By Chris Eltrich, Lead Pastor, Lettered Streets Covenant Church
On July 9th, 48 people from Lettered Streets Covenant Church ranging in age from 11 months to 65 years old, left on a journey to San Filipe Del Progreso, Mexico. One of the partners in our church grew up in San Filipe Del Progreso, and she and her husband lived there for a number of years doing ministry.
Having these familial and ministry connections proved to make our experience not only effective, but as Rick Steves might say, we were able to experience Mexico through the ‘back door.’
We were able to partner with two local churches, a local school, and one non-profit called, World Access Project (WAP). WAP collects donated wheelchairs, walkers, and canes from around the world and then refurbishes them and distributes them to people in Mexico who have need. WAP is a Christian organization that shares the gospel in word and deed. Our team was trained on how to fit people with the proper equipment to for their size, age, and lifestyle. Some of the people we were able to help serve, had never experienced an opportunity for personal mobility in their lives. You could sense the freedom and joy of a truly life-changing intervention.
On multiple occasions, recipients (or relatives of recipients) of mobility devises were so moved with joy that they spontaneously volunteered to work the rest of the day with WAP to help others. WAP also has ways to follow up with more in depth training for how to become more mobile along with discipleship opportunities.
We also partnered with two local churches by coming alongside them in activities they wanted to offer their local communities such as children’s festivals to bless local kids and families, marriage classes, a youth group night, and lots of worshiping together.
Finally, we brought a team of educators, behavior specialists, and a physical therapist to work with a local school. This school is an integrative school that has 40-60% special needs students at any given time, integrated with other students. The teachers took time off their summer break to host our team of educators and specialists and to learn form one another. They were so hungry to learn they asked for a second, unplanned day of training.
Perhaps one of the most significant and unexpected outcomes was the way our presence with our sisters and brothers in Mexico broke down barriers. Multiple locals expressed deep concern with the political rhetoric coming out of the U.S. toward Mexico. They also said that our presence, love, and camaraderie in ministry was priceless. More than anything we ‘accomplished’ our presence manifested the reality of an alternative kingdom that stands above the divisiveness of empires clashing, and political venom.
Thanks be to God!
