Half fact-finding endeavor, half whirlwind missions trip, our visit to the U.S.-Mexico border emphasized for me the essential nature of Bible teachings about service, faith and gratitude.
I saw volunteers, missionaries, ministers and their families living daily in observance of Matthew 25:35–40: “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers you did it to me.’”
Serving others
I saw how these servants, despite constant struggles to find the money, manpower and time to operate these missions, didn’t hesitate to give up their own resources — even a pastor’s own home — to make sure strangers from other lands and cultures were properly fed, prayed over and cared for.
And I witnessed these cared-for strangers — men, women, children and infants — show gratitude for such care.
It didn’t seem to matter that these refugees were stalled — with little more than the clothes in their small suitcases and backpacks — in a country they only meant to pass through on the way to the United States. They seemed unfazed that they awaited an uncertain fate in U.S. immigration court over the next weeks, months or even years as they sought asylum from the dangerous conditions in their home countries.
They smiled when talking about having plenty of food, not having to sleep out in the open and receiving encouragement and prayers from the people of faith who serve them. Regardless of their imperiled circumstances they were grateful.
Everywhere I looked — at both the servants and the served — I saw gratitude.
It is a lesson I pray that I will never forget. (Martha Simmons)
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I have been on numerous missions trips in the past 10 years. Even though this was an awareness trip we still had to have the mindset of a missions trip. Typically on a missions trip we minister to people in their country who would like to get out of their current situation. This trip, however, was different. We met people who left their countries in search of freedom and a better life. The families and individuals we encountered were in transition, hoping to get through the difficult process of obtaining access to cross the border into the U.S. Many had walked hundreds of miles to begin the process.
Living in tents
As they wait for months for an appointment they live in tents under a shelter still exposed to the outside elements. A family of four made their home in a small tent. As I looked in the tents I noticed the small number of items they possessed. These families did not have much but what they did have they took great care of. Their belongings were very neat and organized. They made their belongings fit well in the small space by folding each item and stacking everything neatly around the inside walls of the tent.
The children did not have many toys. I noticed one little boy bouncing an imaginary ball around the tents. These are the simple things we do not think about.
One glaring thing I noticed — the parents love their children and want the best for them. So this is what they do to gain a better life.
I witnessed a mother smile at her little girl as they lined up for the breakfast provided by a local church. She kissed her on the head and wrapped her arms around her as they stood in line. No words, just love and comfort for her child as a new day started.
It was very encouraging to watch how the U.S.-based missionary is partnering with the Tijuana-based missionary. So much has been done to help so many. It was interesting to hear from the pastors and how they are forming churches in the area. It was also encouraging to note so many things the pastors are doing with very few resources.
More aware
This was not the awareness trip I was expecting. However, I am more aware of how so many are being the hands and feet to share the love of Christ. (Susan Stevens)
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I am so grateful I was able to be a part of this missions project. Going into it I felt excitement and also knew that it would be a somber experience simply because of the nature of what was taking place in Mexico.
People’s lives are in limbo and I knew there was really nothing physically I could do to help them. I was encouraged though after meeting pastors and missionaries and hearing what they were doing to help the migrants.
My first-person experience painted a different picture than the stories I had seen on the news. While the news stories show poverty and helplessness, and it is true to a great extent, I am encouraged to see that Pastor Juvenal Gonzalez offers hope to these migrants, not just in the form of prayers but actually meeting their physical needs and bringing others in to do the same. Food, shelter and showing God’s love and forgiveness gives hope to these families that are seemingly without hope.
I wasn’t sure what to expect in the first shelter we visited, but when I went inside it seemed full of life and happiness.
Even though the people were living in tents and had one lone chair outside their space the children were laughing and people were smiling.
Contagious passion
Each shelter was the same. The migrants seemed content and the children were happy. The passion of Pastor Juvenal is contagious. These people are his heart.
These bands of migrants surprised the United States but did not surprise God. He uses any means necessary to complete His purpose — that all will come to Him. The migrants are looking for a new home and many are finding a heavenly home in the process.
God’s people are rising up to meet these great needs and are themselves being blessed, reaching generations of people for God. (Amy Hacker)
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What an incredible experience. Even though we didn’t get to see everything we originally wanted to see we still learned a great deal about the border crisis and the ministries happening along the border in Mexico.
It’s always good to be reminded that churches in other countries are helping too. I think we tend to forget that we as Americans aren’t the only ones leading ministries and helping in these countries.
The churches who know the culture and communities should be the ones leading the way in ministry and we should be supporting them. They are the churches that will disciple and impact these people in the future. We should be working through them, not around or over them. They are the ones who will still be there when our missions teams leave.
I was particularly struck by the banners I saw hanging in one of the churches we visited. They highlighted Acts 1:8: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.”
One banner read “Judea” and included photos of the local community; another banner read “Jerusalem” and included photos of Baja California and Tijuana; another read “Samaria” and included photos of Haiti and the U.S.; the final banner read “To the ends of the earth” and included photos of Turkey, Nepal and Morocco.
Those banners were a reminder to me that these churches aren’t just focused on reaching and helping their communities. These bodies of believers also desire to spread the gospel across the globe — even to us in the U.S. We are Mexico’s Samaria. We are in just as much need of Christ as any other country around the world.
It was a powerful reminder that we as Americans aren’t the only ones on mission to go to the ends of the earth — and a powerful reminder of the lostness right here in our country. Instead of thinking everyone needs our help and intervention, we should join forces with the churches and pastors in these places who are passionate about helping their communities.
