It was 5 o’clock on Saturday morning, Aug. 7, when the van
pulled out of Gilroy heading south. Inside were four adults and
four youth from Gilroy’s First Baptist Church setting off on a
10-and-a-half hour trip for a week of service to God and the
residents of a village in Mexico.
It was 5 o’clock on Saturday morning, Aug. 7, when the van pulled out of Gilroy heading south. Inside were four adults and four youth from Gilroy’s First Baptist Church setting off on a 10-and-a-half hour trip for a week of service to God and the residents of a village in Mexico.
This was the group’s seventh annual mission trip to La Mision, located some two hours below the U.S.-Mexico border in Baja California. Their goal, after four months of planning, was to provide education, entertainment, and labor for their Mexican hosts.
An important part of their efforts was a Vacation Bible School program presented each weekday morning from 9:30 to 11:30 at Templo Cristiano Elim. Meant for children ages three and above, the event became increasingly popular throughout the week as word spread. The 35 in attendance on Monday grew to 55 on Friday, and children began lining up outside the church an hour early.
It is no wonder the program became so popular; it consisted of puppet shows, crafts, Bible stories, playtime, and snacks. Because not everyone from Gilroy spoke Spanish, the dialogue of the puppet shows was recorded in advance on a CD and played back during the performances.
After lunch, which was provided daily by the local pastor’s wife and a team of village women, the Gilroy visitors devoted their time to helping with construction projects. One of their tasks was to cut wire from a large coil, straighten it, and then shape it to form rectangular rebar for concrete which was to be poured later. One day the Gilroyans visited Door of Faith orphanage, a non-denominational institution providing a home for nearly 100 children. Many found this a high point of the trip, the opportunity to play and interact with these underprivileged youth.
The visitors engaged in many other activities while in Mexico:
n Participating in a 2-and-a-half hour Sunday worship service at the Mexican church, particularly the enthusiastic singing and dancing involved.
• Playing volleyball with some villagers after the service.
• A trip to frolic in the water at a beach near Ensenada.
• A visit into the neighboring town of Rosarito to eat in a nice restaurant.
Sara Stewart, a 17-year-old senior at Monte Vista Christian High School in Watsonville, remarked that the trip “was a very good experience because I learned that there are many paths in life that can lead to happiness.”
Doug Mitzner, an adult chaperone who has been on all six previous trips, feels that “they’re really doing us a favor because of all the blessings we get back from our experiences.”
Mark Milwee, pastor of the Gilroy church, flew down to Mexico to spend part of the week at La Mision. In a message to his congregation, Milwee shared four lessons he brought back with him:
• Hard work is good for the soul.
• Unity is the key to teamwork.
• We take our blessings for granted.
• Contentment with godliness is great gain.”
