Reynosa, Mexico Mission Trip

My church, Calvary Chapel Salt Lake City, is sending a group on a mission trip to Reynosa, Mexico from June 24th to July 1st. I will be going on this mission trip. Reynosa is ranked # 2 in the world for child prostitution. Reynosa is the home of Boys Town, one of the most spiritually dark places on the face of the earth. Contained by high cement walls, Boys Town is a small area of fatherless, homeless, loveless people, known mainly for prostitution. Anything goes inside the walls of Boys Town, where 200-300 girls and women, many under the age of 18, work and live in squalid conditions. Founded around 150 years ago, Boys Town has largely been ignored when it comes to ministry.

Teams will travel to Boys Town for dual ministry, both within and without its walls. Inside, small teams will perform random acts of kindness for the girls and other residents. Outside, larger teams will participate in evangelism, drama, construction projects, prayer walking, setting up an impromptu beauty shop, and holding V.B.S. (Vacation Bible School) and soccer clinics for the children. In short, we're going to spread the love of Christ inside and outside Boys Town. You can read about a similar mission trip by clicking here.

There are currently two opportunities for construction projects: First, there is a strong possibility that we may be helping to build a drop-in center/refuge for the women of Boys Town. The drop-in center has been the heart of missionaries there. They want to have a place where these women can come and be shown that they are special. This can be accomplished by giving them a way of leaving the only lifestyle that they have known and showing them a life of love in Jesus Christ. Prayer, mentoring, teaching practical skills, and job training are some of the goals of the drop-in center.

If the land that needs to be bought to build the drop-in center hasn't gone through all its proper channels by the time we go down there, we will have building option # 2. This job is equally as important. We will help the local pastors of the colonia (neighborhood) to raise their church up off its current foundation to avoid all the flooding that has been occurring. We will also be working on improving the living conditions in the colonia by either building homes or fixing the current ones that are there.

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them,

because they were harassed and helpless,

like sheep without a shepherd.

Then he said to his disciples,

"The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.

Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore,

to send out workers into his harvest field.

- Matthew 9:36-38 (NIV)

I am going on this trip because I believe that God has led me to help Kelly and the other missionaries in this area by showing these people the love of Christ and building the drop-in center. I want to share the gospel with the people in this area. I also want to help the girls and women in Boys Town find a way out of the way of life they are trapped in.

I need to raise $750 for the trip and another $300-$400 for the plane ticket to McAllen, TX, which is 4 miles from Reynosa. Please pray about whether God is leading you to support me on this mission trip. In addition to financial support, prayer support would be greatly appreciated. If God is leading you to financially support me on this mission trip, please email me and I will send you a form so you can send your tax-deductible donation to Calvary Chapel. Any extra money raised will be used for the construction projects described above. If you would like to use your frequent flyer miles to purchase my plane ticket, please email me and I will send you the flight information. Thank you and God bless you.