Day 6: Last Day in Juarez

Pastor Ben giving out a filter.

Today was bittersweet, we went back to the same site as yesterday and visited with many of the same people. Pastor Hernandez again began the day in prayer and with some excellent singing. We even found out some of the kids at SOTL sang the same songs in Spanish class this week!

We spent time sharing witness bracelets, playing with kids and teaching bible lessons. We did more hygiene education and were able to distribute 23 more water filters today and spent time with each family to make sure they understood exactly how this would benefit them. The people were so grateful today and genuinely will be impacted by these filters for years to come.
The children remembered us from yesterday and really wanted to play and interact with us. We were joined by some older kids who were not there from yesterday and they jumped right into the bible lessons and crafts and were a help to the younger children.

Kay in health and hygiene class.

After the filters were handed out, we were treated to an amazing homemade meal of mixed tacos and salsa from some of the ladies we served. There was a Mexican style bologna and ground meat in flour tortillas. There was also a green and red homemade salsa. We felt honored these ladies made us such a great meal!


After lunch we went on a prayer walk in the community. It was amazing and but also really tugged at our heartstrings. We were invited into the homes of a few of the people to pray for them and their family members. The eagerness of the people to have us, strangers really, into their home in order to pray was truly humbling. We talked to a shop owner, an elderly wheelchair bond woman, and a homeless man with his kids living out of a truck.

We had to say goodbye to our translators, who we have gotten close to, and this was very hard to do. One of the translators, Jesus, brought his daughter with him today, and watching him walk away with her in his arms brought tears to a few eyes. He had such a zest to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and was a huge help to us. He asked us to show our families pictures of him. We all wish him the best.

Alex and Lupe during arts and crafts.

We were able to help out 50 families, distributing 50 filters. We have made an impact in this community for the better. But... there is still so much need here, there is still so much to do. Consider donating to the Ysleta Lutheran Mission in El Paso Texas, they do so much for the people of El Paso and the city of Juarez, they fund churches, medical clinics, house missionaries like us, fund house building projects, have a prison ministry, make hot meals for people, provide a free medical clinic a few time a year, and so much more! You can donate a one time donation, or sign up to give at least $10 a month and become a "Amigo de Ysleta." Please consider helping this wonderful organization fill the vast needs of these communities, and be able to continue to share God's love through acts of kindness.

To see more of what Ysleta Lutheran Mission is doing, please visit: https://ylm.org/

The team outside of Ysleta Lutheran Mission in El Paso.