Mission Update: Mexico, March 9 (Part Two)

Mission Experience in Partnership with ConeXión Mosaico

March 4–11, 2017

No matter where our adventure has taken us in Mexico, we have always been fed heartily by our abundantly generous hosts. (Some of us might come back a few pounds heavier!) But these feasts have paled in comparison with the “meals” we have been fed every morning by the founder of this work, Jean-Luc Krieg, as he has walked us through the theological and Biblical under-girding of this ministry.

But today was special. Today was a defining day. Today we took a break from the physically demanding labor of CentroRenovar and ventured into the slum communities of San Sebastian and Las Palmas. Today we saw it in the flesh.

We saw it in the 21-year-old young man who, after being trained by ConeXión Mosaico as a teacher, taught his mother to read and is now leading multiple literacy classes for adults in the community.

We saw it in two women from the community who, after being equipped by ConeXión Mosaico, started a small business making all-natural soaps and lotions–a business that is not only providing an income for themselves, but, in addition, is providing an income for a community member who makes the packaging for their goods and for one who goes door-to-door selling them.

And we saw it in a community member who, after being prepared by ConeXión Mosaico as a community activist (pictured here), labored for three years knocking on the doors of her fellow community members and convincing them to participate in the impossible task of overcoming severe oppression and corruption to bring water to the 3,000 families of their slum community. The $1,000,000 U.S. dollars’ worth of work has been completed. On April 1, the valve will be opened and the water will flow!

We saw it – in them and in others. We saw dignity in the midst of dehumanizing conditions. We saw pride in the midst of oppression. We saw the Light of hope pushing back deep darkness. We saw true community emerging out of the ashes of deep distrust. We saw the power of God, working through His church, awakening in a forgotten and abused people a belief in themselves, a belief in one another, and a renewed belief in the relevant love and power of Jesus Christ.

Today we saw, and were fed by, these towering examples of faith.

Contributed by Rev. Michael Stanton