Today was filled with joy, fellowship, and another beautiful reminder of God’s faithfulness.

Our morning started with us traveling to Valle De Guadalupe to serve with Pastor Victor and his family. Before arriving we went grocery shopping to buy a few things for the children’s event at the park.
We then spent the afternoon helping Pastor Victor and his family prepare and set up for the event. We prepared the sandwiches, candy bags and sodas. Meanwhile the kids waited for the event to begin Malakai was able to play on the seesaw with the kids. He was able to connect with them through games. One of the sweetest moments for Malakai was seeing the children recite Romans 5:8. We were able to witness God moving in their hearts through something as simple and powerful as His Word. They sang together, read a story in the Bible and played a interactive game that corresponded to the Bible story. 

Throughout our time here, we have witnessed God’s faithfulness in so many ways. Fellowshiping with Pastor Victor’s family, especially his daughters was such a blessing. Their heart for ministry was evident in the way they gathered, served, and loved the children.

As our time together was coming to an end Pastor Victor shared words of encouragement with us about continuing to do the Lord’s work. He reminded us to listen to God’s calling over our lives and to continue walking in obedience. His words deeply moved us and are something we will carry with us. Valle de Guadalupe has captured our hearts and will forever hold a special place in our lives. 

Tomorrow we begin our journey home. Our hearts are filled with so much gratitude for everything God allowed us to experience, the people we met, the relationships we built and the lives we were able to serve.

Leaving is bittersweet but we trust that this is not the end. Until next time, Mexico. 

Full Circle

The night before, over tacos, Freddie spotted a familiar face across the street. It had been two years since he’d last seen Josue and his family, two years since Freddie shared the gospel with them on a previous mission trip and had the joy of leading them to the Lord. Back then, he’d done something else too. He bought every single piece of corn bread from Josue’s basket, just to bless him, and gave it all away.Now, two years later, here they were again, selling corn bread on the same streets of Rosarito. Freddie walked over, caught up with them, and asked if our team could come visit at their home. Josue said yes without hesitation.
Morning: Coffee, Burritos, and a Look Back
Day 3 started at the Connection House, where our host Ron had breakfast burritos and coffee waiting for us. Before we headed out, we sat together for devotionals and talked about the day before, where we’d seen God moving and how we could keep encouraging each other as a team. It was a quiet, grounding way to start a day that ended up being one of the most memorable of the whole trip.Reuniting with Josue’s Family
We made our way to Josue’s home that morning, not knowing quite what we’d find. He met us walking with a limp. He’d twisted his ankle recently, so before anything else, we sat with him, talked through some recovery basics, and prayed over him. We asked God for healing for his ankle, but we didn’t stop there. We prayed for his marriage too, which we learned had been going through a hard season, asking for restoration in every part of their life together. And we prayed for their business, the corn bread that had become their family’s lifeline.Josue has a wife and four kids: a stepdaughter, a son, and a daughter. They’d come to Rosarito from Guadalajara, hoping for a new start, and for a time, they had nothing. Josue told us about the very first basket he ever sold corn bread from. He talked about standing out in the rain with that basket, refusing to go home until every last piece was sold, sometimes staying out all day and night. He remembered crying under the rain, exhausted, just trying to provide for his family. That basket, that season ofdesperation, became the foundation for everything they’ve built since.As we talked, we learned about another struggle. Their oven had stopped heating properly in the evenings, right when they needed it most to keep up with their baking. Without a working oven, the corn bread, their income, their survival, was in jeopardy.
Finding an Oven
We didn’t want to just buy them any oven. New stoves in the area were expensive, and most options were Mexican made, which meant parts and repairs could be harder to track down. We wanted something USA made instead, something that could be fixed faster and cheaper if it broke down again, because the parts would actually be accessible to them.So we spent about two hours reaching out to businesses and explaining the situation, until we found one willing to partner with us on the cause. We set up a delivery appointment for later that same day.
When we told Josue and his family what we’d arranged, they broke down in tears. They told us they’d been on their last leg, that this couldn’t have come at a more critical moment for them.
An Afternoon at the Beach
With some time to spare before the delivery, we headed to the beach. Jesse, along with Sophia, Natalie, and Larissa, started writing out “PCYA” and a cross in seashells along the sand. From there, the project just kept growing, and we ended up building a human sized sandcastle complete with a tunnel. Pastor Derrick’s son gave it a try and got himself wedged in, tight enough that someone had to grab his legs and pull him back out, laughing the whole time.Reflection
Day 4 was a picture of what it looks like when God brings things full circle. A basket of corn bread sold in the rain two years ago turned into a family finding new life in Christ. A chance sighting over tacos turned into a reunion, a prayer for healing, and an oven that would keep a family’s business and hope alive. And in between it all, there was still room for laughter, sandcastles, and a tunnel a little too small for a kid to fit through.

Yesterday was filled with moments where we truly saw The Holy Spirit move. We began our morning with our team’s devotional where we were able to reflect on the previous day’s work and check in with each other.

We headed over to Valle de Las Palmas where the girls helped some of the members of the church cut and prepare the craft for VBS. Then we separated into two groups and each group went around the community inviting them to service that night.

Some amazing moments from door knocking included Sophia and Natalie meeting a woman named Linda who was eager to attend the service. Not only did Linda come to service, she also chose to get baptized! She was the very first person baptized at the New Church located in the Valle de Las Palmas. How amazing is God! Larissa, Sophia and Natalie also met a family who were currently struggling with some health issues. The father of this family unfortunately got a flesh eating bacteria infection on his ankle. Thankfully, they were able to catch the virus soon enough for it to be treated properly. Larissa, Sophia, and Natalie & Freddy were each able to pray over the entire family, and will be continuing to keep them in their prayers.
Once service began, we got so see multiple individuals from the community come together and worship. The seminary students led us in worship, then both Jesse and Natalie were given the opportunity to share their testimonies.

As the message started, Larissa, Sophia, and Natalie went over to help lead VBS for the children of the community where we were able to do worship, learn memory verses, and do a fun craft with the kids.

While back at the main service Baptism were starting. Pastor Derrick had the honor to baptize Linda. She was the 1st person to be to baptized in this new church.

After the service ended, we said our goodbyes to the community and church members who we had been serving with.

Being able to serve was truly a blessing to be a part of. I can’t wait to see how God continues to move within this community and our team!

Our Fay started early with breakfast, reading our Bibles, and then heading to Valle de Guadalupe around 8:30 a.m. We met Pastor Emmanuel and Angelica and spent the morning working on the foundation, shoveling and applying a coating to help protect the building from humidity.
After lunch, we gave our leftovers to the family living on the property. Seeing how genuinely joyful and grateful they were really impacted me. Angelica also showed us their home, and we got to meet the family and spend time with their kids. I colored with a little boy named Alexander, and even that simple moment meant so much to me.
Being here has shown me how different life can look from what I’m used to, but it has also been incredibly inspiring. Seeing people find joy in the simplest things and watching everyone come together to serve has made God’s presence feel so real. I can genuinely see God moving here, and being able to witness it firsthand has been one of the most meaningful parts of this trip.
We ended the night with dinner, a quick Walmart run, and watching the meteor shower from the fourth-floor balcony. It was such a fulfilling day, and I’m so grateful I got to experience it with this group.