly jumped in to help, to include a porch re-build for a disabled volunteer of San Pablo Lutheran Church, who had been waiting since March.

However, it became evident God had other plans for this team, as all three had certain skill sets and expertise to share with the YLM staff for the development of an educational project in Anapra. Through a Monday morning orientation meeting with the Hales Corners team, and YLM staff members, an offer was made to help organize information to put together a proposal for this new project to present to interested churches and individuals.

The Hales Corners team joined in on helping unload an OGT semi-trailer full of donations, to include several dozen cafeteria tables

“This wasn’t something we had planned or discussed with any of the Hales Corners team before their arrival,” Karla, executive assistant to YLM’s CEO, shared afterwards, “But it’s been a project in the hearts of many and it helped to have direction and clear guidelines on what we want to accomplish.”

Skills and expertise on behalf of the Hales Corners team helped further develop one of Pastor Heimer’s visions for the partnering mission-churches

Kaye, a non-profit grant writer, and Steve, a projects manager, used years of experience to help instruct and guide the process. Pastor Christian, with years of experience as a mission’s pastor, offered practical insights and suggestions. Though the initial intention was to build a house for a family, they ended up being part of shaping and solidifying the vision of empowering the Anapra mission-churches to provide educational opportunities for children and youth to help break the cycles of poverty, violence, and hopelessness.

“We are very excited about this project,” Rev Dr. Karl Heimer, CEO of YLM and pastor at San Pablo Lutheran Church, explained during one of the two strategy sessions, “We want to make it possible for these mission-churches to independently help change their communities. Education is one of those ways, and thanks to this team, many others will not only see the benefit of this project but will be excited to be a part of it.”

By the end of their seven days at YLM, this team successfully demolished and remodeled a front porch in two days and encouraged the YLM staff by working alongside them, using their expertise to help lineate and define a project several supporters have already expressed interest in.

“We’re excited to be on the ground floor of this project,” Pastor Christian shared during one of the strategy sessions, “We can definitely see the benefits for everyone involved and are excited to be involved in whatever ways God calls us.”