by Amber Eck and Natalie Small
"Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you did it to me."
Matthew 25:40
This is the mission of Genesis Diez, and over Spring Break 2010, nearly 30 PLCPC students, youth leaders and adults had the privilege to be part of this mission during their 9th annual trip to Rancho Genesis in Ensenada, reaching out to the orphaned and impoverished children of Mexico.
Reflections on the Mission Trip Experience
"The trip to Rancho Genesis was a gift from heaven: five days of sharing the love of Jesus in God‘s Country", said Carol Leimbach, former PLCPC Deacon and Sunday School teacher, who visited Genesis for the first time. "Leaving behind all of the material distractions such cell phones and computers, and spending so much time in the fresh air and nature brought me closer to God. It was very humbling to visit the families from Durango who have so little in the way of material things, but have so much joy for life and faith in Jesus. The shared smiles among the amigos (our youth) and niños (the local children) have left an indelible impression on my heart."
The group spent mornings working on construction projects at the ranch, and the afternoons playing with local children of Oaxacan field workers – making crafts, playing sports, learning Bible verses and going on field trips. Afterward, the students delivered food baskets to the families of these children as part of the Genesis "Food & Prayer" program.
"It was an unforgettable and incredible experience", said Amber Eck, former PLCPC Deacon and Sunday School teacher. "I came to serve them, and they taught me so much about faith, love, and what really matters." Claire Anne Brand, a sophomore from High Tech High, agreed: "These kids have so little, and yet they were so genuinely happy, and so accepting of us. Their families welcomed us into their homes – they said, 'You‘ve saved us; you‘re angels to us', and told us 'you‘re welcome in our home any time.'" Olivia Wilson, a sophomore at Point Loma High School who spent her mornings installing rain gutters on the roof of the kitchen and digging holes to post hand painted signs with Spanish Bible verses along a hiking trail up a nearby mountain, said "those posts felt like they weighed 100 pounds each, but it was all worthwhile when we hiked the trail that afternoon, and saw how meaningful the Bible verses were to those kids."
At the end of each day, the niños (the orphans and migrant children) and the amigos (the volunteer students and adults) stood in a circle, and talked about what they enjoyed most about the day. The kids said (translated by Genesis staff): "I liked the monkey bars and sliding down the slide", "I liked getting piggy back rides", "I enjoyed learning the Bible verses", "I had fun spending time with my amigo." The amigos had similar responses: "I liked playing soccer with the kids", "I had fun jumping rope with the niños", "I liked doing crafts with the kids", "I enjoyed getting to know the children."
PLCPC Elder Bob Lemke, who spends most of his summers at Genesis, and has been coming down for nearly 8 years, says people always ask him if he‘s going down to do construction. He tells them that he is, but that "construction is just part of it – it‘s really all about the kids. We‘re hoping to help them, or help them see God." On why he keeps coming back, Bob said that "it‘s easier to be closer to God out here on this 'island of love', without all the competing influences back home."
Assistant Youth Director Natalie Small, who was on her 6th trip to Genesis with the PLCPC Youth Group said that "Every year I am amazed at how they seek out the hurting populations and actively find ways to provide for their physical and spiritual needs." She said: "We left for this trip individuals. We returned as a family with a united heart to love and serve others."
Mexico Mission Trip Reunion potluck
If you went on the Mission Trip, or if you are interested in learning more or getting the chance to talk to some of the participants, look for details about an upcoming Mexico Reunion Pot luck, where the Mexico Mission Trip Video will be premiered and more stories will be shared.