God is Doing a Work in Chihuahua, Mexico!

My name is Julie Busse and I was one of many Bethel College students who spent their Spring Break 2003 in Chihuahua, Mexico. I was placed, along with my friend, Leah Leafblad, into a very poor living situation as my host home. We lived with a family of six in a one-bedroom house. At first, I thought that it was going to be uncomfortable living so closely with strangers. Although it was very much out of my comfort zone, I found that I began to grow close to this Mexican family.

After almost a week of working construction during the day and then coming back to the host family at night, Leah and I made a very sobering discovery. The four year-old girl in their family, Belen, had a hole in her heart. She cried often because her limbs would become numb and her family knew her condition would be fatal without a very expensive surgery. The minute her mother told us about this, I had a knot in my stomach. I knew God had brought us into this poor home because He had heard Belen's cries and He was going to heal her. I promised Belen's mother that I would take some kind of action to help raise the six thousand dollars they needed for the surgery.

I was discouraged by some and encouraged by others that it was even possible to attempt to raise the money. I e-mailed one of the local ministry leaders in Chihuahua, Jennifer Martinez and she felt moved to do anything she could to make this surgery happen. She went on doctor visits, found government funding, and helped me stay in contact with the family. All I had to do was raise two thousand dollars. Even though I was scared I couldn't do it; I made fliers, got on the phone, and prayed a lot! Before I knew it, people were leaving me messages that they wanted to help and churches were taking up offerings for Belen. Bethel College even let us take offerings outside of chapel. All of the gifts came to almost three thousand dollars. Belen had her surgery and had money for recovery medicines. The family even had money left over! I was given the opportunity to watch God do a real miracle in the life of one four-year-old girl from Chihuahua, Mexico and I will never be the same.

Julie Busse
Bethel College

My Story in Brief: Before my first trip to Mexico as a 16-year-old high school student, I had never been outside the borders of the U.S. I saw in a tangible way that Christ and Love are so much larger than the life I live at home. Mission to Mexico opened my mind, and more than anything my heart, to the possibility of serving anywhere God calls. It is a tremendous understatement to say that MtoM was significant. It was nothing less than a life-changing event in my life that has led me to even more distant places, for longer periods of time with an increased passion and understanding of God's will for my life and the Church worldwide.

Ben Haguewood
Fellowship Student Ministries

A Perfect Day
In Creel, it is easy. I would awaken to the sound of a rooster outside of my room. The mornings are crisp. There is time for a quiet time with God sitting on a bluff over looking a valley. A quick breakfast with friends. Then a full day of hard labor with little interruption. There are no cell phones or pagers. Laughter pervades the tough tasks of manually mixing and transporting concrete. Palpably, there is single-mindedness. Joyful labor for God with fellow believers. New friendships solidifying. The day slows for time to eat dinner and tell stories of the day. The day ends in exhaustion after a hard day of service. A perfect day is easy in Creel.
The return home brings the challenge. Back at home I have everything, cable TV, the internet. Instant anything to fill me up. A poverty invisible to those of the world. Now, at home I realize why I was created. Maybe my purpose is not in the mission fields now. But, I strive daily for the focus and obedience to Christ that will bring that perfect day that only He can provide.

Dr. Adam Maass, MD in Creel
The Grove

The trip to San Juanito, Mexico was my first mission trip. Before it started, I was very excited about it, but I didn't know how the whole experience would unfold or what effect the outcome would have on me.

I soon found out, and all I can say is what a wonderful opportunity to serve the Lord! It was a real blessing to meet and work with such a marvelous group of people—Calvary Commission and everyone involved were such an inspiration to me. The leadership and enthusiasm were contagious and my fellow mission members taught me the true value of teamwork.

The conditions under which the people of this remote area live are almost unimaginable. Poverty is rampant, extremely saddening and very depressing, yet the church, locals and the mission itself were incredibly inspiring to me.

Now I want to do even more to help make a difference. I pray that the Lord Jesus allows me to serve him in a similar capacity because I will never forget the Davis family with whom we worked in Mexico—the tears in their eyes and their joyful smiles will be in my heart forever. All of these wonderful experiences make me want to go back. And I will.

Brian Stearman
The Grove

I have been to Mexico five times and have seen God at work in numerous ways. I have seen prayer answered for rain, when it hadn't rained in over six months! We were able to feed many of the villagers in San Juanito a meal on our first night there…and ran out of food as we fed the last one. I have seen the love of Jesus shine through the smile of a dusty old Mexican man as he shook our hand during a church service. Mexico is truly a "God thing" experience. The students I have been with in my group all come back with some part of their life changed. God appears in so many ways and through so many people. I believe that God even had Angels protecting us from harm/evil. (I add that because I truly believe it.) It's special when students that went to Mexico with us come home from college and see us - the conversation almost always contains a Mexico story…there are so many memories.

John Flowers
Fellowship Student Ministries

"I now have a home in Chihuahua :)"
11th grader

"I loved my host family"
11th grader

"It would be worth going back for the relationships that you build there."
11th grader

"We built bonds quickly with our team and the Mexican people."
10th grader

"I was a little worried about the trip before I went, but I prayed about it and God took care of it. It was a blast!"
8th grader

"It was a moving experience. God taught me and showed me things there. The people were so loving and you could see that it was God's love through them. We may have brought things to them, but they gave us even more."
11th grader