Mission Trip Reflections

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PICTURE: mixing concrete for the roof of a CE Building in Uman, Mexico at the Disciples of Jesus Presbyterian Church.

A web log (blog) like this offers a person the opportunity to record thoughts and impressions as they happen, with few edits, changes, or a long time to reflect. Blogs are also a way to use links to other web sites. (Links are another color and are underlined.) I have done both in this post.

This post is redacted from notes made on the flight home from Houston following a mission trip to the Yucatan in Mexico.

On this mission trip, I realized again how each of us in the church around the world need each other.

Our host was Pastor Joel Canche. He and his wife Rosario (whose nickname is Chary), and their seven children were a big part of our trip. Their eldest four are working or in college. Their youngest two, Romanti and Gidalti were often with us. Through constant contact with these folks I feel like we got to know a Mexican family.

On Sunday we worshiped in a big Presbyterian Church in Merida. Jean Legters, a missionary, translated the service for us. On Monday we were in her home at the beach east of Progresso. Her husband, David Legters founded the San Palo Seminary in Merida in the early '70s. It is now a significant center of learning for Spanish-Speaking Presbyterians across Central and South America. This seminary has stimulated the Presbyterian Church in Mexico by training two generations of evangelical leaders.

We spent time with the Legters in their home on Tuesday. They are profoundly Christian people who became Missionaries exactly 40 years ago and having been living in Merida and among Mayan Presbyterians these many years. Here is a link to give to the seminary.

Our youth enjoyed their hospitality and the beach and do not know they were in the home of a seminary president.

When we arrived at the city of Progresso for a late lunch a cruise ship was at the end of the city's long pier. It was fun to see the vendors and cruise-tourists, but the city calmed down when the ship left port.

Tuesday evening, the last of the trip, we gathered for ice cream in the hotel restaurant. We shared stories of the week. Anne Louise said she liked being with the Mexican Christians, especially the children. I said it was the variety of experiences on the trip: 1) building a roof, 2) repairing a water system, 3) the new internet cafes the provided links to the USA and 4) the old ruins at Uxmal. Jack mentioned the religious aspect of the trip as being the most meaningful for him.

Have I mentioned in previous posts that our group consisted of ten adults and six youth? Two adults and one youth were the Northminster participants. Four adults were from Enterprise, Alabama. Two were from Dothan and six from Mobile. They all go to various churches within the bounds of South Alabama Presbytery. I enjoyed becoming friends with them and with many Mexican Presbyterians.

Nancy and I led a mission trip 19 years ago to build roofs on churches in Merida. This week we did the same construction. The economy in Merida is much improved and the church is alive and well! Their churches are alive with the Holy Spirit and they can expand buildings because North American Presbyterians help them with money and labor. It is like the way the presbytery and General Assembly helped Northminster buy land and build our first phase about sixteen years ago. We are good partners in the Service of Jesus Christ and His church around the world. I am pleased to be a tiny part of it.