Shaping Service

Last April my dad, brother, and I had the privilege of going on a medical mission trip to the Yucatan Peninsula. An eight-day trip, our team traveled to small villages (“pueblos”) around the city of Valladolid, Mexico. We spent each day from Monday through Friday in a different village, opening medical and dental clinics to minister to the needs of people in the area. Local pastors and missionaries used this opportunity to share the gospel with those who came for treatment. It gave my heart joy to hear of the Holy Spirit’s work in lives as a result of the trip.

For those considering short-term missions, know how worthwhile the effort is. Not only does it bless others, but God can use the experience to strengthen one's faith and relationship with Him. The Lord used our trip to Mexico in an instrumental way both in my life and my brother’s life. Not only were we exposed to a challenging environment, we also learned more about what it means to serve and cultivate a servant’s heart. Having studied Spanish two years, we found it encouraging to apply and practice what we had learned. It meant so much to communicate with the people even at a limited degree. We found that cultural immersion is absolutely crucial when learning a language. By the end of the trip, our Spanish speaking skills and accent had really improved.

Overall, the Lord has worked in the past missions opportunity to kindle an interest and reveal a purpose in learning the Spanish language. My brother Steven and I occasionally visit a Spanish-speaking church service nearby to exercise our Spanish and at the same time receive nourishment from the Word. How wonderful to observe the fervent love for Christ in other believers and feel the presence of God–a bond which ties us together as the Body of Christ–even when worshipping in a different language! In addition, we have just been accepted to go on a medical missions trip to Lima, Peru which will take place at the end of February, Lord willing. I find it encouraging that God has placed this opportunity in our pathway and hope that He will continue to use these missions experiences to shape our lives.