A team of 15 from University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) and University of Missouri (Mizzou) traveled to Juarez, Mexico to serve Algo Mas Church from March 25-April 1, 2023. While the team spent most of the week laboring to improve and repair the church grounds and building, they also participated in evangelistic efforts on the streets and with orphans.
Over the course of the week, the team painted the baptismal, improved the church premises security after a recent theft, and constructed a newly usable room for church activity. Campus Missionary Scott Westfall from The Bridge Collegiate Mizzou reports,
On the first day, the whole town has a Segunda (Large Flea Market). Our team helped in a cafe, prayer walked, and shared the gospel with translators. We had one woman come to Christ, and several come to church that night with us for service.
At the church, we helped construct a gym that will be a safe place for people in their church to come and work out. We also did many other projects like painting, adding a new door, installing security spikes, and just cleaning up projects. Every day we also did training and evening devotional and worship.
On Wednesday night, our team spent a couple of hours at Rivers of Mercy Orphanage, loving on the kids and sharing the gospel with them. This is a Christian orphanage, so many of the students know Christ, but we gave them a tool using the three circles to be able to share it with others.
Thursday, we toured the city, and then it was all hands on deck for the God In The Streets Event. At the event, there is a group that comes in to give haircuts, spray paint Gospel Grafitti, hold a Rap Concert, and feed people. Our Team brought a trailer and van full of new clothes donated by Walmart to give out at the end of the event. One person came to Christ that we know of at this event through one of our students.
A big thank you to FBC Centralia for letting us borrow a van to get down to Mexico!
Campus Missionary Benjamin Kirtley from Collegiate Impact at UMKC and his wife, Meraiah, brought four students on the trip. Kirtley says the trip prompted deeper discussions with his students about the how and why of evangelism and discipleship. While the language barrier proved challenging, he says it was “a humbling reminder that God works in ways we can’t understand.” Westfall says his students were “encouraged and have kept the momentum of being bold in their faith and abiding in Christ as they have come back to campus.”
The pastor of Algo Mas texted Westfall several days after the trip saying, “Scott! Discipleship is spreading! Kevin and Andy and Tony are going to Keyla’s house tonight to meet with her brother Bryan to do a Bible study tonight! Tony is leading it! So so good!!” Westfall says those boys were adopted and previously homeless.
“God has changed their lives radically,” says Westfall. Praise be to God!