We have resources they don’t have and they have resources we don’t have. They have valuable connections and relationships within the community that we don’t have. We shouldn’t see any divides between us. We are all the family of God working toward one common goal.
These pastors and churches are pouring everything they have into ministries to help the community whether it’s housing migrants waiting on appointments to obtain U.S. visas, feeding the migrants, helping them settle into a new life in Mexico or providing a church service for them in their language and culture.
Support and encourage
Let’s not try to reinvent the wheel and do things on our own or the way we want or think they should be done. Why don’t we just pour into the churches and pastors and support them in the ways they need?
I just think it’s important for us to remember that we (Americans) aren’t the saving grace of anyone. We have all been saved by grace alone and should show that grace to those we meet no matter where they are from, what language they speak or the color of their skin. (Jessica Ingram)
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The most impactful moment of the September border trip for me was when we interviewed the immigration officer from Mexico. I didn’t realize Mexico serves as a sanctuary country, or Tijuana as a sanctuary city, for migrants from other Spanish-speaking countries who are waiting their day in court to petition for entry into the U.S.
I can’t imagine how frustrating or exhausting it must be for the officer and her coworkers. She mentioned that some people are automatically upset with her and her department even though they’re trying to help the migrants.
She said she tries to help them see that the United States isn’t the only place where they can thrive. But it’s a hard job convincing them because they’ve been sold a fantasy that the U.S. is the only answer, she said.
That’s not to say the U.S. does not have great opportunities. It is and has been a place where people can achieve their dreams of freedom and success, but it’s not easy for migrants, especially non-English-speaking migrants.
The discussion with the immigration officer reminded me I should always show love to everyone, not just the people I’m comfortable around.
That same day was also encouraging because we heard from a variety of pastors working to serve both the Mexican churchgoers and migrant visitors — and in one case a community of Haitians who have settled in Tijuana.
At Tijuana’s First Baptist Church, Pastor Juan is working with Pastor Amos of the Haitian congregation now meeting at First Baptist to figure out the best way to involve both of their congregations.
Along with going the extra step of serving the people by providing housing and food when needed and developing a Haitian church service specifically for those who decided to stay and Haitian migrants who pass through, the original congregation also was willing to adjust its own Sunday morning church service to accommodate the new congregation.
Working together
They first tried bringing the Haitians into the Spanish service but that proved difficult because of the language and cultural barriers. That’s when they started the Haitian congregation. The Spanish-speaking congregation originally met at 10 a.m. and the newly developed Haitian congregation would meet afterward. But a typical Haitian culture involves church early on Sunday mornings so there weren’t as many people coming in the late morning/early afternoon service.
To the ends of the earth
The two pastors noticed this, talked about it and then approached the congregations with a plan to accommodate the early morning service. The church members agreed and the Mexican service now starts 30 minutes later and the three-hour-long Haitian service begins at 7 a.m. Pastor Juan and Pastor Amos regularly preach for each other and said the two congregations are supportive of each other.
The final thing that made an impression on me was at one of the shelters we visited. Inside the building hung four large signs showing Acts 1:8 in the perspective of those living in Tijuana. It listed their Jerusalem as Tijuana and went from there.
We are all called to spread the gospel to everyone. If you’re in Birmingham that still includes to the ends of the earth. If you’re in Tijuana that still includes the ends of the earth. You can, and should, minister to the people in your neighborhood and in your city. But don’t stop there. (Hannah Muñoz)
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In the initial planning stages of the trip our TAB team took to the border in September, I was not nervous at all. I had enjoyed my trips to Peru and Italy and a cruise to Cozumel and there had not been issues with security on those journeys.
However, after a coworker spoke with us about her travels and we were briefed on security travel tips by a representative from Counter Threat Group, I became anxious.
My heart also was heavy about the conditions in Tijuana and I felt in a constant state of prayer. I knew the circumstances in parts of Mexico were sad, complex, overwhelming, somber and appeared hopeless in some cases.
Shining eyes
The first few hours of our trip allowed us to contrast San Diego with what we would later experience just south of the border.
San Diego is beautiful with its hills, beaches and lovely multi-million dollar homes but the scenes certainly looked different once we crossed the border that evening. We were in Tijuana with its areas of poverty, locked gates and iron bars on the doors and windows.
My heart hurt as we entered the nondescript building the next morning with the small tents lined up inside, knowing families were living in that few feet of space — space not large enough to stand up or even stretch out.
The children smiled as they lined up to receive their trays of food. Knowing no Spanish, I could only touch their faces or shoulders and they would look up at me with shining eyes. They never pulled away.
The Spanish-speaking churches in Tijuana are providing ministries that impact hundreds of migrants.
The early and long hours to prepare food, the effort to transport the meals, the cost, the commitment of the people to provide daily nourishment are all examples of dedication rarely seen.
Still the most impactful sight for me was at the beach in Tijuana.
Standing in the middle of the plaza above the beach a person could look to the left and see waves rolling onto shore, families picnicking and swimming, children skipping along the edges of the water — normal beach scenes.
Looking to the right a person would also see the exquisite ocean with the sun bouncing rays of light off the water.
However, no people were on that side because running far into the water is the extension of the wall — the tall, long, steel wall that had distracted our sightseeing with its dominating, unyielding presence.
Those moments along with others during the trip touched our hearts and whetted our appetites for more information. (Cynthia Watts)
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