Monterrey, Mexico

Growing up in a church, I went on many types of short-term mission trips. Trips to inner-city Philly working in the projects, venturing overseas to work with the beautiful people of East Asia, and staying in Mississippi for a week to help with clean-up efforts after Katrina. I always find that at the end of these trips, my view of the world, others, and myself has changed, even if only slightly.

Our church group went to Monterrey, Mexico under the organization Back 2 Back who exists “to love and care for orphans and vulnerable children, by meeting their spiritual, physical, educational, emotional and social needs that they might overcome their life circumstances and break free from the cycle of generational poverty.” 

We loved on children who lived in a children’s home, sweat a lot every day, and played soccer in 104+ degree weather at a squatters village. We met children whose stories would break your heart, and young adults who lived those same stories but because of the love of God and others were full of hope and joy. We saw poverty and we saw joy in the midst of what we thought was poverty.

I actually have no clue how to write and fully convey the experience our team had in Mexico. It’s like when you go on an amazing trip, see something you’ve never seen or experienced before and when people ask how your trip went, all you can think to answer is “good.” -__- And this trip was just that – it was good.

I know a few of us are still processing the trip and haven’t quite figured out what we learned or what was reinforced in our hearts. Maybe that’s a good thing - it will make us continue to think about those children, continue to search our own hearts, and to not forget.